About this Program
- College: Journalism and Communications
- Degree: Bachelor of Science in Advertising
- Specialization: Persuasive Messaging
- Contact: 1.855.99GATOR
- Credits for Degree: 120
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.
Department Information
The Department of Advertising is recognized as one of the largest and most respected programs in the US. Courses are designed to provide a foundation for problem-solving, strategic thinking, and persuasion techniques that drive marketplace communication.
More Info
CONTACT
Email | 352.392.4046
P.O. BOX 118400
2088 WEIMER HALL
GAINESVILLE FL 32611-8400
Map
Curriculum
Persuasive Messaging focuses on the skill set required to engage media audiences with the use of strategic and persuasive communications. The specialization emphasizes the concepts and application of audience and media analytics, advertising sales, brand storytelling, and message persuasion. The specialization prepares students for careers in a broad array of industries and organizations.
UF's Department of Advertising consistently ranks as one of the top US advertising programs. It is based in a college accredited by the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The department's curriculum, among the most comprehensive in the United States, is taught by a faculty with the knowledge and experience to bring a balance of professional skills and conceptual orientation to the classroom.
Coursework for the Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Foundation Coursework | ||
| MAR 3023 | Principles of Marketing 1 | 4 |
| STA 2023 | Introduction to Statistics 1 1 | 3 |
| Required Core Coursework | ||
| ADV 3001 | Advertising Strategy 1 | 3 |
| ADV 3008 | Principles of Advertising 1 | 3 |
| ADV 3403 | Branding 1 | 3 |
| ADV 3411 | Multicultural Advertising in the US | 3 |
| ADV 3500 | Digital Insights 1 | 3 |
| ENC 3252 | Writing for Strategic Communication 1 | 3 |
| MMC 1009 | Introduction to Media and Communications 1 | 1 |
| MMC 2121 | Writing Fundamentals for Communicators 1 | 3 |
| MMC 3203 | Ethics and Problems in Mass Communications 1 | 3 |
| MMC 3420 | Consumer and Audience Analytics 1 | 3 |
| MMC 4200 | Law of Mass Communication | 3 |
| VIC 3001 | Sight, Sound and Motion 1 | 3 |
| Advertising Experiential Learning 1 | 6 | |
| Professional Electives | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 61 | |
- 1
Minimum grade of C required.
Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for entry to each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.
Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.
Semester 1
- Complete 1 of 9 critical-tracking courses: ADV 3008, ENC 1102, ECO 2013, MAR 3023, MMC 1009, ORI 2000 or SPC 2608, POS 2041 or PSY 2012, ENC 3252, and STA 2023
- 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions
Semester 2
- Complete 2 of 9 critical-tracking courses: ADV 3008, ENC 1102, ECO 2013, MAR 3023, MMC 1009, ORI 2000 or SPC 2608, POS 2041, or PSY 2012, ENC 3252, and STA 2023
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions
Semester 3
- Complete 3 additional critical-tracking courses: ADV 3008, ENC 1102, ECO 2013, MAR 3023, MMC 1009, ORI 2000 or SPC 2608, POS 2041, or PSY 2012, ENC 3252, and STA 2023
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions
Semester 4
- Complete all 9 critical-tracking courses: ADV 3008, ENC 1102, ECO 2013, MAR 3023, MMC 1009, ORI 2000 or SPC 2608, POS 2041, or PSY 2012, ENC 3252, and STA 2023
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions
SEMESTER 5
- Complete all critical-tracking courses
- Complete ADV 3001, ADV 3500, ADV 3411, and VIC 3001
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions
SEMESTER 6
- Complete ADV 3403 and MMC 3420
- Complete Experiential Learning Course 1
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions
SEMESTER 7
- Complete MMC 3203 and MMC 4200
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions
SEMESTER 8
- Complete Experiential Learning Course 2
- Complete Professional writing elective outside the college, 6,000 words
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 GPA on all work at all institutions
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.
This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.
