Want to become a social media influencer? There's a college course for that.
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- An Ohio community college is offering a Media Influencer Certificate.
- The certificate will appeal to a "broad range of students," Jen Hazel, the program's director, told the Sentinel-Tribune.
- The certificate takes two semesters to complete and can be pursued on its own or with another degree.
A community college in Ohio is appealing to the next generation of TikTok stars and Instagram influencers through one of its latest course offerings — a Media Influencer Certificate.
Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio, said the program is "one of the first of its kind," according to its website.
The courses required to complete the certificate are spread out over two semesters, the college's website says. Students will need to take classes on basic coding, business, visual storytelling, and public speaking.
Students can choose to exclusively pursue the certificate, or add it to any other degree they're earning.
"This certificate will appeal to a broad range of students, such as students in Broadcast Media Technology, Commercial Art Technology, Music Business Technology, and Entrepreneurship," Jen Hazel, the program's director, told the Sentinel-Tribune.
A 2019 study by Morning Consult found that 86% of young Americans are interested in posting sponsored content for money.
Influencers who successfully build a platform online can earn thousands of dollars for a single post. Two Instagram creators told Insider they earned six-figure salaries as full-time influencers in 2021.
Influencers make a lot of their money through monetization and brand deals on social media platforms. Meta said it would pay creators on Facebook and Instagram over $1 billion in 2022.