The F Word at Berklee
Opportunities for Berklee College of Music students, faculty, and alumni
The F Word: Sex & Equity in Songwriting
Credit: Dana Yizhaky
Fall 2026
SW-277-001
Mondays 11:00 AM – 12:50 PM
Associate Professor Valerie Orth
Write songs that reflect who you are and what you stand for.
This immersive undergraduate course explores songwriting through the lens of intersectional feminism. Students study influential artists and thinkers, from Nina Simone to Chappell Roan and bell hooks to Roxane Gay, while writing original songs grounded in lived experience, identity, and social context.
Students write five original songs based on themes including identity, confronting sexism, healing and overcoming, and feminist anthem. Through workshops, discussion, guest speakers, and engagement with the Boston arts community, students develop both craft and creative voice.
Perfect for students ready to:
Explore identity through songwriting
Develop artistic voice
Engage feminist perspectives in creative work
Connect with a community of thoughtful artists
Create meaningful work that contributes to cultural conversation
Featured on Boston25 Prime Time News
Coming Soon: The F Word Internship
The F Word Internship offers Berklee students the opportunity to support the growing F Word creative movement while developing skills in arts leadership, community engagement, and creative production.
Interns may contribute to writing groups, workshops, events, curriculum development, communications, and other initiatives that support feminist creative practice.
Open to Berklee students of all majors. Internship will begin Fall 2026.
Sign up for the newsletter to receive updates when applications open.
The F Word Faculty Learning Community
The F Word Faculty Learning Community brings Berklee faculty together to explore creativity, identity, and equity through writing and artistic practice. Participants engage with selected readings, share creative work, and contribute to an interdisciplinary dialogue about feminist approaches to teaching, artmaking, and expression.
The Learning Community supports faculty interested in integrating reflective and creative practices into their teaching while building connection across departments and artistic disciplines.
Contact Faculty Development at Berklee to sign up.