Offered in: Chicago

"Marketing communications" is the term for the broad field that includes social and digital marketing, advertising, public relations, promotional marketing, and numerous other forms of persuasive communications activities. Students majoring in the Digital Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations degree are prepared for entry-level work in any area of this broad field.

Students have the option to follow a general marketing communications curriculum, without a concentration, or choose one of three concentrations—public relations, advertising management, or advertising creative.

Students who meet entry requirements may consider an accelerated BA to MS program that allows them to complete their bachelor's degree and master's degree studies in marketing communications in five years.

Roosevelt’s marketing communications faculty are professionals, first and foremost. All have had successful careers in the marketing communications business with responsibility for building and managing major-brand communications activities. All also have distinguished academic credentials. Faculty designed this curriculum to bring their work experiences to bear in every class, and they keep courses up to date and in step with new developments in this constantly evolving field.

Digital Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations majors are encouraged to pursue a minor in related and complementary fields, such as Journalism and Media Studies, or in a social science field, such as Psychology or  Sociology.

Prerequisites

To begin the major, students complete COMM 201 COMMUNICATION IN THE INFO AGE or its equivalent with a grade of C (not C-) or better. Transfer students must complete at least eight of their major courses (24 credit hours) at Roosevelt.

Requirements

The Digital Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations major is a total of 12 courses (37 credit hours), including nine core courses and three electives. Electives can be selected to specialize in one of three concentrations listed below, or students can pursue a more generalized (non-concentration) marketing communications curriculum.

To receive the  B.A. degree in this field, majors must:

• Complete all courses in the major with a minimum grade of C (not C-) or better.
• Maintain at least an overall grade point average of B- (2.67 or higher GPA) in the major.
• Successfully complete a professional internship experience in the field, IMC 399 INTERNSHIP IN IMC.
• Successfully complete the capstone requirement, IMC 347 CAMPAIGN PLANNING. This is a team project course in which students work to solve a marketing communications problem for a client and then present their team recommendations to the client.

In addition, note that: 

• Transfer students must complete eight courses in the major (24 credit hours) at Roosevelt.
• No 100-level courses may count toward the hours required for this major.
• No pass/fail grades, other than IMC 399 INTERNSHIP IN IMC, are accepted for this major.

 Concentrations 

Advertising Creative (6 hours)

Advertising Management (6 hours)

Public Relations (choose any two, for 6 hours)

CORE Requirements (General Education)

¹

Higher level of Math may be required by major

These quantitative requirements also apply to degrees.

• Students must earn a minimum of 120 semester hours.
• Students may apply no more than 60 credit hours of 100-level courses toward the degree.
• Students must apply no fewer than 60 credit hours of 200- and 300-level courses toward the degree.
• Students must have at least 18 credit hours (of the 60 credit hours above) at the 300 level.
• Students may transfer in no more than 70 credit hours from community colleges.
• Students earning less than 60 total hours in residence must take their final 30 hours at Roosevelt University. Note that some majors have additional requirements for RU hours.
• Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher to graduate. Note that some majors have additional GPA requirements.
• Students may apply no more than 51 hours in the major (BA) or 57 hours in the major (BS)

Your degree map is a general guide suggesting courses to complete each term on the academic pathway to your degree. It is based on the most current scheduling information from your academic program. Your program’s degree map is reviewed annually and updated as schedules change (although you retain the same course requirements as long as you are continuously enrolled in your degree program).

Always work closely with your academic advisor to understand curriculum requirements and scheduling, as each student’s academic plan can look slightly different. Transfer students should be particularly attentive to the terms when courses are offered. Consult an advisor in the IMC program or the department chair for further information on scheduling.

¹

General electives are courses outside the major. A course counting toward a minor may be taken here in place of a general elective.

²

Any course at the 200 level within the discipline.

³

Any course at the 300 level within the discipline.

⁴

The First-Year Success course is required of freshmen with fewer than 12 hours and is taken in the first semester at RU.

⁵

One Natural Science course must have a lab.

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An Ideas of Social Justice course is required for all new students with fewer than 30 hours and should be taken in students' second semester at Roosevelt. Ideas of Social Justice courses at the 200 level in Digital Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations or Journalism and Media Studies can fulfill this requirement and simultaneously be used as an elective in the major for students in the B.A. in Digital Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations; the B.A. in Graphic Design;  and the B.A. in Journalism and Media Studies.

⁷

 IMC 347 CAMPAIGN PLANNING and IMC 399 INTERNSHIP IN IMC  fulfill the university's requirement for two Experiential Learning courses. Additional Experiential Learning courses are optional.

⁸

COMM 150 MEDIA TODAY recommended