Bachelor's Degree in Integrated Strategic Communication

Students gain practical experience by moving beyond classroom concepts into campaigns, internships, client-based projects, professional events and industry networking. The program specifically emphasizes hands-on experiences, while the College of Communication and Information provides additional career-focused activities and facilities that help students build portfolios, professional connections and workplace-ready communication skills:

• ISC 399: Internship for ISC: Students complete a professional internship as part of the senior-year curriculum, giving them an opportunity to apply strategic communication knowledge in a real workplace.

• Real-World Client Work: The ISC program emphasizes working with real-world clients, allowing students to practice strategic communication planning, creative development, audience analysis and campaign execution.

• ISC Campaigns Capstone: ISC 491: Campaigns Capstone for ISC brings students’ research, strategy, creative communication and campaign-development skills together in a final applied project.

• Advertising & Industry Opportunities: ISC students have participated in national opportunities such as the Multicultural Advertising Internship Program (MAIP), gaining professional training, networking and direct industry experience.

• Sony Music Group Experience: A UK ISC student selected for MAIP worked with Sony Music Group on social-media content, research and grantee stories, demonstrating how ISC skills can translate into major-industry experiences.

• American Advertising Federation Opportunities: UK ISC students have been selected for the AAF Most Promising Multicultural Students program, which provides industry immersion, professional development, networking and a pitch competition based on real client problems.

• NFL Industry Exposure: ISC students have been selected for the NFL PR College Student Seminar, where they interacted with public-relations professionals and gained insight into sports communication careers.

• Career & Internship Events: The College of Communication and Information organizes career and internship events that connect students with employers, alumni and professionals across communication, media and related fields.

• CI Connect Living Learning Program: Students can participate in a living-learning environment that connects them with other communication and information students as well as CI faculty and staff, including professionals who can help students develop career connections.

Integrated Strategic Communication graduates can move into a broad range of careers across advertising, public relations, marketing, digital media, branding, corporate communication, events and sports promotion. The program’s combination of audience insights, data, creative strategy, internships and campaign development gives graduates a strong foundation for both agency and in-house communication careers.

Typical career roles: Account Executive, Brand Manager, Public Relations Specialist, Digital Content Manager.

Students can strengthen their transition into professional careers through UK’s industry connections and career-focused opportunities:

• Career and Internship Support: The College of Communication and Information provides career and internship-focused events designed to connect students with employers, alumni and professional opportunities.

• Professional Internship Experience: ISC 399 gives students structured workplace experience, allowing them to apply their academic knowledge while developing professional contacts and practical skills.

• Industry Connections: UK ISC students have gained exposure to organizations and professionals connected with Sony Music Group, the NFL, American Advertising Federation and national advertising programs, giving students opportunities to build networks beyond campus.

• Career-Relevant Skills: The curriculum develops audience research, data analytics, persuasive communication, visual communication, digital media, campaign strategy and marketing research skills that can transfer across advertising, PR, marketing and corporate communication roles.

• Graduate Achievement: UK ISC alumni have progressed into roles such as Associate Brand Manager at Mars, Inc., Director of Sports and Entertainment at Meridian Wealth Management, and Marketing, Communication and Community Engagement Coordinator for Lexington Sporting Club, demonstrating the range of career directions available after the degree.

• Professional Recognition: ACEJMC accreditation provides a long-term quality benchmark and demonstrates that the program aligns with recognized professional standards in journalism and mass communication education.

• Flexible Career Preparation: Students can select ISC electives and related coursework around areas such as creative strategy, crisis communication, advertising and AI, digital media, event planning, sponsorship, sports branding and promotion, allowing them to tailor their degree toward specific career interests.

• Employment and Salary Data: The current official UK Integrated Strategic Communication program page does not publish a program-specific graduate employment rate or average starting salary, so a specific percentage or salary figure should not be presented as an official ISC outcome.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into master’s-level study in Integrated Strategic Communication, Strategic Communication, Communication, Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Media and related fields. UK also offers an Accelerated Master’s Pathway, allowing eligible undergraduate students to begin graduate coursework before completing their bachelor’s degree and potentially reduce the time and cost of earning a master’s degree.