Becoming a social media star may only cost in the neighborhood of $15,000 a year, according to Arizona State University.
With majorities of Gen Z and Gen Alpha hoping to make their way in the world as influencers or content creators, that might sound like a steal.
But the cultural blowback is immediate, with reportage in the Atlantic calling the ubiquitous figures “openly reviled.”
ASU now offers a bachelor of arts in content creation, under its journalism program.
‘It is absolutely incredibly important to learn how to use social media and brand yourself.’
The BA promises to teach students how to become an influencer and mass market themselves, all while earning a degree.
The new program was approved this year and says it will help students develop into “versatile storytellers” who operate “entrepreneurially as influencers as content creators.”
The program seemingly prepares students for a life of freelance work/unemployment with courses like “developing media content,” “information gathering,” and “on-camera presence,” with the promise of garnering a significant online following.
Jessica Pucci, senior associate dean at ASU’s Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, said that any content creator would benefit from the program.
“They will have demonstrable audience growth. They will have a platform of their choice with real content and real followers and a real audience behind them,” Pucci told outlet Arizona’s Family.
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The outlet spoke to other women who praised the program, including ASU student Caroline Rowland, who described the major as an essential part of branding.
“It is absolutely incredibly important to learn how to use social media and brand yourself,” Rowland said.
Anna Elizabeth, who was characterized as an Arizona-based influencer and medical assistant, said the program would certainly have helped her when she started out.
“I feel like if I had that opportunity in this time that I started doing content, I feel like it would have benefited me a whole lot.”
With Elizabeth as an example of a person who isn’t a full-time influencer, ASU listed other possible careers associated with the degree, such as communications specialist, marketing associate, marketing manager, and public relations manager. All of these are typical outcomes of marketing, public relations, and communications degrees.
In its mission statement, Content Creation lists “global perspectives” and “personal branding” as priorities alongside the ability to create content, preparing students for “brand content projects, media internships, and content creation trips abroad.”
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Courses that focus on content creation skills include topics like “how to become an influencer,” podcasting, and “interpersonal influence.”
According to ASU’s admissions site, the degree can be earned for as little as $14,814 per year, the average tuition rate for in-state residents. For out-of-state students, that cost could rise to approximately $39,000 per year.
Other schools offer similar programs, like Graceland University’s digital content creation major, as reported by the College Fix.
Another example is Grand Canyon University, a private Christian school in Arizona that offers a bachelor’s in social media.
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College, University, Social media, Content creators, Lifestyle