College and University Blog
Pop Culture In The Classroom
Classes with an academic focus on topics normally associated with leisure time are gaining popularity on college campuses across the country. This trend has cropped up in many departments, tackling a broad range of issues – from shopping and TV to sports and music.
Everyday culture is important in that it tells us a lot about ourselves. It can also be a jumping off point for further academic study. Pop culture classes are an attempt to engage a wider audience.
Despite what seems like light subject matter, these classes ask a lot from their students. They may be applying pop culture to social issues or realizing the economic impact of a music genre. These are serious classes that require serious work. Initial opposition from parents and administrators is dwindling as this becomes apparent.
“The Beatles: Their Music and Their Life” has been taught at USC by Professor Bill Biersach since the late ’80s. Biersach was teaching a recording class when he realized that a number of the innovative techniques that he was teaching his students about could be traced back to the Beatles. Biersach presented his idea for a class to the university