Jumpstart Your Career with Southern Oregon University’s New Certificate in Professional Social Media
Helping learners adapt to a constantly shifting digital landscape, Southern Oregon University’s new Certificate in Professional Social Media gives students a jumpstart on the road to dynamic careers in online media production and marketing.
Students develop practical skills in content strategy, visual storytelling, copywriting, and media entrepreneurship. Students also emerge from this certificate with a solid understanding of today’s creative industries.
“The PSM certificate is a great way for learners in the community to build their digital communication skills without necessarily pursuing a full four-year degree,” said Erik Palmer, Associate Professor in the Communication, Media & Cinema program. “Students practice skills in writing and visual communication, devise strategies and measure success, and learn how to collaborate with teammates and clients.”
The certificate develops skills needed for careers including social media management, brand marketing, public relations, multimedia journalism, and digital content production. With an emphasis on hands-on learning, the program simulates professional work environments and prepares students for the day-to-day challenges of working in online media production.
“SOU’s courses in professional social media helped me build my digital marketing skills and practice working with real-world clients,” said Makena Stanley, a recent graduate from SOU. “With the knowledge that I have gained from this program, I have been able to find an entry-level job in my career path upon my graduation this year.”
Certificates deploy short courses of study that focus on a specific professional field or area of expertise. Students can pursue certificates as a supplement to a four-year degree, or complete them as a stand-alone credential.
The Certificate in Professional Social Media is a 36-credit program. Required courses in the certificate include:
- COMM 206 — Multimedia Writing
- COMM 213 — Visual Design for Media
- COMM 214 — Mobile Image Making
- COMM 221 — Creative Industries
- COMM 325 — Design Thinking
- COMM 424 — Creative Entrepreneurship
- COMM 482 — Mass Media Ethics and Law
- COMM 485 — Advanced Social Media Campaigns
For more information, visit SOU’s Professional Social Media page at sou.edu:
Story by Ripley Pierotti, Community Manager for the Communication, Media & Cinema Program at Southern Oregon University. Photo by Avery Jackson.
