Curriculum

The Department of Integrated Strategic Communication prepares students for careers as professionals in the allied areas of advertising, public relations, direct response and other forms of promotional communication.
 
The University Bulletin for the College of Communication and Information can be found at: http://bulletin.uky.edu/content.php?catoid=7&navoid=324
 
The requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Strategic Communication are available at: http://bulletin.uky.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=7&poid=1949&returnto=324
 
The requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Strategic Communication are available at: http://bulletin.uky.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=7&poid=1948&returnto=324
 

 

Minor in Integrated Strategic Communication - 18 Credit Hours

The ISC minor offers students an understanding of the general principles of Integrated Strategic Communication (ISC). The minor is open for students who are not currently majoring in ISC, who wish to enhance their degree program with credentials in strategic communication approaches for the commercial and not-for-profit world.

 

Any student wishing to minor in Integrated Strategic Communication (ISC) must meet the college’s selective admission requirements and earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or greater in both Minor Pre-reqs (ISC 100 and ISC 161). Students cannot register for ISC Minor Elective courses until they have met the above requirements, successfully completed ISC 261, and been accepted into the ISC minor program.

 

For information on how to request a minor in Integrated Strategic Communication please visit the “Majors and Minors” section of the CI Student Success FAQ.

 

ISC Minor – 18 Credit Hours

 

Minor Pre-requisites - 6 credit hours 

ISC 100 – Introduction to Strategic Visual Communication

ISC 161 - Introduction to Integrated Strategic Communication

 

Minor Requirement – 3 credit hours 

ISC 261 – Strategic Planning and Writing

 

Minor Electives – 9 credit hours

Select one course (3 credit hours) from Minor International List:

  • ISC 319 – World Media Systems

  • ISC 381 - International and Cross-cultural Advertising

  • ISC 382 – Global Public Relations Strategies

  • ISC 583 – Special Topics in Education Abroad

Select two courses (6 credit hours) from Minor Elective List:

  • ISC 311- Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues in ISC

  • ISC 325 – Strategic Audience Insights

  • ISC 341- Strategic Public Relations

  • ISC 351- Integrated Strategic Communication Management: The Case Approach

  • ISC 361- Direct Response Targeting: Media and Database Management

 

Online Graduate Certificate in Integrated Strategic Communication

This fully online, interdisciplinary graduate certificate in Integrated Strategic Communication confers essential skills in the use of data for designing, implementing, and managing brand communication programs on digital platforms. Its curriculum is designed for practitioners in every discipline and at every stage of their career, from recent graduates to seasoned corporate, agency, nonprofit, or small business workers. Ideal for busy professionals who want to advance their careers by deploying content marketing, advertising, public relations, data analytics, and social media and digital strategies, the Online Graduate Certificate in Integrated Strategic Communication is offered in collaboration with the Information Communication Technology (ICT) program in the UK College of Communication and Information.

 

This certificate is suitable for any of the following:

  • Students in the M.A. and Ph.D. programs in communication 

  • Students in other graduate programs at UK

  • Students enrolled in the UK Graduate School for non-degree certification status

 

After completing this graduate certificate, students’ core competencies will include:

  • Developing high-performing integrated strategic communication plans using well-executed digital strategies; 

  • Consulting on the best practices of search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising, social media/mobile and email marketing;

  • Transforming data into meaningful insights through Google Analytics, social media sentiment analysis, and social network analysis;

  • Building an integrated digital media campaign through real-world simulations;

  • Applying social media core concepts as they pertain to public relations and advertising to consult with organizations;

  • Creating social and digital messages for organizations based on a set strategy and specified targeted audiences; and

  • Evaluating the effectiveness of digital and social messages for brands and organizations.

 

Required Coursework

To earn a graduate certificate in Integrated Strategic Communication, students must successfully complete 12 hours of coursework selected from the courses below. You may choose any combination of the following courses to tailor the certificate to your specific professional needs:

 

To view course descriptions, please visit the UK Graduate Bulletin.

 

Course /  Credits

 

  • ISC 561: Digital Strategies in ISC/ 3

  • ISC 571: Integrated Strategic Communication in Corporate Social Responsibility/ 3

  • ISC 562: User Experience Research and Design/ 3

  • ISC 563: Social Media Strategy/ 3

  • ISC 564: Search Engine Campaign (SEO and Online Display Advertising)/ 3

  • ISC 597: Advanced Special Topics in ISC. Subtitle Required/ 3 

  • ICT 661 Introduction to Data Science. (Same as LIS 661)/ 3 

  • ICT 662: Data Analysis and Visualization/ 3

 

For more information, contact the Certificate Director, Chike Anyaegbunam or isc@uky.edu 

 

Application Process

Applications for admission must be submitted online to the UK Graduate School. Find specifics on the application process here. Applicants should select the appropriate certificate under "Plan of Study" when applying.

 

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