About the A+PR MA
The M.A. in Advertising and Public Relations was designed with a changing communication landscape in mind. The award-winning faculty in the A+PR department strive to train future leaders in the industry and future scholars of persuasive communication. After completion of the A+PR master’s program, all graduates will:
- Have a comprehensive knowledge of theories and industry trends that shape contemporary practice in advertising and public relations
- Be proficient in research-driven critical thinking and problem solving by understanding how to form data-driven insights and recommendations
- Connect with top scholars and professionals who are well-connected to an evolving communication landscape
- Gain expertise in the more effective ways to manage persuasive communication
The degree takes at least 30-36 hours to complete and consists of four requirements: (1) a core set of classes that all students complete, (2) a set of electives designed to give students an area of expertise, (3) a professional experience requirement, and (4) a capstone project. You can learn more about the program requirements and our courses in the Graduate Catalog.
A+PR’s M.A. program offers two optional concentrations that provide expertise in two growing areas of advertising and public relations to prepare students for more specialized jobs.
Minerva, the Advertising Creative Concentration, helps students build portfolios while learning to solve a client’s problems by beautifully wrapping smart strategies in provocative, layered, and memorable ideas. At the completion of the program, students will have a portfolio that highlights their natural talents and emphasizes their newly developed strengths to help students find a job in their area of expertise, either art direction or copywriting. Admission into Minerva is by application only. Applications are available the spring semester before students begin the program.
The Media Strategy Concentration equips students with analytic skills necessary to analyze traditional, digital, and social media data, uncover actionable insights, and develop brand strategies leveraging those insights. Through hands-on course work and industry collaboration, students will be prepared to pursue careers in media strategy and planning, brand planning, and advertising and public relations analytics. Interested students will interview with representatives from the Public Opinion Lab during their first semester in the program, and will be admitted into the concentration upon approval.
For more information about the A+PR M.A. program, please check out the graduate viewbook. Also, learn more about our talented and diverse faculty in the A+PR Faculty and Staff Profile Booklet or hear about our program from some of our most successful alumni and graduate students here.