Belgian university launches Taylor Swift-inspired literature course

Course at Ghent University will use singer-songwriter's work as springboard to explore history of English literature

Much of the syllabus for Elly McCausland's course at Ghent University reads like a who's who of English literature, dotted with works by Geoffrey Chaucer, Charlotte Bronte and William Shakespeare. But it's the inclusion of another prolific writer that has got people talking: the singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.

I've never had so many emails from excited students asking if they can take the course," said McCausland, an assistant professor at the Belgian university. And actually non-students as well, people who are not part of the university and who want to participate in some way."