Fame PicturesWhat's for homework tonight? "How to Read a 'Poker Face?' " "Team Edward vs. Team Jacob: The War Years?" "Don Draper as Metaphor?"
Here's a look at five ways to get college credit this fall—and not miss any of your favorite shows:
Warning: We are in no way claiming any of the following are easy As. Especially since we once pulled a C in a class watching old B-movie stars.
1. "GaGa for Gaga: Sex, Gender and Identity," University of Virginia: An introductory freshman writing course taught by a graduate student, this one made headlines this week, mostly of the, "Can you believe they're teaching Lady Gaga in college?" variety. But as one student told the campus newspaper, the Cavalier Daily, "We don't just sit there and squawk about Gaga the whole time."
2. "Twilight: The Text and the Fandom," California State University, San Marcos: Per the course description, the class covers "vampire lore, the romantic core of the series, female characters and fans, [and] the depiction of men and masculinity…" So, yes, it's plausible Taylor Lautner's abs might come up.
3. "Harry Potter: Literary Allusion, Children's Literature and Popular Culture," Eastern Michigan University: "Students will read novels in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series; myths, legends and folktales on which they are based; and criticism written about the novels," the English department promises. No word on whether you get extra credit for debating whether Harry Potter totally makesTwilight look bad.
4. "Mad Men," University of California, Berkeley: Sorry, this one's already full. As are the courses "Sex and the City and the Contemporary Woman," "James Bond: Politics, Pop Culture, Hero," "Batman as American Mythology" and—holy cool!—"The Music, Lyrics and Art of Radiohead" Hands down, Berkeley's student-run DeCal program, home of the noted "The Simpsons and Philosophy" of recent history, is the place to figure out what the hell is wrong with Betty Draper.
5. "Satire from Archilochus to the Daily Show," Vassar College: We know what you're thinking: "Yeesh, Archilochus? When was the last time that guy was funny?" To which we say, take the class, and then you'll know.
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When Lady Gaga isn't a talking point, she's a leader in the meat-fashion movement.