International Summer Advertising Academy

Welcome to the International Summer Advertising Academy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This program is designed to give undergraduate students a firsthand experience in American culture and English language, and to expand their advertising knowledge.

Students will learn about advertising in a global context through a combination of on-campus courses and cultural and industry immersion activities administered by the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising in the College of Media at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during the summer. The annual program is set to launch in July 2013, with arrival on Wednesday, July 9, 2013 and program conclusion on Saturday, August 10. There is an optional sightseeing trip from Saturday, August 10 to Friday, August 16, 2013.

The program structure consists of a total of five to six weeks:

  • Five days of orientation and cultural immersion in Urbana-Champaign (July 10-14, 2013);
  • Four weeks of class sessions and industry immersion in Urbana-Champaign and other Midwestern cities (Chicago, St. Louis, and others as appropriate) (July 15-August 9, 2013); and
  • One week of sightseeing and cultural immersion during a trip at the program’s conclusion. The last week of optional sightseeing and cultural immersion (August 10-16, 2013) requires an additional fee.

Why should I attend?

  • Earn academic credit at your home institution
  • Establish connections with industry professionals, Illinois faculty, and other international students
  • Learn advertising from the first established advertising program, a combination of theory and practice