Swiftie in school
UC offers unique course dedicated to Taylor Swift
For the second year in a row, the University of Cincinnati is offering a course that puts a pop-culture twist on philosophy. The class, Taylor Swift and Philosophy, explores the deeper meanings behind Swift’s lyrics and public persona while prompting students to consider broader questions about love, identity, and ethics.
The class gained media attention on Oct. 2, when Local 12 reporter Chelsea Sick visited campus to cover the course the day before the release of Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl.
Taught by UC philosophy professors Melissa Jacquart and Thomas Polger, the course has drawn 30 students—many of them lifelong Swift fans—who say they initially enrolled out of admiration for the singer but quickly discovered it offered much more than fan discussion. “It’s a humanities credit, and I needed a humanities credit, but I’ve also been a lifelong Swiftie,” UC student Ava Speelman tells Local 12.
Swifties are known for wearing friendship bracelets and making heart symbols with their hands. Photo courtesy of iStock/Jelena990.
In the segment, Jacquart explains that she and Polger designed the class to use Swift’s songwriting and career as an entry point to philosophical inquiry. “Some of the big themes in her life really resonate with all of our students’ lives—things like what it means to be in love, what kinds of love there are, and how we should be responsible to other people in society,” Jacquart relays. “Part of what we do is use Taylor Swift’s life and music as examples to pair with philosophical texts.”
Students say that connection helps make complex material more accessible and relevant. “Having something to relate it to—something I’ve known my whole life—has definitely made it easier to understand and process,” Speelman said.
Jacquart hopes the class not only deepens students’ understanding of philosophy but also encourages more women to pursue it. “This class, I really hope, brings in students seeing that philosophy is for them—that it matters, that it can help them understand their own lives better,” she says.
Featured photo at top of friendship bracelets made by Melissa Jacquart. Photo/provided.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next lives here.
Related Stories
The future, decoded. UC scholars reveal what’s next
May 20, 2026
The University of Cincinnati’s NEXT Innovation Scholars presented Gen Z-fueled insights on possible future trends at the Futures Forum 2026. Here’s what they see ahead.
Materials scientist gains valuable research experience
May 20, 2026
The opportunities at the College of Engineering and Applied Science are what attracted Ananth Balasubramanian to the University of Cincinnati. He came to UC as a master's student and after two years, transitioned to a direct PhD program in materials science and engineering. Here, he works in the Digital Fabrication Laboratory and recently was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by CEAS.
6 ways starting a GLP-1 medication could affect your emotions
May 20, 2026
When patients first start taking a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medication, they probably expect to feel full. But they might not anticipate how it can influence their emotions. The medications act on the stomach and the brain, said Malti Vij, MD, a University of Cincinnati adjunct associate professor in the College of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine and a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.