Texas university offers influencing degree

A Texas university is launching a new degree dedicated to the art and business of influencing.

Beginning this fall, the University of Texas at San Antonio is offering a bachelor's in digital media influencing for aspiring content creators.

The program, which is available online and in-person, will cover technical aspects like photo editing and website development, but also audience psychology and data analytics.

"We want to take the idea media influencing and bring it into the 21st century," said Chad Mahood, an associate communication professor who developed the program.

The so-called "content creator industry" has exploded in recent years, aided by TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms. Now valued at roughly $250 billion, the industry could reach $480 billion by 2027, according to an estimate by financial firm Goldman Sachs.

Worldwide, some 50 million people have ditched traditional jobs to work as content creators, Goldman Sachs said. Their content varies widely, from hair and makeup tutorials and restaurant reviews to diet and exercise advice and do-it-yourself home projects. And they get paid to do so, largely through partnerships with brands.

Earlier this year, Dallas content creator Victoria Jameson told The Dallas Morning News she went from making barely $30,000 a year as a makeup artist to a "comfortable, six-figure salary." But only about 4% of creators make more than $100,000 a year, according to Goldman Sachs.

UT San Antonio is among the only universities in the country to try to meet demand for influencing. So far, eight students have enrolled in the program, and 80 more are in the process of enrolling.

While students can develop influencing skills on their own, earning a degree offers hands-on experience and greater credibility with brands and employers, Mahood said. In the final year of the program, student influencers will develop capstone projects to test and analyze with target audiences.

Graduates could work as social media influencers, Mahood said, but they can also land jobs for corporations seeking in-house content creation, advertising and public relations agencies.

"Becoming an influencer is largely based on selling your own brand," Mahood said. "But it's about more than a good video or website. It's about understanding, analyzing and connecting with an audience."