The Movieline Nine

THE MOVIELINE NINE

9 College Courses Based On Popular TV Shows

Written by Julie Miller | 03 Nov 2009, 12:20 PM | 5 comments

One of the most important college goals is to craft the perfect schedule — a delicate balance between ballbusting Organic Chemistry labs and the 90-minute nap found in any course containing “Postmodern,” “Literary” or “Criticism” in its title. From the lowliest junior college to the corridors of the Ivy League, course selection can make or break a semester. With its endowment in a freefall, Harvard has decided to throw a Hail Mary in that direction by offering a new Sociology course with HBO’s The Wire as its central text. For all the students wait-listed by the big H or without the proper familial connections to get over the Longfellow Bridge, you can feel content knowing that students in Cambridge are doing exactly what you do every Saturday: Rolling up a gram of mid-grade, watching David Simon’s magnum opus and eventually making a Taco Bell run. Only those Crimson losers have to take notes.

But Harvard isn’t the first school making use of the idiot box in the classroom. Your proof arrives in today’s Movieline Nine.

SouthPark175.jpg9. South Park and Political Correctness
Institution: CUNY’s Brooklyn College
Department: TV and Radio
Course Description: After watching episodes of the Comedy Central program and completing academic reading assignments, students will participate in lively discussions about the show’s relevant topics, including assisted suicide, war and religion, without any concern for offending classmates since all offensive viewpoints have been taken by the show.


SoapOpera175.jpg8. Daytime Serials: Family and Social Roles
Institution: University of Wisconsin
Department: Family and Consumer Communications
Course Description: Analysis of the themes and characters that populate television’s daytime serials and investigation of what impact these portrayals have on women’s and men’s roles in the family and in the work place. The course will compare and contrast prime-time programs with daytime serials for these themes.


StarTrek175.jpg7. Philosophy and Star Trek
Institution: Georgetown University
Department: Philosophy
Course Description: An investigation of the major philosophical questions that come up again and again in Star Trek. Students will watch the television series, read excerpts from the writings of great philosophers, isolate key concepts and then analyze arguments like “Is time travel possible?” and “What is a person?”
Note: Muhlenberg College offers an entry level theology class called The Religions of Star Trek.

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Tagged: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, JUDGE JUDY, STAR TREK, THE MUPPETS, THE SIMPSONS, WWE

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Comments

From jay | Reply
Posted 03 Nov 2009, 1:12 PM

Susquehanna University has a sociology course on LOST.

From Yan Xishan | Reply
Posted 03 Nov 2009, 1:41 PM

Of these courses, only the Wrestling one seems to have academic integrity. Still, I would attend class dressed like Macho Man Randy Savage. I am sure I could horse collar some MIT geek chick to accompany me as Miss. Elizabeth.

From AB | Reply
Posted 03 Nov 2009, 10:37 PM

I go to Oberlin, and the Buffy class isn't in the Media and Literature Department. It's a 0-1 credit course taught by students.

From electric cigarette | Reply
Posted 04 Nov 2009, 10:19 AM

HAHAHA this is awesome.

From Paul H. Farley | Reply
Posted 27 Jan 2010, 7:31 AM

This was a very interesting article. It's nice in today's internet when someone takes the time to write a well written post that convey's real writing ability. Thanks again for the good read!

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Avatar 20th C Fox
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Legion Sony
$17.5M
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Book Of Eli Warner
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Tooth Fairy 20th C Fox
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Lovely Bones Paramount
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Sherlock Holmes Warner
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Extraordinary Measures CBS
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Spy Next Door Lionsgate
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Data courtesy of Rentrak