Yale University to Offer Deep-Dive Course on Beyoncé’s Legacy

Yale University is making headlines with a new course centered on the artistry and cultural significance of Beyoncé, coming right after the superstar’s recent 11 Grammy nominations for her “Cowboy Carter” era. The course will explore the global icon’s journey from her 2013 self-titled album, which featured hits like “Drunk in Love,” to her most recent work, highlighting her groundbreaking impact on music, culture, and politics.

Professor Daphne Brooks, who is leading the new course, explained its relevance in an interview with Yale News, emphasizing the singer’s unique contributions to modern culture. “Beyoncé is just so ripe for teaching,” Brooks said, referring to the 32-time Grammy winner’s continued influence and evolution. Brooks, who previously taught a broader course on Beyoncé’s work at Princeton, is now taking a more focused approach at Yale to highlight the superstar’s transformative impact on the industry and beyond.

Students enrolling in the course, titled “Beyoncé Makes History: Black Radical Tradition History, Culture, Theory & Politics Through Music,” can expect an immersive educational journey. This will include screenings of Beyoncé’s acclaimed visual albums, in-depth discussions on her influence through scholarly works, and specially curated playlists that connect her musical evolution to her predecessors and key influences. Brooks emphasized that Beyoncé’s work is a masterful blend of art, politics, and history. “The number of breakthroughs and innovations she’s executed and the way she’s interwoven history and politics into her work — there’s just no one like her,” Brooks remarked.

The launch of this course coincides with an exciting period in Beyoncé’s career, as she is currently on track to further solidify her status in Recording Academy history with her recent Grammy nominations. Among her 11 nominations for the 2025 ceremony is Album of the Year, where “Cowboy Carter” competes against other major releases, including Charli XCX’s “Brat” and Chappell Roan’s “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.” In the Best Country Album category, Beyoncé faces competition from her “Levii’s Jeans” collaborator Post Malone, whose album “F-1 Trillion” features artists like Hardy, Sierra Ferrell, and Morgan Wallen.