Strategic Communication

A fresh approach to public relations and advertising.

Students complete our program with the balance of theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to create and deliver messages targeted to a wide array of audiences.

Excellent preparation for career or grad school.

Strategic Communication: PR & Advertising offers a fresh approach to traditionally separate programs in public relations and advertising. Students complete the program with the essential balance of theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to create and deliver messages targeted to a wide array of audiences: media, employees, customers, legislators, investors and the community.

Outside the classroom, students benefit from joining our active student chapters of the Public Relations Student Society of America and American Advertising Federation’s Ad Club. Members have the chance to participate in PR and advertising projects and campaigns for actual clients. Additionally, students may contribute to the five fountains marketing and communication agency.

Rounding out the activities in Strategic Communication are faculty-led collaborative research and service learning opportunities, as well as a vibrant internship program. Each semester, including summer, interns work with numerous for-profit and not-for-profit organizations and communications firms locally and nationally. Indianapolis provides an excellent learning laboratory for strategic communication students, who often land jobs with the companies for which they intern.

Strategic Communication FAQs

Student Resources & Opportunities

Learning at Butler doesn’t end in the classroom. Students are encouraged to strengthen their expertise through experiential opportunities at Butler, via internships and abroad.

1 male and 1 female student with PRSA awards

Organizations & Activities

Regardless of which organizations or activities you participate in, you are sure to collaborate with your peers, network with industry professionals, and develop your skills and abilities outside of the classroom.

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Internships

As a Strategic Communication student, you’ll get hands-on experience starting from day one, whether in the classroom, through your involvement in student organizations, or through internships. In fact, students graduate with at least one internship for academic credit and more than half complete two or more.

study abroad

Study Abroad

We live in a global society. That’s one reason we encourage students to take full advantage of opportunities to study abroad while pursuing their strategic communication degree. More than half of majors do just that and still graduate in four years. In addition to University-based programs, faculty have led short-term study abroad trips to explore strategic communication through a global lens, including to locales such as Shanghai, China and Japan, where students both learn and work while visiting six cities. Several Strategic Communication alumni have found their global experiences so transformational that they have chosen to pursue international careers in places such as Italy, England, and Ireland.

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Washington, DC Learning Semester

Live, work, and take classes in the nation’s capital for a semester. Students earn Butler credits by taking classes on foreign policy and the history and public art of Washington while engaged in real-life internships with governmental offices and agencies.

Is it what or who you know?

The accomplished Strategic Communication faculty and staff support students throughout their time at Butler. Faculty also help introduce students to local professionals by inviting them to guest lecture and by partnering with their organizations for class assignments and projects.

rademacher classroom