Strategic Communication:
Advertising & Public Relations
The Strategic Communication: Advertising & Public Relations major prepares students for careers in advertising, public relations and communications in corporate, non-profit, health and advocacy industries.
Strategic Communication: Advertising & Public Relations Major
- Curriculum and Courses
- Catalog Requirements
- University Honors Program
- Transfer Student FAQ
- Major & Pre-Major Advising
- Student Stories
- View Student Work
Program Facts
Application Deadlines
Applications to the major are accepted twice each academic year, at the start of fall and spring semesters.
Fall 2026 Application Deadline for Spring Semester Admission:
September 25, 2026 at 1PM Central Time
Admission Requirements
Students are eligible to apply for major status, once they have:
- Enrolled in a degree-seeking college
- Completed JOUR 1001 with a grade of “C-” or higher OR have JOUR 1001 in progress at the time of the application (a grade of C- or better will be required for final admission)
- Completed 14 credits graded A-F
Students who plan to complete a degree in a college other than CLA may add a Hubbard School major as a second major or as a second degree.
StratComm Major Handbook
Refer to the Strategic Communication Major Handbook (Google Doc) for all details regarding this major.
Questions? Contact Us
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-625-1338
About the Program
The Strategic Communication: Advertising & Public Relations major prepares students for careers in advertising, public relations and corporate, non-profit, health and advocacy communications.
What You Will Study
Students develop the skills essential for advertising and PR careers, including crafting unique messages and campaigns for products, brands and services while using multiple media platforms.
The undergraduate Strategic Communication program offers a variety of professional/skills courses at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels that fit these interests. Students typically choose either an advertising or public relations focus in their program, but both majors involve significant exposure to theories, practices and issues to prepare for today’s increasingly integrated professional world.
Strategic Communication courses include:
Account/Media Planning, Digital Strategy, Advertising Strategy, Media Design, Communication Management, Portfolio Development and Campaign Strategy
Your Career Path
Alumni who graduate with degrees in strategic communication have gone on to careers in a variety of positions including Account Executive, Creative Director, Marketing Communications Manager, Events Coordinator, Social Media Manager, Advertising Copywriter, Digital Marketing Manager and more.
Careers that Create the Future
Whether they're in the classroom pitching campaigns for name brands, honing original creative work under the guidance of agency professionals, crafting social media posts from scratch for real clients, winning big in national competitions, or just having fun brainstorming the next big thing with each other in Murphy Hall's Media Library, Strategic Communication students are busy building the portfolios that will propel their careers — and having a blast doing it. Get inspired by the student work that has put Hubbard on the map.
AT&T spec campaign by Hubbard's 2026 NSAC team.
Curriculum and Courses
We offer two kinds of courses to provide students a combination of hands-on skills training and academic theory. Learn about these courses below and click on the links to view course profiles which provide more in-depth information about content, expectations, and workload to give you a realistic understanding about what you will experience in the course.
Strategic Communication Major Professional Skills Courses
The strategic communication major prepares students for careers in the fields of advertising and public relations. The major offers a number of courses at the beginning, and intermediate, and advanced levels. The strategic communication curriculum is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of their fields of interest.
Students typically choose either an advertising or public relations focus in their major, but all strategic communication programs involve significant exposure to theories, practices and issues in both advertising and public relations to prepare for today’s increasingly integrated professional world.
Preparatory Course
Jour 1001/Jour1001H: Media in a Changing World
Core Courses
Jour 3004/ Jour 3004H: Information for Mass Communication
Jour 3201: Principles of Strategic Communication
Jour 4263: Strategic Communication Campaigns
or
Jour 4264: NSAC/Campaigns
Professional (Skills) Courses
Required
Jour 3241W: Advertising Strategy and Creative Development
or
Jour 3279W: Professional Writing for Strategic Communication
Electives
Jour 3102: Multimedia Production and Storytelling
Jour 3251: Strategic Communication Research & Analytics
Jour 3253: Strategic Brand Planning
Jour 3261: Media Planning
Jour 3275: Digital Strategy in Strategic Communication
Jour 3279W: Professional Writing for Strategic Communication
Jour 3321: Media Design
Jour 4174: Magazine Editing & Production
Jour 4242: Advertising Portfolio Development
Jour 4243: Digital Content for Brand Communications
Jour 4244: Crisis Communication
Jour 4258: Corporate Social Responsibility Communication
Jour 4259: Strategic Communication Case Analysis
Jour 4262: Management for Strategic Communication
Jour 4279W: Advanced Strategic Communication Writing
Jour 4543: Campaigns for Social Good
Professional (Skills) Courses By Interest Area
Below are merely examples of what course flows could look like based on students interest areas.
