2020-2021
Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in advertising
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science: Social Science (Thomas Nelson Community College)
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
Thomas Nelson Community College (Associate of Science: Social Science)
| 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 New Student Orientation.
- Register for SDV 100.
- Use Navigate to schedule an appointment with your advisor.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Start your math sequence and pass ENG 111-112.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
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.
- Review VCU's Robertson School website for course requirements and possible connections with faculty and peers.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
- Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Browse careers related to Advertising through the Virginia Wizard.
- Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
- Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
- Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Meet with your academic advisor.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Explore the VCU Robertson School website to become familiar with upcoming course offerings, syllabi and professors.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing for next year.
- Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Robertson School and consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
- Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Robertson School-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL.
- Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
- Plan to complete at least two internships (job experiences) before your senior year of college.
- Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
- 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
Thomas Nelson Community College (Associate of Science: Social Science)
| 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 |
| Social Science | Select 1: PSY 200, SOC 200, PLS 135, 241 | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| Humanities | Select 1: PHI 101, 111, 220; ART 101, 102; MUS 121; REL 231, 232 | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education |
| Wellness elective | Wellness elective | VCU equivalent | 1 | Elective |
| CST 100 | Principles of Public Speaking | SPCH 121 | 3 | Elective |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 245 | Statistics I | STAT 210 | 3 | Major |
| Social Science | ECO 120 Survey of Economics | ECON 203 | 3 | Major |
| Transfer elective | Transfer elective (Recommend CST 114 Survey of Mass Media through distance learning with John Tyler Community College) | VCU equivalent | 3 | Elective |
| Laboratory Science | Select 1: BIO 101, 107, CHM 101, CHM 111, GOL 105, PHY 101, PHY 201 | VCU equivalent | 4 | General education |
| Elective | Transfer Elective (consider taking World Language I; see note below about foreign language requirement at VCU) | VCU equivalent | 3 to 4 | General education |
| History | HIS 121 U.S. History I | HIST 103 | 3 | Major |
| Social Science | PLS 135 American National Politics | POLI 103 | 3 | General education |
| Elective | Transfer Elective (consider taking World Language II; see note below about foreign language requirement at VCU) | VCU equivalent | 3 to 4 | General education |
| Laboratory Science | Select 1: BIO 101, 102,107, CHM 101, CHM 111, 112. GOL 105, PHY 101, PHY 201, 202 | VCU equivalent | 4 | General education |
| History | HIS 122 U.S. History II | HIST 104 | 3 | Major |
| Humanities | ART 102 History and Appreciation of ART II | ARTH 104 | 3 | Major |
| Literature | Select 1: ENG 200-level literature | ENGL | 3 | General education |
| Social Science | Select 1: GEO 200, 210, PSY 200, 235, SOC 200, PLS 135, 241 | VCU equivalentr | 3 | Elective |
| Thomas Nelson credits transferred to VCU | 61 to 63 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in advertising/creative | |||
| Foreign language through the 102 level. (If not completed at TNCC) (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 | |
| 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 101 | Mass Communications (if CST 114 is not taken; see note above about taking CST 114) Note: recommend taking class in the summer prior to fall enrollment at VCU if not taken at community college | 0 to 3 | Major |
| MASC 201 | Curiousness | 3 | Major |
| MASC 204 | Story (or MASC 203 Journalism Writing) | 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 | Select two upper-level MASC electives (300- or 400-level) | 6 | Major |
| Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses) | 6 to 9 | Elective | |
| Credits completed at VCU | 57 to 59 | ||
| Bachelor's degree total | 120 | ||
| Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in advertising/strategic | |||
| Foreign language through the 102 level. (If not completed at TNCC) (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 | |
| 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 101 | Mass Communications (if CST 114 is not taken; see note above about taking CST 114) Note: recommend taking class in the summer prior to fall enrollment at VCU if not taken at community college | 0 to 3 | Major |
| MASC 201 | Curiousness | 3 | Major |
| MASC 204 | Story (or MASC 203 Journalism Writing) | 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) | 6 to 9 | Elective | |
| Credits completed at VCU | 57 to 59 | ||
| Bachelor's degree total | 120 | ||