Skip to main content
Metropolitan State University (Home)

Advertising Minor

College of Business and Management / Marketing, Supply Chain Operations Management, and International Business
Undergraduate minor

About The Program

The advertising minor is designed to educate students about the major activities involved in the planning, design, integration and implementation of marketing communications programs. Course topics include understanding consumer behavior, advertising and campaign planning, graphics design and copywriting and designing and writing on the web. Familiarity with these activities helps to prepare students for careers in advertising agencies, marketing positions in private, nonprofit and government organizations, as well as careers in public relations firms.

This minor cannot be combined with the marketing major.

How to enroll

Current students: Declare this program

Once you’re admitted as an undergraduate student and have met any further admission requirements your chosen program may have, you may declare a major or declare an optional minor.

Future students: Apply now

Apply to Metropolitan State: Start the journey toward your Advertising Minor now. Learn about the steps to enroll or, if you have questions about what Metropolitan State can offer you, request information, visit campus or chat with an admissions counselor.

Get started on your Advertising Minor

Program eligibility requirements

Students must earn a grade of S or C- or above in courses to be used to meet pre-requisites. College of Business and Management (CBM) students that major in Marketing cannot declare an Advertising Minor.

Courses and Requirements

SKIP TO COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Advertising minor residency requirement: At least 12 credits of the required courses in the advertising minor must be completed at Metropolitan State. You may substitute Advertising Copywriting, Design & Production for an internship in a related area. Approval from the marketing department chair is required.

See also the CBM Policies page for requirements that are common to all programs.

Requirements (20 credits)

An approved internship may be substituted for the MKTG 348.

This course surveys factors that marketing managers take into account when creating a marketing plan, including consumer behavior principles, market segmentation, product life cycle, packaging, branding, pricing, advertising, sales promotion, public relations, personal selling, product distribution methods and key laws affecting marketing practices. The course takes a practical approach to explaining how to identify marketing objectives and determine strategies for reaching them. It is useful to general business students, students who plan marketing management or marketing communications careers and those who wish to be better informed consumers. This course is also offered online. Prerequisite: Goal 1 writing requirement plus 30 credits must be satisfied.

Full course description for Marketing Principles

This course is designed to give both marketing management and marketing communications students an opportunity to study principles of the behavioral sciences of psychology, sociology and anthropology, and how they are used in creating marketing and communications plans aimed at consumer or professional buyers. Specific topics include perception processes, lifestyle analysis, personality, psychographics, motivational analysis and the influence of groups on their members' buying behaviors.

Full course description for Consumer and Professional Buyer Behavior

This course teaches a strategic approach to understanding and executing the full array of marketing communications. Topics include the essential role of integrated marketing communications (IMC) within the marketing function, product and service positioning, and the advantages, disadvantages and uses of various promotional tools such as advertising, sales promotion, publicity, public relations, personal selling and direct marketing. Special attention will be given to the constant changing role of interactive media. The course will focus on the process of developing effective IMC strategies that satisfy both promotional objectives and marketing goals, and developing an IMC plan.

Full course description for Integrated Marketing Communications

In advertising and marketing today, copywriting is more important than ever. Effective copy needs to cut through the clutter whether for digital or traditional media. This course focuses on learning how to write compelling copy incorporating positioning, audience research, creative briefs, features and benefits, creation of an advertising premise (USP) and copy organization. It also covers content development, design basics, working relationships and digital and traditional advertising production terminology/best practices

Full course description for Advertising Copywriting, Design and Production

This course introduces students to the principles, processes, and techniques of front-end Web development. Students gain solid knowledge and practical skills in HTML, CSS, website genres, design patterns, Web writing, and usability. Students will analyze and build websites. Students must already possess basic satisfactory digital literacy, such as managing files and folders, and adding and removing programs.

Full course description for Writing and Designing for the Web I