Have you ever dreamt of basking in the limelight as a social media influencer? Well, brace yourselves because South East Technological University (SETU) in Carlow, Ireland is about to turn those dreams into reality!
Get ready for a sensational journey to stardom as SETU unveils a groundbreaking full-time degree program that’s taking the world by storm.
Starting next year, SETU is set to revolutionize the educational landscape with its Bachelor of Arts degree in Content Creation and Social Media. This trailblazing program offers aspiring influencers a comprehensive roadmap to the world of fame, fortune, and digital glory.
Prepare to be dazzled by the extraordinary curriculum, meticulously designed to shape the influencers of tomorrow. The degree features captivating course units that cover crisis management, public relations, celebrity studies, social psychology, and the mesmerizing art of video and audio editing.
While short courses in the influencer economy have graced the educational scene before, SETU’s offering is nothing short of historic. Irene McCormick, a senior lecturer at SETU and co-designer of this groundbreaking degree, revealed to The Washington Post that this may well be the world’s first-ever degree program dedicated to the art of influence.
Some might argue that SETU’s influencer degree shares similarities with a digital marketing degree, but this is an educational revolution like no other. Irene McCormick emphasizes that SETU has been shaping media professionals for decades, making them impeccably skilled to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of digital influence.
The genesis of this exceptional degree can be traced to a chance revelation. Irene McCormick was inspired when she learned that one of SETU’s new students, Lauren Whelan, happened to be a ‘massive TikTok star with a global following.’ The reaction of McCormick’s daughter, who was awe-struck by Whelan’s presence, underscored the immense sway influencers hold over the younger generation.
The idea blossomed into reality with the creation of a summer program aimed at teenagers eager to embark on their influencer journey. This program invited TikTok luminaries and media visionaries to impart the secrets of building a personal brand. It wasn’t long before the need for a comprehensive degree became apparent, and the rest, as they say, is history.
As experts point out, the allure of non-traditional, 9-to-5 professions has surged among the youth since the pandemic. “Now, more than ever, everyone wants to maintain a semblance of control over their lives. And an influencer career promises an independent entrepreneurial career,” asserts Brooke Erin Duffy, a communications professor at Cornell University. In a world where everyone seeks the freedom to work remotely and set their schedules, the influencer path is the ultimate aspiration.
Prepare to be amazed as SETU ushers in a new era of influencers. In the program’s inaugural year, SETU is enrolling 40 lucky students. But beware, if the frenzy surrounding the summer programs is any indicator, hopeful influencers might be knocking down the doors for a chance to shine. Brace yourselves for an extraordinary journey that promises fame, fortune, and the unrivaled power of influence!
