Arizona State University breaks barriers with a BA in content creation

Collegiate undergrads are eager to study the psychology, craft, and business of the creator profession. Arizona State University is the latest school to oblige that wish. The Tempe institution, which has long ranked among the ten largest U.S. colleges in terms of total students, has launched a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree for aspiring content creators.

ASU students who pursue the BA in Content Creation will study the ins and outs of the creator profession while simultaneously getting field experience in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and online. The university senate recently approved the program, which is part of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

“Do you dream of monetizing your video channel or making social media your career?” the ASU website asks. “Learn to create powerful content across video, podcasts, social media, and emerging platforms while building your brand.”

The year-over-year growth of the creator economy has pushed higher-ed institutions to develop coursework for students who want to become influencers. Syracuse University has led the way through its Center for the Creator Economy, while India’s MICA has provided a regional option for the pro creators who are coming out of rural villages.

ASU, however, was a pioneer of creator-oriented coursework long before Syracuse and MICA got into that game. In 2020, the home of the Sun Devils partnered with Hank and John Green to launch Study Hall, an offshoot of the fraternal duo’s Crash Course channel. Years later, ASU turned Study Hall into a fully accredited program, allowing students to receive college credit for the videos they watched.

Now, ASU is breaking new ground once again. In comparison to Syracuse’s Center for the Creator Economy, which is tied to an academic minor, ASU’s BA in Content Creation is a four-year degree program with its own major.

For aspiring influencers, the comprehensive nature of ASU’s coursework will be compelling. The creator profession is a dream job for many, and tough economic conditions — when coupled with a difficult job market — have led more white-collar workers into the creator economy. In other words, ASU’s BA is perfectly timed, and the students who will matriculate this fall will be the first guinea pigs who will get to try out the new degree track.