An Irish university is set to offer the country's first influencer degree
By Katy Thornton
Looking to be the next big thing?
6th year students with a dream of becoming an influencer are in luck, as South East Technology University (SETU) of Carlow are about to become the first to offer an "influencing" degree.
According to RTÉ, this new course, officially referred to as a Bachelor of Arts in Content Creation and Social Media, will be available to applicants from November 2023 and will launch in September 2024.
In conversation with RTÉ News at One, media and communications lecturer Dr Eleanor O'Leary said this of the new "influencing" degree.
"It is kind of worth an estimate of between 14 and 16 billion worldwide and so it is an area that has specific set of skills.
"Lots of people end up working and collaborating with brands.
"They could be self-employed as an influencer, or they could go in with a company and organisation as a content creator."
Image via GettyIreland's first influencer degree to be offered by SETU Carlow
Dr O'Leary noted that while young people are already extremely knowledgeable around social media, but the degree offers business skills and knowledge around the area to make students "champions of their own growth."
In a world where people become proficient in social media from an increasingly young age, this BA will focus on the business side of content creation and social media, as well as teaching more technical skills such as video editing, audio editing, podcasting, and writing.
Other important elements to the degree will be to teach students about crisis management and the laws and practicalities around advertising products.
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