The new semester has begun at the University of Liverpool and this year, aside from the usual courses in archaeology, languages and international relations, 11 students are working toward a master’s degree devoted to Liverpool’s most famous musicians.

It’s a year long course called “The Beatles: Music Industry and Heritage.”  It focuses on shifting perceptions of the Fab Four over the past 50 years and on how the band’s changing stories affected the record business and tourism.  The goal is to move the students from fans of the band to thinking about them in new perspectives.

Association with the Beatles, is estimated to be worth more than $100 million a year in tourist revenue to the band’s hometown of Liverpool.