The University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication is adding a unique offering to its curriculum, a special topics course centered on American pop singer Taylor Swift.
The course will be available to Broadcast Media Arts and Studies students during the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. The course will be taught by Dr. Cherish Aileen Brillon.
“The Department of Broadcast Communication is offering a Special Topics in Broadcasting class this coming semester on Taylor Swift. Dr. Cherish Brillon will be handling the class,” the college said in an announcement on Facebook.
The special topics course will focus on the pop icon’s music, past relationships, personal life, and fandom and how they can be used to explain the relationship of the media with class, politics, gender, race, and several other topics.
UP is not the first university to explore the cultural impact of Swift’s artistry.
Following the lead of institutions like Harvard, Stanford, and New York University, UP joins the growing trend of academic appreciation for pop culture icons.
Professor Alwin Aguirre, chair of UP Department of Broadcast Communication, also hinted at future celebrity-centric courses focusing on a Philippine perspective, including one on the Pinoy pop group SB19.