To some extent, we all grew up with Harry Potter. Some of us read every book and chose which house we wanted to be in, while some of us just watched the movies and left it at that. However, no one can deny the impact J.K. Rowling had on an entire generation of wide-eyed and amazed children all over the world.
In fact, this impact has grown so big and extended so far past the last books and movies that the mythology around Harry Potter has become something to study. For the first time, a college in the United States will offer an entire program around studying the world of Harry Potter.
Students at California State University San Marcos have only a week left to send in their applications for the school’s “British Culture and Harry Potter” study-abroad program. From June 3-24 during the summer of 2015, students will “explore the locations that inspired the Harry Potter novels and films.” The three week trip costs a little over $5,000 for the chance to study the creation of the hit series and the issues of British inequality in all the forms it tackles. This might be the invitation to Hogwarts we’ve all been waiting for!
As described by the school, the course will specifically aim to do the following:
1. Explore and experience through travel the cultural and historical locations in England and Scotland that inspired the Harry Potter series
2. Identify and assess the similarities and differences between the novels and films and the ways in which each drew inspiration from cultural sites in Great Britain.
3. Develop critical thinking skills about complex social issues relating to inequality, race, and gender within the context of contemporary Great Britain.
So if you’re a CSU San Marcos student, you better start saving your pennies or doing some major brown nosing to your parents because the deadline to apply to this unique program is December 1! As for the rest of us, I guess we’re still stuck with Potterworld and overly complex analyses on Tumblr.
This class is OPEN TO ANYONE and you can get credit at most universities. Contact [email protected] if you are interested.
