SCAD’s social strategy and management major teaches the importance of social media
Written by Kenzie Phillips, Graphic by Mackenzie Watson and Haileigh Grinkmeyer
Social strategy and management became one of SCAD’s newest majors after it was officially established in 2019. In just over a year, the major has grown to over have 60 students officially declared. Professor Oscar Betancur is the Chair of Social and primary professor for the major curriculum classes. “The social strategy and management program prepares students to become adept at creating compelling campaigns from brand storytelling and strategy to analytics and audience engagement,” Professor Betancur said. “Students learn to coordinate online brand advocacy and cross promotion while merging elements of advertising, branding, marketing, photography, film, television, motion media, and writing.” He describes social strategy students as the “swiss army knives of social media.”
Professor Betancur has taught in many areas at SCAD from luxury fashion marketing to motion media. He has created the curriculum for the social strategy and management major and also teaches most of the classes. “Three simple words best describe my inspiration for teaching: ‘pay it forward.’ I’ve always felt a responsibility to nurture and to give something back,” Betancur said.
Starting out as a small major brought on it’s own set of challenges. “It was interesting, I would go into my advertising classes and the professor would be like, we don’t know what you’re supposed to be doing,” Alaina Mcnab, a third-year social strategy and management student said. “It’s a lot of oh, that’s just social media that can’t be hard, but they don’t realize the work that goes into it.”
Professors have begun to adapt to the idea of implementing social media content into advertising classes as more and more students begin to join the major, and now with the minor being introduced more students are interested to see what the classes have to offer.
Consisting of a mix of social marketing, advertising and business classes, the social strategy and management minor can help students of any discipline utilize and understand social media marketing.
Even though the major is so new, the students are on top of new innovations in social media and tech. “Professor Betancur has a structure in place, but he also knows that social media is changing everyday. We’re always on it as our generation is,” Haileigh Angelle, a third-year social strategy and management student, said. SCAD’s social students can look forward to careers in community management, marketing, content marketing, data analysis and so many other titles.
The future of the social strategy major is rapidly changing. With the growing major, new classes, and evolving curriculum the future is exciting. “Our goal is for our students to continue to immerse themselves in innovation,” Betancur said. “We have our minor and as far as the department goes I’m working getting the online program started so we can invite more people to participate.”
The social strategy and management major will continue to grow through students in both the major and minor programs and the department will continue to educate students in brand, voice and marketing while keeping up on the latest trends.
