TORONTO — A degree in fierceness? Not quite — but it’s now possible to study pop star Beyoncé at the University of Victoria.
MUS 391 A03: Beyoncé will be taught by Melissa Avdeeff, who wrote her Masters thesis on Beyoncé and has given academic talks on Justin Bieber and A Tribe Called Red.
According to a description online, the course requires “a lot of music listening, video watching, and critical thinking.”
Students will discuss authenticity in music, how Beyoncé’s use of social media ties into issues of fan/artist relationships, the role of female sexuality in pop music and whether Beyoncé is considered a black feminist woman.
“The class will position her in relationship to girl groups of the 60s,” reads the description. “From there, the course will follow her career trajectory through her development as a solo act, film star, and Jay-Z collaborator.”
Enrolment has already been increased from 70 to 100 spots to meet demand.
The Beyoncé course will begin in January.
The University of Victoria already offers a course in the Beatles. It is also not the first post-secondary institution to offer a course in Beyoncé — Rutgers University in New Jersey has one.
The University of South Carolina offered a course entitled Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame and New York’s Skidmore College is currently running The Sociology of Miley Cyrus: Race, Class, Gender and Media.
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