Attention Swifties! Auckland University of Technology launches course on Taylor Swift

NEW DELHI: Auckland University of Technology’s (AUT) School of Communication Studies has launched a summer school course - ‘Taylor Swift: Communications Professional’, marking Australasia’s first university-level course with the global pop icon. The course will critically analyse Taylor Swift’s 18-year career through the lens of modern communications disciplines, the university said in a statement.

The course will be offered from November 18 to December 13; which coincides with Taylor Swift’s 35th birthday. The course will be held three days a week at the AUT’s city campus. Based on the enrollment, the university may also offer the course online for those who are unable to attend in person.

The new course was launched after receiving an overwhelming response from high-school students and fans alike in Swiftposium, an academic conference held in February 2024, to critically examine Swift’s global impact.

Highlighting Taylor Swift’s mastery of communication as a driving force behind her media success, Senior lecturer Rebecca Trelease said: “Throughout her career, Taylor Swift has demonstrated excellence in lyrics, music, and a curated image of a pop culture phenomenon.” “What must also be examined is Swift’s prowess as a communications professional, the backbone to curating and maintaining her career in the media, ” Trelease said.

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Who is eligible?

“The Taylor Swift: Communications Professional course will allow students to learn and apply communications theory to Swift’s body of work. From analysing her visual and audio content to critiquing her branding strategies, the course offers students a unique opportunity to understand communication principles through the lens of a globally dominant figure in pop culture,” the official statement read.

Anyone from high school students to professionals will be eligible to apply for the course. “We’re thrilled to offer a course that reflects the cultural relevance of Taylor Swift while equipping students with the tools to analyse and apply communication strategies in their own careers,” it said.