Academics

School of Advertising

STEAm logo with a white background

The Agency Experience + AI Creativity

Step into the future of advertising in Academy of Art University’s STEM-designated program. Our hands-on, project-based curriculum runs at the speed of a real agency and is taught by award-winning industry professionals

You’ll master art direction, design, copywriting, and production across every medium: social, print, online video, billboards, radio, websites, TV—even games. You’ll harness the power of generative AI tools like MidJourney, Firefly, ElevenLabs, ChatGPT, and more, learning to use them ethically and strategically to accelerate ideas.

By graduation, you’ll have a portfolio that shows you can create across all media with work that inspires, persuades, and moves people.

Request Info
Visit Us
Apply Now

Fast Facts

    More To Know

    Advertising moves at warp speed. Our environment is built to keep pace.

    On campus, you’ll work in facilities that mirror the workflow of top agencies. Online, you’ll collaborate through dynamic platforms and learn from the same award-winning faculty as on-campus students.

    In Future Agency, you’ll go even further. You’ll work with real clients like Adobe, Apple, and CBS, creating campaigns that move from concept to final presentation. The experience is immersive, the stakes are real, and your portfolio will prove you are ready for today’s and tomorrow’s advertising worlds.

    APPLY NOW

    Undergraduate
    AA
    BFA
    Certificate
    Graduate
    MA
    MFA
    Other
    Upskill Classes
    Pre-College

    Student Experience

    Industry Mentorship + Recognition

    As a student in the School of Advertising, you’ll gain access to portfolio reviews and mentorship through the AAD SF Bay Area, connecting directly with professionals shaping the industry. Guest speakers from powerhouse brands like Pepsi join classes via Zoom to give real-time feedback on your work and insider insight into where advertising is headed.

    Your work will not stay in the classroom; it will compete. Students in our program have earned top awards at city, state, and national levels. Studying advertising here gives you the tools, connections, and opportunities to build a career that lasts.

    Careers

    A degree from the School of Advertising gives you more than just creative skills. You’ll graduate with real-world experience, a portfolio agencies take seriously, and the confidence to pitch, present, and get hired. 

    • Art Director
    • Copywriter
    • Creative Strategist
    • Content Creators

    Student Work

    See More Student Work

    Study with Industry Professionals

    View Faculty

    Online Learning

    In our flexible, STEM-designated online advertising program, you’ll train under the same award-winning pros and curriculum as your on-campus peers. Guest mentors and industry professionals who visit our campus classrooms are accessible to you through Zoom, reviewing your work and sharing invaluable insights from the field.

    You’ll also have the chance to join Future Agency, where collaborations with real clients bring the classroom to life—even from a distance. Along the way, you’ll build fluency in both generative AI and traditional advertising methods—art direction, design, copywriting, and production across every medium: social, print, online video, billboards, radio, websites, TV, and even video games.

    The result? A portfolio that proves you’re ready for work. And you won’t do it alone. Our online community is built for collaboration, with mentorship, critique, and teamwork woven into every step. You’ll graduate with the same portfolio power and professional preparation as your onsite peers.

    Online Learning Program

    Future Agency: Shaping Tomorrow’s Creative Solutions

    In Future Agency, you collaborate with fellow students, to work on real projects for clients like Apple, Adobe, and CBS. This is more than advertising. It is a combination of design, user experience, and AI-driven strategy.

    You’ll collaborate with industry pros, use generative AI to push campaigns further, and pitch bold ideas directly to brand leaders. With expert instructors’ guidance, you’ll experience the pace of agency life and graduate with the tools, connections, and portfolio pieces that prove you’re ready to shape what’s next.

    Future Agency sample video

    COMPANIES THAT EMPLOY OUR STUDENTS

    TBWA, Leo Burnet and BBDO logos
    AKQA, Ogilry, Sapient, and Y&R logos

    Students & Alumni

    Always Creating. Always Moving Forward.

    At the Academy, creativity doesn’t pause at graduation. It accelerates. From day one, students bring bold ideas and leave with portfolios that speak louder than résumés. And when they graduate, they launch into creative careers.

    This is where passion meets purpose—on campus, in studios, and on global stages.

    Our alumni are out there now winning awards, leading teams, and shaping culture.

    Read More Success Stories
    Jason Sperling

    Jason Sperling

    “Jason Sperling is both driven and humble. His passion for doing meaningful work has made him one of the bright creative lights in the advertising world and in worlds well beyond. The award-winning ad phenom, author, philanthropist, TEDx Speaker, Distinguished Alumni Award winner, and AdWeek list-maker believes that “what makes you great is not luxuriating in your own successes but using the successes of others to push you to do even better.”

    MFA Advertising, Chief Creative Officer, Innocean // Author // TEDx Speaker // Adweek Top 30 Creative Directors // Former Media Arts Lab, Meta Reality Labs, Oculus

    Katie Sell

    Katie Sell

    “The Academy has given me the opportunity to explore my creativity in new ways and connect my love for photography with the storytelling side of advertising. It’s really opened my eyes to how creative this field can be.”

    MA Advertising, Current Student

    Tessa Geenan

    Tessa Geenan

    “I really like the school. Being in San Francisco inspires me so much. The city’s energy and creativity push me every day. In class, it feels almost like we’re in an agency. I love that most of our faculty are part-time professionals still working in the industry, because advertising is changing so fast, especially with AI, and they bring real, up-to-date insights that make a huge difference.”

    BFA Advertising, Junior Account Manager at DDB Germany

    Related Programs

    Graphic Design

    Learn to use the visual currency that defines our contemporary world. As a student in the School of Graphic Design, you’ll be mentored by faculty members with years of graphic design experience working with brand-name companies and strong ties to the overall industry through AIGA. Using the latest technologies, you will create a well-rounded portfolio that includes branding, experience design, motion design, packaging, and print. You’ll also experience being part of a real design agency, learn to cultivate strong problem-solving skills, and gain an appreciation for how sustainability affects design.

    Interaction & UI/UX Design

    The School of Interaction & UI/UX Design will help you gain a comprehensive skill set in contemporary interaction, user experience, and user interface design. You will be prepared for careers in many industries, including the vibrant, multifaceted, and expansive world of high tech.

    Communications & Media Technologies

    Learn how to tell stories that inform, entertain, and engage on every multimedia communications platform. Our curriculum moves beyond training for traditional jobs in broadcasting to drive students towards a world of online digital content. We provide a hands-on approach with a dual emphasis on interpersonal and mass communication, and a focus on skills that are immediately employable. You will produce your own content, including online series, music videos, podcasts, broadcast productions, and motion graphics.

    Take the Next Step




    Please enter numbers only





    By submitting this form, I give express written consent to receive communications from or on behalf of ArtU via email, text message, OTT app messages (e.g., WhatsApp), and/or phone calls (including mobile and automated/pre-recorded messages) at the contact information I provided. These communications will be about educational opportunities. I understand that:
    • Standard text and/or usage rates may apply.
    • My consent is not a condition of purchasing any goods or services or completing any application.
    • I may opt out of these communications at any time by contacting ArtU or using the opt-out mechanism provided in the messages.