51¶¯Âþ

Undergraduate Certificate in Children’s Media

Build expertise in the fields of advertising, communication, production and research as it relates to the developmental needs of children with the Children’s Media Certificate Program in the Lew Klein College of Media and Communication at 51¶¯Âþ. Students enrolled in the program will analyze, create, manage and market digital media made for children, including social media, television programs, user-generated videos and all of the advertising platforms surrounding these various forms of children’s mass media. This 13-credit undergraduate certificate program is aimed at students who wish to step into the competitive professional children’s media industry after graduation.

Students will focus on the research, development and distribution of media content and platforms for children, including

• advertising,
• apps,
• commercials,
• journalism,
• marketing,
• podcasts,
• social media,
• streaming services and
• virtual reality.

In this undergraduate certificate program, you will advance your knowledge and skills as you develop content that reflects the diversity of all children, and integrates equity and inclusion in front of and behind the camera. Experiential learning opportunities through internships and field trips at companies specializing in children’s media will be provided throughout the program. Students will work with industry professionals in both the business and managerial aspects of children’s entertainment, as well as the technical production and development of the finished product.

Classes & Curriculum

The 13-credit Children’s Media Certificate program is made up of four required courses and an additional elective relating to children and media. The program may be completed in up to two years, with classes taught on 51¶¯Âþ’s Main Campus. Classes you will take as part of the program include the following. 

• Capstone in Children’s Media
• The Children’s Media Industry
• Media and its Effect on Children
• Representation in the Media

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Children’s Media Industry Program

Students can study the past, examine the present and explore the future trends of children’s entertainment in Los Angeles with Klein’s Children’s Media Industry program. Located in one of the entertainment capitals of the world, the program gives students an opportunity to learn about the global, multibillion-dollar kids entertainment industry growing on the West Coast. This immersive, three-credit summer program takes place over two weeks in May and allows students to get a close look at the industry by examining articles and scholarship on the topic, participating in on-site experiences at companies that create the content, and meeting with the executives who are deciding the future of children’s media. 

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Related Graduate Degrees

• Journalism MJ
• Media Studies and Production MA

Careers

As the children’s media market has grown exponentially with the expansion of the internet, social media and streaming services, graduates with expertise in the field are in high demand. Potential career paths for graduates of the Certificate Program in Children’s Media include the following.

• Author
• Communications associate
• Content creator
• Coordinator of team relationships and public relations
• Entertainment development and marketing manager
• Production assistant
• Video production assistant