| Semester One | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Quest 1 (Gen Ed Humanities) | 3 | |
| AMH 2020 | United States Since 1877 (State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences) | 3 |
| ENC 1101 | Expository and Argumentative Writing (Gen Ed Composition) 1 | 3 |
| SPC 2608 or ORI 2000 | Introduction to Public Speaking (Critical Tracking) 1 or Oral Performance of Literature 1 | 3 |
| State Core Gen Ed Mathematics 2 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester Two | ||
| ENC 1102 | Argument and Persuasion (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Composition) 1 | 3 |
| MMC 1009 | Introduction to Media and Communications (Critical Tracking) 1 | 1 |
| Select one: | 3 | |
| American Federal Government (Critical Tracking) | ||
| General Psychology (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences) | ||
| STA 2023 | Introduction to Statistics 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Mathematics) 1 | 3 |
| THE 2000 or ARH 2000 | Theatre Appreciation (State Core Gen Ed Humanities with Diversity) or Art Appreciation: American Diversity and Global Arts | 3 |
| State Core Gen Ed Biological or Physical Sciences | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Semester Three | ||
| Quest 2 (Gen Ed Biological or Physical Sciences) | 3 | |
| ECO 2013 | Principles of Macroeconomics (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences) | 4 |
| MMC 2121 | Writing Fundamentals for Communicators 1 | 3 |
| MUL 2010 | Experiencing Music (Gen Ed Humanities with International) | 3 |
| Foreign language or quantitative option courses 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Semester Four | ||
| ADV 3008 | Principles of Advertising (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| ENC 3252 | Writing for Strategic Communication (Critical Tracking) | 3 |
| MAR 3023 | Principles of Marketing (Critical Tracking) 1 | 4 |
| Foreign language or quantitative option courses 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Semester Five | ||
| ADV 3001 | Advertising Strategy (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| ADV 3411 | Multicultural Advertising in the US (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| ADV 3500 | Digital Insights (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| VIC 3001 | Sight, Sound and Motion (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| Elective outside the college | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester Six | ||
| ADV 3403 | Branding (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| MMC 3420 | Consumer and Audience Analytics (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| ADV Experiential Learning Course 1 (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 | |
| Professional elective | 3 | |
| Elective outside college | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester Seven | ||
| MMC 3203 | Ethics and Problems in Mass Communications (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 |
| MMC 4200 | Law of Mass Communication (Critical Tracking) | 3 |
| Professional electives | 6 | |
| Elective outside college | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester Eight | ||
| ADV Experiential Learning Course 2 (Critical Tracking) 1 | 3 | |
| Professional electives 1 | 6 | |
| Writing elective outside college, 6000 words (Critical Tracking) | 3 | |
| Elective outside college | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
- 1
Minimum grade of C required.
- 2
Pure math.
For semesters 7-8, students must complete two professional courses.
Professional Electives
15 credits minimum
MMC 1009 and 14 additional credits
Students may take any other courses in the College of Journalism and Communications to count as professional electives. Students are encouraged to work with faculty members to select electives that best meet career goals. Recommended certificate options (e.g., International Communication, Graphic Design), combined degree options (Global Strategic Communication, Web Design, Social Media), and various concentrations of strategic messaging courses (e.g., media management, audiences and media, audience engagement) are available in the PATH office and advertising department office.
- Up to six credits of professional internship credit may count toward graduation.
- Minimum grade of C required in these courses.
The Advertising curriculum is designed to provide a foundation for problem-solving, strategic thinking, and persuasion techniques that drive audience-centered marketplace communications. Skills attained can be applied to the advertising industry, to entrepreneurism, and to health marketing, among others. Learning outcomes prepare students for the challenges of culturally diverse and technologically changing marketplaces.
Specializations
Advertising Agency
The Advertising Agency specialization emphasizes skills that are necessary for entry-level positions in an advertising agency and is designed to provide a foundation for advancement to positions of leadership in these organizations. This specialization introduces students to the concepts and skills needed to prepare for careers in account management, account planning, media planning, research, art direction and copywriting.
Persuasive Messaging
The Persuasive Messaging specialization focuses on the skill set required to engage media audiences through the use of strategic, persuasive communications. The track emphasizes the concepts and application of audience and media analytics, advertising sales, brand storytelling, and message persuasion. The track prepares students for careers in a broad array of industries and organizations.
Before Graduating Students Must
- Achieve a passing score of 70% on your student portfolio, which will be evaluated by two faculty members as part of ADV 4800, the major’s capstone course.
- Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.
Students in the Major Will Learn to
Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs
Content
-
Correctly identify information and trends related to the history and roles of professionals and institutions in shaping strategic communications.
Critical Thinking
- Formulate accurate audience insights from research and consumer information.
- Correctly analyze strategic communication from case studies in branding.
Communication
- Work effectively in teams to solve strategic communication problems.
- Orally present ideas and recommendations clearly and effectively.
Curriculum Map
I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed
| Courses | SLO 1 | SLO 2 | SLO 3 | SLO 4 | SLO 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MMC 2604 | I | ||||
| SPC 2608 or ORI 2000 | I | ||||
| MAR 3023 | R | I | I | ||
| ADV 3008 | I, R | I | I | ||
| ENC 3254 | R | ||||
| ADV 3001 | R | R | I | R | |
| ADV 3403 | R | R | R | ||
| ADV 3500 | R | R | R | R | |
| ADV 4800 or Immersion | A | A | A | A | A |
Assessment Types
- Exams
- Oral presentations
- Peer Evaluations
- Rubric