Welcome to the College of Media at Illinois! We are focused on the study and exploration of media in five areas including advertising, computer science + advertising, journalism, media & cinema studies, and sports media.
If you are interested in transferring into the College of Media, there are several different requirements and recommendations for each major. In general, we recommend prospective transfer students complete as many transfer course equivalents as possible within the general education requirements before transferring. Students are also encouraged to explore their interest in media-related courses. However, please note, a maximum of nine hours of transferable Media courses are allowed to count toward major requirements in all but our Media online degree completion program.
Please review specific requirements for each of our majors below. You can also use the Transfer Handbook for more information on the admission process.
To find different prerequisite course equivalencies, please utilize the Transferology.com website.
Advertising Requirements
- Recommended 3.0 Cumulative GPA
- Demonstrated passion, knowledge, and experience in the area of advertising
- Coursework: Students must complete transfer coursework equivalents to the following courses before or during the term an application is submitted
- RHET 105 Writing and Research
- Progress towards the Language Other than English requirement (3rd level of a language)
- Other recommended classes:
- ADV 150 Intro to Advertising
- ECON 102 Microeconomics OR ECON 103 Macroeconomics
- PSYC 100 Intro to Psychology OR SOC 100 Intro to Sociology OR ANTH 103 Anthro in a Changing World
- STAT 100 Statistics
Computer Science + Advertising Requirements
- Recommended 3.5 Cumulative GPA including minimum “B’s” in each Computer Science (CS) course
- As many CS and math courses as the student has available
- Sophomore Standing: Completion of CS 124 Intro to Computer Science OR CS 125 Intro to Computer Science, MATH 220/221 Calculus, RHET 105 Writing and Research
- Junior Standing: Completion of CS 173 Discrete Structures/MATH 213 Basic Discrete Math, CS 225 Data Structures, MATH 225 Intro to Matrix Theory, MATH 231 Calculus II
- Experience in the area of computer science and advertising
Other recommended classes:
- ADV 150 Intro to Advertising
- ECON 102 Microeconomics and/or ECON 103 Macroeconomics
- CS 128 Intro to Computer-Science II
- SOC 100 Intro to Sociology or PSYC 100 Intro to Psychology
Students should transfer into this program no later than their 5th term of enrollment.
Journalism Requirements
- Recommended 3.0 Cumulative GPA
- Coursework: Students must complete transfer coursework equivalents to the following courses before or during the term an application is submitted
- RHET 105 Writing and Research
- Progress towards the Language Other than English Requirement (3rd level of a language)
- Other recommended classes:
- JOUR 200 Introduction to Journalism
- STAT 100 Statistics OR STAT 107 Data Science Discovery
Media & Cinema Studies Requirements
- Recommended 3.0 Cumulative GPA
- Coursework: Students must complete transfer coursework equivalents to the following courses before or during the term an application is submitted
- RHET 105 Writing and Research
- Progress towards the Language Other than English requirement (3rd level of a language)
- Other recommended classes:
- MACS 101 Introduction to the Media
- Other media-related courses if available
Media (Online Degree Completion Program)
- This program is only open to students transferring from another institution or students who are returning to Illinois after at least two semesters away
- Students admitted into this program are required to take all of their courses online
- For more information on this online degree completion program, please email media-online@illinois.edu
- Recommended 2.5 Cumulative GPA
- Coursework: There are no courses required to be admitted to the Media major. We recommend students have some coursework or experience related to media, but there are no specific course requirements. The following are suggested courses:
- ADV 150 Intro to Advertising
- JOUR 200 Introduction to Journalism
- MACS 101 Introduction to the Media
- RHET 105 Writing and Research
- Progress towards the Language Other than English requirement (3rd level of a language)
Sports Media
- Recommended 3.0 Cumulative GPA
- Coursework: Students must complete transfer coursework equivalents to the following courses before or during the term an application is submitted:
- RHET 105 Writing and Research
- Progress towards the Language Other than English Requirement (3rd level of a language)
- Other recommended classes:
- Media-related courses if available
Media In-Person and Virtual Visits
We invite you to learn more about the College of Media during an in-person presentation and Q&A session in Gregory Hall. During your visit with Media, you will learn about our majors and ways to get involved with student media at Illinois. Sessions are available throughout the year.
Please note that a tour of the College of Media is not included during these sessions.
If you cannot visit campus, you can attend a virtual session with Media. Our virtual presentations are offered throughout the year. View dates, times, and the option to register for our virtual sessions on the Undergraduate Admissions website.
Campus In-Person Tours
The Undergraduate Admissions Office offers daily presentations and campus tours. To supplement your visit, we recommend registering for an Illinois Experience & Campus Tour offered by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions throughout the semester. You’ll need to register for this session and tour separately on the Undergraduate Admissions website.
Preparing to Visit Campus
Before you head to campus for your visit, please review the Plan Your Visit webpage.
Application Information
Contact Us
For questions and more information about scheduling a visit, feel free to email or call:
Student Services Center
College of Media at Illinois
217-244-4329
media-ssc@illinois.edu