College Establishes Social Media Minor

Westminster College recently approved the establishment of a social media minor, which will be available to students in the fall semester.

The program will be offered through Westminster's Department of Communication Studies, Theatre and Art and will include courses in the principles of technological and social communication; social media and web planning; applied social media; design principles and practices; and an internship with a social media emphasis.  Westminster's Department of Mathematics and Computer Science will contribute a course in web design.

As part of the minor, students will complete a social media certification from Hootsuite, an industry leader in measuring and managing social networks.

Dr. Keith Corso, assistant professor of communication studies, authored the proposal.

"We all know today's students use social media as a primary means of communicating," Corso said.  "As communication scholars and practitioners we have a duty to address the pervasiveness of this way of communicating.  Our students will learn how to use social media to manage their reputations, position themselves positively in the job market, and communicate a focused message to select audiences."

The new program is welcomed by Dr. Jane Wood, Westminster's vice president for academic affairs and Dean of the College: "The social media minor will be a complementary addition to many of the major degree programs.  Social media increasingly connects society, learners, and community from art exhibits to marketing new products.  This minor will allow students to demonstrate and hone their social media skills and apply them in their degree program and beyond."

Contact Corso at 724-946-7235 or email for more information.

More Stories