Courses

• What should you expect from the program?

  The Brand Communications minor is offered by the Erwin Center for Brand Communications in partnership with the Department of Graphic Communications in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business. This minor introduces students to brand-building principles through hands-on learning with professional brand partners with topics in brand strategy and management, media channel planning and creative project application.

  Brand Communications Minor Details:

  • Typically, the Brand Communications minor takes at least three semesters to complete with the expectation that 3-6 hours may be taken online in the summer beginning sophomore/junior year.
  • Students must complete GC 3700 Survey of Brand Communications first to begin the minor (offered in the Spring and Summer semesters) and GC 3760 Brand Communications Capstone to finish the minor. Both GC 3700 and GC 3760 have corresponding labs that are required as of Fall 2023.
  • Students typically cannot register for the Capstone (GC 3760) until they have completed 12 credits in the minor.
  • Courses are available to support interests in: Strategic brand and client management, creative concept application and production, media strategy and channel planning.
  • Classes in Brand Communications are taught by visiting professionals from the industry, which provides exposure to leading brands, advertising agencies and opportunities for networking and job experiences.
  • Fifteen hours in the coursework listed below is required to complete the minor.
• What courses should I take?

  Courses offered for the minor - semester schedules may vary: (15 credit hours required to complete)

  Typically at least three of these courses will be offered both summer sessions for students to complete the minor due to demand in Fall and Spring sessions.

  ELECTIVES (a series of 9 credits in these options count toward the Brand Communications minor):

  • GC 3700: Survey of Brand Communications - REQUIRED (with GC 3701 lab)
  • GC 3450 T/Th 2:00-3:15: Video Campaigns in the Digital Age (3 hrs.)
  • GC 3600 Th 3:00-6:00: UX and Web Design (3 hrs.)
  • GC 3620 MW 3:35-4:50: Brand Design & Creative Direction (3 hrs.)
    • (previously GC 4900 Visual Design & Art Direction)
  • GC 3610 MW 4:00-5:15: Client Relations Management (3 hrs.)
  • GC 3710 T/Th 9:30-10:45: Brand Creation and Communication (3 hrs.) | Hybrid
  • GC 3720 T/Th 11:00-12:15: Digital Experience & Content Planning (3 hrs.)
  • GC 3730 M 5:00-7:45: Media Management in Brand Communication (3 hrs.)
  • GC 3740 Th 5:00-7:45: Brand Communications Strategy (3 hrs.)
  • GC 3760 M 5:00-7:45 Weds. 10:10-11:00 Lab: Brand Communications Capstone (3 hrs.) - REQUIRED
  • GC 3780 & GC 3790* MWF 1:25-3:15: Brand Agency Practicum (3 hrs.)
    • includes corresponding labs GC 3781 & GC 3791 on Fridays 1:15-3:15
  • GC 4900 MW 3:35-4:50: Digital Media Planning (3 hrs.) ONLINE
  • COMM 3230: Social Media Analytics (3 hrs.)
  • COMM 3550: Introduction to Public Relations (3 hrs.)
  • COMM 3570: Public Relations Writing (3 hrs.)
    *The Brand Agency Practicum course represents participation in Cadency and requires instructor consent to enroll. Reach out to jrherr@clemson.edu to learn more about applying.

  Summer Offerings**
  The following courses are typically offered asynchronously online in the Summer:

  • GC 3700 Survey of Brand Communications
  • GC 3610 Client Reputation Management
  • GC 3720 Digital Experience & Content Strategy
  • GC 3730 Media Management (Summer 1 and 2)
  • GC 3740 Brand Communications Strategy
  • GC 4900-03 Brand Storytelling & Content Writing (summer 2)
  • GC 4900-04 Visual Design & Art Direction
  • GC 4900-05 Digital Media Planning
    **Offerings may vary from semester to semester, and additional courses may be available.

  Contact Katie Hildebrand or Lori Pindar, Ph.D., if you have questions or need guidance.

