Nov 27, 2024

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Integrated Strategic Communication, B.A.

The Integrated Strategic Communication (ISC) major offers students professional preparation for careers in the allied areas of promotional communication, including advertising, public relations, direct response communication, sales promotion, social media promotion and the like. Through course work, students develop conceptual command of these allied areas. The Integrated Strategic Communication program has full national accreditation by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC).

The major stresses a strategic approach to communication initiatives and is designed to build analytical and critical thinking skills as well as writing and presentation skills. ISC graduates enjoy highly diverse career destinations. Agencies specializing in advertising, public relations, and direct response along with the media and communication technology industries, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and regulatory/consumer protection agencies need employees who have the skills developed by the ISC graduate.

ISC students are encouraged to expand their course work with activities unique to the major. The American Advertising Federation and Public Relations Student Society of America chapters offer both leadership and networking opportunities, as does Grehan Associates, a student-run strategic communication agency. A dynamic, professionally-oriented internship program insures that students gain hands-on experience with communications, government, or nonprofit agencies or with corporations or the media. Students are also encouraged to work with the Kentucky Kernel, KRNL magazine, WRFL and WUKY.

Degree Requirements

Each student completes the following:

College B.A. Requirements

Language:

Complete one of the following sequences:

Option A:

Successful completion of the fourth college semester of one foreign language. (Note: This may be accomplished by scoring at this level on a placement test for previous work in the foreign language.)

Option B:

Complete a set of two courses dealing with the nature and structure of language, language behavior, or comparativelanguages. This set shall be comprised of one course from Group I below, and one course from Group II. (Courses counted as meeting this option may not be counted in the major or field of concentration.)

Major Requirements

Students must complete the departmental requirements for one of the five majors (Communication, Information Communication Technology, Integrated Strategic Communication, Journalism, or Media Arts and Studies).

Subtotal: College B.A. Hours: 9-17

UK Core Requirements

See the UK Core section of this Catalog for the complete UK Core requirements . The courses listed below are (a) recommended by the college, or (b) required courses that also fulfill UK Core areas. Students should work closely with their advisor to complete the UK Core requirements.

I. Intellectual Inquiry in Arts and Creativity

ISC 100 - INTRODUCTION TO STRATEGIC VISUAL COMMUNICATION Credit(s): 3

II. Intellectual Inquiry in the Humanities

Choose one course from approved list
Credit(s): 3

III. Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences

PSY 100 - INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY Credit(s): 4

IV. Intellectual Inquiry in the Natural, Physical, and Mathematical Sciences

Choose one course from approved list
Credit(s): 3

V. Composition and Communication I

CIS 110 - COMPOSITION AND COMMUNICATION I Credit(s): 3
OR
WRD 110 - COMPOSITION AND COMMUNICATION I Credit(s): 3

VI. Composition and Communication II

CIS 111 - COMPOSITION & COMMUNICATION II Credit(s): 3
OR
WRD 111 - COMPOSITION AND COMMUNICATION II Credit(s): 3

VII. Quantitative Foundations

Choose one course from approved list
Credit(s): 3

VIII. Statistical Inferential Reasoning

Choose one course from approved list Credit(s): 3

IX. Community, Culture and Citizenship in the USA

Choose one course from approved list
Credit(s): 3

X. Global Dynamics

Choose one course from approved list
Credit(s): 3

UK Core hours: 31

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement (GCCR)

ISC 491 - INTEGRATED STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGNS CAPSTONE Credit(s): 3
plus
Approved ISC Portfolio

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement hours (GCCR): 3

Premajor Requirements

PSY 100 - INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY Credit(s): 4
ISC 100 - INTRODUCTION TO STRATEGIC VISUAL COMMUNICATION Credit(s): 3
ISC 161 - INTRODUCTION TO INTEGRATED STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION Credit(s): 3
ISC 261 - STRATEGIC PLANNING AND WRITING Credit(s): 3
OR
JOU 204 - WRITING FOR THE MASS MEDIA Credit(s): 3
STA 210 - MAKING SENSE OF UNCERTAINTY: AN INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL REASONING Credit(s): 3

