Taylor Swift college course inspires students to emulate her business acumen [Video]

Berkeley, California — You might not expect a business school course to begin with students belting out Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer,” but at the University of California, Berkeley, Swift is not just a “tortured poet,” she’s a case study in how to build an empire.

“Taylor Swift is a phenomenon,” UC Berkeley senior Sejal Krishnan, a chemical engineering major, told CBS News. “Her tour has essentially revitalized so much of the economy and boosted the local economy everywhere she goes.”

Undergrads Sofia Lendahl and Miaad Bushala teach Artistry and Entrepreneurship: Taylor’s Version to 44 fellow students.

“Taylor is so strategic in all the things that she does,” Bushala said. “When you think of a brand, that’s all they ever want. They want loyal customers. And that’s what Taylor has.”

“There’s a reason top institutions are studying that,” Krishnan added. “They know it’s a trend.”

Along with UC Berkeley, several universities nationwide — including …