Course Offerings

• GC 3700: Survey of Brand Communications

  Offered during summer.

  This course provides an overview and perspective of key topics in the brand communications industry, as well as an introduction to the concepts of the industry ecosystem and the players. We will discuss various disciplines and the roles they play in the development of culture and brand communications. Students will work on project challenges that simulate real perspectives, and require critical thinking, curiosity and problem-solving. Pre-requisite: Sophomore standing.

• GC 3450: Video Campaigns in the Digital Age

  T/Th 2:00-3:15 (3 hrs.)

  The line between consumer- and prosumer-level video production and filmmaking has become increasingly blurred in recent years. This course applies traditional filmmaking principles to the digital media people encounter on a daily basis. Through observation, analysis, understanding and practice, students better understand moving images as they exist in the digital space and learn to interpret the content they see around them, from mobile screen to movie screen. Prereq: GC 3400.

• GC 3600: UX and Web Design

  Th 3:00-6:00 (3 hrs.)

  The course covers user experience, modern apps, web design patterns and dives into coding. Each student gets to design their app from ideation to final composition and, by the end of the class, design and build a custom portfolio that highlights each student's strengths toward the industry they most want to work in.

• GC 3610: Client Relations Management

  MW 4:00-5:15 (3 hrs.)

  This course examines the unique combination of marketing, branding and strategic communication necessary for universities and other non-profit organizations to create and grow an army of advocates for their cause. This course also provides students exposure to the critical thinking and project management skills required to become a successful marketer and communicator. The course format will be a combination of lectures, hands-on skills training and direct client work, culminating in the opportunity for students to directly elevate Clemson's brand presence with a key constituency.

• GC 3620: Brand Design and Creative Direction

  MW 3:35-4:50 (3 hrs.) - (previously GC 4900 Visual Design & Art Direction)

  In partnership with the Graphic Communications department, the Erwin Center for Brand Communications is now offering credit for Visual Design and Art Direction, which explores the principles of design, typography, branding and art direction, as well as prepares students for a career in the visual design industry. This class will focus on building out portfolio quality work, introducing students to critique and creative process, and diving deeper into design concept, iteration, execution and presentation. The goal of Visual Design and Art Direction is to take a student's foundation of technical ability in design software and build upon it with design principles and composition. This class will push them to understand not just how to do certain skills technically but why they might make those design choices. Students should have a basic familiarity with Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop.

• GC 3710: Brand Creation and Communication

  T/Th 9:30-10:45 (3 hrs.) Hybrid

  This course explores the role of communication in brand creation and the processes involved in developing a brand. Students evaluate popular brands and understand their influence on consumers and the industry. Prereq: GC 3700

• GC 3720: Digital Experience and Content Planning

  T/Th 11:00-12:15 (3 hrs.)

  As the digital information age booms, brands must craft ways to reach consumers through emotive digital experiences. In partnership with the Graphic Communications department, this course will give Erwin Center students the opportunity to explore strategies for creating engaging content and building brand-forward websites with WordPress as well as learn how businesses use Content Management Systems for brand communication, including best practices for SEO and Analytics.

• GC 3730: Media Management in Brand Communication

  M 5:00-7:45 (3 hrs.)

  In today's age, the landscape of paid media is constantly changing. The Media Planning and Buying course will focus on providing students with strategies to target, plan and activate media plans. The class will include instruction on traditional media tactics like TV and Radio, as well as digital media tactics like Google search and social advertising on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. In addition to learning theory and strategy, students will attain Google Search certification, actively manage an AdWords campaign for Spinx Convenience Stores, and run a programmatic digital buy. The class will also address reporting and optimization strategies for a well-rounded experience within the paid media industry.

• GC 3740: Brand Communications Strategy

  Th 5:00-7:45 (3 hrs.)

