As an advertising major, you’ll develop the strategic communication skills to promote economic wealth, environmental wellness, human well-being, and wisdom through advertising.
Through our bachelor’s degree in advertising, you will learn how to create and place engaging advertising across media platforms to reach audiences and achieve clients’ communication goals.
You’ll gain experience with research, strategy, design-thinking, project management, creative advertising, media planning, account planning, and account management. And you’ll learn how to support decisions and determine whether your advertising campaigns were successful by using analytics.
You’ll develop your skills at The McKinley Avenue Agency under the guidance of a professional adviser with real-life clients in the state-of-the-art, interactive Holden Strategic Communications Center in the Art & Journalism Building. The agency serves local businesses and gives students a path to develop a professional-grade portfolio. Through a variety of creative and strategic tactics, the agency provides clients with innovative, original solutions.
As a member of The Ball State Chapter of the American Advertising Federation you’ll get hands-on experience with national clients such as Adobe, Ocean Spray, and Nissan through the National Student Advertising Competition. You’ll take agency tours with AAF and network with alumni, who will help you land an internship or your first job.
We teach empathy, social responsibility, and self-awareness, not only for recognizing personal biases but also for helping students to stay grounded in professional ethics throughout their careers. Our graduates move into jobs such as copywriter, art director, media planner, and account planner.
I learned so much as an advertising student. I discovered how important it is to pay attention to how content is presented to us as a society — and how different entities can easily convince you to believe in their cause or buy their product through different emotional influences. I also learned a ton about research, goal setting, and strategic thinking. Having the ability to understand the problem, develop out goals and objectives to address the problem, and then strategically carry out tactics has been invaluable.
Take the Next Step
If you’d like to learn more about our Advertising Major, complete our online form. Or one of the best ways to get a true feel for Ball State is to see it for yourself, so schedule a visit today! And if you’re ready to apply, review our admission requirements and complete our online application.