PROGRES.ID – The field related to the occult is not unfamiliar in Indonesia, and it turns out that something similar is happening abroad as well. One of the campuses in England, namely the University of Exeter, plans to open a department of magic and the occult in 2024.
Professor Emily Selove, a senior lecturer in Middle Eastern Language and Literature at the University of Exeter, revealed that the decision to open this unusual department is driven by the high interest of prospective students. Professor Selove is currently also the Principal Investigator in a research project funded by Leverhulme, titled “The Grimoire.”
“The recent surge in interest in magic and the occult, both within and outside the academic world, is the main reason why this department is being opened and offered to our community,” said Professor Emily Selove, as quoted by the BBC on Saturday (10/7/2023).
This program will last for one year and will begin in September 2024. Students who enroll in this department will study the history and impact of magic across various parts of the world on society and science.
Professor Selove also added that the instructors who will teach in this department have diverse expertise, including in the fields of history, literature, philosophy, archaeology, sociology, psychology, drama, and religion. They will discuss the role of magic both in the West and in the East.
“This program is the only postgraduate program in the UK that combines the study of the history of magic with various other subjects,” Professor Selove explained.
Regarding the teaching model, Professor Selove explained that it will integrate a wide range of literature, Western art, legends surrounding King Arthur, paleography, Islamic worldviews, and portrayals of women in the Middle Ages.
Graduates from this master’s program will have various career opportunities, such as teaching, counseling, working in museums, the tourism industry, and other fields of work.
This news went viral on social media, especially on Twitter, after being posted by the @sosmedkeras account. The post received more than 5 thousand likes and hundreds of comments from netizens.
“Indonesian shamans could become professors, the opportunity for shamans to go international,” commented @presiden***
“Harry Potter in real life,” added @kuorca***
“Who’s going to teach like Limbad?” quipped @itsufik***
