Seeking details on advertising education and training for beginners can help you find an industry job you’re interested or focus your training on a specific area of study. Whether you’d like to concentrate on the business, writing or visual side of an advertising career, the proper courses and information can develop your talent for promoting and selling a company’s products or services.

As you enter the field of marketing and advertising, explore your options to determine if you’ll need a degree, certification or a few training courses to satisfy the educational requirement for the job you’re interested in. Gather information on advertising training from reliable sources by:

1. Finding top advertising schools or universities that offer degree programs in advertising and marketing if you’re looking for full-time coursework.
2. Looking into online schools for advertising to discover options for earning a degree or certification at your convenience.
3. Discovering additional information on education in advertising through an advertising seminar or online workshops.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider universities or an advertising design school to earn a degree for full-time studies

If you think you want to earn a college degree and major in advertising or a related subject, look into opportunities through an advertising school or local university. Counselors can discuss education and training options, as well as the requirements for admission and graduation.

I recommend: Find a school of advertising art or university offering degrees or certifications in advertising through Education Portal. You can also look into the degrees and classes offered through the Academy of Art University School of Advertising. Information on the website covers different majors, courses and online educational opportunities.

Explore schools for advertising that offer online educational opportunities

When attending a university isn't an option because of your schedule or financial restrictions, consider more convenient options like an online school of advertising that will allow you to attend instructor-led virtual classes or even study class materials at your own pace.

I recommend: WorldWideLearn provides details and links to different online programs and courses through a variety of agencies and online advertising schools. Find a variety of marketing and advertising degrees and programs that you can earn online through the directory at Online-Education.

Ask about training for advertising at industry seminars and workshops

Gather more information on education for advertising by attending seminars or requesting informational literature offered by advertising schools, associations or industry experts. Some seminars also award certificates or accreditations that can help get your foot in the door when seeking an entry level advertising job.

I recommend: Discover workshops offered by local advertising schools or industry groups through Find a Seminar. Both in-person and online workshops are available. Uncover additional information on advertising education and training for beginners through Advertising Educational Foundation.

Advertising education and training is imperative to succeeding in the business world. You can use the knowledge that you acquire to work for a firm or organization that specializes in corporate advertising, or use your advertising education towards your own small business. Design your own ads, compose your own jingles or generate your own website. You can do it all with the right advertising training.

You can choose to learn from an advertising school if you plan to earn a degree in the subject, but if you don't have the time or the funds, consider taking a short term advertising seminar instead.

To find the right advertising education and training for you:

1. Determine how much time you have to give to the endeavor. If you plan to be a two or four-year student, consider working towards a degree in advertising.

2. Determine your budget. An advertising seminar could run you a couple hundred dollars, whereas a four year degree specializing in advertising education could run you in the tens of thousands.

3. Determine if you want to learn close to home or if you are willing to travel. Advertising schools closer to home might save you money.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Determine your interest in the industry before pursuing advertising training

Before you pursue advertising education, look at the field to see if it's a good fit for you.

I recommend: Find out about careers as Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations Managers from CollegeGrad.com. Look to the Advertising Educational Foundation for career advice from professionals, expert advice, career stories, where to find schools and more. Look through info on Advertising & PR Careers at Careers in Marketing.

Find an advertising seminar

For those not wanting to pursue a full degree in the field, an advertising seminar may be a useful tool to get out of a marketing slump, generate new ideas and find out how to implement cost effective, successful programs to the betterment of your business.

I recommend: Check out Effective Advertising Seminars. They work with local businesses all over the US to develop a marketing plan for their business. SkillPath is a phenomenal seminar provider, and they offer a Business Writing and Advertising Seminar.

Look for schools that offer advertising education through degree majors

Advertising education is a popular course of study, so many universities offer it as a major. Top advertising schools can be found all over the country, and education in advertising is easy to find.

I recommend: Check out the advertising major information offered at the University of Alabama. Look at the advertising major degree requirements, career and application info at Pepperdine University Seaver College. Look at the undergraduate scholarships and fellowships from The University of Texas at Austin Department of Advertising. Find out about the Advertising Major from Drury University.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When looking at universities with advertising education programs, speak with both their faculty and their students. A school may be ranked as one of the best schools for advertising, but if their students don't feel that the experience has been rewarding for them, you might consider choosing another school.

Those who have listed advertising education and training on their resumes have had a good bit of schooling and a lot of on-the-job training. While many that pursue education and training earn a degree in advertising, others have undergraduate degrees in English, Journalism or Communications and then go on to get internships and entry-level jobs to further their career training. It is helpful to have an understanding of some key terms that can further your advertising education and training when entering the early stages of your career.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA)

The American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) is perhaps the industry's most reputable trade organization. The AAAA lays claim to the fact that its membership produces approximately 80% of the total advertising volume placed by agencies nationwide. Membership in this organization is an invaluable tool to widen your advertising education and training, since you can tap into a wealth of knowledge through its members and programs.

I recommend: The AAAA's website includes a career center, where those interested in furthering their careers, education and training can go to learn about jobs and internships.

Institute of Advanced Advertising Studies

The Institute of Advanced Advertising Studies (IIAS) is a highly touted training program sponsored by AAAA councils across the country and developed with local universities. Students must have anywhere from one to four years of experience in order to apply.

I recommend: The IIAS webpage, located on AAAA's website, details the upcoming year's IIAS training events.

Media training

Media training is something everyone pursuing further education and training in advertising should put on their to-do lists. Proper media training will help anyone in advertising to understand print, television and radio media, in addition to helping you coach any future advertising clients through the process of handling various types of media.

I recommend: The Sources HotLink includes an article entitled "The Intangible Benefits of Media Training," which discusses how beneficial media training is across all industries.

Advertising Educational Foundation

The Advertising Educational Foundation (AEF) provides educational content for those furthering their education or training in the field of advertising. Their website includes links to case histories, job classifieds and information about their speakers program.

I recommend: AEF's "about us" page details the foundation's intended educational targets.

Clio awards

The CLIO awards are one of the most prestigious international advertising and design competitions in the world. Agencies from across the globe submit entries, and winners receive awards in many categories that honor creative excellence and advertising innovation. A great way to further your advertising education is to review clips from past winners, to get a feel for what the cream of the crop produces.

I recommend: Anything and everything you need to know about the CLIO awards, from nominees, to judges, to candidates and past award winners, can be found on its website.

Viral marketing

Viral marketing is the term for any advertising or marketing strategy that influences individuals to pass the message along. The birth of RSS feeds, blogs and social networking sites has allowed these strategies to be spread exponentially, much like a virus. Understanding basic viral marketing techniques and principles is absolutely key to rounding out your advertising education.

I recommend: Wilson Internet Services has posted an article that details basic viral marketing principles.