FAQs

How do I declare my advertising or PR major?

Do I have to have a minor?

In what areas can I minor?

How do I declare my minor?

How do I declare an advertising or PR minor?

How do I get an adviser?

What is the special requirement for the advertising or PR major?

What are the prerequisites to APR, MC, and other key communication courses?

What is an internship?

What is a practicum?

What is independent study?

What are the Core requirements for the advertising or PR major?

How do I get a list of classes that meet Core requirements?

How do I transfer from another UA college or school?

How do I transfer from another institution?

What is a degree audit and when should it be completed?

When should the application for a degree be completed?

How do I get a plan for academic success?

How do I get a letter of good standing?

What is academic warning?

What is academic suspension?

How do I declare my advertising or public relations major?

To officially declare the advertising or public relations major, go to 412 Reese Phifer to complete a major form. Once your major form has been completed, you will be assigned an APR adviser and entered into the College’s checksheet system, which will help you and your adviser plan your coursework.

Do I have to have a minor?

Advertising and public relations students are required to have a minor. To declare the minor, go to 412 Reese Phifer. Once the department that houses the minor has completed the form outlining the minor curriculum, you must return it to 412 Reese Phifer for it to become official and entered the College’s checksheet system. Hours in the minor range from 18-27, depending on the minor. For specific questions about coursework in the minor, see an adviser in the department that houses the minor.

In what areas can I minor?

Selecting a minor can be a tough decision. We suggest choosing a minor that complements your major, that prepares you for your future employment goals, or that simply interests you. Minors that complement the advertising and PR majors include English, creative writing, art (with studio areas such as graphic design/digital media and photography), general business, management, psychology, English, political science, sociology, and history. You may choose a minor that enhances your major with a relevant area of study, such as a foreign language, African-American studies, women studies, American studies, philosophy, or international studies. Or perhaps you might select a field where you might find employment as a technical writer, such as the natural sciences, computer science, theater, health care management, etc.

How do I declare my minor?

To declare the minor, go to 412 Reese Phifer. Once the department that houses the minor has completed the form outlining the minor curriculum, you must return it to 412 Reese Phifer for it to become official and entered the College’s checksheet system.

How do I declare an advertising or PR minor?

To declare an advertising or public relations minor, go to 412 Reese Phifer. You will be given a curriculum form to return to the student services of the college where your major is housed. The only majors within the College of Communication who can minor in advertising or PR are communication studies majors.

How do I get an adviser?

To be assigned an adviser you must officially declare the major in 412 Phifer. Once you have an adviser assigned to you, you must complete the following steps before making an appointment with him or her:

• Carefully read the requirements for the major, minor, Core, special requirement, and second major/minor that are listed on this Web site.

• Attend a group advising session. The times/dates of these sessions will be posted outside the APR office and around Reese Phifer Hall three weeks prior to class registration. You will be advised at the session and your advising hold will be lifted so you may register when your registration time slot opens. Thus you do not need to make an appointment with your adviser, unless you have additional questions.

• For advising after the semester in which you officially declare the major, make an appointment with your adviser at least three weeks prior to class registration. Advisers will post available advising appointment times outside their office doors.

• Be prepared for your advising appointment. Have your courses chosen for the upcoming semester, and prepare a list of any questions you might have.

• You will be able to register for courses once your registration time slot opens. Students who are on academic warning or suspension must see Mrs. Daria (418B Phifer) or Mrs. Sims (418-D Phifer) to have their advising holds lifted.

What is the special requirement for the advertising or PR major?

Special requirement courses will broaden your background and allow you to sample a variety of upper-level courses. These required courses depend on which catalog you are under, as follows.

• For students under the 2006-08 catalog: It requires 12 hours of 300- and/or 400-level courses in any areas of study outside of APR, JN, MC, TCF and the student’s minor. A student having a second major or minor may use 300- and/or 400-level course hours from that second major or minor to double-satisfy hours in the special requirement. Otherwise, special requirement courses must go beyond coursework required for Core or the minor. When choosing special requirement courses, the student should remember that at least 65 hours of the total 124 hours required for the degree must be in liberal arts and sciences courses (such as courses in the College of Arts and Sciences, communication studies, and economics). Check for prerequisites before registering for these courses. Using prerequisites for Core requirements makes good planning.