Students interested in advertising such as copywriting or art direction, often choose from the following: JOUR 3241 (Advertising Strategy and Creative Development), JOUR 3275 (Digital Strategy in Strategic Communication), JOUR 3321 (Media Design), JOUR 4242 (Advertising Portfolio Development), JOUR 4243 (Digital Content for Brand Communications), JOUR 4259 (Strategic Communication Case Analysis) / JOUR 4262 (Management for Strategic Communication), and JOUR 4262 (Management for Strategic Communication)
Students interested in account-related positions, such as account planning, account executive or media planning, may choose from the following: JOUR 3241 (Advertising Strategy and Creative Development) or JOUR 3279 (Professional Writing for Strategic Communication), JOUR 3321 (Media Design) /JOUR 4243 (Digital Content for Brand Communications), JOUR 3251 (Strategic Communication Research & Analytics), JOUR 3253 (Account Planning), JOUR 3261 (Media Planning), JOUR 3275 (Digital Strategy in Strategic Communication), JOUR 4259 (Strategic Communication Case Analysis) / JOUR 4262 (Management for Strategic Communication)
Students interested in public relations agencies, government, nonprofit, advocacy or corporate communications often choose from the following: JOUR 3279 (Professional Writing for Strategic Communication), JOUR 3321 (Media Design), JOUR 4279W (Advanced Strategic Communication Writing), JOUR 4243 (Digital Content for Brand Communications), JOUR 3275 (Digital Strategy in Strategic Communication), JOUR 3251 (Strategic Communication Research & Analytics), JOUR 4244 (Crisis Communication), JOUR 4258 (Corporate Social Responsibility Communication), JOUR 4259 (Strategic Communication Case Analysis) / JOUR 4262 (Management for Strategic Communication), JOUR 4543 (Campaigns for Social Good: Design & Evaluation). Students with this interest also may choose one or more of the journalism major courses (Jour 3279 is a prerequisite for each of these): JOUR 3102 (Multimedia Production and Storytelling), JOUR 3103: (Interactive and Data Journalism), JOUR 3173W (Magazine Writing), JOUR 4174 (Magazine Editing and Production)
Students interested in health communication positions in private and governmental organizations, advertising, public relations and marketing agencies often choose from the following: JOUR 3279 (Professional Writing for Strategic Communication) / JOUR 3241 (Advertising Strategy and Creative Development), JOUR 3321 (Media Design), JOUR 4279W (Advanced Strategic Communication Writing), JOUR 4243 (Digital Content for Brand Communications), JOUR 3275 (Digital Strategy in Strategic Communication), JOUR 3251 (Strategic Communication Research & Analytics), JOUR 4242 (Advertising Portfolio Development), JOUR 4258 (Corporate Social Responsibility Communication), JOUR 4262 (Management for Strategic Communication), JOUR 4259 (Strategic Communication Case Analysis), JOUR 4543 (Campaigns for Social Good: Design & Evaluation)
Strategic Communication Major Context Courses
All Hubbard School majors take context courses which are:
- Lecture based
- Focused on theory and ideas
- Most courses open to all students
* All context courses are 3 credits.
All course profiles will open to GoogleDocs.
JOUR 1001/JOUR 1001H: Media in a Changing World
JOUR 1501 Digital Games and Society
Meets arts/humanities core and technology & society theme requirements.
This course does not meet any requirements for the Journalism or Strategic Communication majors
JOUR 3005 Media Effects
Meets social sciences core requirement.
JOUR 3006 Visual Communication
JOUR 3007 The Media in American History and Law: Case Studies
Meets historical perspectives core requirement.
JOUR 3201 Principles of Strategic Communication
Prereq Jour major, Strat Comm major, Media & Information major or Media & Information minor or approved BIS/IDIM/ICP program
JOUR 3551 The Business of Digital Media: Innovation, Disruption, and Adaptation
Meets technology and society theme requirement.
