In the advertising space today, competition is steep. Cutting through the noise requires expert creative strategy that can win over an audience’s hearts and minds—rather than just their clicks or wallets. This presents a challenge—and a powerful opportunity—for those looking to break into the industry.
As a student in the Advertising specialization, you will explore research, approaches and practices essential to creating successful advertising campaigns that resonate.
The courses for the advertising specialization comprise 12 of the 33 program credits. You will learn to develop successful advertising strategy, produce a media plan and leverage digital platforms to reach your intended audience. Explore specialization courses below.
Strategic Principles and Practices
In this course, you will explore the fundamentals of strategic planning as practiced in advertising, including problem assessment, competitive analysis, target-market profile, brand positioning, opportunity recognition, creative platform and creative executions.
Topics in Advertising: Communications Planning
Media planning as a discipline has evolved from a game of numbers executed in a media buy to a much more strategic pursuit. More frequently now called communications planning, it is about developing a holistic plan that drives brand marketing objectives across platforms. In this course you will work through the communications planning process culminating in a media recommendation for a client. You’ll learn about the digital media sales and buying process today, known as programmatic buying. We will also discuss the ethical issues associated with the collection and use of data.
You will use this course to delve into the transformative role that digital media (websites, social networks, blogs, wikis, mobile) plays in the advertising industry and how consumers are reached and how they interpret messages from these digital platforms.
Advertising and Public Relations Research Design
Students learn to apply critical thinking skills when using research to gain consumer insight to solve marketing and strategic communications challenges.
“The communications and advertising fields are changing rapidly, and I am most excited to learn where these fields are headed. I knew that I wanted to continue my education, but I was adamant about finding a program that was exciting and inspiring. It is also fitting that as the communications industry turns its focus to the digital world, we are learning in a digital environment.”
Natascha Trittis
International Olympic Committee, July 2015 cohort
Start building the skills with an online master’s in communications from Newhouse.
As a graduate of the online M.S. Communications program with a specialization in Advertising, you will build skills to advance your career and drive innovation within the communications industry.
Discover the benefits of this specialization below.
Understand Your Audience
The Advertising specialization will teach you to think critically about how consumers receive messages about brands and products—and then build the target-market profile, creative approach and digital strategy to reach them. You will emerge prepared to develop intentional messaging that resonates with your audience, no matter who they are.
Grow Your Professional Network
Communications can be one of the most competitive industries to break into. At Newhouse, you’ll build a network of accomplished professionals—faculty and alumni—that you can use to grow your career long after graduation.
Prepare a Cutting-Edge Portfolio
An impressive portfolio is extremely important for many creative jobs across the communications industry; most companies review a candidate’s portfolio before anything else. Through the Advertising specialization, you’ll develop the skill set to craft a portfolio that stands out to future employers.
Learn From Advertising Professionals
Over the years, Newhouse has evolved into a leading communications school with a variety of advertising experts on staff. As a student, you’ll learn from professors like Brian Sheehan, who worked at Saatchi and Saatchi and managed accounts for top-tier brands including General Mills, Toyota, IKEA and Procter & Gamble.
Our specialization will help you cultivate skills that can be applied across a variety of professions, including:
1 The above self-reported information is from a survey with 83 respondents who have graduated from the online M.S. in Communications program since 2015. The average salary increase for advertising specialization students was 15 percent three, six or 12 months after graduation.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
