» Public Relations, Advertising and Entertainment Marketing

We offer a unique degree in a film-school setting. Since this is a Dodge College program, you will learn how to effectively use storytelling and visual media within the marketing field. Our program also provides a foundation in both public relations and advertising along with the opportunity to specialize in one of those areas:

• In your first two years, you’ll gain a broad understanding of strategy and tools. This includes classes on visual storytelling, design strategy, digital marketing and theories of persuasion (and much more). You’ll also take introductory courses on public relations, advertising, and entertainment marketing.
• By your third year, you will follow your interests into deeper study in PR, advertising, or entertainment marketing. You will take advanced classes in media and public relations or advertising and copywriting.
• In your final year, you’ll use case studies to write an original research paper and create your own comprehensive advertising, public relations, or entertainment marketing campaign. That campaign plan will provide tangible evidence of your PR, advertising, or entertainment marketing skillset and help open doors to your first job after graduation.

In addition, you’ll receive a liberal arts education at Chapman. This will give you a broad base of knowledge and the opportunity to learn things outside your major. This includes subjects that interest you and could influence your work.

Everything you learn in the program culminates with the creation of your senior project, which will be an advertising, public relations or entertainment campaign.

• If you choose advertising, you will conduct research, develop creative concepts and plan a multi-channel advertising campaign for your client.
• If you choose PR, you will create a multi-channel campaign to promote a film created by another Dodge College student. 
• If you choose Entertainment Marketing, you will study principles and applications focusing on the marketing of creative content. Courses include strategy development; branding; creative advertising; publicity; digital marketing; social media initiatives; advertising research; film festival promotion; consumer products and promotion. 

As you create your campaign, you will get assistance from your fellow students and faculty with deep (and current) experience in your area of interest.

You can view samples of advertising and PR campaigns created by recent program graduates:

• Advertising Campaigns
• Entertainment Marketing Campaigns
• Public Relations Campaigns

PR professionals exist in virtually every field, from corporations to nonprofits to government agencies. Some areas of specialization include:

• Corporate relations
• Strategic communications
• Marketing/consumer relations
• Reputation/issues management
• Public affairs
• Crisis communications
• Sports and entertainment
• Community relations
• Investor relations
• International public relations
• Employee/member communications

Common PR Job Titles

• Director or Vice President of Public Relations/Corporate Communications
• Account Executive
• PR Firm President or Partner
• Public Information Officer
• Executive Director
• Marketing Manager
• Public Relations Counselor
• Copywriter
• Director of Development
• Special Events Coordinator
• Media Relations Specialist
• Lobbyist
• Spokesperson
• Press secretary

Advertising professionals often work in advertising agencies or marketing firms, in public relations agencies, in-house for corporations or non-profit organizations. Some areas of specialization include:

• Account management
• Art direction
• Copywriting
• Commercial production
• Media buying
• Interactive marketing

Common Advertising Job Titles

• Marketing Director
• Creative Director
• Brand Manager
• Director of Account Services
• Director of New Business Development
• Account Director, Account Supervisor, Account Executive
• Media Director, Planner, Supervisor or Buyer
• Production Manager
• Account Coordinator
• Traffic Manager/Coordinator
• Art Director
• Graphic Designer
• Copywriter

• Jim Fredrick (Expertise: Entertainment marketing, trailer editing, producing commercials)
• Veston Rowe (Expertise: Nonprofit public relations, crisis public relations, feature writing)
• Kathy Thibault (Expertise: Advertising, research, branding, consumerism)
• Chris Trela (Expertise: Public relations, content producer, photography)
• Eva Finn (Expertise: Advertising, content creation, copywriting, social media)

For a full list of Dodge College faculty, visit our faculty directory.

Chapman’s Center for Global Education offers thousands of courses in hundreds of locations around the world. Visit their website to learn more about all the opportunities available.