A Master of Arts in Social Media!

Birmingham City University has become the first University to offer a post graduate degree in social media. The qualification – a Master of Arts (MA) in Social Media is the University’s latest offering.

Social media sites have become so popular and widespread that even traditional academic institutions have jumped on the bandwagon. The University recognizes the importance of social media, and is keen to help develop the industry by conducting research in that area.

The degree will aim to study social media from a variety of angles and will encompass lectures, seminars, a dissertation, field trips and an internship. The course will even cover Twitter and how to use its power to enhance your brand or company. The course has garnered attention from students interested in pursuing a career in communication by using social media. Information is available on the University of Birmingham’s website, which features a video starring a very groovy professor to help explain what the course is all about.

According to Jon Hickman, the course convener, the course is “not for freaks or IT geeks, the tools learnt on this course will be accessible to many people.” He adds, “There has been significant interest in the course already, and it will definitely appeal to students looking to go into professions including journalism and PR.”

Companies are starting to recognize the importance of Online PR. And as traditional media and consumers use the Internet more in their daily lives, online PR will become an even more important tool in the future. The MA in Social Media will hopefully raise the standards of all those involved in the social media space, and help accelerate our understanding of it.

Tags: graduate degree, Social Media