Courses

D101: TYPOGRAPHY I

This class provides research and theories to help students understand how typography affects copy. Students will explore the relationship between type and message, rules of readability, and typography skills to enhance their writing.

CW102: EMOTIVE WRITING

This course emphasizes the need for students to experiment with multiple writing styles and points of view. Students explore contemporary writing and engage in daily reading, journal keeping, and creative writing assignments.

CW103: CREATIVE SPARKS

Students learn tools, tips, and processes for delivering ideas on demand.

CW104: WRITING BOOT CAMP

This course reviews both grammar and composition and explores how a significant writing complement can offer an exciting source for articulating effective advertising. Emphasis is on refining grammar and sentence structure. Essays and fiction inspire a variety of practical writing assignments.

CW105: LYRICAL WRITING

This class is a survey of traditional and contemporary poetry, as well as creative short non-fiction. Students learn to wield the tools of syntax, diction, music, metaphor, and imagery. Emphasis is on transcending mere communication to create rhythmic, sensual, and emotional work.

CW107: INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

This class offers an overview of all brand communications disciplines. The critical role of mass communications is examined, along with the impact of the vernacular of communications on society. This class presents current agency/studio structures and an overview of various media.

CW108: VERBAL PERSUASION

This course covers how to use words and prose for persuasion. Students will explore the mind of the consumer — how she thinks and feels — and learn to apply ideas to create powerful, exciting marketing and communications.

CW109: INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY & WRITING

This class teaches the students how to tell a visual story. Students will practice creating visual narratives to pair with their own written words.

CW110: PRESENTATION & BRIEFS

This class teaches how to create, deliver, and coach presentations. Students learn the basics on preparing creative briefs, using scripting, handouts, and audio-visual tools, as well as how to create promotional tools that excite and attract audiences.

CW111: WRITING WORKSHOP I

Emphasis on structure and writing of long pieces plus basic line editing and rewriting skills. Students learn the proper pacing of syntax and energy of diction that allow them to create compelling longer ads and brochures.

CW114: BRAND STRATEGY I

Students will develop the ability to communicate branding concepts, analyze problems and build conceptual strategies. Also covered are composition and the integration of typographic, pictorial, and graphic elements and their relationship to branding.

AAD201: TEAMWORK I

Fundamentals of collaboration. Students learn the importance of briefs, brainstorming, concept, and execution. Writers and art directors shift roles as the writers learn to design and direct compelling images to complement their words.

AAD202: AD CONCEPTS I

This course teaches the fundamentals of creative thinking, allowing students to develop solutions for exciting advertising used to market services. Writers and art directors work together in teams, forging exciting ideas from initial conceptual schemes to comprehensive finished ads. This relationship parallels real-life situations found in the industry. The emphasis of this course is on print media.

AAD203: AD CONCEPTS II

This course teaches the fundamentals of creative thinking, allowing students to develop solutions for effective advertising used to market home products. The focus of this course is on the print medium, creating ads that include full treatments of copy and art.

AAD204: AD CONCEPTS III

This course teaches the fundamentals of creative thinking, allowing students to develop solutions for effective advertising used in business-to-business communications. Writers and art directors work together in teams, forging exciting ideas from initial conceptual schemes to comprehensive finished ads. The focus of this course is on the print medium, creating ads for technical products.

CW206: RADIO I

Students cover the conceptual and production aspects of radio, creating step-by-step, from strategy and writing, all the way to producing commercials. Writers are encouraged to take creative license in exploring contemporary responses and new ideas for this medium.

AAD207: BRAND COMMUNICATIONS I

This class explores branding strategies and executes branding communications. Writers team up with designers and art directors to determine strategy, develop concepts and create tools that convey a brand experience. Students will create ads, direct mail, brochures, and other collateral materials that convey a brand promise with an appropriate, irresistible voice.

AAD208: BRAND COMMUNICATIONS II

Copywriters join with designers, photographers, and illustrators to understand markets, create strategies, and produce eye-grabbing communication pieces that cut through the clutter to hit target audiences. This class looks at corporate collateral including catalogs, point of sales materials, and brochures.

CW209: ALL COPY ADS

Copywriters join with designers, photographers, and illustrators to understand markets, Students learn how to create consumer ads that rely totally on copy and type for execution and effectiveness. Media can include full-page print, outdoor, or small space to promote consumer sports or entertainment.

CW211: WRITING WORKSHOP II

Advanced class with emphasis on structure and writing of long pieces plus basic line editing and rewriting skills. Students learn the proper pacing of syntax and energy of diction that allow them to create compelling longer ads and brochures.

