Advertising and Marketing Communications (AMC) Management

Program Overview

The Advertising and Marketing Communications Management program at St. Lawrence College equips students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the advertising and marketing industry. The program includes experiential learning opportunities, small class sizes, and a curriculum that covers all aspects of advertising and marketing communications. Graduates are prepared for a variety of careers in the field, including advertising, marketing, and public relations.

Program Outline

Degree Overview

Overview

• There are few careers as exciting, creative, and uniquely challenging as Advertising.
We train students to deeply understand the consumer psyche and develop marketing communications messages that reach and influence target consumers.
• Are you a “people person”?
Do you love digital media and all things online? Are you a strong communicator who likes ideas, persuasion, and the creative side of business? Advertising may be for you. Read on…
• This program includes amazing experiential learning opportunities and small class sizes that prepare students for an exciting career in advertising and marketing communications, where there are labour shortages in major markets.
This means a wealth of job opportunities!

Objectives

• The objectives of the Advertising and Marketing Communications (AMC) Management program at St Lawrence College are:
• To provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the advertising and marketing communications industry
• To develop students' critical thinking, creative, and problem-solving skills
• To equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in a variety of advertising and marketing communications careers
• To prepare students for further education, including a degree in advertising, marketing, or communications.

Outline

Program Content and Structure

• The AMC Management program is a three-year, six-semester program divided into four stages:
• Stage I - Foundation Studies (Semesters 1 & 2)
• Stage II - Core Advertising and Marketing Communication Principles & Practices (Semesters 3 & 4)
• Stage III - Specialization and Experiential Learning (Semester 5)
• Stage IV - Capstone and Career Preparation (Semester 6)
• Each semester, students take 5 to 6 courses, which are a mix of lectures, workshops, and labs.
• The AMC curriculum includes a wide variety of courses covering all aspects of advertising and marketing communications, such as:
• Advertising Strategy
• Creative Development for Print and Broadcast
• Consumer Behaviour
• Advanced Layout and Design
• Social Media Marketing
• Career & Placement Preparation
• Direct & Interactive Marketing
• Market Research & Analytics
• Individual modules cover a wide range of topics within Advertising and Marketing Communications and include:
• Marketing Essentials: Introduces students to basic principles and practices.
• Intro to Layout and Design: Develop visual communication materials using Adobe software.
• Writing for Marketing Communications: Improves communication skills for creative writing, advertising copy, news releases.
• Consumer behaviour: Examines how customers behave in domestic & international markets and the impact of the Internet and online behavior.
• Social Media Marketing: Explores how to leverage different social media channels and their integration with traditional media for marketing objectives.
• Market Research & Analytics: Provides knowledge of market research techniques applicable for solving communication issues and marketing problems
• Media Planning and Buying: Examines all forms of traditional and digital advertising media, including its planning, pitching, and analyzing.
• Public Relations: Provides the essential role in the marketing communications mix, learn to design a fully public relations plan.
• Interactive web marketing
• Content marketing: develop content skills for digital and traditional media.
• Video Strategy

Assessment

Assessments and Evaluation

• Assessment and evaluations of the AMC program uses various methods, including but not limited to the following:
• Traditional exams
• Assignments and case studies
• Presentations and project work
• Portfolio development
• Each course carries its own specific weighting towards the final program grade depending on its nature and content covered, as well as its impact on the overall learning objectives of the Advertising and Marketing Communications program.

Teaching

Teaching and Faculty

• The AMC faculty consists of experienced professionals with extensive experience in the industry and teaching.
• Faculty use diverse instructional methods, which may include lectures, group discussions, case studies, problem-solving exercises, guest lectures, field research and analysis, simulations, role plays and games, simulations, presentations, projects and assignments, etc.
• The AMC Management program also provides students access to various facilities such as industry-standard computer labs, a dedicated marketing communications center with the latest industry software.

Unique Aspects and Opportunities

• This program allows students to participate in the FUSE Mentorships Program and gain experience from the student-run Ad agency, community client work, internships and job opportunities, case competitions.
• St Lawrence College has a unique partnership with Apple through a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Training.
Colleges and Universities, this grant supports the integration of the iPad and iPad Apps in the classroom, as well as other technologies such as the Google Chromebook, PC's and Mac computers within their classrooms, which makes them the largest deployment in Canada and second largest worldwide in educational environments.
• Students will also benefit from an opportunity to study at a partner institution abroad in a program related to their field, and complete an industry placement that is a work placement.

Summary