JOUR 3553 Mobile Communication
Meets technology and society theme requirement.
JOUR 3614 History of Media Communication
Meets historical perspectives core and technology and society theme requirements.
JOUR 3741 Diversity and Media
Meets race, power and justice in the United States theme requirement.
JOUR 3745 Media and Popular Culture
Meets arts/humanities core and race, power and justice in the United States theme requirements.
JOUR 3751 Digital Media and Culture
Meets arts/humanities core and technology & society theme requirements.
JOUR 3757 Principles of Health Communication Strategy
JOUR 3758 Kids, Media and Information
JOUR 3761 Social Media Management
This course does not meet any requirements for the Journalism or Strategic Communication majors.
JOUR 3762 Social Media Storytelling
This course does not meet any requirements for the Journalism or Strategic Communication majors.
JOUR 3765 Social Media Production in the Media Industries
This course does not meet any requirements for the Journalism or Strategic Communication majors.
JOUR 3771 Media Ethics
Meets civic life and ethics theme requirement.
JOUR 3775 Strategic Communication Law
Meets civic life and ethics theme requirement.
JOUR 4251 Psychology of Advertising
JOUR 4272 Digital Advertising
JOUR 4274W Advertising in Society
JOUR 4501 Communication, Public Opinion, and Social Media
JOUR 4542 Principles in Health Messaging: Media and Mental Health
JOUR 4552 Law of Internet Communication
JOUR 4605W History of Journalism
JOUR 4721 Mass Media and U.S. Society
Meet social sciences core requirement and diversity & social justice in the United States theme.
JOUR 4733V Honors Thesis Seminar
Transfer Student FAQ
Transfer students are a vital part of the Hubbard School, and this page contains frequently asked questions to help students make a successful transition.
What should I do first?
Apply to the College of Liberal Arts and watch the online Pre-major Information session.
How to Apply (Journalism or Strategic Communication)
Declare the Media and Information Major
What are the minimum requirements to apply to the undergraduate program at the University of Minnesota?
The following items are required from all students, including incoming transfer students.
- Completed or enrolled in JOUR 1001, earning a grade of “C-” or higher.
- Completed 14 credits graded A-F.
Note: To be competitive for admission, students should have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Do I need to wait until I have finished courses at the University of Minnesota to apply to or declare a Hubbard School major?
No. As long as you are enrolled in a degree seeking program, you can apply to or declare a Hubbard major with JOUR 1001 (complete or in progress) and at least 14 credits graded A-F from your transfer institution.
Note: Transfer courses need to be posted to your UMN record prior to Hubbard application review (submit final transcripts to UMN admissions to have coursework posted to your record). Check your APAS to verify transfer courses have been posted.
When should I apply for a journalism or strategic communication major?
This will vary depending on how many credits a student transfers into the U of M. It takes a minimum of four (4) semesters (including the semester you apply) to complete a major. This means some transfer students may need to apply during their first semester on campus. You can apply during your first semester on campus if you have:
- JOUR 1001 completed or in progress
- 14 credits graded A-F completed
Applications deadlines are posted on the website.
What major is best for me?
The Hubbard School offers three majors focused on distinct areas of study within the discipline that connect to different kinds of work, including Journalism, Media and Information, and Strategic Communication: Advertising & Public Relations. Visit the “Explore Our Majors” page to see what major fits your interests and career goals.
What courses should I register for when I attend orientation?
Many transfer students have completed journalism courses at their previous institutions, so this answer will vary from person to person. The following is a general guide of what to register for if you are new to our majors.
- JOUR 1001
- 1-2 context courses
Notes:
JOUR 3004 and JOUR 3201 are reserved for once you are admitted into a Hubbard School major. You will not be able to take these until the semester AFTER you apply and are accepted.
After you are admitted to the U of M, if you have transfer courses you believe will satisfy JOUR 1001 or other JOUR courses, please contact [email protected] before your orientation date.
How do I know if the courses I have already taken will be accepted for my major requirements?
Search for your course on transferology before your orientation date. If your course is not listed, use the UMN's Transfer Credit Evaluation system to petition a transfer course to count toward a major requirement. Contact Hubbard School student services with questions.
Student Stories
Hear from Hubbard students about their majors, their favorite courses, the internships they've taken and what it's like being a student at the University of Minnesota.