Beyoncé’s business moves will now be part of a graduate course at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.
The course, titled “The Business of Beyoncé,” prepares students for careers in media, branding, management, and entertainment. According to AfroTech, Shaun Harper, a university professor and professor of Education, Business, and Public Policy at USC, explained that the course will teach students how Beyoncé used attention as a business strategy and how social media influenced her brand.
Course Will Also Spotlight Other Black Artists
Harper told the Los Angeles Times that his course will not focus only on Beyoncé. It will also teach students about other Black artists and groups who used similar business strategies throughout their careers. The 16-week course is reportedly already full for the spring semester.
Harper’s Personal Connection to Beyoncé
Harper is also a Beyoncé fan. He told the Los Angeles Times that her best business decision was “becoming a solo artist,” but he expects his students to challenge his views. His connection to the singer goes back decades. As student body president at Albany State University, Harper helped book Destiny’s Child to perform at homecoming in 1997. To prepare for the course, he has been watching TikTok videos to get new insight into her work ethic and business model.