BTS makes its way into university classrooms from Stanford to Berkeley
BTS is becoming a subject of academic study at universities around the world, with Stanford offering a course inspired by leader RM’s approach to well-being, while institutions such as Berkeley have explored the group’s music, fandom and cultural influence, according to Gulf News.
Stanford University is offering a three-unit freshman seminar titled PSYC 65N: Namjooning, and Other Well-Being Inspiration from BTS during its autumn 2026 quarter.
The course, running from September 22 to December 4, explores mental well-being through activities and interests associated with RM, whose real name is Kim Namjoon. These include nature walks, cycling, visiting museums, reading and art appreciation.
Students will also study topics such as sleep, anxiety, self-awareness, self-love and creative block, combining scientific research with discussions inspired by RM’s interests.
The seminar is restricted to Stanford first-year students, and applications close on August 26.
What is Namjooning?
Namjooning is a fan-created term inspired by RM’s name and his habit of spending free time reading, cycling, visiting museums and exploring nature.
The term became popular among BTS fans in 2019 and has since come to represent taking time away from daily routines to enjoy simple activities and focus on personal well-being.
Berkeley’s BTS course
The University of California, Berkeley, also introduced a student-led course titled Next Generation Leaders: BTS in 2019.
The two-unit course explored the group’s history, music, artistic work, philanthropy and storytelling, alongside discussions about globalisation and media representation.
The course was part of Berkeley’s Democratic Education at Cal programme, which allows students to design and teach their own classes.
Universities use BTS to teach Korean
BTS has also featured in Korean language education through Learn! KOREAN with BTS, a programme developed by Big Hit Edu, the Korea Foundation and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
The learning materials use clips from the group’s variety show Run BTS! and members’ live broadcasts to help students learn Korean.
Universities in the United States, France, Egypt and Vietnam were among the institutions that introduced the programme in 2020.
Other universities have included BTS in broader courses examining Korean popular music, culture and the global influence of K-pop.
Academic conferences explore BTS
The group’s influence has also become a subject of academic conferences. The BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference brings together researchers to discuss the group’s music, cultural impact and fandom.
Its fifth edition was held on July 2 and 3, 2026, at Jeonbuk National University in South Korea, featuring 50 presenters from 10 countries.
The growing number of courses and academic discussions reflects how BTS has become a subject of interest beyond the music industry, attracting attention from researchers studying culture, language, media and global fandom.