Emerson College announced Wednesday morning that students will soon have an opportunity to study making people laugh. Starting this fall 2015, students can apply to the school’s Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Comedic Arts. Classes in the new major will begin fall 2016.

According to the school’s website, the program is to be grounded in the history and theory of comedy with a concentration of practical learning and a capstone project. Going along with this hands-on approach, Emerson will utilize both its Boston and Los Angeles campuses to allow young comedians to gain the most experience. Students will work toward careers in comedy performance, writing, and production.

“Comedy is more relevant than ever,” said Martie Cook, professor and associate chair of Visual and Media Arts and the creator of the Comedic Arts major, on the school’s website. “For Millennials and Generation Z, it’s a second language for expressing and reflecting the world as they understand it.”

The new program likely comes in response to Emerson’s comedic legacy in the entertainment industry. Well-known alumni include executive producer of Friends Kevin Bright, Jay Leno of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Jennifer Coolidge of Legally Blonde and Two Broke Girls, among many more.

Emerson alumnus and trustee Doug Herzog, who is president of Viacom Music and Entertainment Group and oversees Comedy Central, added, “Some schools develop NFL quarterbacks. We develop great comedic talent. With its charged creative and academic atmosphere, no one can deliver what Emerson will to this truly one-of-a-kind program. And that’s no joke.”

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