Dr. Taylor Swift

[natshar]

When has she legitimately had time to go to college? She's been very busy for most of her life since she like 15. During the pandemic she wrote and recorded at least 3 albums and directed one of her music videos.

I agree. She planned on graduating public school and even was going to public school at the beginning of her fame. But then she switched to online high school but I heard she even graduated from that early. I agree with tour, directing music videos, writing songs, etc. there is no time for a degree.

[bluebooger]

NYU is ridiculous

"Spanos is currently teaching a course about Swift at New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. The class, which began on January 26 and runs through March 6, critically examines Swift's career in relation to such topics as songwriting, musical influences, the music industry, feminism and race.
...
among other things students will learn about the politics of race in contemporary popular music, and to interrogate whiteness as it relates to Swift’s politics, songwriting, worldview and interactions with the wider cultural world around her."

what a load of garbage

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidchiu/2...361b7d6b4a

and I bet some students took out loans to pay for this degree and course
morons

students loans should NEVER be granted for these degrees

[ss20ts]

NYU is ridiculous

"Spanos is currently teaching a course about Swift at New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. The class, which began on January 26 and runs through March 6, critically examines Swift's career in relation to such topics as songwriting, musical influences, the music industry, feminism and race.  
...
among other things students will learn about the politics of race in contemporary popular music, and to interrogate whiteness as it relates to Swift’s politics, songwriting, worldview and interactions with the wider cultural world around her."

what a load of garbage

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidchiu/2...361b7d6b4a

and I bet some students took out loans to pay for this degree and course      
morons

students loans should NEVER be granted for these degrees

I highly doubt any NYU students care what you or any of us think. The class filled up almost instantly so clearly someone at NYU was interested in the class. Lots of schools have odd fun classes like this. UMPI has an English class about Zombies. Excelsior had a class on vampires in literature. Degrees have general electives and these courses fill them. Why can't there be a fun class here and there? There's another thread about Coopersmith offering a class on the History of Ice Cream and the History of Food Trucks. Apparently people like to have some fun in life. Who knew!

[jsd]

a music institute offering a pop music course? good heavens, let me clutch my pearls

[ss20ts]

a music institute offering a pop music course? good heavens, let me clutch my pearls

I'm crying from laughing at this comment. The pearls just....ROFL

[Jonathan Whatley]

Who knows, if she never showed up, what could've been

[Alpha]

NYU is ridiculous

"Spanos is currently teaching a course about Swift at New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. The class, which began on January 26 and runs through March 6, critically examines Swift's career in relation to such topics as songwriting, musical influences, the music industry, feminism and race.  
...
among other things students will learn about the politics of race in contemporary popular music, and to interrogate whiteness as it relates to Swift’s politics, songwriting, worldview and interactions with the wider cultural world around her."

what a load of garbage

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidchiu/2...361b7d6b4a

and I bet some students took out loans to pay for this degree and course      
morons

students loans should NEVER be granted for these degrees

I have never taught at the college level and I'm unlikely to do so.  I think there are two main objectives in a course like this.  The first is to develop the ability to read critically, analyze text, etc.  The second is to learn to write concisely, expressing thoughts, philosophies, etc.  It's possible to do both using virtually any subject as the vehicle.  It might be Taylor Swift or model railroading.  It could be literature of any genre.  The value is in the skill development.  The fact that the subject is Taylor Swift only makes the skill development a bit more fun and engages some people in the skill building who may not have done so otherwise.  It's unfortunate that you can't disagree with someone without being insulting.

[Jonathan Whatley]

The haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.

[Johann]

As honorary doctorates go this is one of the more deserved ones.

Am I saying this out of skepticism about honorary doctorates, or out of respect for Tay? Both.

Yay Dr. Swift! In Britain, if you make a significant contribution in any field, including music - you can get knighted. Here - you can get an Honorary Doctorate. Means about the same - ultimate props for what you've given the world. I can't  see any legit reason to be a naysayer on these, at least for musicians. For politicians --- sure. They shall inherit nothing. All of them. 

One of my favourite musicians for the last 60+ years, the late B.B. King, the famous Bluesman, who died in 2015, held four honorary doctorates. Google lists them:

B.B. Has received four honorary doctorates: Tougaloo (Mississippi) College (L.H.D.) in 1973; Yale University (D. Music) in 1977; Berklee College of Music (D. Music) in 1982; and Rhodes College of Memphis (D. Fine Arts) in 1990.

I could, with a little more research, cite probably at least 200 musicians - jazz, blues, pop, whose work I personally like, who have received honorary degrees. And I think every one of them is well-deserved. And those whose work I don't really care for - they deserve theirs too. They have their own appreciative audiences. De gustibus non est disputandum an' all that. 

[Alpha]

Here's another opinion about this honorary degree
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/ro...-rcna29804