Web-based course options are becoming a regular part of the summer catalogue in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations. This summer marks the second year they have been offered, and students may have questions about how web courses work and how they fit with their degree requirements.
Below are some answers to frequently asked questions. Students who have specific questions about a particular course should contact the professor for that course. View the 2011 Summer Course Schedule.
Q: What ADV/PR courses are offered web-based this summer?
The following courses are all offered web-based. Some are also offered in-class. View past syllabi.
First Session:
PR f317 – Writing for Public Relations
Tamara Bell, Lecturer
Introduction to writing skills for the media, including readability, clarity, verification, and style.
PR f377K/ADV f373 – Integrated Communication Campaigns
Sean Thompson, Lecturer
Concept of media mix; matching product, consumer, media profiles; conception, research, planning, and execution of advertising campaigns; special emphasis on advanced copywriting, layout, and production for print and broadcast media.
ADV f304 – Advertising on the Internet
Sojung Kim, Instructor
This course is designed as an introduction to the dynamic field of Internet Advertising. The intent is to challenge the way students think about, inspect, and relate to advertising on the Internet.
ADV f378 – Health Communication: In the Media and Campaign Development
Michael Mackert, Assistant Professor
The primary purpose of this online-only class will be to familiarize students with health communication in the media in general in order to provide context for instruction in the design of effective health communication campaigns.
ADV f380J – Quantitative & Qualitative Research
Lucy Atkinson, Assistant Professor
The goal of this course is to enable students to become well-informed “consumers” of state-of-the- art marketing/advertising research. By consumers of research, we mean people who can formulate and structure marketing problems, recommend the research that should be undertaken, appreciate what can and cannot be learned from marketing research, analyze both qualitative and quantitative data, and make effective decisions based on research information.
Second Session:
PR s371J/ADV s371J – Media Law and Ethics
Neal Burns, Professor
A study of the social, legal, and ethical issues in advertising.
ADV s325 & s387 – Intro to Creative & Creative Strategies
Matthew McCutchin, Lecturer
Development of concepts and problem-solving techniques for print and broadcast advertising design and copywriting.
ADV s344K – Advertising Research
Leeann Kahlor, Associate Professor
Introduction to social science research methods as used in advertising and marketing; emphasis on survey research and secondary data.
ADV s345J – Media Planning
Lisa Dobias, Senior Lecturer
The materials are designed to provide students of all career paths with a broad-based consumer-centric exposure to media as a means of creating a working knowledge for both strategic thinking and tactical doing transferable across existing and emerging contexts. Students will explore the media landscape with the understanding that the idea of systematically planning media has been replaced with a broad sweeping, creative decision-making process embedded with insights, measurements and modifications on the way to engaging and empowering consumer bases.
ADV s378 – Consumer Psychology & New Media
Sejung Choi, Associate Professor
This course is to introduce students to fundamental consumer psychology theories and cutting-edge research and to explore the application of the theoretical knowledge to new media topics in marketing communications ranging from online advertising to social media marketing, search marketing, mobile marketing, consumer-generated content, electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), electronic commerce, and virtual games.
Whole Summer:
PR w378 – PR in Entertainment
Tamara Bell, Lecturer
This course is all about helping you develop the communications skills necessary to meet the challenges of being a publicist in the 21st century. Topics we will explore include writing news releases and biographies; using social media to attract and engage an audience; creating and maintaining relationships with journalists and other key audiences; putting together media kits, multimedia presentations and special events; using newsletters and other publications to inform your audiences; preparing for crises; and keeping up in the digital age.
ADV w305 – Fundamentals of Advertising
Kevin Thomas, Assistant Instructor
This course is designed as a comprehensive introduction to the principles of advertising for students that are non-advertising majors. The course does not assume that students will necessarily seek a career in advertising or a related field. Rather, the course is designed to help students better understand the nature of advertising and become informed consumers of advertising.
ADV w378 – Advertising and Music: New Alliances
Matthew McCutchin, Lecturer
This course will explore how advertisers and their agencies are finding innovative ways to work with music labels and bands and connect with their audiences—and how the musician’s stigma of being a “sellout” has been replaced by bands and their labels using the advertising industry as a primary means of exposure.
ADV w378 – Consumer Insight
Geraldine Henderson, Associate Professor
Q: What is the grading system for web-based courses?
The grading system is the same as it would be for in-class courses. Professors choose whether they want to use the +/- system. Their decision will be outlined in their syllabus on the first day of class.
Q: What is the workload like compared to an in-class course?
Due dates and workload are generally the same as in-class courses but are at the discretion of the professor. It may be lighter or at a faster-pace because it is the summer, but it's all based on the professor.
Q: Do the scheduled times on the course schedule signify that I must be online during those times?
Yes, the timelines are in place for web-based courses this summer because last summer some faculty and students felt that it lacked structure. Some courses, such as ADV 345J, will require students to be online at least at the beginning of the timeline. However, the professor decides the way that the timeline is used. Professors may use all of the timeline, part of the timeline or not use the timeline at all.
Q: What are the timelines used for?
Timelines can be used for any of the following:
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-Virtual office hours
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-Taking attendance
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-Completing and turning in assignments
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-Taking quizzes or exams
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-Doing group work and discussion
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-Viewing lectures
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-Viewing videos
Q: So that means I can’t register for another class that has a conflicting time with the web-based course?
Correct. As with any regular in-class course, the registration system will not allow you to register for courses with conflicting times. However, if you are wondering how much time you will need to spend doing coursework, the university advises students to contact the professor directly and ask them what they will require.
Q: I want to take a class that requires group work. Do I have to be in Austin?
No. None of the web-based courses require you to be in Austin. However, groups are generally expected to be available during scheduled times during non-lecture class days. Groups are able to meet online, but be advised that classes with heavy group work will require students to be comfortable with online communication.
Q: What if I’m taking Campaigns? How will I do group work online?
Teleplace is a system used by the professor of this course to visit each group and check progress. Teleplace will also serve as a meeting spot for each individual group to meet online. Students who work more effectively with others in-person are advised to consider registering for the in-class Campaigns course offered during the second session.
