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 overlaps with ASU’s mass communication and media studies degree but adds specialized electives in podcasting, studio production and on-camera presence.
- The announcement drew criticism from people who doubt content creation is a legitimate profession and from those who question whether a college degree helps launch a social media career.
- ASU is not the first university to offer content creation courses, and similar classes have already been added at other institutions.
- Higher education institutions are creating new majors in part to appeal to a shrinking student population, even as the job prospects for these programs remain debated.
Arizona State University has introduced a bachelor’s degree in content creation through its Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The program is positioned as a path into social media, video and podcast work, a field that many young people already view as a career option.
The degree largely overlaps with ASU’s mass communication and media studies major, but it adds focused coursework in podcasting, studio production and on-camera presence. ASU declined to comment further for the article.
The new major drew swift criticism from people who question both the legitimacy of content creation as a profession and the value of a college degree for entering that industry. The report notes that ASU is not alone, and that universities are rolling out new majors as they compete for a smaller pool of students, even though the employment value of such programs is unsettled.
“网红学位”？高校押注内容创作者专业，批评者质疑其价值
亚利桑那州立大学通过其沃尔特·克朗凯特新闻与大众传播学院推出了内容创作学士学位。报道说，这一方向被视为进入社交媒体、视频和播客相关工作的路径，而这些领域已被许多年轻人看作职业选择。
该学位与学校的大众传播和媒体研究专业有较大重叠，但增加了播客、演播室制作和镜头表现等针对性课程。报道还提到，亚利桑那州立大学拒绝就该项目接受采访。
这个新专业迅速引来批评，一些人质疑内容创作是否算得上正当职业，也有人怀疑大学学位对进入这一行业的实际帮助。报道指出，这并非孤例，各高校正为争夺减少中的学生群体而推出新专业，但这些项目能否真正带来就业机会仍有争议。