Taylor Swift "more than just a pop star" at Alvernia University in Pennsylvania
READING, Pa. (CBS) -- At Alvernia University, class is in session. One, in particular, is focused on a famous Berks County native.
The T-shirts, laptop stickers and even friendship bracelets seen around the lecture hall might give the answer away, but we're talking about none other than Taylor Swift. The class is called, "Literature 420: Major Writers, Taylor's Version."
Jess Hamlet is the professor and "casual Swiftie" behind it all.
"We're not just thinking about Taylor's work in a vacuum, we're thinking about it in context of the world," Hamlet said.
Throughout the semester, 45 students are tasked with analyzing the songwriter, through her lyrics, music, interviews and the like while developing critical thinking skills.
As it reads in the syllabus, "This course aims to deconstruct, analyze and understand both the appeal and aversion to Taylor Swift."
"We're talking about her kind of as a person and as a writer, kind of from like an outside perspective, like looking in on her work as a piece of literature and looking at like the phenomenon that revolves around her," senior Sarah Mies said.
Some may say the class is a full-circle moment for the university. Swift went to Montessori school here growing up not far away from campus.
"I am indebted to the classes that have run on Taylor Swift at NYU, and Harvard and UT Austin," Hamlet said. "But Taylor Swift is from here, like, she grew up here."
Hamlet emphasizes the class is no easy "A," but for many taking the course, including Christine Benedict, it was an easy decision to enroll.
"Taylor Swift is more than just a pop star," Benedict said. "She's a really intelligent woman who has a lot of great ideas and a lot of talent. And that goes for a lot of pop stars, too. We don't give them enough credit."
Alvernia is offering the course to students for the first time this semester. The plan is to offer it again in the fall.
"It's a good way to get students excited about doing literary analysis," Hamlet said. "That's the whole idea is that I'm tricking them into learning through the medium of Taylor Swift."
The class invites the "Suburban Legend" to drop in on one of the lectures.
