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Apply for the Brandcenter Master’s Program

We’re here to help you throughout the process. If you have questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out or schedule a meeting.

Headshot of Emma Barone

Emma Barone

Director of Strategic Initiatives & Enrollment

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To learn more about the Brandcenter and our programs, schedule a meeting with admissions, sign up for a visit, or register for an event.

Application Deadlines & Timeline

  • The application for Fall 2024 is open.
  • March 17, 2024: Regular application deadline & Scholarship application deadline
    • Decisions are released approximately 6-8 weeks following deadlines
  • Applications received after March 17, 2024, will be reviewed on a rolling and case-by-case basis depending on program availability.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites for All Applicants

All applicants should be curiouscreative, and collaborative.

All applicants should be able to:

  • Think creatively and critically
  • Enjoy working and fully participating in teams
  • Manage time effectively and meet project deadlines
  • Relate to others and embrace open communication

All applicants should have:

  • Experience collaborating in a group
  • An enjoyment of creating/making
  • Professional ambition and drive
  • A bachelor’s degree
Art Direction Prerequisites

Art Direction applicants should be able to:

  • Think creatively and critically
  • Think visually
  • Understand visual hierarchy 
  • Demonstrate personal history of creative outputs (illustration, graphic design, photography, fine art, film, animation, etc.)
  • Understand what brands stand for
  • Have an appreciation for the details and craftsmanship that make something great
  • Work within a larger team and embrace collaboration

 Art Direction applicants should have:

  • Some working knowledge of at least one or more of the following Adobe applications: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe After Effects. Programs such as Canva and Adobe Express are not sufficient.
  • Some knowledge of layout, design, and typography
  • Proficiency in Google Suite, Office Suite
Copywriting Prerequisites

Copywriting applicants should be able to:

  • Convey a story through words
  • Write both short-form and long-form
  • Recognize how a brand’s personality, tone, and voice behave in the world
  • Work within a larger team and embrace collaboration

Copywriting applicants should have:

  • Proficiency in Google Suite, Office Suite
Creative Brand Management Prerequisites

Creative Brand Management applicants should be able to:

  • Build, work in, and lead teams, contributing ideas and caring about the output of a project
  • Demonstrate an interest and skill set for understanding business situations and making informed business decisions
  • Be interested in business and markets, especially looking for trends on where things might be going
  • Show mental toughness during challenging situations
  • Have a knack for building relationships with others and striking up conversations with just about anyone
  • Be good at talking, thinking on your feet, and making compelling arguments
  • Have an interest in entrepreneurism and the idea of working to help a business grow

Creative Brand Management applicants should have:

  • Completed a college-level math/statistics or accounting course (We don’t expect you to be an accountant, but you should be comfortable with learning about basic business math.)
  • Proficiency in Google Suite, Office Suite
  • Leadership experience or a desire to lead
Experience Design Prerequisites

Experience Design applicants should be able to:

  • Analyze contemporary problems facing business and brands
  • Apply critical and creative thinking skills to arrive at new solutions
  • Consider new and emerging models of brand and user engagement 
  • Visualize, prototype, and demonstrate solutions across a range of media
  • Communicate and persuade others of the merit of your ideas

Experience Design applicants should have:

  • Demonstrated success in a related professional or academic discipline
  • Transferrable craft or technical skills 
  • Evidence to quickly learn and apply knowledge and skills 
  • Some working knowledge of 2D design (e.g. Illustrator, InDesign), 2D interactive design (e.g. Figma, Adobe XD), and 3D design (e.g. Blender, Adobe Dimension software)
  • Proficiency in Google Suite, Office Suite
Strategy Prerequisites

Strategy applicants should be able to:

  • Think out of the box and also bring the ideas down to earth
  • Demonstrate the ability to see how seemingly unrelated ideas might come together
  • Tell an engaging story and present it in a compelling way
  • Make hard choices for the good of a project
  • Communicate clearly and concisely through writing

Strategy applicants should have:

  • Proficiency in Office Suites
  • Passion for current events, culture shifts, and trends
  • Drive to be “in the know” and enjoy sharing your favorite “finds”

How to Apply

The Brandcenter is a graduate program at VCU, so you must complete the VCU Graduate School application first and then complete the Brandcenter application separately. We recommend that you bookmark each application portal.

