There’s Now a Walking Dead Class at UC Irvine

This isn’t the first time a TV show has been turned into the subject matter for a college class, but this is the first college-related Walking Dead thing I’ve heard of that wasn’t a zombie themed underwear fun run.

UC Irvine is offering a class called  “Society, Science, Survival: Lessons from AMC’s The Walking Dead“ What’s covered? Well, I’m glad you asked:

• Maslow’s hierarchy of needs—is survival just about being alive?
• Social order and structures—from the farm and the prison to Woodbury
• Social identity, roles, and stereotyping—as shown through leaders like Rick and the Governor
• The role of public health in society—from the CDC to local community organizations
• The spread of infectious disease and population modeling—swarm!
• The role of energy and momentum in damage control—how can you best protect yourself?
• Nutrition in a post-apocalyptic world—are squirrels really good for you?
• Managing stress in disaster situations—what’s the long-term effect of always sleeping with one eye open?

You know, that’s actually kind of an interesting array of subject matter. A mix of psychology and medicine that could be applied to actual pandemics, should they occur in the future. Also, I’d like to know if it’s okay to eat squirrels.

So what’s the required reading here? The entire comic series plus three seasons of the show?