Yale University to offer course on Beyonce but Internet wonders how it will ‘contribute to society’

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT: Yale University is introducing a new course on the profound influence of Beyonce on contemporary society from the spring semester of 2025.

According to Yale Daily News, Professor Daphne Brooks, who teaches African American Studies and music, is introducing a course titled, Beyonce Makes History: Black Radical Tradition History, Culture, Theory & Politics through Music from the upcoming Spring Semester, 2025. 

The class will predominantly examine the ‘Cowboy Carter’ singer’s impact on the social and political aspects of Black history.

Yale University course will examine Beyonce’s work from 2013 to 2024

According to the publication, the students who will be enrolling to the course will study and examine Beyonce's huge canon of work from 2013 to 2024 aiming to study Black history, intellectual thought, and performance.

It has also been reported that the course heavily draws on Brooks’ previous class at Princeton University titled Black Women in Popular Music Culture, which was largely focused on Beyonce’s cultural impact. 

Gushing about her course, Brooks said, “Those classes were always overenrolled,” before adding, “And there was so much energy around the focus on Beyonce, even though it was a class that starts in the late 19th century and moves through the present day.”

Talking about her inspiration, Professor Brooks further added, “I always thought I should come back to focusing on her and centering her work pedagogically at some point.” 

Brooks also noted that the 2024 US election and the events leading to the election have collectively proven that the ‘Halo’ singer’s contribution to the popular culture and global culture is undeniable. 

“[This class] seemed good to teach because [Beyonce] is just so ripe for teaching at this moment in time,” added the professor before continuing, “The number of breakthroughs and innovations she’s executed and the way she’s interwoven history and politics and really granular engagements with Black cultural life into her performance aesthetics and her utilization of her voice as a portal to think about history and politics — there’s just no one like her.”

Brooks also explained why her course would include Beyonce’s later works as opposed to her previous compositions. 

The professor explained, “2013 was really such a watershed moment in which she articulated her beliefs in Black feminism.

"In 'Flawless', it was the first time a pop artist had used sound bites from a Black feminist like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It became more about ‘We are going to produce club bangers that are also galvanizing our ability to think radically about the state of liberation'."

Throughout the course, the students would also be engaging in pedagogy surrounding Black female experience in media and politics with reference to the pop star. 

Internet trolls Yale University's Beyonce-themed course

The internet, nevertheless, did not find the concept of the course on Beyonce's work enticing enough.

One social media user said, "I promise u no one is enrolling into this course😭." 

Someone else added, "Nobody is going to study this btw."

"Anyone who takes that deserves to work a job they hate for 40 years," said another jaded user.

One individual chimed in, "My question is what degree do you get by doing these courses and do you have to pay to study this course."

Someone else sarcastically joked about the course's title, saying, "That title is not going to fit on my Resume."

"And people wonder why they leave uni and can't get a job," chimed in another.

A user noted, "Exploring cultural impact through music is interesting, but will it offer any deeper insights or just glorify celebrity."

"These classes are always joke clasess people take for Easy As. No one actually gives AF about them 🤣🤣🤣," said another displeased user.

"And this is preparing people to contribute to society, how?" questioned another netizen.

One person quipped sarcastically, "Yes this course will help me get hired 🥴."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.