Subtotal: Premajor hours: 16

Major Requirements

ISC 311 - ETHICAL, LEGAL, AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN ISC Credit(s): 3
ISC 321 - RESEARCH METHODS FOR THE INTEGRATED STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONAL Credit(s): 3
ISC 325 - STRATEGIC AUDIENCE INSIGHTS Credit(s): 3
ISC 361 - DIRECT RESPONSE TARGETING: MEDIA AND DATABASE MANAGEMENT Credit(s): 3
ISC 399 - INTERNSHIP: ISC Credit(s): 1 - 3 (Variable)
ISC 491 - INTEGRATED STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGNS CAPSTONE Credit(s): 3
MKT 300 - MARKETING MANAGEMENT Credit(s): 3

Subtotal: Major hours: 21

Portfolio

Portfolio required for graduation. Portfolio requirements at http://ci.uky.edu/isc/portfolio

Major Electives

12 credits total of 300+ level undergraduate courses. At least 9 credits must be from Integrated Strategic Communication; the remaining 3 credits may be from courses in Integrated Strategic Communication, Information Communication Technology, Journalism, or Media Arts and Studies.

International Component Requirement

ISC majors must take one 3 credit course dealing with non-U.S. issues in a media-related context to fulfill this requirement. This can be either course work on campus or short-term (Winter/Summer) CI study abroad programs. The course taken to satisfy the Global Dynamics requirement for UK Core does not fulfill this requirement. Credit(s): 3

Upper-Division Electives

Students should select their 12 credits of major electives in consultation with their advisor. Students are encouraged to select electives to expand their breadth of knowledge in the field. Students should choose three ISC courses at the 300 level or above in addition to an additional course in ISC, Journalism, Media Arts and Studies or ICT at the 300 level or above for a total of 12 credits of major electives.

Creative Aspect

ISC majors with a particular interest in the creative aspect of the industry are recommended to select electives from the following group of courses:

ICT 325 - MULTIMEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY Credit(s): 3
ISC 331 - CREATIVE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION Credit(s): 3
ISC 335 - MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING IN ISC Credit(s): 3
ISC 339 - STRATEGIC VISUAL COMMUNICATION FOR ISC Credit(s): 3
ISC 344 - PROCESS AND DESIGN FOR THE WEB IN ISC Credit(s): 3
ISC 431 - ADVANCED CREATIVE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION Credit(s): 3
ISC 461 - DIRECT RESPONSE MESSAGE STRATEGIES Credit(s): 3
ISC 583 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN ISC EDUCATION ABROAD (SUBTITLE REQUIRED) Credit(s): 3
ISC 597 - ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS IN ISC Credit(s): 3
JOU 330 - WEB PUBLISHING AND DESIGN Credit(s): 3
MAS 312 - TELEVISION STUDIO PRODUCTION Credit(s): 3
MAS 322 - MULTIMEDIA Credit(s): 3
MAS 412 - VIDEO FIELD PRODUCTION Credit(s): 3

Public Relations Aspect

ISC majors with a particular interest in the public relations aspect of the industry are recommended to select electives from the following group of courses:

