Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Information Sciences in

Advertising

Online

Program Overview

Persuasive advertising is a cornerstone of any effective business strategy. The University of Alabama’s online Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Information Sciences (BACIS) with a major in Advertising equips students with the skills necessary for creating persuasive messaging across myriad platforms that results in conversions.

Online Program Format

120 Credit Hours

$399 Tuition Per Hour

Deliver Results Through Persuasive Advertising

Learn from faculty with decades of professional and research expertise in advertising and communication. The curriculum will give you an understanding of advertising best practices and design. You’ll learn how to conduct audience analyses, tailor messaging across channels and create effective advertising strategy. The online coursework gives you the flexibility to earn your undergraduate advertising degree on your schedule.

Application Deadline	Applications accepted year round
Accreditation	Accreditation Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC)
Are test scores required?	ACT and SAT scores are not required through the Fall 2026 entry term
Scholarships and Grants Available	Discover a range of scholarships and grants to support your educational journey

Curriculum

The Advertising major consists of 120 credit hours.

Please note that courses are subject to change.

Required Core Courses (44-45 hours)

First-Year Compass Courses (3 hours)

UA 101 Legends (1 hour)
UA College Compass Course (e.g., CIS 100; 2 hours)

Written Composition (3-6 hours, depending on placement)

EN 103 Advanced Composition or EN 104 Honors Composition
Can be satisfied by EN 101 English Composition and EN 102 English Composition

Humanities (HU), Literature, Fine Arts and World Languages (9 hours)

Literature (3 hours)
Humanities, Literature, Fine Arts and World Languages (6 hours)
- NOTE: Must meet World Languages requirement, which can be met in a variety of ways and can take 0-6 hours to complete.

Natural and Mathematical Sciences (11 hours)

Natural Sciences (8 hours)
MATH 110 or higher (3 hours)

History and Social/Behavioral Sciences (SB) (9 hours)

History (3 hours)
History and Social/Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)

U. S. and Global Citizenship (3 hours)

Writing (6 hours)

Can be satisfied by APR 302 and APR 423 in the advertising major

To learn more about the core curriculum requirements, visit UA’s Core Curriculum Framework website.

Foundation Courses (16 hours)

MC 101 Introduction to Mass Communication
JCM 103 Mechanics of Media Writing
APR 241 Introduction to Advertising and Public Relations
APR 280 Introduction to Audience Analysis
APR 290 Introduction to Channels and Messaging
APR 302 Advertising Strategy (W)

Mid-Level Courses (15 hours)

APR 300 Basic Principles of Design or APR 325 Social and Digital Media
APR 422 Channel Planning
APR 423 A+PR Management (W)
Two (2) APR/MC 400-level electives (6 hours):
- APR 436 Viral Communication
- APR 437 Social Networks
- APR 439 Branding Principles & Practice
- APR 452 Ethics and Professionalism (NOTE: Cannot also count as capstone course)
- APR 453 Investigation and Insights (NOTE: Cannot also count as capstone course)

Capstone Courses (6 hours)

Students will pick one (1) of the following courses:

APR 452 Ethics and Professionalism
APR 453 Investigation and Insights

Required:

APR 424 Advertising Campaigns

Ancillary Courses

CIS 250 Introduction to Design Software (NOTE: This course is a prerequisite to APR 300 and APR 325)
CIS 260 Introduction to Consumer and Medica Research Resources (NOTE: This course is a prerequisite to APR 280)
EC 110 Principles of Microeconomics (SB; NOTE: This course is a prerequisite to APR 424)
COM 123 Public Speaking (HU)

Minor Requirement

All students must complete a minor in addition to their major requirements, and students commonly select Communication Studies.

Admission

To apply for formal admission to any of the undergraduate degree programs offered through UA Online, you must complete an admissions application and submit transcripts from all colleges previously attended (and a high school transcript if you have less than 24 semester hours of college coursework). Transfer students considering admission should review UA’s transfer information and policies.

Applicants must meet one of the following admission requirements:

If you have earned more than 24 college-level credit hours at the time of your application to the University, you will need to meet the transfer student admission requirement of a minimum 2.0 overall college GPA.

If you have earned less than 24 college-level credit hours at the time of your application to the University, you will need to meet both the 2.0 overall college GPA required for transfer students, as well as admission requirements for freshmen students.

Find more information and learn about restrictions related to this degree program that may exist regarding licensure in the state in which you reside.