GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Fifteen University of Florida students were "Ready for it" when they signed up for a one-hour Honors Program class called: "Musical storytelling with Taylor Swift and other iconic female artists."
Like getting tickets for her concerts, seats for the class were tough to obtain as they were filled in 10 seconds when early registration opened for the spring semester on Oct. 24, according to The Alligator in Gainesville.
The 13-week course will examine the singer’s discography, according to the university website.
According to the court description, students will "draw parallels between Swift's enchanting lyrics and works by other famous female masterminds such as Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, and Dolly Parton," the course description says, by analyzing themes such as "old flames, infidelity, aging, and double standards."
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"I wanted to see what all the buzz is about," Melina Jimenez, an associate instructional professor at the UF English Language Institute, told The Alligator. "It made me want to create a space where students could talk about it."
Though not a "Swiftie," she said became impressed with her in-depth lyrics after participating in an online writing workshop this summer dedicated to Swift’s music and writing style. Her song "Ready for It" was released as part of her sixth studio album in 2017.
"People have very strong reactions because she's a woman," Jimenez said. "She can sing about a topic and a man can sing about a topic and she gets all the hate, where men don’t get any reaction at all."
Berklee College of Music in Boston, Stanford University and New York University also offer Swift classes.
Graduate students at the University of Miami can explore her approach to intellectual property as part of an entertainment law degree.