ICT 406 - INTERNET AND E-COMMERCE REGULATION Credit(s): 3
ICT 410 - PRIVACY Credit(s): 3
ISC 335 - MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING IN ISC Credit(s): 3
ISC 339 - STRATEGIC VISUAL COMMUNICATION FOR ISC Credit(s): 3
ISC 341 - STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS Credit(s): 3
ISC 371 - SPECIALZIED PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING Credit(s): 3
ISC 382 - GLOBAL PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIES Credit(s): 3
ISC 441 - CASE STUDIES IN PUBLIC RELATIONS Credit(s): 3
ISC 471 - EVENT PLANNING Credit(s): 3
ISC 472 - SOCIAL CHANGE STRATEGY FOR ISC Credit(s): 3
ISC 473 - SPORT PROMOTION AND BRANDING Credit(s): 3
ISC 562 - USER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH AND DESIGN Credit(s): 3
ISC 563 - SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY Credit(s): 3
ISC 564 - SEARCH ENGINE CAMPAIGN (SEO AND ONLINE DISPLAY ADVERTISING) Credit(s): 3
ISC 571 - INTEGRATED STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION IN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Credit(s): 3
ISC 583 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN ISC EDUCATION ABROAD (SUBTITLE REQUIRED) Credit(s): 3
ISC 597 - ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS IN ISC Credit(s): 3
JOU 410 - PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION Credit(s): 3
MAS 540 - SOCIAL MEDIA THEORY AND PRACTICE Credit(s): 3
MAS 555 - THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL CHANGE Credit(s): 3

Management Aspect

ISC majors with a particular interest in the management aspect of the industry are recommended to select electives from the following group of courses:

ICT 406 - INTERNET AND E-COMMERCE REGULATION Credit(s): 3
ICT 410 - PRIVACY Credit(s): 3
ISC 335 - MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING IN ISC Credit(s): 3
ISC 344 - PROCESS AND DESIGN FOR THE WEB IN ISC Credit(s): 3
ISC 351 - INTEGRATED STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT: THE CASE APPROACH Credit(s): 3
ISC 381 - INTERNATIONAL AND CROSS-CULTURAL ADVERTISING Credit(s): 3
ISC 451 - INTEGRATED STRATEGIC MEDIA MANAGEMENT Credit(s): 3
ISC 472 - SOCIAL CHANGE STRATEGY FOR ISC Credit(s): 3
ISC 551 - SALES PROMOTION AND SPONSORSHIP Credit(s): 3
ISC 561 - DIGITAL STRATEGIES IN ISC Credit(s): 3
ISC 562 - USER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH AND DESIGN Credit(s): 3
ISC 563 - SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY Credit(s): 3
ISC 564 - SEARCH ENGINE CAMPAIGN (SEO AND ONLINE DISPLAY ADVERTISING) Credit(s): 3
ISC 583 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN ISC EDUCATION ABROAD (SUBTITLE REQUIRED) Credit(s): 3
ISC 597 - ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS IN ISC Credit(s): 3
JOU 430 - MEDIA MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP Credit(s): 3
MAS 323 - MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY Credit(s): 3
MAS 425 - SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR MEDIA Credit(s): 3
MAS 482 - ELECTRONIC MEDIA SALES MANAGEMENT Credit(s): 3
MAS 520 - SOCIAL EFFECTS OF THE MASS MEDIA Credit(s): 3
The ISC program offers additional electives including special topics courses and a range of courses offered through Education Abroad at UK. Students should work with their academic advisor to build their elective choices in support of their career goals. Students must complete a minor offered through UK.

Integrated Strategic Communication, B.A.

Degree Requirements

College B.A. Requirements

Language:

Option A:

Option B:

Group I:

Group II:

Statistics:

Major Requirements

Subtotal: College B.A. Hours: 9-17

UK Core Requirements

I. Intellectual Inquiry in Arts and Creativity

II. Intellectual Inquiry in the Humanities

III. Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences

IV. Intellectual Inquiry in the Natural, Physical, and Mathematical Sciences

V. Composition and Communication I

VI. Composition and Communication II

VII. Quantitative Foundations

VIII. Statistical Inferential Reasoning

IX. Community, Culture and Citizenship in the USA

X. Global Dynamics

UK Core hours: 31

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement (GCCR)

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement hours (GCCR): 3

Premajor Requirements

Subtotal: Premajor hours: 16

Major Requirements

Subtotal: Major hours: 21

Portfolio

Major Electives

International Component Requirement

Upper-Division Electives

Creative Aspect

Public Relations Aspect

Management Aspect

TOTAL HOURS: minimum of 120