Education for the management of social networks in communication degrees in Spain and its suitability for skills demanded by organizations

Abstract

The main objective of this research paper is to carry out a detailed analysis of the educational curriculum of social media management in communication degrees at Spanish universities within the framework of the EHEA, as well as to verify whether the curricular content and methodology meet the needs of the labor market linked to different job profiles related to community management. Regarding the research methodology used, three analysis techniques have been selected to achieve the proposed objectives and to verify the hypotheses, and for this reason we have used a methodological triangulation for the study in order to give validity to the results. These results have been grouped according to different criteria, from the specificity and nature of the subjects analyzed to the course in which they are taught. In this analysis, we have attempted to determine whether the subjects that include theoretical or practical contents regarding social media communication allow for the acquisition of the specific skills required for optimum employability of graduates in professions related to the management of marketing communications on these platforms. All of the above has led us to the main conclusion, which is that Spanish universities do not include specific subjects in social networks in a cross-curricular way in their degree programs. Furthermore, we must mention the fact that universities that offer specific subjects related to social networks do not adapt the design of these educational programs to the needs of companies in terms of the content they include and the skills they help their students to develop Keywords

Keywords

• University-industry collaboration
• university degree
• communication
• community manager
• social networks