Arizona State University (ASU) made headlines when it announced its new degree — in influencing. Technically, this is a Content Creation BA that teaches you how to utilise the power of storytelling to excel in the creator economy. And the creator economy is promising. Goldman Sachs predicts it will be worth half a trillion dollars by 2027. Unsurprisingly, the news received little praise and was even met with snide criticism from parents and the public alike. But is the scepticism warranted? In the course of a decade, influencing has boomed, becoming a profitable and favourable career path for young people seeking something expressive, unconventional, and above all, lucrative.
A Money-Savvy Choice
Modules for the controversial degree at Arizona State University hardly differ from those of a typical communications degree. The modules include: Developing Media Content, Media Law, and Mass Communication Ethics. The careers advertised to support an influencer degree include: PR specialist, communications specialist, and marketing manager. All of the careers promoted are advertised as being in the six-figure range, further supporting the claim that a degree in content creation is an employable and economically savvy decision.
While it can be easy for us Brits to scoff at a degree in influencing, feeling academically superior to the ‘Mickey Mouse’ subjects on offer across the pond, a content creation degree has in fact already snuck into the U.K. The University of Brighton, Nottingham Trent University and Falmouth University all have degrees in content creation. Given that over half of Gen Z want to become influencers, it’s only natural that universities are listening and echoing the needs of a tech-inclined youth.
Those who praise content creation degrees argue that they tap into the needs of young people. If someone wants to become an influencer, they now have an institutionalised, accredited process to pursue their vocation. Inc.com makes a good case in favour of influencer degrees. Despite the criticism that such a degree is frivolous, the modules are very similar to those found in marketing, journalism, or business degrees. This is reinforced by the fact that ASU offers the degree via their School of Journalism and Mass Communications. So, when examined more closely, a Content Creation BA is essentially no different from other established degrees in Communications. The only point of contrast is that this specific degree is adapted for the modern influencer economy. A degree in content creation is best seen as being a creative business degree, teaching students branding, strategy, and profit maximisation through sponsorships. Core elements of any traditional business degree.
Not a ‘Real’ Profession
The bulk of the criticism towards a degree in influencing centres around the, perhaps outdated, idea that it’s not a ‘legitimate profession.’ This is not entirely unjustified. Some content is so embarrassingly lazy that a toddler could make it. For example, reaction videos where someone silently ooos and aaaas at actual creativity come to mind. Still, being a content creator is undeniably a profession. Influencers pay taxes. Influencers, while often styled as their own bosses, work under agencies. And influencing is not confined to dancing on TikTok. It’s also bargaining with brands for sponsorship deals, budgeting expenses, and leading teams of editors, writers, and translators. Some influencers control multiple social media channels all by themselves, with minimal delegation. In short, influencing is a time-consuming job like any other.
But is it a job worth getting into debt over? I do not think so.
The average yearly cost of a degree in the States is $39,406. This amount can balloon if you’re attending an out-of-state college, a private four-year college or living in an expensive city. I shudder to think of students attending college in New York — one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in. When it comes to the U.K., tuition fees are considerably cheaper. Students graduate with an average debt of £47,730. However, for poorer students and those attending university in London, the average debt is usually higher due to the need to secure a larger maintenance loan.
From an economic standpoint, criticism of a content creation degree holds considerable weight. Taking on up to six figures in debt for a degree that can be learned at home feels irrational and wasteful, especially when you can master the same skills by simply working in the media industry. Interestingly, some of the highest-paid influencers don’t even have degrees, let alone one in content creation. These older pros learned their art the old-fashioned way: through trial and error.
It appears then that getting a degree in content creation may not be the wisest choice. Mass communication degrees — where a degree in influencing would land — rank extremely low in graduate job earnings. On average, graduates in the U.K. make £22,300 five years after graduating. Those in the U.S. can expect around $48,749. But regardless of where you take your communications degree, this is a far cry from the suggested six-figure salaries ASU advertises. Furthermore, if you attend a non-Russell Group university, be prepared for even lower earnings. Within the humanities and social sciences, a degree in communications ranks among the lowest in terms of graduate incomes, and that’s something to consider when choosing a degree subject.
Another ‘Mickey Mouse’ Subject
While passion is an admirable reason to study something, in a for-profit education system, it cannot be your only reason. Aside from its low profitability, a degree in influencing siphons job options to other potential employees. A range of new humanities degrees have recently been slurred as ‘Mickey Mouse’ for their futility and lack of breadth. However, when it comes to traditional degrees like History and English, transferability is their secret strength. A History graduate is armed and ready for endless career options, from Law to Journalism. But when it comes to content creation, choosing to pivot may be harder if you’re thinking of a career unrelated to communications.
Personally, I have nothing against content creation as a degree. Moreover, I mourn that students do not live in an educational utopia where all degrees are free. And this marks an important point. University, especially for the working class, can never solely be based on passion. It has been and continues to be an economic investment that shapes their future. According to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, one in five students would have been better off not attending university. This is especially so for those in the creative arts.
The solution is perhaps simple: receive formalised education while being paid. For content creation, there are benefits to studying within academia as opposed to at home. While critics are right to note that content creation can be learned at home, universities arguably still provide an essential service. For one thing, you will often have a range of experts in the field teaching you, as well as that all-important peer support from your classmates to give you a broader perspective. Also, instead of having to rely solely on willpower, receiving assignments and deadlines compels you to create while learning efficient time management. In a room full of other ambitious creatives, your own creativity can jump-start more easily. That’s why, when it comes to more vocational media courses such as content creation, degree apprenticeships are invaluable.
Learning on the Job
A degree apprenticeship allows you to earn a diploma while getting paid to work. Students typically work 80 per cent of the time and study for the remaining 20 per cent. Several U.K. universities offer apprenticeships in digital marketing: Nottingham Trent University, London South Bank University, and Manchester Metropolitan University. The latter collaborates with Lloyds Bank to offer its digital marketing degree. Modules include: Introduction to Digital Communications, Digital Humans and Audiences, and Content Marketing. While a degree in digital marketing is not quite the same as one in content creation, its modules overlap.
Regrettably, there is a grave lack of awareness and support for degree apprenticeships among school-leavers. This causes some young people to feel that their only options post-college are either work or university. However, a degree apprenticeship is arguably the perfect middle ground for those who want the best of both worlds. Having said this, apprenticeships are most suitable for those people whose passions are more vocational than academic.
For most of us, an influencing degree will be economically useless, but a paid degree in marketing remains a viable and savvy alternative for those interested in content creation. For those who want to save money and still learn the art of effective communication, a good apprenticeship may be the best practical option to date.
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Adaeze Onwuelo
HSPS student and columnist passionate about the intersection between popular culture and political sociology!
