The Advertising program is part of the School of Media and Communications in the BGSU College of Arts and Sciences.   

  • Minor Available
  • Bachelors Available
  • Minor Available
  • Bachelors Available

Advertising

Create. Promote. Analyze. Advertising is at the heart of today’s popular culture. The advertising major (or minor) in the School of Media and Communication at Bowling Green State University is an interdisciplinary Advertising program equipping students to be adaptable in today’s fast-changing media environment.

You will learn to apply strong theoretical and media analytical skills and human psychology approaches to solve client problems creatively by mastering professional skills for commercial and nonprofit organizations. 

Creative or Management? 

The advertising major at BGSU prepares students for a career in advertising, promotion, marketing and communication disciplines. How students approach the major depends on their strengths and interests. 

Students who want to determine the creative aspects such as what campaigns look like, sound like or say should consider the creative/production concentration. Those interested in human psychology, audiences, researching markets and the best channel to reach those markets, and how campaigns perform might find the management/research concentration is best for them.

A broad understanding of communication theory and deep practical experience through industry connections are common to both concentrations. 

Stand Out in courses like

  • Intro to Interactive Advertising & Social Media
  • Video Field Production, Editing & Online Distribution
  • Media and Strategic Communication
  • History of Graphic Design
  • Graphic Design Thinking
  • Audio Production
  • Branding

Curriculum

Our interdisciplinary degree includes coursework in marketing, psychology, media production, graphic design, communication and advertising.

Students who major in advertising can choose between two concentrations: Creative/production and management/research. The creative/production concentration prepares students for careers in copywriting, print and digital advertising or commercial production, content creation for websites and social media. The management and research specialization examines how advertising meets communication and marketing goals for organizations: researching markets and audience preference and psychology, including branding and social media campaigns. You will be able to analyze the success of a campaign and plan future campaigns.

Both courses provide a strong foundation of theory and practice in advertising; incorporate broad-based knowledge across advertising, communication and media production; and provide marketing and graphic design courses to help students understand marketers’ needs in creating advertisements.

Students may also decide to minor in advertising. The minor is beneficial to students interested in broadcasting, online media, marketing, promotion and other media-related industries and cultures.

The Capstone Campaign Course is conducted with real clients. Two internship requirements provide practical, real-world experiences that can translate into job opportunities. 

High-demand option for Graduates.

BGSU's interdisciplinary environment, coupled with its outstanding professional staff and faculty, will make this major a high-demand option for graduates looking to position themselves well for a successful career upon graduation.

Kristen Gillespie

Product Marketing Manager, Google

Internships and Careers

Advertising graduates from Bowling Green State University work at some of Ohio’s and the nation’s most recognized brands. They also deliver critical public health and cause-driven messages for governmental and nonprofit organizations in an increasingly fractured media landscape. Graduates of the degree will understand how the media market evolves and be able to navigate the changing landscape for a wide range of clients or as chief marketing officers or brand managers.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, advertising, promotions and marketing managers’ overall employment is projected to grow faster than average from 2018-2028. 

Based on research by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the salary expectations for mid-career advertising and promotions managers was $106,100 in 2017, with the top 10% earning more than $200,000 per year.

An Industry Advisory Board, composed of alumni and major advertising employers such as Google, Disney, NBC Universal, MadAveGroup and Hart, enhances industry connections for the program and students.

Go Far in your career

  • Cause-related communications
  • Advertising media planners and buyers
  • Marketing communications directors
  • Social media managers
  • Advertising executives
  • Creative directors
  • Copywriters

BGSU Arts and Sciences white

The Advertising program is part of the School of Media and Communications in the BGSU College of Arts and Sciences.   

Learning Outcomes

Advertising major students are expected to achieve the following learning outcomes during their time on the Ohio campus of Bowling Green State University:

  • Explain the different functions, regulations and roles of advertising in business marketing, the media industry and society;
  • Utilize consumer behavior and persuasion theories with audience research to select target audience and develop and evaluate advertising campaigns' effectiveness with appropriate data analytics and metrics;
  • Write advertising copy, understand graphic design principles and develop ethical advertising campaigns and strategies across multiple media platforms, including social media for both commercial and nonprofit organizations;
  • Apply knowledge of different marketing communication media’s strengths and limitations and integrate them in advertising campaigns and media advertising sales.

Michael & Sara Kuhlin Center

Students practice their production skills using state-of-the-art technologies in the Michael & Sara Kuhlin Center. The center features video and audio production suites. The video production suite includes access to robotic cameras, virtual sets and “live reporting” spaces. An advanced projection system enables students to simultaneously watch live action being recorded and see the work being done on the control boards.

Students also have outlets for their work. BG Falcon Media, the student media organization, offers hands-on, real-world experience in professional standard promotions, social media and advertising. The student-staffed group publishes a stable of titles, from sports-focused publications to multicultural outlets across multiple channels.   

With more and earlier access to these facilities, you can develop advanced portfolios to demonstrate skills to prospective employers.

A Public University for the Public Good

The School of Media and Communication at Bowling Green State University develops individuals who communicate effectively, contribute to their communities, and engage globally with individuals, governments, businesses, and nonprofit and civic organizations. The school is a strong advocate for ethical professional practices, equal access to media technologies, inclusivity, and freedoms of speech and press in order to build a more deliberative and democratic community.

Updated: 08/04/2023 11:32AM