Advertising Major
The advertising major prepares you to craft and deliver persuasive messages through paid media. Coursework explores theories, practices, and ethics of advertising. You learn about consumer behavior, advertising account planning, media buying, brand storytelling, copy design and production, and campaign evaluation.
320,000
ADVERTISING JOBS IN THE U.S. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020)
$141,490 per year
2020 MEDIAN PAY
24
AVERAGE UPPER-LEVEL CLASS SIZE
13,700
ADVERTISING AGENCIES IN THE U.S.
Total Credit Hours: 120
Advertising Major Requirements
(55 hours)
General Education (45 hours)
Minor and Elective Hours (20 hours)
What You'll Study
- 120 credit hours for a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, including Virginia Tech's Pathways
- 55 credits of advertising courses, including:
- Advertising Copywriting and Brand Storytelling
- Account Planning and Media Buying
- Ethics and Social Responsibility in Advertising
- Public Relations Campaigns
- Marketing Communications
- Our program gives you the opportunity to build knowledge in another area of focus by pursuing a minor, double major, or cognate.
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What is a Major in Advertising?
Our advertising major prepares students for work promoting products, services, and ideas; shaping brand perceptions; and telling corporate stories. You will develop skills in messaging through multiple channels: newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, websites, email, social networks, billboards, and direct mail. You will learn how to research consumer interests to design commercial messages that will gain attention and drive economic activity in a global economy.
Why Study Advertising Here?
Virginia Tech’s advertising program prepares students to promote products, services, ideas and personalities through paid media. The major combines coursework from communication, business, and visual design. You’ll have class projects that design advertising strategies and materials for real clients, find internships that put skills learned in the classroom into practice, and interact with advertising-industry practitioners.
Beyond the Classroom
Get Experience
By working in the field, you'll earn job experience and learn more about communication in the workplace. You will have the opportunity to explore potential career paths and network with communication professionals.
Collaborate
Our faculty has a mix of industry professionals and teaching and research scholars. Whether your interests are in a career as an advertiser or going on to get a Ph.D., we have a mentor for you. Our list includes anchors and news directors, a producer for HGTV, niche specialties like sports broadcasting, and experts on rhetorical theory, political communication, and the psychological effects of video games.
Come with us
Every year, the School of Communication sponsors a faculty-led study abroad experience at Virginia Tech's Center for International Scholarship in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland. The program includes a one-credit course in Blacksburg during the spring semester and two weeks of study in Switzerland, with online course components during the first summer session after you return from the trip.
What Our Students Are Saying
"The communications professors at Virginia Tech don't make school just about tests and memorizing material. They focus on what matters: making sure you enjoy your education, engage, ask questions, and get so engrossed in what you're learning that you forgot you're there for a grade."
- Cat Forgione, '14
"You gain experience developing campaigns for real clients who need your help. Our professors taught us every step of the campaign process and gave us the opportunity to get creative. Those projects were not only fun, but they were also a major selling point for me when it came to job searching."
- Cat Goergen, '14
Careers and Further Study
Erica Hammett, '16
As an undergraduate, Erica had communication and marketing internships at the Sandler Center, the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, and the VT YMCA. Erica now works at MP&A Digital & Advertising in Williamsburg, VA, where she provides public relations support to independent, boutique resorts in the Caribbean. She also writes PR materials, develops pitches, coordinates social media, and monitors client coverage.
Nick Czerwonka, '18
Nick’s always had a passion for communicating, whether in person with other people or large groups of people. He used this passion as the new business and marketing intern at a local Blacksburg startup, Ozmo. Nick works as an Assistant Account Executive for the marketing and advertising agency Area23 in New York.
Laura Bauer, '15
Laura served as a sports information intern at University of Southern California Athletics and a community relations intern with the San Diego Chargers. Laura is now the partner services coordinator for Virginia Tech IMG Sports Marketing.
Christine Dinardo, '15
Christine completed internships with the public affairs division of Weber Shandwick and a marketing role with Leading Authorities as a student. Christine worked for Booz Allen Hamiliton following graduation, supporting clients in the federal and commercial space with social media analytics and digital content strategy and now serves as a Senior Marketing Manager at AstraZeneca.
Taylor Casarotti, '20
Taylor completed several internships during her undergraduate career, including working as a communications and operations intern for a large fortune 500 insurance company, a PR intern for a small agency, an account management intern for a marketing agency, and a communications intern for the Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech. Taylor now works at Billy Casper Golf as a Marketing Associate.
What do I do with an advertising major?
Some of the jobs our graduates earn include:
- Advertising account executive
- Creative director
- Media buyer
- Outdoor advertising designer
- Copywriter
- Digital advertising planner
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