School of Advertising

BFA Program Learning Outcomes

It is the objective of the School of Advertising to offer students the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to create advertising that is both exciting and effective. They will graduate with a competitive portfolio capable of winning that first job and with the abilities needed to succeed at that job. Most of all, they will be focused and creative communicators capable of expressing themselves in the traditional media and in the emerging interactive advertising.

BFA graduates of the School of Advertising will meet the following student performance criteria:

• Strategic Communication

  • Develop strategic briefs that focus on the target customer, the product / service, and the competition.
  • Gather, assess, and apply relevant information, including historical research, for strategic and planning work.
  • Identify customer needs, market strategies, and potential market opportunities.
  • Identify social and consumer trends.
  • Apply advanced understanding of branding to build the equity of a specific good or service.

• Visual Communication

  • Use appropriate visual media, including freehand drawing and computer technology to convey essential elements at each stage of the creative process.
  • Rapidly visualize creative ideas and images.
  • Apply basic design principles, including font selections, to print, video, ambient, and interactive advertising.

• Verbal Communication

  • Use engaging language to convey creative ideas and concepts, along with brand tone, at each stage of the creative process.
  • Communicate strategic conceptual and artistic goals of an advertising campaign using industry terminology, both verbally and in writing

• Conceptual Thinking

  • Stop the target, quickly communicate a benefit and sell a product/service in print, ambient, television, and interactive formats.
  • Originate ideas and spend sufficient time on them to generate thought-provoking work.

• Professional Readiness

  • Present a portfolio that meets industry standards.
  • Meet deadlines.
  • Submit work according to professional presentation standards.
  • Collaborate with and lead other members of a creative team

Academy of Art University Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Academy of Art University will demonstrate the ability to:

1. Produce a body of work suitable for seeking professional opportunities in their chosen field of art and design.
2. Solve creative problems within their field of art and design, including research and synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.
3. Communicate their ideas professionally and connect with their intended audience using visual, oral, and written presentation skills relevant to their field.
4. Execute technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions based on an understanding of art and design principles.
5. Evaluate work in their field, including their own work, using professional terminology.
6. Recognize the influence of major cultural and aesthetic trends, both historical and contemporary, on art and design products.
7. Learn the professional skills and behaviors necessary to compete in the global marketplace for art and design.

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