Conde
Nast
publishes some of the most iconic magazines in the industry, such as The New
Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Vogue. Those magazines and others may soon be part of
a master’s program, according to a report in Inside Higher Education.
The publisher has partnered with colleges
and universities to create an accredited certificate program in media studies,
and eventually wants to develop a master’s degree program. The plan calls for Conde
Nast
writers and publishers to contribute expertise and content as part of an interactive
online and in-person component to a program to be launched by fall 2015.
“For a media company, if you look at the
economics of that, increasingly you want to be able to diversify your revenue
streams,” Michael Moe, an analyst for GSV Capital, told National Public Radio.
“I think it’s a natural extension of the brand and the intellectual capital
within that brand.”
Conde
Nast
already offers the Vogue Fashion Certificate for students of the Conde Nast
College of Fashion and Design in London. Higher ed partners for this new
initiative have yet to be identified, but Jill Bright, chief administrative
officer, considers allowing editors and writers to share content expertise for
credit the “natural next step” for the company.
“We think our brands have a far-reaching
influence and would like to use that in a positive way to educate people,” she
said.