  What is a brand? It's what the consumer says it is, plain and simple. Deliver meaningful value that appeals to the hearts and minds of your customer and they'll be your greatest champion. Make a promise and fail to deliver, they'll abandon you in a heartbeat. Why? They don't really care about you. They care about the solution. And in an age where the world is literally at their fingertips, they know they can replace you in a heartbeat. In this class, we'll explore techniques for translating knowledge into insight and how to apply modern strategy frameworks to build differentiated sustainable brands.

• GC 3780 & 3790: Brand Agency Practicum

  MWF 1:25-3:15 (3 hrs.) - includes corresponding labs GC 3781 & GC 3791 on Fridays 1:15-3:15

  Students involved in Cadency will participate in cross-disciplinary work with multiple brand partners to activate solutions to real brand challenges through strategic research and creative consulting strategies. Students will have various opportunities for professional development through brand partner presentations, project work and on-site client visits when possible. To view the most recent Cadency Crew, visit the Cadency website.

  Students must apply and interview to join Cadency. In previous semesters, 30+ students participated in various research and brand strategy projects for brand clients who mentored and worked with the students in Cadency. Students also leveraged a digital listening tool, Brandwatch, to report on campaigns and digital consumer comments for clients. Some teams also designed brand identity and campaign work for brand partners.

• GC 4900-03: Digital Media Planning

  MW 3:35-4:50 (3 hrs.) ONLINE

  Grounded in an understanding of brand/consumer communications, students will discover how to identify, evaluate and measure the value of digital and social media channels based on their ability to reach and engage brand consumers. Emphasis will be placed on understanding current digital and social media channels, activation strategies and measurement approaches, including display, video and audio advertising, search engine marketing, programmatic investment and data optimization, paid social, digital out-of-home, and mobile media. Students will learn how to access and analyze consumer channel usage data; build a digital media plan within the context of overall brand objectives; set metrics and create a measurement plan; use various web analytics tools. This will be a hands-on class in which students will apply semester-long learning to create a digital media plan for an identified brand.

• GC 4900-10: NIL - Name Image Likeness Brand Management

  T/Th 11-12:15

  This course will explore brand management strategies for athletes and brands navigating the marketplace of Name/Image/Likeness (NIL). The NIL course will introduce and cover various topics in modern brand communications related to personal and social media brand management, audience acquisition, entrepreneurship, contract management, personal branding and beyond. Various industry leaders and experts will be brought in to cover specialized topics in this changing media landscape.

• COMM 3230: Social Media Analytics

  T/Th 2:00-3:15 (3 hrs.)

  Students discover, listen to, measure, and engage in online conversations across the Web. Focuses on projects related to the Social Media Listening Center and learning to use professional analytics software. Coreq: COMM 3231

• COMM 3550: Introduction to Public Relations

  MW 2:30-3:45 (3 hrs.)

  Students learn the principles, theories, process, history and contexts of public relations. Preq: COMM 2010 with a C or better. Coreq: COMM 3551

• COMM 3570: Public Relations Writing

  Focuses on principles of editing and public relations writing applied to various potential public relations careers. Students learn the job requirements of editorial positions in public relations, publications, and information management as defined by public relations agencies, nonprofit organizations and large corporations.

• GC 3760: Brand Communications Capstone

  M 5:00-7:45 Weds. 10:10-11:00 (3 hrs.) - REQUIRED

  Students will utilize the tenets of effective brand communications strategies while building upon fundamentals to build a final campaign that reflects their scholarly, creative, and professional areas of interest. This course is taken at the end of the minor course sequence and is restricted to senior-level students who have completed 12 hours of approved brand communications minor coursework.

• GC 3610: Client Relations Management

  MW 4:00-5:15 (3 hrs.)

  This course examines the unique combination of marketing, branding and strategic communication necessary for universities and other non-profit organizations to create and grow an army of advocates for their cause. This course also provides students exposure to the critical thinking and project management skills required to become a successful marketer and communicator. The course format will be a combination of lectures, hands-on skills training and direct client work, culminating in the opportunity for students to directly elevate Clemson's brand presence with a key constituency.

