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The University of Tampa announced this week that it will begin offering a master’s degree in social and emerging media, starting Fall 2021. The program blends technology and creativity as it prepares students to develop compelling media projects, build sophisticated social media strategies and engage effectively with audiences.

Students in the program will gain hands-on experience and increase their technical expertise as they learn to plan, produce and distribute professional media for multiple platforms, from websites, to social media, to the latest interactive technologies. UT’s program is designed for a broad range of students, including:

• Corporate or nonprofit employees positioning themselves for advanced roles in social media management, content production or digital marketing;
• Recent college graduates who want to take their degree in communication, journalism, writing, marketing or film to the next level;
• Designers, photographers, writers and filmmakers who want to translate their work onto new platforms and reach a wider audience;
• And, anyone seeking a new skill set and a competitive edge for a promotion or new job.

The curriculum will cover digital storytelling, visual design, audio-video production, emerging media technologies, user experience production, audience and user experience research, media strategy and analytics, project management , and emerging media policy and law.

Courses will include:

• Emerging Technologies and Applications
• Digital Storytelling
• Visual Design for Emerging Media
• Audio and Video Production for Emerging Media
• Social and Emerging Media Strategy and Analytics
• User Experience and Audience Research
• Media Development and Project Management
• Emerging Media: Industry, Policy and Law
• Advanced Production in Emerging Media

The program will be led by a group of faculty with expertise in communication, emerging media, art, film, journalism and public relations. Stephanie Tripp, a UT associate professor of communication who specializes in the theories and practices of digital media, will serve as program director.

“In addition to receiving hands-on media training, students will have a chance to network and collaborate in Tampa’s vibrant downtown and gain marketable skills that are immediately applicable in a variety of fields,” Tripp said.

The program will begin in Fall 2021, and classes will be held on UT’s convenient downtown campus. Students can take classes in the evening and earn the degree in as little as one year. Applications are being accepted now, and no GRE or portfolio is required.

To learn more, visit ut.edu/masem or contact Tripp at stripp@ut.edu.

The program is pending approval by The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC).