A Fire Emblem College Course Exists, And We Wish We Could Take It

thegamer.com:

Let's be honest, school can be a bit boring. Whether it's the regimented schedule, the number of classes or the constant amount of drama, going to school can often feel like a drag. But what if, instead of learning about circa 1800s treaties and Newton's Second Law, you could instead learn about the intricacies of Fire Emblem?

No, we're not joking around. An actual course dedicated to Nintendo's long-running strategy franchise actually exists, and if you happen to be a student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, or are daring enough to sneak in, then you too can make your video game educational dreams come true.

As first spotted on social media by lucky_lunatrick (thanks, Game Rant), Fire Emblem Design and Analysis is a real course. Per the official course syllabus, "students will gain a deeper understanding of the game design, mechanics, and writing of [the] Fire Emblem series."

Prospective students should have more than a cursory knowledge of Fire Emblem, though detailed game knowledge is not necessary. Additionally, all course materials will be supplied, which will include the official Fire Emblem Wiki as well as popular YouTube content creators like ActualLizard.

By the end of the course, students should be able to "understand the lore of various Fire Emblem settings" and "explain how various FE games integrate gameplay and story" among other objectives.

As far as grades go, students can opt for one of two grading systems. The first is a traditional system based on percentages. But the second, and most exciting system, is called the Fire Emblem Grading System. It uses growth rates to determine a final mark, and students earn "experience points" for every segment they complete.

For instance, attendance is worth 30 EXP while the midterm is worth 200. Once a student gains 100 EXP, they'll level up. The course curator promises to use Fire Emblem 7's Nino as the official leveling up barometer. At the end of the semester, a grade is