Click on the dropdowns below for detailed information on each step of the application process.

Step 1: VCU Graduate School Application

VCU Graduate School Application

  • Begin the VCU Graduate School Application.
    • Filter by start term: “Fall 2024
    • Filter by academic level: “Master’s Degree
    • Filter by school/academic department: “School of Business
  • Search for “Branding” and select “Apply Now” to find the Brandcenter concentration to which you’re applying.
  • Create an account for the Graduate School portal using your preferred email address.
Transcripts

Upload transcripts for all schools attended.

  • Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at this stage. Official transcripts will be required upon enrollment.
  • Applicants who have studied outside of the U.S. must provide academic documentation/school records for all schools attended. Visit the International Admissions website and the Academic Documentation section for detailed expectations, requirements, and instructions for how to submit your school records.
Statement of Intent

Tell us why you’re applying to the Brandcenter in 250 words or less.

References

Provide the contact information for three references—academic or professional. They’ll be sent an email to submit their reference.

Application Fee

Pay the $70.00 application fee to complete and submit the VCU Graduate School application.

Within two days of submitting the VCU Graduate School application, you will receive a link to the Brandcenter Portal, where you will complete the second part of the application process—the Brandcenter application.

*If admitted, you will need to return to the VCU Graduate School portal to officially accept your offer of admission with the university, so be sure to bookmark this portal and document your login credentials.

Step 2: Brandcenter Application

Brandcenter Application

  • Within two days of submitting your VCU Graduate application, you will receive a link to your Brandcenter portal, where you will complete the Brandcenter application and submit the required documents.
  • When you receive the email with the link to the Brandcenter portal, create your account.
Resume

Upload your resume.

Application Prompts

Respond to the application prompts below.

Step 3: Federal Aid & Scholarships (optional)

Federal Aid / Student Loans & More

Brandcenter Scholarships

Tuition & Aid

Tuition and scholarship information for the Brandcenter master's program, plus other resources to fund your education.

Step 4: Admissions Interview

Interview

Some applicants may be asked to schedule a virtual Admissions Interview after submitting their Brandcenter application. You will be notified via email if you are selected for an interview.

Step 5: For International Students

Info for International Students

In addition to the VCU Graduate School and Brandcenter applications, international applicants must submit additional documentation to the VCU Office of Admissions. Visit International Admissions for full requirements and contact [email protected] with questions.

Required Academic Documentation

International applicants must hold the equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree, or, if you have a degree from a three-year program, be eligible for graduate education in your country of citizenship.

You must provide academic documentation/school records for all schools attended. Visit the International Admissions website and the Academic Documentation section for detailed expectations, requirements, and instructions for how to submit your school records. Contact [email protected] with questions.

Proof of English Proficiency

  • VCU requires Proof of English Efficiency. Visit International Admissions to learn more about the types of accepted tests, minimum scores, and how to submit your materials.
Financial Certification

Visit International Admissions to view the requirements for financial certification.

Application Prompts

The Brandcenter application (Step 2) asks you to respond to the prompts for all applicants and the prompts for the concentration to which you are applying.

You may only apply to one of our five concentrations—Art Direction, Copywriting, Creative Brand Management, Experience Design, or Strategy.

This component of the application is to be completed in the Brandcenter portal.

Prompts for All Applicants

1. As you were applying to the Brandcenter, which concentration/s stood out to you? What excites you most about the concentration you chose? (300 words or less)

2. Choose something in the world that a brand has created that made you wish you could have done it. This could be a branded experience, a user interface, an ad campaign, a product innovation, a PR stunt, branded content, a social post, or anything else that a brand has been behind that you admire. Show us the example, explain why you admire it, and explain why it was a compelling business decision for the brand. (250 words or less)

3. Select a show, movie, book, or play and identify a character that closely resembles you. Explain why you relate to this character, focusing on their key characteristics and qualities. (250 words or less)

Please note that you are welcome to use the internet, AI, and assistive technologies to answer the questions in the application, but please let us know if you do by including a brief citation or reference to the sources used. Simply state the tool and the function.

