Harvard College to Roll Out a Course Devoted to Taylor Swift

If you know the lyrics of “Cruel Summer” by heart and know every easter egg in a Taylor Swift song, it is time to take your knowledge to the academic level. Harvard University is soon going to launch a course titled ‘Taylor Swift and Her World’ that will delve into her music, lyrics and cultural impact.

While the prestigious university is preparing to offer an in-depth study of the global music icon’s works, it is not the only educational institution to fulfil the “Wildest Dreams” of Swifties. The University of Florida is also setting up a new course with Swift at its core.

More about the new courses based on Taylor Swift’s music, songs and cultural effect

Harvard University’s course on Taylor Swift

Led by English department instructor Professor Stephanie Burt, the course will focus on fan culture, celebrity culture, adolescence, adulthood and appropriation. It will also examine various approaches to “white texts, Southern texts, transatlantic texts and queer subtexts”, according to The Harvard Crimson.

The course description on the university’s website also states, “We will learn how to think about illicit affairs, and hoaxes, champagne problems and incomplete closure.”

“We are lucky enough to be living in a time when one of our major artists is also one of the most famous people on the planet. Why would you not have a course on that?” Burt told The Harvard Crimson, highlighting the significance of such courses in today’s era.

The course will also look into the details of The Eras Tour and how Swift, as a cultural figure, has impacted other rising artists and writers, viz-a-viz the youth. The massive success of the tour and her burgeoning band of Swifties across the globe are catalysts in prompting such eminent universities to offer a course on her.

University of Florida’s course on Taylor Swift

The course on the star singer-cum-songwriter at the University of Florida is titled ‘Musical Storytelling with Taylor Swift and Other Iconic Female Artists.’

Spearheaded by Melina Jimenez, it comprises “13 gorgeous weeks of discussing Taylor Swift’s discography, with a focus on her evergreen songwriting,” reports Billboard. It has a wider discourse and includes other noted artists like Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday and Dolly Parton.

Other artists who have courses on them

According to Variety, New York University’s Clive Davis Institute launched its first-ever course on Taylor Swift in 2022. It was taught by Rolling Stone writer Brittany Spanos between 26 January and 9 March. Later, Swift received an honorary doctorate from the university.

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While Taylor Swift is a force majeure in the current era of music and entertainment, she is not the only music star with dedicated courses. According to Wion, Texas State University previously offered a course on Harry Styles, UC Berkley introduced a course on Nicki Minaj, and San Diego State University taught a course on Bad Bunny.

(Main and feature image credit: Taylor Swift/ Instagram)

This article was first published in Lifestyle Asia Bangkok.