Advertising education was founded here at the University of Illinois in 1946, when Charles H. Sandage, the father of advertising education, arrived on campus. His vision of educating the future of the industry was grounded in theoretical and foundational courses emphasizing the "why of advertising"—not just the "how."
Today, we uphold “the Sandage Way." Our courses provide the theoretical, research, and strategic decision-making skills essential for any career in advertising or advanced degree program. Unlike other programs, ours allows for flexibility of specialized interest through electives within and outside the department.
We offer small classes, where you will engage in discussions with your colleagues and professors and make connections that will last a lifetime.
The Department of Advertising typically admits about 20-25 M.S. students each year. These students come from a variety of undergraduate degree programs and from places all over the world. Students are not required to have an undergraduate degree in advertising, though some background courses may be required before entering the program or taken concurrently during the first semester, such as introductory courses in advertising and statistics.
Students with an undergraduate degree in advertising can usually earn the M.S. degree in 12-18 months if they take a full course of study.
GRE or GMAT – Required for all students
We require minimum TOEFL(IBT) scores of 104