It feels as if students just recently finished registering for classes this semester, and are already looking to register for their classes the upcoming fall semester.

What if, while looking through the course listings for the upcoming semester, you came across a class titled “Beyoncé?” That’s right, an entire class based on Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter.

Beyoncé is seen as a fascinating figure in popular culture right now. While taking on a music career and a family of her own, she is also a proactive women’s empowerment advocate. Beyoncé has said she is a “modern-day feminist.” So a class revolving around her would be perfect.

There are many students who would take this class, like freshman Gabrielle Castillo.

“Of course I would take the class; she is a courageous person who has been through a lot,”  Castillo said. “She is willing to always make mistakes to be a better person. I think it will give students a chance to learn about someone else other than people from the past.”

Even professors would be interested in a course about Beyoncé.

“A class that looked at that — that studied her work, her self-presentation and the conversations that go on around and about her — would be really interesting,” St. Edward’s professor Alex Barron said. “The class would end up focusing on gender, race, ‘appropriate’ depictions of sexuality, popular culture, motherhood and feminism.”

In a poll conducted around campus, an immense 41 out of 50 students would love to have the opportunity to take a class revolving around Beyoncé and her many achievements, for various reasons.

“Because it’s Queen B,” freshman Zach Bryant-Amos said. “To be in a room learning about the only female who can rule the world, and at the same time empower men and women alike through her music is an honor in itself.”

If St, Edward’s were to offer a class about Beyoncé, it would not be able to claim being first. According to Rolling Stone, Rutgers University is currently holding course revolving around Beyoncé called “politicizing Beyoncé,” which uses the pop star’s music and career to “explore American race, gender and sexual politics.”

This class would be more than just listening to her music, watching her music videos and looking at her achievements. Students would have the capability to learn about her triumphs and successes, as someone more than just an R&B singer.

“What people see in the public light is the onstage, famous singer version of Beyoncé,” Castillo said. “It would be nice for people to furthermore learn about her achievements such as the award from the New York Association of Black Journalists.”

According to Time Magazine, “there’s even a spoken word passage in “Flawless” from a Nigerian feminist that calls for young girls to ‘lean in’ and be more than someone’s wife. She sings about love and sex more boldly than ever, peppering those songs with messages about independence and motherhood.”

It would be refreshing to see St. Edward’s offer a class that would actually interest students, while also teaching them about the capability a person can have on a generation when it comes to empowerment and independence. 

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