Taylor Swift Now Has Courses at Harvard And University of Florida!

New college courses devoted to Taylor Swift are added for the upcoming 2024 academic year! Notably, Harvard, one of the world’s most renowned universities, will offer a class titled ‘Taylor Swift and Her World,’ while the University of Florida will present ‘Musical Storytelling With Taylor Swift and Other Iconic Female Artists.’

Scheduled for the spring semester, these courses delve into the multifaceted aspects of the 33-year-old pop sensation’s career.

Harvard’s English department instructor, Stephanie Burt, will lead students through an exploration of fan culture, celebrity dynamics, adolescence, adulthood, and appropriation. The curriculum will also encompass analyses of white texts, Southern texts, transatlantic texts and queer subtexts.

Also Read: How Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’ Revived Concert Films

Referencing Swift’s album titles, the course description on Harvard’s website promises an investigation into “illicit affairs and hoaxes, champagne problems and incomplete closure.”

Meanwhile, at the University of Florida, Melina Jimenez will guide students through “13 gorgeous weeks” of dissecting Taylor Swift’s discography, focusing on her timeless songwriting. The course description is peppered with song references and hints at discussions about Swift’s enchanting lyrics and their parallels with other works by influential female artists.

Themes such as “old flames, infidelity, ageing, and double standards” are set to be explored.

Also Read: ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’ Film’s Online Release Will Include 3 Extra Songs

Harvard and the University of Florida join a growing list of institutions offering courses centred around Taylor Swift. Other notable contributors to the trend include the University of Texas, Arizona State University, Stanford University, and UC Berkeley.

This surge in Swift-themed classes traces back to New York University’s pioneering Swift course, taught by Rolling Stone writer Brittany Spanos, which debuted last year. Swift’s association with the university was further solidified when she received an honorary doctorate and spoke at the spring 2022 commencement ceremony.

This academic recognition aligns with Swift’s recent successes, culminating in the conclusion of her Eras Tour in São Paulo, Brazil.

In 2023, the 12-time Grammy winner not only received six Recording Academy nominations but also secured 10 Billboard Music Awards. She also released two albums, ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’ and ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version),’ and reportedly attained billionaire status through her global Eras trek and accompanying concert film.

Also Read: How Taylor Swift’s Debut Album Propelled Her to Fame

Swift’s impact extends beyond the concert stage, as evidenced by the integration of her music into higher education. Alexandra Wormley, a PhD student at Arizona State University, highlights the unique value of Swift’s ballads as academic tools. She will be teaching ‘Psychology of Taylor Swift’ in the fall.

Universities worldwide, from Ghent University in Belgium to Stanford, offer Swift-themed courses ranging from literature to social psychology. These courses explore Swift’s lyrics, discography, and broader cultural impact.

This phenomenon aligns with the tradition of higher education delving into pop culture, whether it’s dissecting TikTok branding at Duke University, exploring #MeToo at Harvard, or analyzing social issues through Kendrick Lamar’s music in Georgia. From ‘Beyoncé Feminism, Rihanna Womanism’ at UT Austin to various ‘Harry Potter’-themed offerings, universities continue to find educational value in the cultural phenomena of our time.