• For students under the 2004-06 and 2002-04 catalogs: It requires 12 semester hours at 300 and/or 400 levels in courses from College of Arts and Sciences, communication studies (COM), economics (EC), or business. No more than 6 hours in business may count toward this requirement. A student having a second major or minor may use 300- and/or 400-level course hours from that second major or minor to double-satisfy hours in the special requirement. Otherwise, special requirement courses must go beyond coursework required for Core or the minor. Check for prerequisites before registering for these courses. Using prerequisites for Core requirements makes good planning. For a list of courses that meet the special requirement under these catalogs, click here.

• For students under the 2000-02 and 1998-2000 catalogs: It requires 12 semester hours at 300 and/or 400 levels in courses from Collge of Arts and Sciences, communication studies (COM), economics (EC), marketing (MKT) or management (MGT). No more than 6 hours in marketing or management may count toward this requirement. A student having a second major or minor may use 300- and/or 400-level course hours from that second major or minor to double-satisfy hours in the special requirement. Otherwise, special requirement courses must go beyond coursework required for Core or the minor. Check for prerequisites before registering for these courses. Using prerequisites for Core requirements makes good planning.

What are the prerequisites to APR, MC, and other key communication courses?

What is an internship?

An internship is a paid or unpaid, temporary position with a company or organization that allows you to earn experience and develop your skills in the advertising or public relations field. For more information, visit our internships page.

What is a practicum?

A practicum is a supervised field experience coupled with an investigation of a communication problem. For more information, click here.

What is independent study?

Independent study is an analysis of advanced theoretical issues in commercial persuasive communication, under the supervision of an advertising or public relations faculty member. For more information, click here.

What are the Core requirements for the advertising or PR major?

• 6 semester hours in English composition (FC). First-semester freshmen must begin English composition and continue taking the required English courses each semester without interruption.

• 6 semester hours in either computer science (C) or one foreign language (FL).

• 12 semester hours of courses approved for the humanities (HU) and fine arts (FA), to include 3 hours of FA and 3 hours of literature (L). APR students will take COM 123 as part of the HU requirement, and must complete a 6-hour sequence in literature, and must earn a “C-“ or above in these three courses.

• 12 semester hours of courses approved for the history and social and behavioral sciences (HI & SB) to include 3 hours approved for the history designation. APR students are required to take EC 110 as part of this requirement and earn a “C-“ or above in it.

• 11 semester hours in natural science and mathematics (N & MA) to include 8 hours of natural sciences and 3 hours of math. ADV students will satisfy the core requirement with MATH 110 or equivalent or higher. Some minors, such as general business, require MATH 112.

• 6 semester hours in 300- and 400-level courses, preferably in the student’s major, approved for the writing (W) designation. The W designation must be satisfied on this campus.

How do I get a list of classes that meet Core requirements?

How do I transfer from another UA college or school?

Go to 297 Phifer to complete the change-of-divisions process.

How do I transfer from another institution?

You must complete the undergraduate transfer admissions process.

What is a degree audit and when should it be completed?

A degree audit ensures that you have met all graduation requirements. You should have a degree audit completed two semesters before your expected graduation date. See Ms. Bradley in 297 Phifer.

When should the application for a degree be completed?

The application for a degree should be completed and submitted to 297 Phifer the semester prior to your expected graduation date. Click here for an application for degree.

How do I get a plan for academic success?

See Ms. Bradley in 297 Phifer.

How do I get a letter of good standing?

See Ms. Bradley in 297 Phifer.

What is academic warning?

A student will be placed on academic warning if his or her cumulative University of Alabama GPA (the overall GPA for courses taken at this university only) is below a 2.0 but above the appropriate scholastic progress standard. The purpose of the academic warning is to alert students to improve their academic performances and to introduce students to available academic resources. See Ms. Daria (305 Phifer) or Ms. Sims (418-D Phifer) by March 1 for warnings issued at the end of a fall semester or by August 1 for warnings issued at the end of a spring semester.

What is academic suspension?

A student whose cumulative University of Alabama GPA (the overall GPA for courses taken at this university only) is below the appropriate scholastic progress standard at the end of the spring semester. The suspended student will be allowed to enroll in the summer term in order to improve his or her University of Alabama GPA. See Ms. Daria (305 Phifer) or Ms. Sims (418-D Phifer) immediately upon receiving an academic suspension notice.