Monday, Dec 12, 2022
The program was designed to prepare graduates to succeed across a variety of communications positions
by Adam Grybowski
Rider University is now offering the opportunity for students to major in social media. The new Bachelor of Arts in Social Media Strategies program prepares students to strategically create, manage and curate social media content and use it professionally as an effective communication tool.
The 48-credit program teaches practical communication skills as well as an advanced theoretical understanding of a field that has fundamentally changed the communication and media professions. Coursework exposes students to current digital media trends and prepares them to enter the job market with supplemental multimedia skills in video production, podcasting and graphic design.
The program culminates with a capstone course in which students work with professional clients under faculty guidance. The social media campaign they create can be used as a standout portfolio piece during a job search.
“Students who complete this program will be ready to plan and execute effective social media strategies across a wide variety of professional settings,” says Dr. Nancy Wiencek, an associate professor of communication and the chair of Rider’s Department of Communication, Journalism and Media.
Rider has offered a minor in social media strategies since 2018, which has attracted students from a broad range of majors. Part of its appeal is that career opportunities in the field are expected to grow by 8% by 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That rate is faster than the average for all occupations reported by the Bureau.
The program was designed to provide graduates with the qualifications needed to make them competitive across a variety of communications positions beyond a social media specialist, such as a digital marketing coordinator, communication manager and digital content planner.
The social media strategies program is housed in Rider's Department of Communication, Journalism and Media, which capitalizes on its proximity to New York City and Philadelphia to offer valuable internship opportunities in a media-rich region of the United States.