AAD212: TVI

Students cover the conceptual and production aspects of TV, creating step-by-step, from strategy and writing, all the way to producing commercials. Writers are encouraged to take creative license in exploring contemporary responses and new ideas for this medium.

DAD213: INTERACTIVE MEDIA

Students learn to create effective advertising using web sites, CD, and other interactive platforms. This course provides an exciting forum for students to understand how to interpret content for the web rather than traditional page layout schemes.

DAD214: PUBLICATION & ART DIRECTION

This course introduces the complexities of multi-page projects. The basics of publication design, including the application of design principles and grid systems, are covered, as well as the relationship between typography and image.

AAD215: IMPROVISATION

This course provides students with hands-on practice in coming up with creative solutions in a fast-paced environment.

AAD302: AD CONCEPTS IV

This course reinforces the fundamentals of creative thinking, allowing students to develop solutions for exciting advertising used in consumer marketing. Writers and art directors work together in teams, forging exciting ideas from initial conceptual schemes to comprehensive finished ads. This relationship parallels real-life situations found in the industry. The emphasis of this course is on print mediums, creating ads that use copy to educate the consumer.

AAD303: AD CONCEPTS V

AAD304: AD CONCEPTS VI

AAD305: ALTERNATIVE MEDIA

Use of guerrilla/ambush marketing and alternative media to reach audiences with brand messages. Students will create consumer-centric, well-branded alternative media campaigns that target specific audiences.

CW306: RADIO II

A continuation of Radio I, this class includes advanced writing of radio scripts and studio production.

AAD307: BRAND COMMUNICATIONS III

Writers join with designers, photographers, and illustrators to understand markets, create strategies and produce eye-grabbing communication pieces that cut through the clutter to hit target audiences. This class focuses on special events to create posters, invitations, promotional giveaways and ads to voice a brand dialogue.

CW311: WRITING WORKSHOP III

Advanced refining and line editing. Students learn how to use styles and techniques of both fiction and non-fiction to write ads and brand communications.

AAD312: TV II

A continuation of TV I, this class includes advanced writing of television scripts and studio production.

AAD313: BRAND INTEGRATION

Working with an art director, students flush out a print ad campaign with other vehicles, such as outdoor advertising, alternative media, brochure, TV/radio, etc. to establish a consistent brand identity.

AAD314: BRAND STRATEGY II

Students select ads from their previous work and articulate their strategy by creating a written brand plan that covers their research, analysis, and processes.

AAD315: PORTFOLIO REVIEW / REFINEMENT I

During the first two weeks of the quarter, instructors, fellow students, and industry professionals review the students’ portfolios. Throughout the remainder of the quarter the students analyze this feedback to refine ads and fill holes in their books.

DAD402: ANNUAL REPORTS

Students develop an understanding of the annual report and its purpose as a function of the corporation. Documents are produced in multiple formats.

AAD402: AD CONCEPTS WILDCARD

This class serves as a one-time opportunity for a student to revisit an earlier concepting class to fill deficiencies and improve upon an earlier campaign. The student serves as instructor’s assistant and student mentor.

AAD407: BRAND COMMUNICATIONS IV

Students will write scripts, releases, letters, and proposals in accordance to an established brand identity. This class emphasizes storytelling and messaging.

AAD408: BRAND COMMUNICATIONS MASTER CLASS

A brand communications project is assigned by an agency and taught by a team of industry professionals.

AAD409: ADVERTISING MASTER CLASS

An advertising project is assigned by an agency and taught by a team of industry professionals.

AAD410: PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES

CW411: WRITING WORKSHOP IV

Students participate in intensive writing and refining of long copy for ads, brochures, and brand plans. This class examines consumer motivation and investigates the ways specific words, phrases, and images elicit the response of an audience.

AAD415: PORTFOLIO REVIEW / REFINEMENT II

833: GRAD PERT

Graduate elects receive academic advisement on the preparation of projects for their final portfolio presentation and engage in an ongoing dialogue about their long-term personal, professional, and creative goals.

834: PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES

This class teaches students to develop a strategy for marketing themselves as creative resources. Students learn how to speak powerfully during an interview.

835: GRADUATE WORKSHOP

Eighth quarter’s concentration is on perfecting the book: all work is scrutinized thoroughly and evaluated for content, variety, and execution. Students present their work to a panel of instructors and other industry members and receive feedback on their portfolios and presentations. The remainder of the quarter is devoted to refining their portfolios before receiving a final review for graduation.

836: GRADUATE ADVISEMENT

With one-on-one guidance of the writing counsel, students determine what is perfect, what needs revision, and what is missing in their books in order to create a highly polished portfolio that showcases how the graduate handles a variety of media and clients.