Can content creation be taught? Universities are putting it to the test

Content creation is increasingly finding a place in higher education, as universities respond to the growth of the creator economy and demand for professionals trained to work within it.

Over the past year, institutions across the US, UK and India have introduced specialist programmes aimed at preparing students for careers in the growing sector.

The latest offering comes from Campus, a US-based online college, which has launched a Digital Marketing and the Creator Economy concentration within its two-year business degree.

The programme, which kicks off in January, aims to prepare students for careers in digital marketing, with a focus on the commercial skills needed to build and manage a business around content.

"I think about it the way I would any small business. Someone who understands accounting, finance, supply and demand, and the rules they operate under is far better positioned than someone who opens a restaurant simply because they're a good cook," Todd Fitch, programme director at Campus, told The Daily Influence.

The five-course concentration covers brand strategy, platform dynamics and marketing analytics, with students completing practical assignments and a final project. The curriculum was developed with input from industry professionals, including former advertising executive and content creator Timm Chiusano.

Fitch argued that the lack of formal qualifications among established creators largely reflects the fact that such opportunities did not exist when they were starting out.

"But these are skills, they can be taught, and learning them almost always takes a combination of theory and practice," he said.

Nature versus nurture

Still, the question remains whether students should pay to learn skills that many successful creators developed independently through trial and error.

Ben Woods, Head of Creator Economy at Enders Analysis, questioned the value of qualifications aimed specifically at aspiring creators.

"Where debate arises is over 'pure play' creator economy degrees for aspiring talent. The creator economy exists precisely because low-cost tools and platforms democratised entry," he told The Daily Influence.

"One could reasonably argue that an aspiring creator is better off spending their time and money making content that tests what algorithms and audiences want."

However, he said formal training could prove valuable as creators expand their businesses and face more complex operational demands.

"A creator may excel at building an audience from a bedroom setup, but struggle with running an on-location production, managing IP rights, or handling tax and payroll as they transition from a one-person operation to an employer."

For prospective students, Woods said the value of a qualification ultimately depends on the experience of those teaching it and the institution's connections to the industry.

"Ultimately, assessing a creator economy programme is like evaluating any professional course: look at the real-world credentials of the faculty and whether the institution maintains active ties with platforms, agencies, and production networks. But above all, students shouldn't wait for a syllabus to start creating."

Learning from the industry

One institution putting that emphasis on industry expertise into practice is the UK's National Film and Television School (NFTS), which has partnered with Sidemen Entertainment to give students direct access to its production expertise.

Rather than launching a standalone creator economy qualification, the NFTS has incorporated the partnership into its existing Developing and Producing Unscripted Formats MA. From January, students will take part in an industry day and a one-week placement with the creator-led business.

Jon Wardle, director of the NFTS, said the partnership reflects the increasingly blurred boundaries between traditional entertainment and creator-led production.

"The way audiences consume entertainment is changing rapidly and the lines between television, streaming and creator-led content are becoming increasingly blurred," he told The Daily Influence.

"The Sidemen are a brilliant example of how the creator economy is reshaping entertainment, having built a hugely successful global brand and developed original formats that reach audiences across multiple platforms."

Wardle said the partnership would give students direct insight into how creator-led entertainment formats are developed and the decisions behind their commercial success.

"We can never stand still in this industry and there is no substitute for learning directly from the people shaping it."