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Advertising Major

In a marketplace crowded with ideas, only the best stand out. As an Advertising major at Drake University, you’ll sharpen these artistic and commercial instincts to craft audience-targeted messages on behalf of clients.

School of Journalism & Mass Communication | On-Campus

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What You'll Learn

Our program merges both visual communication and commerce, bringing together the skills to write memorable taglines and analytics to effectively identify and connect with consumers. Through this lens, you’ll begin to understand how people think and what moves them to act, whether you’re trying to convince them to buy a product or support an idea.

You will customize your curriculum to focus on creative pursuits or account management, although classes will explore all aspects of the business. You have the flexibility to pursue a second major in a related field, such as graphic design, psychology, or business.

Along with exploring web, video, and other media formats, you will be prepared to create a campaign from start to finish—conducting consumer research to branding and concepts to pitching your work and gauging its success with a client.

About the Advertising Major

  • Combine critical thinking with creativity in an active learning environment as you learn to deliver strategic messages and observe audience characteristics.
  • Study consumer attitudes, behavior, and persuasion through hands-on coursework in writing, visual communication, research, and media.
  • Participate in Flynn Wright’s accelerated training program to produce media plans for real clients and earn professional media-buying certification.
  • See future workspaces and network with industry professionals through the AAF Ad Agency Crawl, hosted by the local chapter of the American Advertising Federation.

Program Facts

  • On-campus program with a few courses also offered online
  • Full time or part time
  • 120 total credits

Program Options

As a student in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, you’ll study theories, writing techniques, and media planning in the classroom and through extensive hands-on opportunities starting in your first year.

B.A.J.M.C. in Advertising

On-the-ground experience is integral to the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication in Advertising program. For a senior capstone project, every major plans and executes a campaign for a real client.

Advertising Minor

If you’re interested in a marketing, management, or business career, the Advertising minor exposes you to one of the most frequently misunderstood—but most important—aspects of generating revenue. This overview covers research and planning to copywriting and video production.

Open JMC Major

Open JMC majors jump in on Day One to explore classes in any of the specialized areas offered at Drake before determining their direction forward. All along, you’ll have access to the faculty, internship opportunities, and horizon-expanding liberal arts classes that allow you to customize your experience.

Meet the Faculty

As educators and practitioners, our advertising faculty bring extensive, award-winning experience in digital marketing, creative advertising, and video production into the classroom.

Sandy Henry

Sandy Henry

Professor, Advertising and Digital Media Production

Ryan Stoldt

Ryan Stoldt

Assistant Professor, Advertising

Lakshmi Tirumala

Lakshmi Tirumala

Associate Professor, Digital Media Production

All Faculty Members

Outside the Classroom

At Drake, producing media plans, participating in award-winning advertising campaigns, and building your professional portfolio ignite your success—and establish incredible growth potential even before your diploma is in hand.

Reviewing a laptop in a common area, a Drake Advertising student studies coursework to become a Certified Media Buyer

Become a Certified Media Buyer

Flynn Wright, a Des Moines advertising agency, will pay you to complete its accelerated training program. You’ll build a campaign for a real client and finish with industry-respected certification as a media buyer.

Ahead of an internship, two Drake Advertising Majors finalize their ad campaigns in a campus computer lab

Internships

You’ll work closely with our internship coordinator to find an opportunity that’s right for you and your career goals. Drake students have interned for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Radio Disney, state and national NPR stations, and more organizations known for bold, distinctive branding efforts.

Drake Advertising students listen to a presentation during the AAF Ad Agency Crawl

AAF Ad Agency Crawl

Take a behind-the-scenes look at agency life in this annual event sponsored by the Des Moines chapter of the American Advertising Federation. Tour agencies and make connections that could lead to internships or jobs.

A layered array of student publications, including Drake Mag and The Times-Delphic, open to Drake Advertising Majors

Student Organizations

Connect with professionals through organizations such as Ad Club and the American Advertising Federation, or get valuable communications experience contributing to our award-winning student magazine, newspaper, or radio station.

A group of Drake University Advertising Majors proudly display award certificates as they stand in front of a wave-textured wall

Honors and Awards

Drake students’ work gets noticed even before they graduate. Both the American Advertising Federation and Broadcast Education Association regularly recognize Bulldog campaigns as among the best.

With their hands in their jacket pockets, a Drake student walks by a black building with long windows

Scholarships

Entering first-year students are eligible for several journalism and mass communication awards, including the SJMC Dean Team and the Katherine Futch Scholarship.

Experiential Learning

Careers & Skills

Graduates of Drake’s Advertising program establish themselves in the creative and account sides of the industry. You could start your career as an advertising copywriter, account executive, researcher, digital producer, media planner, or social media strategist.

Many organizations are in need of advertising professionals. You might find your ideas embraced by an ad agency or an internal brand team. Or your messaging and strategies may resonate with nonprofits, media, or trade organizations seeking to grow their market presence.

Employers

  • 3M
  • Minnesota Lynx
  • Walt Disney
  • Weber Shandwick
  • People Inc.

Skills

  • Account management
  • Creative advertising
  • Understanding consumer behavior and attitudes
  • Media buying
  • Research
  • Writing and visual communication
Standing in front of a slide presentation, an advertising professional explains what they do to a classroom of Advertising Majors at Drake University

Salary & Growth Outlook

$

Median salary for advertising account executives in 2025. (Salary.com)

"Drake did a really nice job of helping me understand the business aspect of media, which is very important in today’s media marketplace. Every editor today has to be business-minded in addition to possessing the traditional skills of writing, editing, and story formulation."
Abbey Klaassen, JO’02
Global Brand President, Dentsu Creative

Related Programs

Each of our Journalism and Mass Communication programs focuses on the art of storytelling. Gain the tools to help others share their stories or enable organizations and brands to tell their own.

Magazine and Brand Media, BAJMC

Prepare for a career as a content creator for a brand, magazine writer, editor, or creative director for print and online publications in a program that prepares you with experiential learning.

Public Relations, BAJMC

Help organizations connect with the audiences they want to reach while learning the research, planning, and communication skills that will help you launch a career.

Strategic Political Communication, BAJMC

Want to influence public opinion? Learn from people who do it every day. Drake’s Strategic Political Communication program is at the heart of the political world.

Take the Next Step

Put your intellect and creativity to work for a client or a cause as an Advertising major at Drake University. Learn more today.

Contact

Sandy Henry
Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication
sandy.henry@drake.edu

Ryan Stoldt
Associate Professor of Advertising
ryan.stoldt@drake.edu

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A smiling group of Advertising Majors at Drake converse around a table while using their laptops