2020-2021
Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in advertising
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science: Mass Communications (Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway))
Associate degree
Program description
The Robertson School of Media and Culture prepares effective and skilled communicators through quality instruction, advising and student services, based on real-world applications. Through research, professional service and scholarship in applied communications, the school advances the knowledge and practice of a multidisciplinary and evolving media environment. The school values truth, ethics, creativity, innovation, collaboration, cultural diversity, shared governance and community engagement.
The school offers a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications with specialization in one of three concentrations: advertising, journalism and public relations. The school also awards the Master of Science in Mass Communications, with concentrations in the areas of integrated PR and advertising, multimedia journalism, and strategic public relations.
Career opportunities
The concentration in advertising prepares students for careers at advertising agencies, marketing departments of corporations or service organizations and media companies.
Bachelor-level job titles
- Advertising Sales Agent
- Graphic Designer
- Illustrator
- Marketing Research Analyst
- Multimedia Artists & Animators
- Public Relations Specialist
- Retail Sales Management
- Search Marketing Strategists
- Social Science Research Assistant
- Software Developer
- Technical Writer
- Web Developer
Graduate and professional level job titles
- Advertising & Promotions Manager
- Advertising/Marketing Firm Executive
- Consultant
- Copywriter
Contact information
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- STAT 210
Science required
- Core only
Foreign language requirements
- Yes
Additional tuition/fees
- No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- 2.5
Transfer major map
2020-2021
Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in advertising
Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Mass Communications)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Attend Tyler orientation
- Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway
- Register for SDV 100
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your ENG and MTH classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
- Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Apply to the John Tyler Pathways Program.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
- Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Create LinkedIn profile.
- Get involved with a student or professional organization.
- Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
- Visit career services to begin cultivating your own virtual brand across all social media profiles.
- Browse careers related to advertising through the career coach.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Understand how you will fund your education by taking advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
- Take a career assessment through the career coach.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
- Use SDV 100 to create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Meet with your academic advisor
- Use Navigate to remain on your pathway
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus to get ahead.
- Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing for next year
- Join a professional organization related to advertising: Advertising Educational Foundation, American Association of Advertising Agencies, Association of National Advertisers.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
- Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
- Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL.
- Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
- Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
- Run for leadership in your student organization.
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Recommended courses
2020-2021
Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in advertising
Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Mass Communications)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDV 100 | College Success Skills | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 154 | Quantitative Reasoning | MATH 131 | 3 | General education |
| CST 100 | Public Speaking | SPCH 121 | 3 | Elective |
| HIS 121 | U.S. History I | HIST 103 | 3 | Major |
| Foreign Language | Foreign Language 101 or elective (take elective course if successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 155 | Statistical Reasoning (or MTH 245 Statistics I) | STAT 208 | 3 | General education |
| CST 114 | Survey of Mass Media | MASC 101 | 3 | Major |
| HIS 122 | United States History II | HIST 104 | 3 | Major |
| Foreign Language | Foreign Language 102 or elective (take elective course if successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| CST 228 | Writing Across Media | MASC 203 | 3 | Elective |
| PLS 135 | American National Politics (or PLS 211) | POLI 103 | 3 | Major |
| ENG | Any 200-level ENG literature course (select 1): ENG 241, 242, 243, 244, 251, 252 | ENGL ___ | 3 | General education |
| Laboratory Science | Laboratory science (select 1): BIO 101, CHM 101, CHM 111. PHY 101, PHY 201 (ENV 121 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) | VCU equivalent | 4 | General education |
| Art elective | Art elective (select 1): ART 180, ART 208, ART 209, PHT 164 | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| CST 221 | Public Relations | MASC 210 | 3 | Major |
| ECO 120 | Survey of Economics Note: students can substitute ECO 201-202 but both courses must be taken | ECON 203 | 3 | Major |
| Laboratory Science | Laboratory science (select 1): BIO 101, BIO 102, CHM 101, CHM 111. PHY 101, PHY 201 (ENV 121 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) | VCU equivalent | 4 | General education |
| Transfer elective | Transfer elective (select 1): ACC 211, ECO 202, ITE 115, PHI 220, PSY 200, REL 230, SOC 200, HLT 160, ITE 119 (Note: select ECO 202 if ECO 201 was taken instead of ECO 120). | VCU equivalent | 3 | Elective |
| John Tyler Credits Transferred to VCU | 60 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in advertising/creative | |||
| Foreign language through the 102 level. (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) | 0 to 8 | General education (not waived by associate degree) | |
| ARTH 104 | Survey of Art II | 3 | Major |
| MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles | 3 | Major |
| POLI or URSP ___ | Upper-level POLI or URSP course (300- or 400-level) | 3 | Major |
| ENGL ___ | Upper-level ENGL literature course (300- or 400-level) | 3 | Major |
| MASC 201 | Curiousness | 3 | Major |
| MASC 300 | Technical Prowess | 3 | Major |
| MASC 380 | History of Advertising | 3 | Major |
| MASC 392 | Perspicuousness | 3 | Major |
| MASC 394 | Imagination | 3 | Major |
| MASC 409 | Truth and Honor (or MASC 408 Communications Ethics and Law) | 3 | Major |
| MASC 450 | Style | 3 | Major |
| MASC 451 | Invention | 3 | Major |
| MASC 481 | Completeness | 3 | Major |
| MASC 499 | Career Minded | 3 | Major |
| MASC ___ | Upper-level MASC electives (300- or 400-level) | 6 | Major |
| Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses) | 3 | Elective | |
| Open electives | 9 | Elective | |
| Credits Completed at VCU | 60 | ||
| Bachelor's degree total | 120 | ||
| Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in advertising/strategic | |||
| Foreign language through the 102 level. (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) | 0 to 8 | General education (not waived by associate degree) | |
| ARTH 104 | Survey of Art II | 3 | Major |
| MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles | 3 | Major |
| POLI or URSP ___ | Upper-level POLI or URSP course (300- or 400-level) | 3 | Major |
| ENGL ___ | Upper-level ENGL literature course (300- or 400-level) | 3 | Major |
| MASC 201 | Curiousness | 3 | Major |
| MASC 380 | History of Advertising | 3 | Major |
| MASC 398 | Awareness | 3 | Major |
| MASC 399 | Empathy | 3 | Major |
| MASC 409 | Truth and Honor (or MASC 408 Communications Ethics and Law) | 3 | Major |
| MASC 459 | Judgment | 3 | Major |
| MASC 481 | Completeness | 3 | Major |
| MASC 493 | Fieldwork/Internship | 3 | Major |
| MASC 499 | Career Minded | 3 | Major |
| MASC ___ | Upper-level MASC electives (300- or 400-level) | 9 | Major |
| Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses) | 3 | Elective | |
| Open electives | 9 | Elective | |
| Credits Completed at VCU | 60 | ||
| Bachelor's degree total | 120 | ||