Social media is transforming the job landscape — digital content creation is now one of the hottest careers out there. Content creation allows you to be (you guessed it) incredibly creative. Everyone from bloggers and videographers to social media influencers and YouTubers are considered content creators. Does this sound like your dream? If so, you have a golden opportunity to get an edge on the competition while you’re in college, because many schools now offer classes that teach you how to become a content creator.
Even if you’re not 100% sure about a career path in content creation, these classes are still incredibly useful for tech literacy and gaining transferable skills. According to a 2023 analysis by the National Skills Coalition, digital skills were required in 92% of available jobs. Not enough people have the digital skills the labor market is looking for, and content creation is one path to enhancing that part of your resume.
Content creation encompasses a huge variety of skills, so you may be surprised by what classes are on offer. College is a great place to experiment with new interests, and you can often take content creation classes as electives. For a taste of what’s out there, here are 10 college classes you can take to become a content creator.
- New York University: Social Media Content Creation
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You’ll be a social media pro in no time with this crash course from New York University. Their social media content creation class teaches you how to tell a story across social media platforms. The course emphasizes the importance of designing, editing, and establishing a social media presence, so it’s perfect for those creative minds. While it’s catered towards people who want to be social media managers, anyone can find value in knowing how to leverage social media.
- Nichols College: Social Media for Sports Marketing
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While sports marketers can agree it would be helpful to simply have Taylor Swift show up at the game, Nichols knows there’s more to it. They offer classes in social media management and personal branding specifically for sports marketing content creators.
- Arkansas Tech University: Social Media Influencing
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Arkansas Tech offers a class teaching you everything you need to know about becoming a social media influencer. While the class is part of the junior year BA in Digital Content Creation, non-majors are free to take the class, too. You’ll learn how to grow your followers, make money with your content, and leverage the latest viral videos.
- Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT): Video Studio Production
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FIT’s course in video studio production teaches techniques you can apply to video content creation. The class focuses on production for digital marketing purposes, which is a huge part of being a successful content creator.
- Columbia College Chicago: BA in Social Media and Digital Strategy
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If you know content creation is your calling, Columbia College Chicago offers an entire degree in social media and digital content creation. First year offerings aren’t just boring core classes — you get to take courses like Smartphone Video and Photo, and Social Media Content. You’ll also build your digital marketing skills by studying data analytics, consumer behavior, and how to promote content online.
- Berklee College of Music: Podcast Development and Production
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Creating good podcasts is an art, and you can learn how to do it with Berklee’s class in podcast development. Sound design, audio editing, and music technology are all crucial elements of the journalistic and storytelling podcasts that dominate the market. This class takes you through the entire podcasting process, from pitching and scripting to producing and recording shows.
- University of North Dakota: Content Creation for Social Media
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The University of North Dakota offers an online, enroll-anytime course called Content Creation for Social Media. You’ll learn how to create content that can compete in an increasingly-clogged online world. You also get the chance to create social media content for each class.
- Stevens College: Editorial Photography
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Stephens College, a women’s college in Missouri, is the first Missouri college with an undergraduate program in content creation. Their curriculum offers everything from business and marketing to communication design and filmmaking. One exciting class on offer is Editorial Photography, which is the photography that you’ll find in magazines and newspapers.
- Fordham University: Graphic Design and Digital Tools
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Fordham’s New Media and Digital Design major offers a ton of content creation classes, depending on which concentration you choose. Digital Graphic Design is one class where students learn professional applications of graphic design programs like Adobe Creative Suite.
- The University of Mississippi: Social Media Content Creation
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More interested in the nitty gritty of creating content? Ole Miss has got you covered with their Social Media Content Creation Course, which covers how to animate and create graphics for social media using the latest software.
