College classes are tweeting—on behalf of brands that sponsor them

Several major companies are partnering with universities to receive students’ input and help for their online marketing efforts.

It’s a time to matriculate, to experiment, to get rip-roaring drunk, and to—tweet for major brands?

The Wall Street Journal reports that businesses—such as Sprint, Levi Strauss, and Mattel—are sponsoring college classes and graduate-level research to help with their online marketing.

“Universities, in some cases, receive funding or proprietary consumer data from companies for their research. Students get experience they can display on their résumés, and add lively classes to the usual mix of lectures and written exams … The partnerships are emerging as businesses are scurrying to bolster their ability to engage with their customers on the Web by using Facebook, Twitter and the like.”

How does this work in the classroom? Here’s one example.

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