Communications students matriculating into Emerson College next year will have an entirely new major to choose from: A bachelor of arts in content creation. The Hollywood Reporter has learned that the Boston-based college will launch the new degree program in the fall of 2027.
The new degree underscores the rapidly changing dynamics of media, with creator-led platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram continuing to grow at a rapid clip even as traditional film and TV production and distribution seems to be flat or declining.
The new major will pull from the school’s existing infrastructure and expertise in areas like storytelling, production and communications while incorporating creator-focused areas of study like marketing, audience development, branding and business strategy, given the owner-operator nature of the creator world. Students will develop original content while studying the business and ethics of digital platforms, while also learning how to reach and engage audiences.
“Emerson has long prepared students for success in emerging creative industries with a focus on hands-on, real world application in our academic disciplines and now this new major builds on our tradition by combining creativity, technology and entrepreneurial skills for the next generation,” said Emerson president Jay Bernhardt.
Emerson, which is among THR’s 25 best film schools of 2026, has an envious alumni list that includes former Warner Bros. film co-chief Pamela Abdy, filmmakers Daniel Kwan and Paul Thomas Anderson, writer Norman Lear and actors like Henry Winkler and Jennifer Coolidge.
The bachelor of arts in content creation will be housed in Emerson College’s School of Communication, within the department of strategic marketing and business.
“Our new content creation major prepares students to be a part of the evolving creator economy, teaching them not only how to produce compelling digital content but also how to build a successful entrepreneurial career,” said Brenna McCormick, chair of the department of strategic marketing and business. “From digital and financial literacy to business and marketing, this major has the essential ingredients to help students turn their creative visions into something bigger.”