University in Ireland is set to introduce a unique course on becoming an influencer

In this age of social media, plenty of people aspire to become an influencer. Being an influencer means getting a lot of public exposure, a platform to showcase your talents and eventually making money while doing what you are passionate about. From small businesses to notable personalities, understanding the inner workings of social media sites has become essential for all to create their digital mark on social platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Now, you can even pursue formal education and a degree in content creation and become an influencer.

According to BBC, the South East Technology University (SETU) in Carlow, Ireland, is all set to offer a bachelor of arts degree in content creation and social media starting in September 2024. It will be a four-year-long course where students will learn about business skills, video and audio editing, critical cultural studies and creative writing. The university’s website also included that the courses in the program will offer their students to study creative video, celebrity studies, psychology, data analytics, podcasting and work experience.

“The choice is comprehensive and will enable you to take on the digital world,” the website description of the course read. The university’s unique course aims to help students adapt well to the global influencer market, which is growing really fast. “Experts tell us that the global influencer market is currently worth around $21 billion,” SETU reveals in a statement, according to PEOPLE. “We know that influencing; social media marketing; digital content writing and digital strategizing are important business activities and socially vital in connecting people and ideas.”

“The employment opportunities in the digital media industry are endless. The best way to become an executive part of this huge enterprise is to transform yourself into an industry professional,” the statement continued.

The program’s director, Eleanor O’Leary revealed that the students and employers are increasingly interested in this field. “It’s an area that has a specific set of skills,” she told Irish broadcaster RTÉ, according to BBC. “It draws on existing media and PR and marketing skills, but it’s a new area in and of itself as well.”

Interestingly enough, crisis management is one of the courses offered to students in this program, where they will learn more about facing critical and unexpected situations. According to the university’s website, crises involve indispensable and unpredictable circumstances that usually transpire in workplaces and communities. This particular module aims to examine the importance of social media strategy comprising a crisis management plan. Moreover, students will learn how to develop a crisis management plan to minimize problems and address public relations issues. 

The university also adds that after completing the course, students will be qualified to obtain jobs in content creation, writing, journalism, communication and more. BBC reported that the application for this program will open in November 2023. According to The Small Business Blog, there are an estimated 50 million people, who call themselves influencers online. Influencers with over 1,000,000 followers are called mega influencers who can charge over $10,000 for every post on social media. Top-ranking influencers/celebrities can make up to $1 million for one post on Instagram.