Popular Culture Minor

Whether it was a podcast you started your day with, a playlist you listened to during your morning commute, a catchy commercial jingle that came to mind when you heard a certain word, or a TV show you binge-watched late last night, odds are you’ve interacted with pop culture today—because let’s face it: You’re surrounded by it. Now, thanks to UTA’s popular culture minor, students can gain a deeper understanding of the various aspects of popular culture, many of which are part of our everyday lives.

The minor consists of two required courses (“Introduction to Popular Culture” and “Social Theory Through Popular Culture”), three experiential learning hours, and nine additional credit hours related to popular culture. David Arditi, professor of sociology, established the introductory course and later selected more than 70 courses for the minor that were housed in a wide range of disciplines.

“The city of Arlington aims to be the entertainment capital of North Texas,” says Dr. Ariditi. “The experiential learning component of the popular culture minor allows students to begin to work in different pop culture industries and make contacts in their field, whether they’re interested in music, television, film, video games, or social media.”

Arditi was a gigging drummer while he was earning his doctoral degree in cultural studies, so he brings personal experience and passion to the courses he teaches. The intro class cultivates conversations about the societal impacts of popular culture phenomena like video game concerts and ratings-juggernaut reality television shows, while “Social Theory Through Popular Culture” explores how the ideas of social theorists like Michel Foucault show up in popular culture, such as in the Netflix science-fiction series Black Mirror.

“Even those who know they don’t want to pursue a career in popular culture, students majoring in nursing, social work, or education, can benefit from these courses because they can use pop culture topics to connect with their patients, clients, or students,” says Arditi.