Want to Be an Influencer? There’s Now a Degree for That in Texas.

Ah, influencers. Those beautiful people who convince us to buy makeup, tiny H&M jean jackets for babies, vacations, even cryptocurrencies — and meme stocks that will definitely make us rich.

If you’ve ever wanted to join the venerable group of people who pimp stuff online, great news! The University of Texas at San Antonio now has an undergraduate degree in digital media influencing.

The college’s site bills the degree as a “specialized program that will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to create, manage, and analyze digital content across different online platforms.” It’s also available in-person or completely online, natch.

Chad Mahood, an associate communication professor who developed the program, told The Dallas Morning News, “We want to take the idea (of) media influencing and bring it into the 21st century.”

And there may be something to it. Is it time to put some respect on content creation and social media influencers? Democrats certainly think so; last week they invited more than 200 of them to their national convention. Gone are the days of letting “the intern” handle social media and content creation; it’s a career that is bringing in income for many young adults and families.

And before you make fun, a degree in digital influencing might be a more solid career path than journalism in 2024 (just saying). The school has said that the degree can lead to a career in not only influencing but also social media strategy, content creation, and web design. By the Morning News’ count, UT San Antonio is one of the only universities in the U.S. to offer such a program — and so far eight students have enrolled.

And while influencers are easy (and fun) to goof on, the selling-stuff-online industry has exploded in recent years. What is marketing without social media?In fact, Goldman Sachs estimates that the “creator economy” could roughly double in size over the next five years -- to $480 billion by 2027 from $250 billion today. That’s a lot of Sephora shilling!

Here in Texas, we have our own brand of digital creatives.

For example, a would-be music influencer in Houston made headlines after she was sued for allegedly misusing $16 million in funds from her surrogacy business to bankroll her music career as “a racy rap and R&B singer and music producer,” according to a court filing. Who knows! Maybe a degree that included an ethics course could have prevented that scandal.