Advertising & Public Relations

It’s no surprise that Marietta graduates are successful PR and marketing specialists, copywriters and corporate communications professionals. In the advertising and public relations track within our strategic communication major, you’ll learn about the nature of persuasion, media ethics, digital communication, advertising campaigns and more — and gain experience and professional connections that provide a valuable portfolio of projects to show future employers.

Majors all complete an internship, and often more than one; sites have included H. G. Heinz Corp., Ogilvy & Mather, Moroch Inc., Lake Chautauqua, Columbus Clippers and several other advertising and public relation agencies and nonprofit organizations. And with two radio stations, a television station, and an award-winning newspaper on campus and all run by students, you’ll be able to work in a variety of mass-media markets starting in your freshman year.

Join Marietta’s chapter of the American Advertising Federation for even more opportunities. Our students have competed — and taken honors — in national advertising and marketing competitions, attended career fairs and student conferences, met with industry professionals, and won prestigious regional and national scholarships.

Sample Four-Year Schedule

First Year (Fall Semester)

Mass Media 101	Media and Society (General Education Social Analysis)	3 credit hours
Communication 110	Human Communication (General Education Social Analysis)	3 credit hours
Writing 102	College Composition	3 credit hours
General Education	Civilization & Culture	3 credit hours
PIO 101	Pioneer Path I	2 credit hours
PIO 102	Student Engagement	1 credit hour
Semester Credit Hours		15 credit hours

First Year (Spring Semester)

Media Skills course		3 credit hours
Communication 230	Communication Theory & Research I	3 credit hours
Communication 203	Fundamentals of Communication	3 credit hours
General Education	Quantitative Reasoning	3 credit hours
General Education	Scientific Inquiry (with lab)	4 credit hours
Semester Credit Hours		16 credit hours

Second Year (Fall Semester)

Mass Media 207	Media Writing I	3 credit hours
Mass Media 230	Intro to Public Relations	3 credit hours
PIO 201	Pioneer Path II	3 credit hours
Elective or Language Proficiency Course		3 credit hours
Elective course		3 credit hours
Semester Credit Hours		15 credit hours

Second Year (Spring Semester)

Mass Media 225	Intro to Advertising	3 credit hours
General Education	Science with or without Lab	3 or 4 credit hours
General Education	Artistic Expression	3 credit hours
Communication/Mass Media elective		3 credit hours
Elective or Language Proficiency Course		3 credit hours
Semester Credit Hours		15 or 16 credit hours

Third Year (Fall Semester)

General Education	Artistic Expression	3 credit hours
Communication/Mass Media elective		3 credit hours
Cognate course		3 credit hours
Elective or Secondary Concentration course		3 credit hours
Elective or Secondary Concentration course		3 credit hours
Semester Credit Hours		15 credit hours

Third Year (Spring Semester)

Mass Media 420	Media Law and Ethics (Junior Core)	3 credit hours
Mass Media 397	Internship	3 credit hours
Cognate course		3 credit hours
Elective or Secondary Concentration course		3 credit hours
Elective or Secondary Concentration course		3 credit hours
Semester Credit Hours		15 credit hours

Fourth Year (Fall Semester)

Communication/Mass Media Elective		3 credit hours
General Education	Civilization & Culture	3 credit hours
Elective or Secondary Concentration Course		3 credit hours
Elective or Secondary Concentration Course		3 credit hours
Cognate Course		3 credit hours
Semester Credit Hours		15 credit hours

Fourth Year (Spring Semester)

Mass Media 410	Advertising & Public Relations Campaigns	3 credit hours
Mass Media 430	Capstone	3 credit hours
Elective course		3 credit hours
Elective course		3 credit hours
Elective course		3 credit hours
Semester Credit Hours		15 credit hours

* Remember that this schedule should just be seen as a guide toward your Advertising/Public Relations degree. Your schedule can be adjusted to accommodate a second major and/or minors at the College. You will work with your academic advisor to ensure that you graduate on schedule and with classes that most interest you and lead you toward the career path that you are working to achieve.

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Successful Alumni

“I could go on forever about the people, course work, and campus leadership experiences that helped prepare me for my career. I am particularly thankful for the real-world experience brought into the classrooms at Marietta College. Working with real clients while still being guided by a marketing expert, like Julie Harding, gave me the confidence and knowledge I needed to provide my clients with high-quality work from day one.”

-Kayla Tomlin ’20, SWOOSH Marketing Coordinator at HORAN Associates

“I never could have imagined that opportunities through Marietta College would take me to eight different countries, an international conference and internships in New York City and Southern California. Combine those experiences with my liberal arts education, which helps me both think and work more holistically, and I feel I have the competitive tools necessary to be successful in whatever I pursue.”

-Mandee Young ’18, Project Coordinator/Assistant Account Executive at The AdCom Group (Cleveland, Ohio)

“What the culture and community of Marietta gave me was the ability to grow, fail, and take part in so many things. I only have about two speeds in my life — all or nothing — and I tend to lean into the "all" portion.”

-Brittany Curry ’15, Chief of Public Affairs at 9th Reconnaissance Wing

“Marietta College was extremely helpful in not only preparing me for life after college, but setting an expectation of striving for more than just getting a job.”

-Tyler Baltzell ’15, Agency Account Strategist, Google

-Kayla Tomlin ’20, SWOOSH Marketing Coordinator at HORAN Associates

Kayla Tomlin, who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Strategic Communication-Advertising & Public Relations, is responsible for planning and executing communications and marketing strategies surrounding benefits and wellness to employees at nine school districts in the Cincinnati area. Her first job after graduating is the SWOOSH Marketing Coordinator at HORAN Associates, a health benefit and wealth management firm.

-Mandee Young ’18, Project Coordinator/Assistant Account Executive at The AdCom Group (Cleveland, Ohio)

Mandee Young ’18 found out how powerful The Long Blue Line — Marietta College's alumni — is during her job search. After graduating in 3 1/2 years, Mandee connected with another alumna and secured her first job with The Adcom Group while taking her last final exams at Marietta. "Though I had no prior agency experience before this job, I was able to articulate how my amazing internship opportunities, experiences through McDonough and my liberal arts education have helped to shape me as a young professional and made me suitably prepared to take on the role I was applying for at Adcom."

As a student, Mandee was active in the Leadership Program, Pioneer Activities Council and spent a semester studying abroad in London. She also completed internships with Mediavest | Spark in New York City, and Urban Decay in Newport Beach, Califorinia.

-Brittany Curry ’15, Chief of Public Affairs at 9th Reconnaissance Wing

As Chief of Public Affairs, Brittany Curry ‘15 works at the Beale Air Force Base in northern California. She calls herself a “professional problem solver,” and serves as the strategic communicator for the wing and the base. Brittany said that Marietta College has given her everything—not only does she now know how to professionally use a variety of communication tools, but she is better able to identify and solve problems, recognize the skills of herself and her teammates, and hold her own. “I'm sure there are students all over the country who think the same way about their education, but I can assure you that those students never got to experience the life of a Pioneer.”

“Marietta College was extremely helpful in not only preparing me for life after college, but setting an expectation of striving for more than just getting a job.”

-Tyler Baltzell ’15, Agency Account Strategist, Google

Tyler recently joined Google in New York City as an Agency Account Strategist. He assists advertising agencies with the digital landscape through best-practice trainings, introduction to new products or betas and crafting unique strategies for their premier clients. During his time on campus, Tyler was a captain of the track team and president of American Advertising Federation.

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