The 11 Coolest University Courses You Never Knew Existed
By
Renée Tse
Date September 30, 2016
ICYMI Beyoncé fans, the University of Texas in San Antonio is now offering a class on all things Lemonade. Titled Black Women, Beyoncé & Popular Culture, the course was developed by Professor Kinitra D. Brooks, an associate professor at University of Texas who specializes in contemporary African-American and Afro-Caribbean literature and black feminism. Here’s our fave part from the syllabus:
“You do not have to be the smartest, most well read student in the university. You do not have to be the best writer. You do not have to be a member of the Beyhive. I simply ask that you are willing to be uncomfortable–to have your thoughts and ideas challenged–and then to work/read/write your way through that un-comfortability in order to become a stronger critical thinker.”
Maybe you’ve been out of school for a couple of years, but there are actually a lot of cool university and college courses (Harry Potter! Mad Men! Mean Girls!) that would have anybody begging to go back to the exam days. Dreamed about studying Miley Cyrus? There’s a course for that. Obsessed with Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones and Hunger Games? There are classes for all of those, FYI.
Flip through to see 10 other cool university and college courses you never thought ever existed. Oh, if only we can turn back time.
Our Modern Medieval: George R.R Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” and Contemporary Medievalism
Where: University of British Columbia
Course description: Studying the works of George R.R Martin’s Game of Thrones as the core text, students will be examining how medieval history has been reimagined in current times. Watching the series is not a prerequisite, but it’s highly recommended.
The Hunger Games: Class, Politics, and Marketing
Where: American University
Course description: Using the trilogy as a case study, this course examines and discusses the main themes (oppression, feminism and social media marketing—to name a few) of Suzanne Collin’s fictional dystopian world.
Breaking Down “Breaking Bad”
Where: SUNY Buffalo
Course description: Listed under media studies, this seminar not only explores the single narrative arc and the characters, but will also invite keynote speakers like law professors and reps from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Kanye Versus Everybody: Black Poetry and Poetics from Hughes to Hip-Hop
Where: Georgia State University
Course description: Using Kanye as a case study, the class examines and decodes his works and interviews to help understand Black American literature and poetry, as well as hip-hop. The course also delves into Kanye as an artist and public figure.
Fragrance Marketing and Management
Where: Savannah College of Art and Design
Course description: Explores the importance of fragrances and the role they play in the fashion industry and looks into why certain fragrances are marketed the way they are.
Queen Bees, Wannabes and Mean Girls
Where: Colorado College
Course description: According to the syllabus, the course “explores the means and motives behind why women seek authority and the actions they are willing to take in order to hold onto it.” The 2004 film Mean Girls will be one of the mandatory course readings.
The Sociology of Miley Cyrus: Race, Class, Gender and Media
Where: Skidmore College
Course description: A special topics summer course under the sociology pillar, exploring the pop star’s behaviour in the public persona.
The Many Faces of Harry Potter
Where: Western University
Course description: Studying the works of J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the English course explores how the novels relate to different literature genres like gothic novels and detective mysteries and compares it to other novels and short stories with similar themes.
Mad Men
Where: UC Berkeley
Course description: A two-unit English course run by two fourth-year students in the campus’ DeCal program, the course consists of each day discussing a particular episode with the addition of supplementary readings and open discussion.
Feminist Perspectives: Politicizing Beyoncé
 that would have anybody begging to go back to the exam days. Dreamed about studying Miley Cyrus? There’s a course for that. Obsessed with Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones and Hunger Games? There are classes for all of those, FYI.
Flip through to see 10 other cool university and college courses you never thought ever existed. Oh, if only we can turn back time.
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