‘A forward-thinking program’: You can now study to be an influencer at Arkansas Tech University

With social media and influencers dominating the world, it comes as no surprise that Arkansas Tech University in Russellville has introduced a new major focused on digital media and content creation.

The Bachelor of Arts in Digital Content Creation degree was approved in the summer and rolled out this fall at the university, department head for Communication and Journalism, Dr. David Eshelman, told USA TODAY.

Do you know Taylor Swift all too well? University of Texas offering class on artist

What is the program about?

The program, being offered under the department of Communication and Media Studies, will prepare students to work in the “fast-changing world of media production,” according to its official description.

“It gives students experience with filmmaking, public relations, social media, and communication ethics,” the program description states. “Students will leave with the ability to coordinate and create content for social media efforts – either their own or for employers.”

Dr. Eshelman told Fox5 News that the education landscape is changing to keep up with the technological revolution, and that social media experts are in high demand. This degree helps the university tackle that market more directly.

“I don’t think any of us predicted our entire lives would be contained in our pockets,” Dr. Eshelman shared. “Every company needs social media.”

‘Consensual doxxing’: People are asking to be doxxed online – and the videos are going viral.

Making of the major

The idea for this major was actually born in the theatre department, Director of Theatre and Film Production Professor Frances Roberson told USA TODAY.

“This concept started in the theatre program with the realization that we are educating students to enter a field that they are almost guaranteed to have to leave Arkansas to pursue,” Roberson told USA TODAY. “In reality, performance students in Arkansas are at a disadvantage compared to students in New York or Los Angeles when considering traditional outlets. However, social media allows for an equitable performance space.”

Roberson explained that along with equipping students with performance and filmmaking skills, the department began to teach students social media strategies and business practices to give them a “considerable edge over others”.

“I believe that to be why our program is so unique. We are approaching it from the perspective of the performer/creator,” said Roberson.

A single class called “Social Media Influencing” taught within the theatre program in 2020 garnered a lot of interest among students, so the department began to offer other related classes. And soon enough, those classes blossomed into their own program that offers a Bachelor of Arts and a Certificate of Proficiency in Digital Content Creation, said Roberson.

Unique program

Professor Roberson said that during their research, they did not come across any other program quite like the one they had in mind.

“There are several programs that tackle social media management but none that combine the creative/performance aspect with the business/strategic component,” Roberson shared. “A small town in Arkansas may seem like an unexpected place to yield such a forward-thinking program; however, we found this to be the best way to serve our students.”

According to Roberson, the program generated a lot of positive response and received interest from people of all generations and backgrounds who understand the importance of this skillset.

More than 50 million people identify themselves as “creators,” according to a Forbes article from August 2023, with Goldman Sachs valuing the content creator economy at $250 billion in April 2023. The investment management firm predicts that the content creator economy will reach half a trillion dollars by 2027.

SUNY, CUNY application fees waived for NY high school seniors in October

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.