Ex. (1) Used Mid Journey to generate images. (2) Used ChatGPT to research brands

Art Direction Prompts

1. Provide an example of a visual artist you admire and why. (250 words or less)

2. Provide a visually driven campaign for one of the following brands. Create three distinct pieces of communication that visually demonstrate the desired message of that product or brand. Choose from one of the four brands below:

  • JEEP: Explore without limits.
  • World Wildlife Fund: Stop plastic pollution
  • REI: Rediscover nature.
  • Nike Air Max: The lightest shoe you’ve ever worn.

3. Other AD Mandatories: Please attach 5 creative samples of your creative work either in the form of a pdf or Google Doc. If you have a website that showcases your creative work, please provide the URL.

Please note that you are welcome to use the internet, AI, and assistive technologies to answer the questions in the application, but please let us know if you do by including a brief citation or reference to the sources used. Simply state the tool and the function.

Ex. (1) Used Mid Journey to generate images. (2) Used ChatGPT to research brands

Copywriting Prompts

1. Choose a character from a movie, show, or novel and have them take a side on a current cultural topic. In 500 words or less, write in that character’s voice to take a position on any one of the subjects below. Please don’t forget to tell us which character you’ve chosen and include their name and where they are from.

  • Cancel Culture
  • Prince Harry & Meghan Markle
  • The Will Smith Slap
  • Elon Musk vs. Twitter
  • Artificial Intelligence

2. Write five possible captions for the cartoon below:

3. Other Copywriting Mandatories: Show 3-5 examples of your original work. You can submit ads, articles, short stories, poetry, art, videos, social posts, etc.—anything that best highlights your creative abilities, skill set, and personality. (Provide a link or upload a pdf.)

Please note that you are welcome to use the internet, AI, and assistive technologies to answer the questions in the application, but please let us know if you do by including a brief citation or reference to the sources used. Simply state the tool and the function.

Ex. (1) Used Mid Journey to generate images. (2) Used ChatGPT to research brands

Creative Brand Management Prompts

1. You’re the account director at an agency that has been invited to pitch for the Swatch account. How would you think about putting together a plan and assembling a team for a winning pitch? 

2. Tell us about a time when you played a leadership role in working on something from start to finish. Summarize what you did, the process, and what you learned from the experience. 

3. Tell us about a recent advertising/marketing/influencer campaign that caught your attention. Please upload or link to a copy of the campaign and tell us:

  • Who you think the target is
  • What the campaign was trying to communicate about the product or brand
  • Three ways in which the brand could tell if this campaign was successful

Please note that you are welcome to use the internet, AI, and assistive technologies to answer the questions in the application, but please let us know if you do by including a brief citation or reference to the sources used. Simply state the tool and the function.

Ex. (1) Used Mid Journey to generate images. (2) Used ChatGPT to research brands

Experience Design Prompts

1. Identify a recent experience that you have had with a brand’s product or services that was less than optimal.

  • Identify what pain points you experienced as a user and what you would suggest to improve the experience (250 words or less)
  • Make a poster or a social media post highlighting the improved solution, as if the brand is highlighting the improved solution for new or existing customers. (.pdf or google doc)

2. The world is changing fast. What is a significant “force for change” that fascinates you and how might a brand use this “force for change” to creatively communicate and deliver new brand value?

  • Identify the force for change (50 words)
  • Briefly describe how a brand might take advantage of this force of change (250 words)
  • Make a poster or a social media post highlighting the concept, as if the brand is introducing us to the concept for the first time.  (.pdf or google doc)
  • Feel free to use an Artificial Intelligence app (e.g. ChatGPT, MidJourney, etc) to assist you, and if you do, let us know how you used it. (50 words)

Here are 2 examples (don’t use these):

  • Introducing the Headspace AI chat-enabled calming pillow
  • Introducing the Target AR shopping experience

3. Please attach at least one sample of your creative work that you are proud of. In 250 words or less, please tell us what makes you proud of this work.  (Work can be submitted in the form of an online portfolio, a pdf, or Google Doc. If you have a website that showcases your creative work, please provide the URL. You are welcome to submit more than one sample of work.)

Please note that you are welcome to use the internet, AI, and assistive technologies to answer the questions in the application, but please let us know if you do by including a brief citation or reference to the sources used. Simply state the tool and the function.

