Cristy Li

California State Univ San Marcos (CSUSM)
2015 ‘Magical World of Harry Potter’ Study Abroad Course

Flashback: Remember in August 2013 when Obama attempted to explain his reasoning and plan to combat the rising costs of college education:

“At a time when higher education has never been more important or more expensive, too many students are facing a choice that they should never have to make: Either they say no to college and pay the price for not getting a degree–and that’s a price that lasts a lifetime–or you do what it takes to go to college but then you run the risk that you won’t be able to pay it off because you’ve got so much debt.”

CSUSM Says of the ‘Magical World of Harry Potter’ Study Abroad Course:

“Students will (learn) to identify and critically analyze one significant way in which culture and location in Great Britain shaped the Harry Potter series–For example, these might include how systems of social stratification such as economic class or ancestry in Great Britain are represented in the books and films or how J.K. Rowling utilizes prominent landmarks and historic sites in Great Britain to create a cultural setting for the novels.”

So how pray tell does experiencing the ‘Magical World of Harry Potter’ help students academically to prepare themselves for the real world, being able to find a job after graduating and why are the taxpayers having to fund it?