An 'influencer' degree? Colleges bet on content creator major as critics question its value
- Arizona State University has launched a new bachelor’s degree in content creation through its Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
- The program’s coursework largely overlaps with ASU’s mass communication and media studies degree, but adds electives in podcasting, studio production and on-camera presence.
- The announcement drew criticism from people who question whether content creation is a legitimate profession and whether a college degree helps launch a social media career.
- The article says ASU is not the first university to offer content creation courses, and that colleges are creating new majors to attract students amid a shrinking student population.
Arizona State University has introduced a bachelor’s degree in content creation, a program aimed at students interested in making social media, video and podcast material. The degree is housed in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and is presented as an extension of existing media education.
The curriculum shares much of its structure with ASU’s mass communication and media studies major, but it adds focused courses in podcasting, studio production and being on camera. The university declined to comment further for the article.
The new program has prompted criticism from people who doubt the professional value of content creation and from those who question whether a college degree is necessary for that field. The article says ASU is not alone, as universities are adding similar courses and majors while competing for a smaller student base, even as the career prospects for such programs remain a matter of debate.
“网红”学位？高校押注内容创作者专业，批评者质疑其价值
亚利桑那州立大学新设了内容创作本科学位，面向希望制作社交媒体、视频和播客内容的学生。该项目设在沃尔特·克朗凯特新闻与大众传播学院，被描述为现有媒体教育的延伸。
这一课程与学校的大众传播和媒体研究专业有大量重合，但增加了播客、演播室制作以及镜头表现等针对性课程。报道提到，学校方面未就这一新项目接受进一步采访。
该项目引发了一些批评，质疑内容创作的职业价值，也有人认为进入这一领域未必需要大学学位。报道还说，亚利桑那州立大学并非孤例，在生源减少的背景下，多所高校正推出类似课程和专业，而这些项目能否真正带来就业机会仍存在争议。