UNK knows Taylor Swift’s fans “All too Well” by offering an online English course in the fall focused on Swift herself. Amanda Sladek, English professor, tells us details on what students taking the course can expect and look forward to.
Sladek said students will go beyond her songs to talk about the news and controversies around her, and how she went from a small country singer to a huge star. Gender, privacy, copyright and culture are a few other topics that students can expect to discuss. It’s not just about her music – topics will also be about how fans see her and how the media talks about her as well. Students can expect the eight-week course to be fast-paced and move through each subject quickly.
Brianna White, advertising and public relations junior, was in need of filling some electives and registered for the course.
“I am beyond excited to take this class in the fall,” White said. “Taylor Swift is not just a huge inspiration to me, but to a lot of people, and getting to learn about her for credit is even better. It’s like merging a passion of mine with academics in the best possible way.”
The goal for this course is to go beyond typical literature topics such as books and poetry and dive into a subject that is more casual that Generation Z is more likely to enjoy.
English department chair Beissel Heath suggested the topic of Taylor Swift and Sladek jumped on teaching the course immediately.
“I am a Swiftie,” Sladek said. “I don’t think she’s perfect, nobody is. There is room for criticism as there is with everything. I think we can love somebody and have room for critique, but yes I am a Swiftie.”
The goal for this class is to not only be offered in the fall but continue to offer mini sessions just like this one in future semesters.
“This course is not just for Swiftes,” Sladek said. “It is for people who don’t know anything about her or who don’t know what the hype is about. I have one student considering taking the course because he is a Chiefs fan. It really is for everybody.”
This class is a different kind of English class, focusing on a modern topic that lots of people find interesting. By looking at Taylor Swift’s story, students will learn about today’s celebrity culture and how the media shapes society’s views of famous people.
