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 largely 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 question whether content creation is a legitimate profession and whether a college degree helps launch a social media career.
- ASU is not the first university to offer content creation courses or a program in this area.
- The article says universities are introducing new majors as they compete for a shrinking student population, and whether those degrees lead to jobs remains uncertain.
Arizona State University has begun offering a bachelor's degree in content creation through its Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The program is presented as a new academic path for students interested in making social media, video or podcast content.
The curriculum closely tracks the school’s existing mass communication and media studies degree, with the main difference being a set of specialized electives. Those classes include podcasting, studio production and on-camera presence.
The launch has drawn criticism from people who question both the legitimacy of content creation as a profession and the practical value of a college degree for a social media career. ASU declined an interview request about the new program.
The article says ASU is not the first university to move into this area. It also notes that colleges are rolling out new majors as they compete for a shrinking student population, even as the job prospects for some of these programs remain uncertain.
“网红”学位？高校押注内容创作者专业，批评者质疑其价值
亚利桑那州立大学已经通过其沃尔特·克朗凯特新闻与大众传播学院开设内容创作学士学位。这个项目面向希望从事社交媒体、视频或播客内容制作的学生，被视为一条新的学术路径。
其课程设置与学校现有的大众传播和媒体研究专业高度重合，主要区别在于增加了一组专门选修课，包括播客、演播室制作和镜头前表现。
这一做法引发了批评。有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社交媒体行业到底有多大帮助。报道还提到，亚利桑那州立大学拒绝了就该项目接受采访的请求。
报道同时指出，亚利桑那州立大学并不是首个涉足这一领域的高校。随着学生人数减少，大学正在推出新的专业以争夺生源，但这些项目最终能否带来就业机会，仍不确定。