Create Your Story in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations
Students in advertising and public relations are trained to work with organizations and communicate with constituencies: customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, public-interest groups, voters and other key publics. Advertising and public relations professionals use persuasive communication to promote products, services and organizations. The mission of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations is to prepare highly competent, socially conscious and engaged leaders to shape the future of global advertising and public relations.
Academic Programs
Undergraduate students in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations choose to major in either advertising or public relations. Graduate students in the department study both disciplines and choose from a one-year, professional option or a two-year, research option.
Advertising
As an advertising major, you will study the creative expression of persuasive, strategic communication. Advertising focuses on the promotion of products, services, companies, organizations and ideas through paid media space. You will acquire an understanding of your intended audience and create targeted messages that resonate with that audience.Public Relations
As a public relations major, you will study the proactive, strategic function of combining the interests of an organization with those of the public. You will learn strategies to achieve program objectives, multimedia tactics to implement PR programs in a digital environment, and the role that PR plays in a diverse, global marketplace.Graduate Program
In the APR graduate program, you will study communication theories, current research trends and advanced practical techniques designed to equip you for the multi-faceted role of advertising and public relations professionals. Our one-year, professional program offers an emphasis on leadership, management and strategy.Advising
All undergraduate students in the College of Communication and Information Sciences receive academic advising through Tisch Student Services. Undergraduate students should meet with their academic adviser at least once a semester for a review of their academic progress, requirements for degree completion, ways to get involved as a student, and even inside information on fun courses to take.
Students can find their advisers’ names through DegreeWorks in the STUDENT tab on myBama. If an adviser isn’t listed in your DegreeWorks, go to Tisch Student Services (190 Phifer) for assistance. You can check on your course registration time at this link.
Advertising Major Advising Handout for 2022-2023 Catalog
Public Relations Major Advising Handout for 2022-2023 Catalog
Advertising & Public Relations Minor for 2022-2023 Catalog
Advertising Major Advising Handout for 2021-2022 Catalog
Public Relations Major Advising Handout for 2021-2022 Catalog
Advertising & Public Relations Minor for 2021-2022 Catalog
Advertising Major Advising Handout for 2020-2021 and Earlier Catalogs
Public Relations Major Advising Handout for 2020-2021 and Earlier Catalogs
Before your advising appointment, you should:
- Prepare an academic plan in DegreeWorks and/or use an advising checklist before you see your adviser.
- Find the name of your specific adviser at the top of your DegreeWorks page. If you don’t see one, go to Tisch Student Services (190 Phifer) to obtain one.
- Check the C&IS internship website and A+PR website regularly for updates on information about events, scholarships, jobs and internships: ua.edu/internships/ and www.apr.ua.edu.
- Consider studying abroad. Consult with the Capstone International Center, http://international.ua.edu/.
- Apply for departmental scholarships by March 1 of each year. See http://scholarships.ua.edu/ for the online form for ALL scholarships.
- Join an A+PR student organization such as
- Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)
- Adviser: Mrs. Tracy Sims, sims@apr.ua.edu
- Public Relations Council of Alabama (PRCA) and LEPT
- Adviser: Mr. Matthew Wisla, wisla@apr.ua.edu
- Capstone Advertising Federation (Ad Fed)
- Adviser: Mr. Mike Little, little@apr.ua.edu
- Ad Team
- Adviser: Mr. Jay Waters, waters@apr.ua.edu
- Capstone Agency
- Co-Adviser: Mrs. Tracy Sims, sims@apr.ua.edu
- Co-Adviser: Mr. Jay Waters, waters@apr.ua.edu
- Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM)
- Adviser: Dr. Kenon Brown, brown@apr.ua.edu
- Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)
A+PR juniors and seniors should:
- Conduct a degree audit by the end of your junior year using the online degree audit request form.
- Seniors should complete their application for graduation after they have met with their adviser and have registered for ALL of the classes for their LAST semester. There is a $50 fee for a graduation application. This fee must be paid each time a student applies for graduation.
- Create an online portfolio.
- Draft a résumé and write a cover letter. You may get assistance in Tisch Student Services, https://cis.ua.edu/current-students/#career, and at the UA Career Center in the Ferguson Center, http://www.uacc.ua.edu/.
- Attend campus job fairs and begin applying for employment opportunities in your senior year.
- If considering graduate school, research opportunities and begin filling out applications. The UA Graduate School can help you explore these options.
Registration Guidelines
What to do if problems arise …
When emailing an adviser or instructor:
- ALWAYS include your FULL NAME and CWID in the email, but do not put your CWID in subject line. Include any applicable course names or numbers.
- Explain CLEARLY your problem and your request.
- Indicate if you are asking about a required course.
- Remember: A+PR instructors CANNOT add you to a full class. Only the A+PR office staff and chair can do that, so fill out an online override request form.
- Remember that A+PR advisers cannot help you get into or approve a substitute for a non-APR class.
- Remember all prerequisites must be completed in order to register for classes in the next phase of the degree catalog.
- If a PIN is blocking your registration, contact your adviser or the A+PR office.
When core-curriculum or non-APR courses are full:
- If possible, add yourself to waitlist
- Type in the CRN under add/drop classes and choose to be added to the waitlist.
- If there is no class waitlist option: Contact the department that controls the class about the possibility of an override. Also, check back every day during registration…more spaces and more sections are often opened.
- Or choose another class that fulfills same requirement.
When APR courses are full:
- If possible, add yourself to waitlist.
- Type in the CRN under add/drop classes and choose to be added to the waitlist.
- If you have special circumstances or cannot get on a waitlist, fill out the online override request form.
- Consider another class.
- No waitlist option:
- Fill out the online override request form.
- Waitlists are unavailable after the semester ends.
Important catalog information:
- If you believe that a prerequisite is blocking you in error because of your catalog year, please fill out the online override request form.
Student Opportunities
Ad Team
The Ad Team works to create a campaign for a national organization and presents their work at district seven’s National Advertising Student Competition.
Bateman Team
The Bateman Case Study Competition is PRSSA’s premier national case study competition for pr students where students create and implement a full public relations campaign.
Capstone Agency
Capstone Agency is astudent-run integrated communications firm where more than 85 student-members produce work for local, statewide and national clients.
