Advertising majors build on the foundation every SOJC undergraduate shares, then move into the sequence courses that make up the major. For the platform and core context courses all majors take first, see SOJC Undergraduate Courses.
The advertising sequence is built from three parts: one required foundation course; a set of electives you choose based on your interests, from creative and copywriting to strategy, media planning, and design; and a capstone. All ad majors start with JCOM 350 Creative Strategist—typically taken in the spring of your second year. Then you'll choose five courses from the list below, before finishing with a capstone, either JCOM 461 Advertising Campaigns or the JCOM 462 National Student Advertising Competition.
For specifics on course requirements, talk to an advisor or consult the UO Course Catalog. To see which courses are offered in upcoming terms, check the UO Class Schedule.
Advertising Sequence — Required Courses
JCOM 350 Creative Strategist 4 credits
Develop the creative and strategic thinking that underpins every advertising specialty. You'll practice ideation and generative techniques, work in teams, and explore career paths and industry trends.
JCOM 461 Advertising Campaigns 4 credits
In our Advertising capstone course, you'll work in a team to build a full campaign, from market research through creative and media strategy to final execution. Taken after the rest of the sequence, it mirrors how agencies actually operate.
or
JCOM 462 National Student Advertising Competition Campaigns 5 credits
Compete on the SOJC's Ad Team for the American Advertising Federation's National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC). Admitted by portfolio and interview, you'll spend a full year building the competition entry and its campaign book.
Advertising Sequence — Choose Five:
JCOM 351 Advertising and Culture 4 credits
Learn to build strategy that resonates across subcultures through cultural communication, empathy, and respect for audiences. The course centers team collaboration, research, and equity and inclusion in creative messaging.
JCOM 352 Writing Design Concepts 4 credits
Solve conceptual problems for brand campaigns across traditional and emerging media. You'll develop advertising writing and design, present your work, and give and receive critical feedback on creative and portfolios.
JCOM 353 Curiosity for Strategists 4 credits
In one of our most popular courses, you'll learn to harness intellectual curiosity as a problem-solving technique within the context of culture and media. Classwork emphasizes critical thinking, readings, projects, and performance.
JCOM 354 Understanding Brands 4 credits
Examine the historical and cultural forces behind strong advertising and the brands that define their categories. You'll study creative leaders and practice work grounded in cultural influence, collaboration, and critical feedback.
JCOM 355 Brand Responsibility 4 credits
Prepare for the industry by learning to create effective strategies for responsible brands. The course gives you tools for producing and managing ethical creative work.
JCOM 356 Psychology of Advertising 4 credits
Explore the psychology behind advertising, with a focus on persuasion, messaging, and marketing communications more broadly.
JCOM 357 Understanding Strategy 4 credits
Explore strategy across advertising and strategic communication and the range of careers a strategist can build. You'll learn to write creative briefs, develop a strategic point of view, and think through the work behind strong creative.
JCOM 358 Copywriting Craft 4 credits
Sharpen your advertising writing through both strategy and creativity, exploring the craft that makes work stand out.
JCOM 359 Account Management 4 credits
Study the account executive's role through case studies in brand management, agency organization, and relationship building.
JCOM 360 Advertising Creative Studio I 4 credits
Collaborate in a studio setting with strategists, writers, and art directors, building the teamwork and creative readiness agencies expect.
JCOM 361 Advertising Media Planning 4 credits
Set communications and media objectives and determine the most effective ways to reach a target audience. You'll work with media measurement tools, trend analysis, and emerging media channels.
JCOM 365 Introduction to Media Design 4 credits
Learn the theory and practice of designing media content. You'll explore graphic design for print, digital, and video, along with the professional tools of the creative industry.
JCOM 366 Introduction to User Experience Design 4 credits
Focus on the usability, accessibility, and overall experience of a media product or service. You'll conduct user research, build wireframes, and test your solutions.
JCOM 454 Digital Ads and Analytics 4 credits
Get grounded in digital metrics and analytics and the role they play in advertising, learning how data informs and measures campaign decisions.
JCOM 455 Brand Strategy 4 credits
Take on the challenge of building compelling creative brand strategy, and see how strategy shapes creative work, agency partnerships, and business success.
JCOM 456 Brands and Sustainability 4 credits
Examine what it takes to build and maintain sustainable brands, from positioning to the strategies that put those commitments into practice.
JCOM 457 Sports Brand Strategy 4 credits
Bridge business and creative strategy to build brands in the world of sport. You'll study how strong sports brands are developed, positioned, and brought to life.
JCOM 459 Advertising Trends 4 credits
A rotating and repeatable topics course exploring current trends and timely themes in advertising and the creative industry.
JCOM 465 Art Direction and Design Studio 4 credits
Design media content for audience understanding and experience at an advanced level, learning to work as a communicator rather than a decorator.
JCOM 468 Web and Digital Design 4 credits
Focus on the designer's role in building engaging, accessible websites.
Academic Support and Career Advising
Our academic advisors are available year-round to help you plan your flight path through the UO. The SOJC’s Undergraduate Student Success Center is your home base for academic advice and career-building support. All undergraduate SOJC students are welcome, even if you haven't enrolled yet. Drop by Room 134 on the ground floor of Allen Hall or make an in-person or virtual appointment to connect with an advisor.