• GC 3620: Brand Design and Creative Direction

  MW 3:35-4:50 (3 hrs.) - (previously GC 4900 Visual Design & Art Direction)

  In partnership with the Graphic Communications department, the Erwin Center for Brand Communications is now offering credit for Visual Design and Art Direction, which explores the principles of design, typography, branding and art direction, as well as prepares students for a career in the visual design industry. This class will focus on building out portfolio quality work, introducing students to critique and creative process, and diving deeper into design concept, iteration, execution and presentation. The goal of Visual Design and Art Direction is to take a student's foundation of technical ability in design software and build upon it with design principles and composition. This class will push them to understand not just how to do certain skills technically but why they might make those design choices. Students should have a basic familiarity with Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop.

• GC 3700: Survey of Brand Communications

  Offered during summer.

  This course provides an overview and perspective of key topics in the brand communications industry, as well as an introduction to the concepts of the industry ecosystem and the players. We will discuss various disciplines and the roles they play in the development of culture and brand communications. Students will work on project challenges that simulate real perspectives that require critical thinking, curiosity and problem-solving. Pre-requisite: Sophomore standing.

• GC 3720: Digital Experience and Content Strategy

  T/Th 11:00-12:15 (3 hrs.)

  As the digital information age booms, brands must craft ways to reach consumers through emotive digital experiences. In partnership with the Graphic Communications department, this course will give Erwin Center students the opportunity to explore strategies for creating engaging content and building brand-forward websites with WordPress as well as learn how businesses use Content Management Systems for brand communication, including best practices for SEO and Analytics.

• GC 3730: Media Management

  M 5:00-7:45 (3 hrs.)

  In today's age, the landscape of paid media is constantly changing. The Media Planning and Buying course will focus on providing students with strategies to target, plan and activate media plans. The class will include instruction on traditional media tactics like TV and Radio, as well as digital media tactics like Google search and social advertising on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. In addition to learning theory and strategy, students will attain Google Search certification, actively manage an AdWords campaign for Spinx Convenience Stores, and run a programmatic digital buy. The class will also address reporting and optimization strategies for a well-rounded experience within the paid media industry.

• GC 3740: Brand Communications Strategy

  Th 5:00-7:45 (3 hrs.)

  What is a brand? It's what the consumer says it is, plain and simple. Deliver meaningful value that appeals to the hearts and minds of your customer and they'll be your greatest champion. Make a promise and fail to deliver, they'll abandon you in a heartbeat. Why? They don't really care about you. They care about the solution. And in an age where the world is literally at their fingertips, they know they can replace you in a heartbeat. In this class, we'll explore techniques for translating knowledge into insight and how to apply modern strategy frameworks to build differentiated sustainable brands.

• GC 4900-03: Brand Storytelling and Content Writing

  W 3:35-4:50

  Students will learn the basics of consumer-focused advertising concept strategy and the art of copywriting expression; as a practical course of study, the focus will be dissection of advertising campaign concepts and executions and the ideation and creation of speculative brand "concepts" and executions.

• GC 4900-05: Digital Media Planning

  MW 3:35-4:50 (3 hrs.) ONLINE 

  Grounded in an understanding of brand/consumer communications, students will discover how to identify, evaluate and measure the value of digital and social media channels based on their ability to reach and engage brand consumers. Emphasis will be placed on understanding current digital and social media channels, activation strategies and measurement approaches, including display, video and audio advertising, search engine marketing, programmatic investment and data optimization, paid social, digital out-of-home, and mobile media. Students will learn how to access and analyze consumer channel usage data; build a digital media plan within the context of overall brand objectives; set metrics and create a measurement plan; use various web analytics tools. This will be a hands-on class in which students will apply semester-long learning to create a digital media plan for an identified brand.