RALEIGH, N.C. - Students at a college in North Carolina will soon be able to combine watching television and studying.

 

That's because the Charlotte, N.C., campus of the University of North Carolina will start offering a course in American Idol come January.

 

 

Runner-up Clay Aiken hails from North Carolina. (AP photo)

Titled Examining American Idol Through Musical Critique, the elective is being offered by assistant musicology professor Jay Grymes, who counts himself a huge fan of the show.

 

Grymes believes the show – which has amateur singers competing for a record contract, as well as the approval of a panel of celebrity judges – can be used as a starting point for a serious discussion about performing, as well as the craft of critiquing performers.

 

For homework, students will watch the show twice a week and come up with their own system for ranking the contestants.

 

Grymes will also teach them about the history of different musical styles, like Motown, that are used as the themes for individual episodes of the Fox reality series.

 

The final assignment will be a paper written by students arguing for their choice of winner.

 

North Carolina has a special connection to American Idol. Clay Aiken, the runner-up on the show's second season, hails from the state, as does Fantasia Barrino, who took the title in the third season.

 

The fourth season of American Idol begins in January.

 

pfft, and they say some degrees are dummed down :lol:

"For homework, students will watch the show twice a week and come up with their own system for ranking the contestants."

:stunned: :stunned: :lol: :lol:

omg the world has hit a new low, i wish itv had never come up with the programme!

omg the world has hit a new low, i wish itv had never come up with the programme!

agreed

Man, i would totally ace that class. :rolleyes:

OMFG!!

 

what has the world come to?

lol it has come to PARTYING DOWN!

 

woo, that would be like the easiest course alive...

 

any half wit can do it!

omg thats so dumb

but then again there is a course at USC solely based on radiohead lyrics....

radiohead lyrics??

 

thats awesome! :P