Communication Arts Major: Advertising and Public Relations Option (B.A.)

Students in the Advertising and Public Relations option develop knowledge and skills relating to the use of strategic communication practices within a variety of settings such as ad agencies, commercial businesses, and nonprofit organizations. A dynamic mix of historical, social, ethical, organizational, creative, analytical, and experiential perspectives is used to create a strong foundation for professional success and graduate study. Coursework covers topics such as earned and paid media, social media, graphic design, media writing, data analytics, and audience research. Some courses use field trips and guest speakers to keep students up-to-date with current trends. An internship in advertising and public relations is required.

For more information, contact Jeff Klenotic, program coordinator or contact the UNH Manchester Office of Admissions at (603) 641-4150.

This degree plan is a sample and does not reflect the impact of transfer credit or current course offerings. UNH Manchester undergraduate students will develop individual academic plans with their professional advisor during the first year at UNH.

Sample Course Sequence

Degree Requirements

All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.

Major Requirements

Communication Arts (CA) majors must complete 10 courses (40 credits) and maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0 in the major. Transfer students must complete at least 20 credits in the Communication Arts major at UNH. Communication Arts majors may use up to two CMN and/or CA courses toward both the Communication Arts major and UNH Discovery Program requirements.

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Students must earn a "C" or better in each course to satisfy CA degree requirements.

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Students must earn a "C-" or better in each course to satisfy CA degree requirements.

Advertising and Public Relations Option Requirements

The option in Advertising and Public Relations consists of 24 credits as distributed below. Note that some courses may also be used to fulfill the requirements of the Communication Arts major. Courses applied to the option must be completed with a minimum grade of C- and overall GPA of 2.0. Transfer students must complete a minimum of 12 credits, including the Advertising and Public Relations Internship, at UNH Manchester.

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 Topic must be related to advertising and public relations, and approved by advisor.

Capstone Requirement

The capstone requirement will be satisfied in a student's senior year by completion of a specific four-credit capstone course at the 600 or 700 levels. Students may not enroll in a capstone course until they have completed all three CA program core courses (CMN 455 Introduction to Media Studies, CMN 456 Propaganda and Persuasion, and CMN 457 Introduction to Language and Social Interaction) and at least one Area A course and one Area B course. Students must also have completed the prerequisites for the particular capstone course they seek to take. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the student’s academic advisor and CA program coordinator. The capstone course can also fulfill an Area C course requirement.

The capstone experience offers seniors an opportunity to synthesize and apply knowledge and skills gained throughout their communication arts major coursework. The capstone course requires students to conduct an original research study, a creative media project, an internship, community-based research, or an advanced service learning project in communication arts under the close supervision of a communication arts faculty member. Students are strongly encouraged to share their capstone projects with the larger UNH community through participation in the Undergraduate Research Conference, a presentation in the Brown Bag lunch series, publication in the UNH undergraduate journal Inquiry, or presentation in some other public venue. Students should work closely with their advisors to make sure the capstone requirement has been satisfied.

Courses that satisfy this requirement include, but are not limited to:

Upon completion of the Communication Arts program, students will be able to:

• Analyze how creativity, artistry, narrative, identity, persuasion, and ethics shape messages and relationships produced within a variety of social, organizational, and industry contexts.
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills that give them expertise and proficiency in areas such as human relations, social media, digital video, audio production, graphic design, writing, and speaking.
• Know the history of communication practices and understand how media technologies and messages have impacted societies, cultures, organizations, and businesses.
• Effectively research and creatively explore communication practices, experiences, and trends using high quality sources of information, multiple modes of inquiry, and multiple presentation formats.
• Identify professional interests or career paths by working with the Internship and Career Planning Office and by engaging with communication settings outside the classroom through internships, service learning, field trips, and independent studies.