Right in time for back to school, AMC and the University of California at Irvine have partnered to create one of the SICKEST college courses of all time! And I mean TRULY the SICKEST, ‘CAUSE IT’S UN-DEAD! [AIRHORN!] [FALLING TO THE GROUND!] [SINKING INTO IT!] [SINKING INTO IT!] [STAYING.] From Gigaom:

Ahead of the new season of its hit TV show The Walking Dead, cable network AMC has partnered with education technology company Instructure and the University of California at Irvine for an online course based on the popular television series.

The eight-week course, titled “Society, Science, Survival: Lessons from AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead,’” will include content, video clips and examples from the show, as well as possible participation from the actors.

And it won’t be just about zombies. The companies said the interdisciplinary course will use the show as a lens to examine topics like Maslow’s hierarchy, public health and pandemics and the science of hope.

This is, of course, not the first college course related to television that we’ve heard of — Harvard has a course on The Wire, and Duke has that course on The O.C., for examples. But I DO think it is perhaps the most egregious example in terms of transparently existing solely for the sake of product placement? Hahah. “This course is great! Instead of buying books, we just have to buy all of the seasons on DVD full price! We have to show our receipts, but then we can possibly get them signed by members of the cast!” Whatever. ARE WE READY 2 PLAY A GAME ABOUT IT? TV-inspired college courses! Me first!

• TARDIS Physics for Doctor Whos
• It’s Not Lupus: The Sociology of Heath, Knowledge, And House M.D.
• Folklore and Mythology  – Basically Just Game of Thrones 
• Anyone But Dean: When The “Nice” Guy Isn’t
• Gender and Sexuality in Girls

WHY DOES COLLEGE EVER HAVE 2 END?