University offers social networking course

A UK university has launched a course featuring modules on social networking.

Birmingham City University is offering a masters degree in social media, teaching students how social networking can be used as a marketing and communications tool.

A spokesperson from the university said: "The MA in Social Media is part of a suite of new postgraduate courses within Birmingham City University's School of Media, aimed at professional media workers [adding] to the current provision in television, radio, journalism and public relations."

The course lasts one year and will cost over 4,000. The course is due to start next year.

The convenor of the course, Jon Hickman, has been defending its conception through his own social networking means on Twitter. He said: "We've had one email saying I should be ashamed, and considerably more asking for course details."

Professor Tim Wall, deputy head of Birmingham City University's School of Media, said: "Social media, built around new technologies, are some of the most profound changes happening to the media at the moment. We are looking forward to sharing the research we are doing in the school with media professionals through the MA course."

But some students think it is a waste of time and money.

Birmingham-based student Jamie Waterman told the Telegraph: "Virtually all of the content of this course is so basic it can be self taught. In fact most people know all this stuff already. I think it's a complete waste of university resources."

Last week, Twitter hit the news as a topic to be taught to primary school children.