Corporations are courting social-network-savvy grads. Here’s how top business schools are meeting the demand: 

Harvard Business School, Columbia University and other business schools are adding Internet marketing and social media courses to their MBA curricula. It’s a strategy to boost graduate placement rates and prepare students for careers in promising marketing and tech fields.

By recruiting MBAs with social media skills, companies are hoping to tap into online networks to learn brand sentiments, improve customer service and spot new marketing opportunities.

By educating grad students in social media skills, the schools are hoping to give their graduates the social media skills their employers are looking for – and may not have themselves.

Students know it, too. At Harvard University last fall, the course “Competing with Social Networks” drew 172 enrollees – three students for every available seat.

Columbia University is prepping for the demand, adding “Social Media” and “Media and Technology” courses to its current roster of Internet marketing courses.

What’s your school doing to give students social networking skills? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Tags: Columbia University, Harvard Business School, social networking