MS in Advertising

Requirements: The MS in Advertising program consists of a minimum of 12 courses/48 credits. Students must also pass a formal faculty review of their online Presentation of Final Work.

Requirements (4 total courses; 16 credits):

• COM CM 708 Principles and Practices of Advertising
• COM CM 712 Advertising Strategy and Consumer Insight
• COM CM 717 Fundamentals of Creative Development
• COM CM 721 Advertising Management

Concentration Courses (students must take at least 4 courses; 16 credits):

• COM CM 511 Art Direction
• COM CM 518 Creative Video Development
• COM CM 519 Interactive Marketing Strategies
• COM CM 527 Brand Experience Marketing
• COM CM 528 Copywriting
• COM CM 563 Entertainment Marketing
• COM CM 702 Advertising and Society
• COM CM 716 New and Traditional Media Strategies
• COM CM 718 Advertising Strategy and Consumer Insights II
• COM CM 726 Strategic Brand Solutions
• COM CM 732 AdLab
• COM CM 738 Global Marketing Communication
• COM CM 753 Portfolio Development I
• COM CM 754 Portfolio Development II
• COM CM 809 Graduate Internship (2 or 4 cr)
• COM CM 909 Professional Project (London)

Electives:

Students must take an additional 16 credits from the list below, the Concentration Course list above, or other 500-level or higher courses at BU.

• COM CM 501 Design Strategy and Software
• COM CM 535 Political Campaigns
• COM CM 539 Health Campaigns
• COM CM 707 Writing for Media Professionals
• COM CM 722 Communication Research
• COM CM 744 International Mass Media

At the conclusion of the program, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an advanced understanding and application of effective advertising by using strategy, writing, presentation, design, and digital techniques to achieve objectives developed for client-based projects.
• Demonstrate the practice of developing innovative solutions to client problems and opportunities by creating an advertising plan that includes strategy, account management, consumer insight, media, and brand building.
• Demonstrate knowledge and competencies for achieving professional-quality strategic solutions and idea generation using skills in areas such as art direction, copywriting, and video development.
• Demonstrate knowledge and competencies in advertising planning and consumer insight by designing and conducting research to develop creative briefs and advertising planning de-briefs.
• Demonstrate professional skills by working on account teams in classes such as AdLab.
• Recognize the ethical and social responsibility issues related to advertising.

Live It to Learn It.

You’ll get ready for advertising careers by rolling up your sleeves for hands-on, real-life experiences.

In AdLab, the world’s oldest and largest student-run ad agency, students work on account teams creating real campaigns for real clients including corporations, entrepreneurial start-ups, and nonprofits. In AdClub, BU’s official chapter of the American Advertising Federation, you’ll build your professional networks and compete in national competitions.

Beyond campus, we help place students as interns with some of the most coveted agencies in the country, like Hill Holiday, Digitas, and Publicis, as well as many media companies and marketing organizations. Some students choose to spend their third semester abroad with the Boston University London Graduate Mass Communication Summer Program, taking courses such as British Media in the Digital Age and Global Marketing Communications and, of course, interning.

Benefit from Boston

One of BU’s greatest resources is its location. Consistently ranked among the most livable cities in the world, Boston is “America’s college town,” a city rich in history while remaining on the cutting edge. Boston is a Top 10 U.S. media market, and home to some of the world’s best agencies, media companies, and leading employers -- offering boundless opportunities for internships and careers.