What does a student need to complete college? Paper, pens, books… and, apparently, Beyoncé.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, arguably one of the world’s most notable musicians, will be the subject of a new course at Yale University. “Beyoncé Makes History: Black Radical Tradition, Culture, Theory & Politics Through Music” will be a single-credit class at the Ivy League school, starting in Spring 2025. The course, led by African American Studies Professor Daphne Brooks, will examine the pop icon’s overall career, her engagement in social and political views, and her undeniable influence on modern world culture.
Brooks believes that Beyoncé embodies black feminism, social consciousness, and all-encompassing artistry, taking form far beyond the stardom she has garnered over the past three decades.
“Other artists have not embraced intersectional political and historical work like Beyoncé has,” Brooks said in an interview with Yale Daily News. Brooks goes on: “And that’s not to pit them against each other; it’s just to make a point about what institutions choose to value and what they often disregard, and it’s often people of color and especially women of color’s artistic achievements. So, that’s why this class needed to happen right now.”
Materials used in the class include Beyoncé’s complete discography, spanning from her 2013 self-titled album to her most recent release, Cowboy Carter. Students will view screenings of her visual albums, utilize archives in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, and build public humanities projects designed to study Beyoncé’s impact on the Black experience.
Although Yale is implementing a crash course on Queen Bey into their course catalog, the University certainly isn’t the first to do it. Arizona State University, the University of Texas at San Antonio, Rutgers University, and California Polytechnic State University, to name a few, have all gathered around the Beehive to use Beyoncé as a teaching mechanism for race, feminism, and activism. While mentioning Beyonce’s costumes, choreography, and imagery used in the 2016 visual album Lemonade, Dr. Rachel Fedock, a faculty member from Arizona State University says utilizing Beyoncé’s catalog of work is, “a powerful and popular way to get students engaged.” Riché Richardson, professor of African American literature at Cornell University and the creator of a class called “Beyoncénation,” conducted a class inspecting Beyoncé’s impact on the cultures of fashion, music, business, and motherhood.
“Beyoncé has made a profound impact on national femininity,” Richardson told USA TODAY. “It’s interesting because traditionally, for Black women, there’s been this sense that there are certain hardships that they have encountered, and therefore marriage and education have been seen as being mutually exclusive.”
There’s plenty to discuss during a Beyoncé masterclass, as the megastar continues to raise the standards of exceptional entertainment and break records within the industry. The pop star recently made history by becoming the most nominated artist in Grammy history, after securing 11 nominations during the 2025 Grammy Award Nominations ceremony. Surpassing her husband, Jay-Z, who’s been nominated 88 times, Beyoncé has now been nominated 99 times. Even better, Beyoncé’s country album, Cowboy Carter, is nominated for Album of the Year, making it her first time receiving nominations in both Country and Americana categories.
The 2025 Grammy Awards will air live on CBS and Paramount+ on Feb. 2, 2025, from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA.
As time progresses, Beyoncé’s legacy continues to convey the story of a woman who exemplifies nothing less than excellence.
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