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"We have ready-made case studies for students who want to learn about critiquing music and performance," said assistant professor Jay Grymes, 31, a specialist in Hungarian classical composer Ernst von Dohnanyi — a subject that's a bit more highbrow.

Each week, students will study the musical styles of contestants. The final project is a paper on who should win and why. The class will have its own voting system, and will choose a winner before the show's final episode.

"The judges give an industry perspective. It'll be interesting to see how students defend their choices," said Grymes. "Ultimately, it's the public who decides."

Former "American Idol' runner-up Clay Aiken is a UNC-Charlotte graduate and third-season winner Fantasia Barrino lives in Charlotte.

But Grymes has yet to receive word from any of the top contestants if they'll be willing to come to class. It's unclear if anyone has even seen Justin Guarini since his ill-fated movie "From Justin to Kelly: With Love."

3. Enter 'The Matrix' of Philosophy
Ready to save humanity? It takes more than a face like Keanu Reeves' to master Emerson College's class in "The Philosophy of 'The Matrix.' "

Professor Tracey Stark uses the blockbuster sci-fi movie series to explore the work of Plato, Descartes and other philosophers. "'The Matrix' is like a contemporary myth," said Stark, "and it can be useful as a good starting point to talk about ethics and responsibility."

As a springboard to existential questions, Stark's students are left asking themselves, "How do we know we're not living in the Matrix?"

Life has its unexplained mysteries. Little did Stark know, when she proposed the class last year, that "Matrix" co-writer and director Andy Wachowski is an Emerson alum — or perhaps this is something evil machines have programmed into our collective memories.

4. Rich Lessons in Donald Trump
You can't be fired if you don't watch "The Apprentice," but you can flunk out of a class at the University of Washington.

"I was watching the show last year, and I was thinking, 'I wish I could get students talking about this in a constructive way,' " said professor Laura Schildkraut.

Getting people to talk about Donald Trump, however, is not so hard to do. "Management Lessons From 'The Apprentice' " filled up instantly last year, with 80 undergraduate students eager to look at the business school rationale behind the Trump boardroom.