About the Program2024-03-19T14:58:49-04:00

About the Program

How it Works

Students attend both schools concurrently during a period of 18-19 months (6 quarters of 10 weeks each at Miami Ad School and 5 semesters of 12-16 weeks each at FIU).

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Art Direction + Copywriting + Social Media Strategy + Strategic Planning

Fall Application Deadline

International February 15
Domestic June 1

Spring Application Deadline

International August 1
Domestic October 1

Classes at FIU are a combination of lectures and in-class discussions with student performance assessed through exams, research papers, assignments and projects. They are designed and exclusively taught to students enrolled in the creative track graduate program.

At Miami Ad School, classes are typically delivered in assignment and critique format where the instructor teaches the topic and presents the creative brief on the assignment with expectations including formats and deadlines. The body of creative work developed through the Miami Ad School classes allows the student to have a selection to build their portfolios. Since the assignments require the production of creative work, a MacBook laptop and digital camera are minimum equipment required.

Courses are taught at FIU (BBC and Mana Wynwood) and Miami Ad School simultaneously. Their addresses are:

FIU Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151th Street,
North Miami, FL 33181

Miami Ad School
225 NE 34th Street, Suite 203,
Miami, FL 33137

FIU CARTA | Mana Wynwood
318 NW 23rd Street,
Miami, FL 33127

Program Overview

Download the program overview for detailed information about the program, courses, tuition, internships, housing, transportation.

Program Tracks

Art Direction

Art directors set the artistic tone of a project, using visuals to bring concepts to life. Together with copywriters, art directors brainstorm ideas for websites, TV commercials, print ads, billboards, phone apps, video games or any other medium that can solve the client’s problems. Strong conceptual and communication skills are a must and a background in art history, photography, graphic design and typography are also very important. The team uses their knowledge of pop culture and insights into the human condition to create content that is meaningful, entertaining or useful to consumers.

Here is an example of the course flow for the art direction sub-track:

 

ArtDirection TrackFlow

 

Copywriting

Copywriters create clear and compelling copy to sell products, persuade, educate and engage consumers across various communication vehicles such as web copy, apps, blog posts, email, print, radio, television, direct mail, digital advertising, newsletters, white papers, PSAs, social media platforms, and other marketing and media communication vehicles. Copywriters often works in teams with art directors to research, brainstorming ideas and concepts, create storyboards, develop communication strategies and work with other departments such as media, strategic planners, and other departments within the agency or company. Copywriters make sure that brands maintain consistent messaging across all platforms and formats to convey ideas to specific audiences. SEO copywriters who understand how to optimize content to drive traffic to websites, landing pages or blogs and keep up digital technology and Google’s algorithm changes are fast becoming a hot commodity.

Here is an example of the course flow for the copywriting sub-track:

Copywriting TrackFlow

Strategic Planning

Strategic Planners are the North Star that guide the creative ship. They are logical, creative, inquisitive and intuitive. They are primarily responsible of analyzing research leading to insights which are the lifeblood of good campaigns. Strategic planners are curious about people and ideas and may often have backgrounds in research, psychology or sociology. They keep the creative team grounded with data often overseeing qualitative and quantitative research with their primary output being the creative brief. Besides developing creative strategies communicated to the creative team through the creative brief, they may also guide a campaign through development, testing, and execution. Strategists may come in different forms and titles: insight planners, media planners, social strategists, channel specialists, engagement strategists, and other types. Besides research, strategic planners are well versed in business categories, business trends, customer dynamics, business dynamics, and changing media landscape.

Here is the course flow for the strategic planning sub-track:

StrategicPlanning TrackFlow

 

Social Media Strategy

A social media strategist acts as a bridge between a company and the social media community which may contain the desired audience and intended consumers. Social media strategists engage in the social media landscape, explain value and analytics to the client, and incorporate different platforms into an existing brand experience. Their role may extend across several departments, for example, marketing, media, creative, public relations or earned media, product development, research, customer service and sales. The skills required for social media strategists vary from understanding data and analytics, understanding behavioral psychology of why people are attracted to certain posts, spotting trends, strategy planning, tactical execution, community management, optimizing content, creativity, strong writing skills and overall, staying on top of marketing trends.

Here is an example of the course flow for the social media strategy sub-track:

SocialMediaStrategy TrackFlow

Requirements to Graduate

This is a 5-semester lock-step graduate cohorted program consisting of thirteen (13) courses of three (3) credits each. Students need to adhere to the program schedule at all times. If the need arises to circumvent a particular module, the student will then withdraw from the current cohort and join the students in the following year, should the program be offered. If you have any questions, please direct them to Grizelle De Los Reyes, Program Director, at gdelosre@fiu.edu.

Degree Requirements for Graduation:

Students must comply with all FIU and the Florida Board of Governors’ rules, policies, and procedures. These include current rules, policies and procedures, as well as changes in tuition, fees, and policies as stated in the graduate catalog.  The FIU and SCJ graduation requirements are detailed in the FIU graduate catalog and include, but are not limited to the following (these requirements are subject to modification):

  • Completion of a minimum of thirty-nine (39) hours of graduate credits;
  • Earning an overall GPA of 3.0;
  • No more than two (2) ‘C’ grades will be allowed; and
  • Completion of all program requirements in good standing.

Compliance with Laws, Policies, Regulations, and Procedures:

  • Maintenance of Good Standing.  In order to remain in good standing in the Program students must maintain a 3.0 (out of 4.0) GPA during their studies.
  • Warning:  A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be placed on warning for the following term.  Warning indicates academic difficulty.
  • Probation:  A student on warning whose cumulative GPA remains below 3.0 in the following semester will be placed on probation.  Such a student will have one (1) semester to raise his/her cumulative GPA to 3.0 or above.  Probation indicates serious academic difficulty.
  • Dismissal:  A graduate student on probation whose cumulative and semester GPA’s fall below a 3.0 will be automatically dismissed from his or her program and the University. The student has ten (10) working days to appeal the dismissal decision through the University’s specific appeal process. The dismissal is for a minimum of one (1) year.  After one (1) year, the student may apply for readmission to FIU in the same or different program.