Taylor Swift has become a popular subject at colleges and universities in less than two years, with students learning about her songwriting and poetry. (Photo Credit: Instagram)
The course teaches students communication principles via the prism of a globally powerful personality in pop culture, from assessing Taylor Swift’s visual and auditory content to critiquing her branding methods.
The Auckland University of Technology (AUT), New Zealand has announced the commencement of a summer school course on Taylor Swift, the US pop singer. ‘Taylor Swift: Communications Professional’ is Australia’s first university-level course with the global pop icon. The course teaches students communication principles via the prism of a globally powerful personality in pop culture, from assessing her visual and auditory content to critiquing her branding methods.
In recent years, there has been a considerable cultural shift in traditional college courses. College courses on pop sensations such as Beyoncé or Rihanna have become somewhat common, with teachers employing the musical powerhouses to spark a conversation about race and culture. Furthermore, Taylor Swift is bringing literary lessons, which frequently centre on 18th-century poets, into mainstream culture.
Swift has become a popular subject at colleges and universities in less than two years, with students learning about her songwriting and poetry. Enlisted here are universities that offer Taylor Swift courses, and if you’re a fan, you might consider applying there.
Ghent University, Belgium
Ghent University in Belgium is providing a course titled ‘Literature: Taylor’s Version. According to the syllabus, students will study English literature through Swift’s songs and delve deeply into the tropes, allusions and intertexts. The course covers her musical and literary genres, textual strategies, and how she uses her music to build a dynamic public persona, among other topics.
Stanford University, United States
The course named ‘Storytelling with Taylor Swift Through the Eras in 2023’ attempts to apply literary analysis tools to her lyrics to obtain fresh insights into her complex music, according to the University’s website. As a student-initiated course, Swift’s musical storytelling and literary lyrics will continue to be the primary focus.
University of Missouri, United States
MU offers Taylor Swift’s Songs: Taylor Swiftory History and Literature. This course examines her music through the lens of history and literature. Her songs are utilised as primary sources to investigate historical and literary subjects such as pop culture and celebrity histories, the deeper meaning of lyrics, and so on.
Harvard University, United States
The University of Harvard’s Department of English has announced a course titled “Taylor Swift and Her World.” Registration for the course is now open for the Spring 2025 term. Originally launched in 2023, the course explores Taylor Swift’s music, lyrics, and cultural impact.
New York University, United States
In 2022, New York University introduced its first course to help students understand Taylor Swift’s musical career and entrepreneurial ability. To comprehend Swift’s inspiration, the course involves a look at the country’s pop cultural past. She was asked to be a guest speaker during one of her lectures to teach students.
Arizona University, United States
The ‘Psychology of Taylor Swift’ course at Arizona University includes advanced areas in social psychology based on themes from her songs and public persona.
Berklee College of Music
The music institution launched a course titled Songs of Taylor Swift. This course will talk about Swift’s evolution through her albums, her lyricism, and the production of her songs.
In addition, the University of Texas offers the Taylor Swift Songbook, while the University of Delaware offers Taylor Swift and the American Dream.