Ex. (1) Used Mid Journey to generate images. (2) Used ChatGPT to research brands

Strategy Prompts

1. What character from a novel would have the best TikTok account? What would it be like and why would it be good?

2. Choose a story from the Sunday New York Times opinion section and then explain why:

  • you agree with it or 
  • you agree but would add the following proof points or
  • you disagree completely and why 

Don’t forget to include a link to the story. Please limit your answer to two concise paragraphs.

3. Interview 7-10 people about their morning routine. Ask them any questions you would like. Then, write three insightful conclusions from these interviews and what the implications might be for advertising and marketing. Please provide your interview questions, along with an explanation of your plan going into these interviews.

Please note that you are welcome to use the internet, AI, and assistive technologies to answer the questions in the application, but please let us know if you do by including a brief citation or reference to the sources used. Simply state the tool and the function.

Ex. (1) Used Mid Journey to generate images. (2) Used ChatGPT to research brands

Have questions or need assistance?

We're here to help. Email us at [email protected].

Not yet ready to apply?

Take the first step and join our list of potential students. We'll keep in touch to learn more about you and help you learn more about our program.

Have questions? We’ve got answers!

When are your deadlines?

We have an early application deadline of January 15, a regular application deadline of March 17, and a scholarship deadline of March 17. Applications received after March 17 will be reviewed on a rolling and case-by-case basis depending on program availability.

Does it matter which deadline I apply for?

Applications received by our January or March deadlines are eligible for scholarship consideration. Those who apply after March 17 will not be able to apply for Brandcenter scholarships.

Applications received after March 17 will only be reviewed if a concentration has capacity and on a rolling basis.

When will I get my decision?

You can expect to receive a decision approximately 6-8 weeks after the application deadline.

What if I don't get my application in on time?

You are welcome to submit your application past the deadline, but a decision is not guaranteed to be made on your application by our 6-8 week turnaround. Note that if you complete your application after the early decision deadline and before the regular decision deadline, you will be considered for the regular decision deadline. Any applications received after March 17 will be reviewed on a rolling basis and case-by-case basis depending on program availability.

All applicants are eligible to apply for scholarships through March 17.

When is my application considered complete?

Your application is considered complete when you have submitted both the VCU Graduate School application as well as the Brandcenter application.

Can I submit my application as a website?

No. You must respond to application prompts in the online Brandcenter supplemental application.

Do you need my official transcripts?

We only require unofficial transcripts for our application review process.

Upon admission to the Brandcenter, you will need to send your official transcripts with your final coursework and degree listed to VCU Graduate Admissions.

Any applicants who have studied outside of the U.S. must provide official academic documentation electronically to the International Admissions Office at [email protected]. in addition to their transcripts as a required part of the admission process. For more information, visit International Admissions. Contact [email protected] with questions.

Can I hand deliver my application or email a PDF?

No, all application pieces must be submitted through the online portals for both the VCU Graduate School (Step 1) and Brandcenter (Step 2) applications.

Can I apply to more than one concentration?

You may only apply to one concentration. Please contact Admissions if you would like to have a conversation about choosing your concentration.

I’m an international student. When do I need to submit my financial documents?

You will only need to provide financial documents if you are admitted and choose to enroll in the program. For more questions about what financial information is required once you are accepted, view the VCU International Admissions page.

Can I switch concentrations or take classes outside of my concentration?

No.

The courses for Brandcenter students are prescribed; as such, students are unable to take additional courses or be enrolled in concurrent programs, either at Brandcenter, VCU, or elsewhere, during their time in our program.

As for concentration changes, exceptions may be allowed in very limited circumstances and within a specific timeframe. We have a class audit policy, if you are interested and eligible, you may be permitted to audit a certain course outside of your degree requirements. More info about these policies will be available at Orientation.

Tuition & Aid

Tuition and scholarship information for the Brandcenter master's program, plus other resources to fund your education.

Visit

To learn more about the Brandcenter and our programs, schedule a meeting with admissions, sign up for a visit, or register for an event.

Master’s Program

Build a portfolio, earn a master's degree, and launch your career in advertising, branding, or marketing, through our two-year, full-time master's program.