Feb 17, 2026

2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog

Integrated Strategic Communication, B.A.

The Integrated Strategic Communication (ISC) major offers students professional preparation for careers in promotional communication, including advertising, public relations, direct-to-consumer strategy, media planning, brand management, sales promotion, social media promotion and more. 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-to-consumer marketing, 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. 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.)

Group I:

LIN 211 - Introduction to the Study of Language 3 Credit Hours

Group II:

Any other 200- or 300-level LIN course except for LIN 211 .

Statistics:

A UK Core approved Statistical Inferential Reasoning (SIR) course.

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.

UK Core hours: 31

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement (GCCR)

ISC 491 - Integrated Strategic Communication Campaigns Capstone 3 Credit Hours
plus
Approved ISC Portfolio

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement hours (GCCR): 3

Premajor Requirements

ISC 100 - Introduction to Strategic Visual Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 161 - Introduction to Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 261 - Strategic Planning and Writing 3 Credit Hours
OR
JOU 204 - Writing for the Mass Media 3 Credit Hours
PSY 100 - Introduction to Psychology 4 Credit Hours
STA 210 - Making Sense of Uncertainty: An Introduction to Statistical Reasoning 3 Credit Hours

Subtotal: Premajor hours: 16

Major Requirements

ISC 311 - Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues in Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 321 - Research Methods for the Integrated Strategic Communication Professional 3 Credit Hours
ISC 325 - Strategic Audience Insights 3 Credit Hours
ISC 361 - Strategic Data Insights for Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 399 - Internship: Integrated Strategic Communication 1 - 3 Credit Hours
ISC 491 - Integrated Strategic Communication Campaigns Capstone 3 Credit Hours
MKT 300 - Marketing Management 3 Credit Hours

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

Students choose from the following:
ISC 381 - International and Cross-Cultural Advertising 3 Credit Hours
ISC 382 - Global Public Relations Strategies 3 Credit Hours
ISC 583 - Special Topics in Integrated Strategic Communication Education Abroad: (Subtitle Required) 3 Credit Hours

Upper-Division Electives

Students should select their 12 credits of major electives in consultation with their faculty 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 plus 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 encouraged to consider electives from the following courses:

ISC 331 - Creative Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 335 - Multimedia Storytelling in Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 339 - Strategic Visual Communication for Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 344 - Process and Design for the Web in Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 381 - International and Cross-Cultural Advertising 3 Credit Hours
ISC 431 - Advanced Creative Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 451 - Media Planning 3 Credit Hours
ISC 461 - Direct-To-Consumer Creative Strategy for Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 471 - Event Planning 3 Credit Hours
ISC 472 - Social Change Strategy for Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours

Public Relations Aspect

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

ISC 335 - Multimedia Storytelling in Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 341 - Strategic Public Relations 3 Credit Hours
ISC 371 - Public Relations Writing 3 Credit Hours
ISC 382 - Global Public Relations Strategies 3 Credit Hours
ISC 441 - Case Studies in Public Relations 3 Credit Hours
ISC 471 - Event Planning 3 Credit Hours
ISC 472 - Social Change Strategy for Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 563 - Social Media Strategy 3 Credit Hours
ISC 571 - Integrated Strategic Communication in Corporate Social Responsibility 3 Credit Hours

Management Aspect

ISC majors with a particular interest in the management aspect of the industry are encouraged to consider electives from the following courses:

ISC 331 - Creative Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 335 - Multimedia Storytelling in Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 341 - Strategic Public Relations 3 Credit Hours
ISC 351 - Integrated Strategic Communication Management: The Case Approach 3 Credit Hours
ISC 381 - International and Cross-Cultural Advertising 3 Credit Hours
ISC 451 - Media Planning 3 Credit Hours
ISC 472 - Social Change Strategy for Integrated Strategic Communication 3 Credit Hours
ISC 551 - Sales Promotion and Sponsorship 3 Credit Hours
ISC 563 - Social Media Strategy 3 Credit Hours
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.

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