Advertising Degrees and You
What should you learn in an advertising degree program?
Do you aspire to be the next Leo Burnett or Donny Deutsch? You may think that great executives are born, not created in advertising degree programs.
In reality, while many of the big names in advertising possess elements of the stereotypical do-it-yourself maverick personality often associated with the profession, most of them also earned a degree in advertising—or a degree in a closely related field such as marketing.
Whether you're planning a high-powered career on Madison Avenue or have something a little more modest in mind, getting your advertising degree will help you build a solid background in everything from understanding markets and media to ad design and campaign planning.
Learn what education has helped others succeed so you can find out what you should look for in your degree program.
Acceptable Related Degree Fields
More and more, employers hiring for positions in advertising are looking for people with at least a bachelor's degree in the field. But some are also open to filling these roles with individuals who have earned a degree in a related field. Ares they consider when they hire include:
- Marketing
- Public Relations
- Promotions
- Sales
What Should I Study in My Program?
Advertising is far from the old-fashioned print media ad and television days you see on "Mad Men." Today's consumers are tech savvy and process what they want to buy and consume in a variety of ways. Your degree program should be as well-rounded as the advertising industry itself. Besides good old creative and clever thinking and ideas you'll need to be a jack of all trades. Depending upon whether you want to go into the advertising executive or creative track in the industry, classes such as these will help you acquire and hone your skills across the board:
Executive Advertising
- Advertising Copywriting
- Storyboarding & Scripting
- Fundamentals of Marketing
- Consumer Behavior
- Persuasive Selling
- Market Research
- Branding
- Public Relations
- Media Planning
- Budgets and Financial Management
- E-Commerce Strategies
- Account Planning and Management
Creative Advertising
- Design Fundamentals
- Observational Drawing
- Digital Image Manipulation
- Digital Color
- Layout Design
- Typography
- Web Design
- Art Direction
- Photography Principles
- Graphic Design
- Design for Mobile Devices
- User Experience Prototyping
- Multimedia Production
An Advertising Degree Can Work For You
Jobs in advertising are highly competitive, meaning that "college graduates with related experience, a high level of creativity and strong communication skills" will have the best opportunities and career options. Why not make your resume as attractive as possible?