The College of Communication offers a variety of courses leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations and Advertising. The program examines theories and practices in the related fields of public relations and advertising, and considers advertising and public relations processes, products and effects from cultural, ethical, organizational, historical, creative and methodological perspectives. Students in Public Relations and Advertising studies learn to think critically and analytically, to develop ideas clearly, and to speak and write effectively. Within the broad context of human communication and the liberal arts, students explore the relationship of public relations and advertising activities to other aspects of human endeavor. Graduates are prepared for entry-level positions within the public and private sectors, or for continuing their education in academic or professional graduate programs.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| College Core Requirements | 16 |
| Liberal Studies Requirements | 84 |
| Major Requirements | 48 |
| Open Electives | 44 |
| Total hours required | 192 |
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Identify, explain and apply conceptual and historical foundations of public communication disciplines as they relate to information and persuasion theories, concepts and models.
- Demonstrate facility with writing, speaking and production of media materials to inform, persuade, build relationships, and problem solve.
- Develop and demonstrate strategic plans and planning methods, as well as critical thinking skills.
- Construct and analyze audience research by applying measurement, environmental scanning, and evaluation techniques to products, projects, and programs.
- Classify and analyze the elements of ethical decision making to hypothetical and real world settings.
College Core Requirements
Modern Language Requirement
Language for Liberal Studies Option
All majors in the College of Communication consist of a four-course common core plus an additional combination of program requirements and electives.
College Core Requirements
Four core courses are required of all College of Communication students:
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CMN 101 | INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION | 4 |
| CMN 102 | INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION | 4 |
| CMN 103 | INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION | 4 |
| CMN 104 | PUBLIC SPEAKING | 4 |
Students are encouraged to complete all four prior to taking additional coursework in the major.
Modern Language Requirement
Students who intend to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Communication will be required to demonstrate a measure of competence in a modern language, as defined by the college. Such competence may be demonstrated in one of several ways:
- completing the last course in a second year high school course work in a modern language or Latin
- completing the last course in the first-year college sequence of any language
- completing a college course beyond the first-year level in any language
- achieving a satisfactory score on any of the Modern Language placement examinations administered at DePaul
- achieving a satisfactory rating in a proficiency examination accepted by DePaul
- achieving a score of 3 or higher on the Advance Placement (AP) test for any language (must be completed during high school)
- achieving a score of 5 or higher in the Language B assessment from a Standard or Higher Level International Baccalaureate (IB) program
- achieving a satisfactory score on the CLEP examination.
Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Requirement. Students with some modern language training should consult with the Modern Language Department about the course with which they should begin. Students with little or no previous work in the language will be required to complete the entire three-course introductory sequence.
Language For Liberal Studies Option
The Language for Liberal Studies Option is available to all BA students who wish to study a modern language beyond the level necessary to meet the College’s modern language requirement. Students selecting the option may substitute a three-course language sequence for three learning domain courses, or two upper-level courses in the same language for two learning domain requirements. Language for Liberal Studies waivers cannot be applied to courses in the Math and Computing Domain or courses in the Scientific Inquiry domain. Modern Language courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Language for Liberal Studies Option.
Any substitutions must be consistent with the principle that students complete at least one course in each learning domain.
Liberal Studies Requirements
Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.
| First Year Program | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Quarter | ||
| LSP 110 or LSP 111 | DISCOVER CHICAGO or EXPLORE CHICAGO | 4 |
| Focal Point | ||
| LSP 112 | FOCAL POINT SEMINAR | 4 |
| Writing | ||
| WRD 103 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 | 4 |
| WRD 104 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 | 4 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| MAT 120 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 | 4 |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Race, Power, and Resistance | ||
| LSP 200 | SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE | 4 |
| Junior Year | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Required | 4 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Capstone | ||
| PRAD 396 | CAPSTONE IN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING 1 | 4 |
- 1
Students must earn a C- or better in this course.
- 2
Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. Students who complete MAT 120 and both a Computational Reasoning course and a Statistical Reasoning course in the Math and Computing Learning Domain take one less Learning Domain course. Students may not apply the course reduction to any Domain where only one course is required, and cannot be applied to the Scientific Inquiry Learning Domain. The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135, MAT 136, MAT 147, MAT 148, MAT 149, MAT 150, MAT 151, MAT 152 MAT 155, MAT 156, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 162 MAT 170, MAT 171, MAT 172, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill any of the three QR/MCD requirements.
