Gen Z Influencers: How Gen Z Can Get a Degree in Influence

Have you ever wanted to become an influencer? Now you can go to university to learn how to do this.

Students enrolling at South Eastern University of Technology (located in Carlow, Ireland) will now be able to choose a new major alongside traditional options such as business management or hospitality.

They can now earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in influence, The Washington Post reports.

Formally known as a Bachelor of Arts in Content Creation and Social Media, some of the career prospects for this degree include content creation, journalism, social media, and influence. Students can expect to take courses in public relations, learn the history of photography, learn how to make creative videos, and gain crisis management skills to boot.

This level comes at a time when many Gen Zers are ready to quit their 9-to-5 jobs to become influencers instead. A Morning Consult survey found that more than half of Gen Z would become an influencer if they felt they could become one.

Influencers are sometimes referred to as the “new celebrities” because they have gone viral on social media and amassed millions of followers. TikTok has helped the influencer industry get to where it is today.

“No-frills, direct-to-camera and minimally edited content works well on TikTok, so it expands the number of people who feel like they have access to influence,” Ellyn Briggs, a brand analyst at Morning Consult, told CNBC.

Influencing can also be a full-time job. Through sponsorships, partnerships, affiliate links and more, influencers can provide services to the company, such as marketing, while also paying their own bills, according to NPR.

“Experts tell us that the global influencer market is currently valued at approximately $21 billion. We know it has an impact; media marketing; Writing digital content and developing digital strategies are important activities in business and socially important for connecting people and ideas,” says the degree’s information page on the university’s website.

The influencer market has boomed over the past few years. In 2016, its value was estimated at approximately $1.7 billion and has risen steadily since then. The industry reached approximately $16.4 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $21.1 billion by the end of 2023, according to Statista.

Influencers like Addison Rae, Charli D’Amelio, Dasia Janae, Bria Jones, and others have captivated audiences and earned money through their views, brand partnerships, and affiliates. These are just a few ways influencers can earn their income.

Beginning in 2024, students looking to tap into this growing market can enroll to earn a degree through this three-year program. This degree became a reality after a successful summer program called Digital Hustle.

“For at least two years, the summer program has brought in TikTok stars and media theorists to teach young students how to build a personal brand,” The Post reports.

It was after this program, degree co-author and senior lecturer Irene McCormick told the Post, that the university was able to create a bachelor’s degree program. “We knew there was a place and a need for this, we just had to turn this course into a bachelor’s degree and ratify it,” she said.

The degree of influence has long been on the minds of some technologists.

Viral Nation co-founder and CEO Joe Gagliese predicted that there will eventually be a bachelor’s degree in social influence. “For decades, a bachelor’s degree has been a prerequisite for many types of well-paying and in-demand jobs. But in the not-too-distant future, there will be an equally widespread prerequisite: social influence,” he wrote for Forbes.

Although the extent of the impact has not yet reached the states, his prediction has come true for Generation Z in Ireland.