Social Media Strategies
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Social Media Strategies

Are you interested in learning how to use social media to engage and influence an audience? If so, social media strategies is an exciting major/minor for you!

About

Social media strategies is a 37-credit major in the Department of Communication & Media that will teach you to connect business and corporate communications objectives with social media strategies.

Why Social Media Strategies is in Demand:

  • Social media is one of the fastest growing industries in recent history. As of 2019, there were more than 2.77 billion active social media users worldwide, and 91% of all retail brands use two or more social media platforms, according to Pew Research Center.
  • Almost 1 million new users are added to social media each day, providing valuable opportunities for business to expand their reach to target audiences.
  • Careers in social media include social media marketing strategist, SEO specialist, online community manager, blogger or social media copywriter, among others.

Is it for me?

Are you:

  • Interested in influencing people?
  • Creative and persuasive?
  • Good at creating written and visual content?

Five Reasons to Choose Scranton for Social Media Strategies

1.
Employment.   Communication & Media Department students have one of the highest rates of internships and full-time employment at the University – well over 90%.
2.
Strong Community.   With one of the best professor-to-student ratios, and faculty involvement in student groups and club activities, the Department of Communication & Media is your home away from home.
3.
Focus on Professional Content Creation.   We empower students with training and knowledge, using the latest technologies to be successful communication professionals and leaders of tomorrow.
4.
Jesuit Education.   All our programs and courses place emphasis on Jesuit principles and ethics to give you a more holistic and transformational educational experience.
5.
Critical Thinking.   The Department of Communication & Media gives you the tools necessary to engage in critical thinking and analysis that will help you succeed in more than just your careers.

Education isn’t always about learning from textbooks and taking tests. What I learned from my time at The University of Scranton was far more valuable. My teachers helped me discover who I was and who urged me to push myself to truly get what I wanted out of my life. I could not be more thankful that I spent my four years of college at Scranton.

Susie Craig, Senior Manager of Product Development at Fenty Beauty by Rihanna
BA in Communication - Public Relations, Class of 2012

  • Preparing You For Personal & Professional Successplus or minus

    You'll learn how to:

    • effectively use social media marketing strategies to help organizations, celebrities and nonprofits achieve their communications, marketing and branding goals.
    • conceptualize, create and manage social media content, both written and digital, to create winning integrated social media campaigns on existing and upcoming social media platforms of all types.

     

    You'll also learn to:

    • Speak and present well in public
    • Influence and persuade
    • Create highly professional presentations
    • Write professionally
    • Think critically
    • Plan communication strategies to meet organizational needs
    • Work successfully as part of a team

     

    Internships:

    Professional internship opportunities give students valuable experience and business contacts. Here are a few of the internships that our students have held in social media:

    • Havas
    • Edelman Public Relations
    • The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerc
    • The University of Scranton
    • The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

    The social media strategies program will teach our students to hone the skills they already have in social media and apply them – with a corporate mindset – to communicating brands in a professional, digital world.

    Howard Fisher, Ph.D.
    Chair of Department of Communication & Media

  • What You'll Learnplus or minus

    Curriculum:

    The courses will build students’ knowledge and skills to master various techniques like strategic writing, effective use of platform-dependent language, video production and editing and analytics, among others to effectively communicate with various organization audiences. Students will also learn about strategic marketing communications and the creative processes required to create complex integrated media communications campaigns.

    New Courses in the Social Media Strategies Major:

    • Foundations of Business & Social Media Communication
    • Introduction to Social Media Strategies
    • Writing for Social Media
    • Social Media Production
    • Advanced Social Media Strategies & Campaigns


    Click here to see the curriculum.

  • Pursue Your Passion and Make a Differenceplus or minus

    Where will Social Media Strategies take me?

    Students enter the workplace armed with practical skills and experience. Students can pursue employment in advertising agencies or corporate settings. The average social media manager salary is $77,000.

Careers

Careers in social media include:

  • SEO specialist
  • social media strategist
  • online community manager
  • social media marketing manager
  • blogger
  • social media copywriter

Top Graduate Schools:

Approximately 10% of majors within the Department of Communication & Media continue their education through advanced degrees. Here are just a few of the graduate schools that have admitted recent graduates:

  • University of Hawaii
  • New York Law School
  • Liberty University
  • Texas Tech University
  • Boston College

Leading Employers:

You’ll find graduates of Scranton's Department of Communication & Media working for a wide range of companies and organizations in every state. Here are some examples:

  • Atlantic Coast Media Group
  • Beckerman PR
  • CBS, New York City
  • Clear Channel Media & Entertainment
  • Hearst Magazines
  • The Nielsen Company
  • Ogilvy Public Relations
  • Edelman Public Relations
  • Sirius/XM
  • Havas
  • Horizon Media
  • Fenty Beauty

How Scranton Gives You a Competitive Edge

Competitive Edge

The dedicated and highly qualified faculty members in the Department of Communication & Media take a three-pronged approach to achieve their objective of holistic student success:

  1. We have one of the highest faculty terminal degrees and scholarly research in the University (90% of our faculty members have Ph.D’s or MFA’s). Also, all our faculty members have had careers in industry. This mix of academic and professional rigor makes the department’s offerings world class and cutting edge.

  2. We assist all our students to get professional internships. One hundred percent of our recent graduating classes had at least one internship, and more than 50% had two. Also, most of our students participate in faculty-managed professional organizations such as PRSSA, IABC, SPJ, etc.

  3. Numerous of our department alumni are extremely successful in their professional careers and are actively involved in helping current students with job leads, network access, career advice, guest lectures, etc.

Take the Next Step

Request Information Schedule a Visit Now Apply

Get the Facts

View PDF with Program Overview
& Curriculum

For More Information

Office of Admissions
The Estate
Scranton, PA 18510
1-888-SCRANTON or (570) 941-7540
570-941-7572
admissions@scranton.edu

Department of Communication & Media
Stacy Smulowitz, Ph.D., A.B.C.
Chair, Department of Communication & Media
(570) 941-4135
stacy.smulowitz@scranton.edu

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