Rutgers University to offer a class on Beyoncé

Do you ever find yourself thinking about Beyoncé’s ability to inspire social change? If you do and you’re also a Rutgers University student, you can transform those musings into legitimate college credits!

Politicizing Beyoncé is taught by Kevin Allred, a doctoral student and lecturer in Rutgers’ Department of Women’s and Gender Studies. He told the university’s website his goal is to help students think critically about pop culture.

“It’s important to shift students away from simply being consumers of media,” said Lecturer Allred. “When students don’t respond to theory or dense readings, it’s often easier to see things play out in the world around them.”

Although Beyoncé is the focal point, Lecturer Allred said discussions will touch on general black feminism, abolitionist Sojourner Truth and other recording artists.

There is some precedent: The University of Illinois offered a class on Oprah, Syracuse University had a course on Lil’ Kim and Georgetown University continues to offer a class on Beyoncé’s husband, Jay Z.