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.