The Division of Continuing Education and Professional Studies will be offering a series of workshops dedicated to social media at Seton Hall starting Saturday, Sept. 22.
The course, "Mastering Your Professional Social Network Presence," consists of five 3-hour sessions focusing on communicating via social media outlets such as blogs, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and others, according to the Dean of Continuing Education and Professional Studies Dr. Nancy Low-Hogan.
Low-Hogan said while the class is open to all level of students, it is geared more toward professionals, small business owners and people looking to own a business.
Low-Hogan added that the workshops will be taught by Seton Hall professors with specialties in the subjects of the course.
According to the course's website, "this program explains social media in a practical and simple way and enables individuals to develop the expertise necessary for understanding and using social media effectively."
Each Saturday, a different subject will be addressed at the workshops, also according to the website.
"They're going to get more of an overview in the first session (and go over) all the different ways that social media can be used to help somebody promote their own image or their own business," Low-Hogan said.
The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the instructor of the first session Dr. Joseph Martinelli said, "The attendees will formulate a plan of action for how they want to use social media and by the end of the three hour session will walk away with a visual map of what they want to achieve with social media."
According to Martinelli, the second session, Communicate and Collaborate Through Blogs and Wikis elaborates on the creation and usage of blogs to the business owner's advantage.
"This session will be very hands on focused, which should prove to be quite fun," Martinelli said.
The courses will also ask the students what they are looking for in terms of social media and also will show them how it can help them in their future business dealings, according to Low-Hogan.
Low-Hogan said they will be tailored to help the individuals with their specific situations.
"Somebody might walk into one of these workshops and say 'I own a women's clothing apparel shop in Summit and I'm gearing my clothes towards the (people in their 20s and 30s) and I know that they use social media. So how can I use social media to advertise my clothing business?" Low-Hogan said.
According to Low-Hogan, the class costs $500 for the five course certificate program or $150 per workshop.
"Down the road, we are going to be looking at discounting certain programs for current Seton Hall students," Low-Hogan said.
After completing all five courses, students will receive a non-credit certificate in social media through CEPS, according to Low-Hogan.
Low-Hogan said this will be the second time this course is offered. It was first made available in the summer of 2011.
According to Low-Hogan, the class may be offered again depending on the feedback of the students.
Low-Hogan said the other possibility would be a part two to the class if there is enough positive response.
Workshops will be held on Saturday Sept. 22, 29, Oct. 6, 13 and 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Registration for the course can be done in person in the CEPS office located on the third floor in Mooney Hall or on the CEPS website.
Tiffany Do can be reached at tiffany.do@student.shu.edu.
