Is this a business or a creative program? Advertising involves both business skills and creative problem solving. You will have an opportunity to learn both the business side and the creative side of advertising to ensure you have marketable skills.

What kind of assignments will I be doing?

Assignments vary based on the course. Some will be creative in nature, such as copy writing and layout or design. Others will be strategic planning and include writing plans, media buys and selling. In many instances, you are given "real-life" clients to work with.

How much of my mark is based on tests or assignments?

Depending on the class, you will be evaluated based on in-class exercises, take-home assignments, midterms and exams.

What kind of job will I get when I graduate?

When you successfully graduate, you will have had 96 weeks of intensive training in all aspects of advertising. You will have a diploma and a complete portfolio of work to show. Our graduates find jobs in advertising agencies, media creative departments, government, large companies with in-house advertising departments, or freelance. Depending on your strengths you could work as a copywriter, a production artist, an account executive, a media sales representative, or any other type of marketing communication role.

How many hours will I spend working on course work?

Average contact hours with instructors are 19 hours per week. Students should be prepared to complete at least one course per semester in an online environment. Most of our students spend an additional 20 hours per week on course work. It is not uncommon to work on assignments in the evening and on weekends.

How many hours can I work?

Most students need to work to supplement their education. If you work more than 15 hours a week, you may find it difficult to keep up with the workload.

What are the advancement policies?

We ask that students maintain a C average in Advertising I, II, III, IV, V and VI. A student may not be able to advance if they have two or more marks below a C- in any semester. In some cases, a student will be able to advance into the next semester conditional on them achieving specific grades.

It is not necessary to buy a computer, as you will be given access to labs to complete your assignments. However, many of our students find it preferable to buy a computer to do homework. We recommend that you wait until you have been in the program for at least one month before buying a computer. At that point, you will be more knowledgeable about what type of system you prefer.

Will I need to use Macs or PCs?

The advertising program is primarily Mac based. The computer labs and agency are equipped with G3's and G4's. Some courses are taught using PC's in the second year.

What software do I need to know before starting the program?

We will teach you the software necessary to be successful in the program, but you should have a working knowledge of a word processor to complete your assignments. The software we use includes Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, QuarkXPress, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe PhotoShop, Dreamweaver and IMS.

How much will I spend on books and supplies?

Expect to spend approximately $1,000 each year on textbooks, computer disks, paper and presentation supplies.