'Life is just a classroom': STU students receive credit for studying Taylor Swift

Some students at St. Thomas University will be lacking blank spaces in a class dedicated to studying Taylor Swift's marketing skills.

In "Communications and Taylor Swift," Professor Jamie Gillies explains how the pop artist is a marketing 'mastermind.'

"You can't teach this in some respects, said Gillies. "You can't teach somebody this, this is just the genius aspect of Taylor Swift because there is such an authenticity to it as well, it's not just a marketing performance she really loves doing this."

The class demonstrates how Swift uses unique social media communications strategies and hidden messages as a marketing tool.

"Her ability to sort of develop mystery, and have these Easter eggs and treasure hunts and clues around songs and albums and what she's doing," Gillies said.

Flash forward and these students are takin' on the world together, as they dissect the music industry - that is Taylor Swift.

"The way she uses her platforms to speak out especially now," said Jenna Henry, a St. Thomas University student.

"We've followed her career from the early stages and how she was typically very politically quiet, and how she's finally speaking out on the things that bother her and the way she's used those strategies to grow her fan base," Henry said.

The 60 students - double the normal amount for most seminar classes - are here to turn Swift's life into folklore.

"It's funny how like a man, a 22-year-old man who has probably never lived though what she has lived can relate so much to her lyrics, to her experiences," said Rey Cascante.

"But you don't really analyze that kind of thing so it's really cool to see like the different aspects like communications and those strategies that she implemented that got her to the place she is today," Stewart said.

Gillies said he if there's anything he hopes the students take from the class are the elements within the music industry.

"Where she fits among song writers I think she's one of the great songwriters now, certainly of the 21st century, and there's a tradition there with people like Carol King and Joanie Mitchell where Taylor Swift now belongs in that echelon," he said.

The students in this class will remember what they learned from this class all too well.

Swift’s latest album Midnights releases Friday.