ASUN Announces Influencer Studies AAS Degree

NEWPORT, Ark. — Arkansas State University–Newport today announced the launch of a bold new degree program: the Associate of Applied Science in Influencer Studies & Viral Analytics.

The two-year program would prepare students for careers in digital branding, audience growth strategy and content monetization. Proposed coursework includes Viral Dance Practicum, Sponsored Post Negotiation, Comment Section Psychology and a capstone focused on building and scaling a personal brand through real-time analytics.

“As higher education evolves, we have to stay on trend,” said Jake Eddington, Digital Marketing Manager at ASUN. “If influence drives culture, commerce and communication, then clearly we need a degree in going viral.”

The announcement quickly generated engagement across social media, with prospective students asking how to enroll. But before anyone purchases ring lights or begins rehearsing a final exam dance routine —

APRIL FOOLS!

While ASUN will not be offering a degree in Influencer Studies & Viral Analytics, the conversation points to something very real.

Viral gets views. Data gets results.

Behind major decisions in business, health care, technology and marketing is data — and professionals trained to interpret it. ASUN launched its Associate of Science in Data Science and Data Analytics last year to equip students with practical, workforce-ready skills in data interpretation, analytics tools and applied problem-solving.

“We had a little fun with the Influencer program,” said Dr. Typhanie Myers, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student & Academic Affairs at ASUN,  “But the real opportunity isn’t about going viral for 15 minutes of fame. It’s about understanding information and helping organizations make smarter decisions. That’s exactly what our Data Science and Data Analytics program prepares students to do.”

Applications for the AS in Data Science and Data Analytics are currently being accepted.

For more information, visit asun.edu/data.