Learning Domains
Arts and Literature (AL)
- 2 Courses Required
Historical Inquiry (HI)
- 2 Courses Required
Math and Computing (MC)
- 2 Courses Required
[1 CR Course and 1 SR Course]
Philosophical Inquiry (PI)
- 2 Courses Required
Religious Dimensions (RD)
- 2 Courses Required
Scientific Inquiry (SI)
- 2 Courses Required
[1 Lab Course and 1 SWK Course]
Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)
- 2 Courses Required
Note
Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major. Students who choose to take an experiential learning course offered by the major may count it either as a general elective or the Experiential Learning requirement.
In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.
Major Requirements
Course Requirements
In addition to the four core College of Communication courses, students take seven required classes, three Public Relations and Advertising electives, and two additional electives from the College of Communication. All Public Relations and Advertising majors must complete a total of 16 classes (64 credit hours).
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | 24 | |
| PRINCIPLES OF ADVERTISING | ||
or PRAD 255 | PUBLIC RELATIONS | |
| WRITING FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING | ||
| RESEARCH, DATA AND INSIGHTS | ||
| DESIGN APPLICATIONS FOR PRAD PROFESSIONALS | ||
| ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS ETHICS | ||
or PRAD 335 | DIVERSITY & CURRENT ISSUES IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS | |
| MEDIA RELATIONS | ||
or PRAD 379 | ADVERTISING MEDIA PLANNING | |
| Choose one of the following courses: | 4 | |
| ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS | ||
| PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGNS | ||
| INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGNS | ||
| BATEMAN PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGNS | ||
| AAF CAMPAIGNS | ||
| FOX SPORTS UNIVERSITY | ||
| Select three of the following: | 12 | |
| ADOBE CREATIVE CLOUD WORKSHOP (2.0 quarter hours) 2 | ||
| ADOBE INDESIGN (2.0 quarter hours) 2 | ||
| ADOBE AUDITION (2.0 quarter hours) 2 | ||
| ADOBE PREMIERE VIDEO EDITING (2.0 quarter hours) 2 | ||
| MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR COMMUNICATION INTERNSHIP | ||
| COMMUNICATION INTERNSHIP SPECIAL TOPICS | ||
| RESEARCH PRACTICUM 1 | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY 1 | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF ADVERTISING | ||
| PUBLIC RELATIONS | ||
| PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING WORKSHOP (VARIABLE TOPICS) (2.0 quarter hours) 2 | ||
| EVENT PLANNING | ||
| ADVANCED EVENT PLANNING | ||
| HUMOR AND ADVERTISING | ||
| ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS ETHICS | ||
| DIVERSITY & CURRENT ISSUES IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS | ||
| ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS | ||
| PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGNS | ||
| HEALTH AND PUBLIC RELATIONS | ||
| INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGNS | ||
| BRAND ACTIVATION AND CONSUMER PROMOTION | ||
| COPYWRITING | ||
| DIGITAL ADVERTISING | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF ADVERTISING | ||
| PERSONAL BRANDING | ||
| ADVANCED WRITING FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS | ||
| ADVERTISING PORTFOLIO | ||
| ENGAGING LATINX COMMUNITIES | ||
| THE MEETING OF SPORTS AND ADVERTISING | ||
| PUBLIC RELATIONS & ADVERTISING ENTREPRENEURS | ||
| MEDIA RELATIONS | ||
| COMMUNICATION LAW | ||
| CRISIS COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT | ||
| CREATIVITY IN ADVERTISING | ||
| ADVERTISING MEDIA PLANNING | ||
| TWEENS, TEENS AND MEDIA | ||
| NON-PROFIT PUBLIC RELATIONS | ||
| BRANDED CONTENT | ||
| INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS | ||
| INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING | ||
| BATEMAN PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY | ||
| BATEMAN PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGNS | ||
| AAF STRATEGY | ||
| AAF CAMPAIGNS | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING | ||
| FOX SPORTS UNIVERSITY | ||
| EYE TRACKING RESEARCH FOR THE PRAD PROFESSIONALS (2.0 quarter hours) 2 | ||
| Select two electives (8 credits) from any College of Communication offerings | 8 | |
- 1
Students may take up to 4 hours of credit in this course toward graduation requirements.
- 2
A maximum of 8 credits from two credit College of Communication courses can be applied to major requirements.
Internship Credit
Students in the major may take CMN 394 and/or CMN 395 (when work relates to the major). In order to take CMN 394 or CMN 395, students must have completed two of the four communication core classes (CMN 101, CMN 102, CMN 103, CMN 104), two courses in the chosen major and have fulfilled internship program eligibility requirements.
Open Electives
Open elective credit also is required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours.