Does Taylor Swift have a doctorate degree? Singer's NYU commencement speech revisited

Taylor Swift Delivers New York University 2022 Commencement Address (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Taylor Swift's music has become so iconic that several Ivy League colleges have started teaching courses on her music to their students. Institutions like Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Texas, and many others have a specialized subject on Taylor's works in their curriculum.

However, Taylor Swift never went to college. The 14-time Grammy winner found her breakthrough at a very young age and had to leave her studies after high school to chase her dream of becoming a pop star. With over 250 songs, 11 studio albums, and 14 Grammys, we can safely say that she has achieved more than any degree could've given her!

So, does Taylor Swift have a doctorate degree? The straight answer is yes. However, it isn't a conventional degree that people get by studying in a university. Taylor Swift got a Doctorate of Fine Arts, honoris causa from the New York University class of 2022.

Taylor Swift's honorary doctorate and commencement speech at New York University explored

Taylor Swift Delivers New York University 2022 Commencement Address (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Taylor Swift received an honorary doctorate in Fine Arts from New York University in 2022. The 34-year-old also delivered the commencement speech for the class of 2022.

Taylor's full 20-minute commencement speech was a concoction of humor, motivation, and a plea to not be bogged down by life. The Shake It Off singer implored the students to be enthusiastic about things and reminded them that mistakes are a key part of their post-college lives and they shouldn't be too critical about them.

"Hi, I'm Taylor. Last time I was in a stadium this size I was dancing in heels and wearing a glittery leotard. This outfit is much more comfortable," Taylor started her speech.

After that she joked about her song 22 and why it is the reason for her addressing the batch of 2022 and getting her honorary doctorate degree.

"I'm 90 percent sure the reason I'm here is because I have a song called '22.'

She expressed her gratitude to the University for making her a doctor 'on paper at least.' She also thanked the authorities, the trustees, and everyone at the university for making her lifelong dream come true.

"Not the type of doctor you would want around in case of an emergency. Unless your specific emergency was that you desperately needed to hear a song with a catchy hook," she added.

The Grammy winner continued by explaining the importance of mistakes to her audience. She recalled that her advisor's mentality revolved around the idea of 'mistakes equal failure.' However, she learned that mistakes can be the 'best things' in life.

"Getting canceled on the internet and nearly losing my career gave me an excellent knowledge of all the types of wine," Taylor acknowledged.

The concluding part of her speech was dedicated to motivating her students and making them understand the value of failures and getting up from the bottom.

"Hard things will happen to us, we will recover, we will learn from it. We will grow more resilient because of it. As long as we are fortunate enough to be breathing, we will breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, (and) breathe out — I'm a doctor now so I know how breathing works."

What is an honorary degree? How is it different from a quintessential doctorate degree?

An honorary degree differs from a conventional doctorate degree because an honorary degree recipient doesn't need to study a particular course and pass the exams to obtain their degree.

Universities offer honorary degrees to people to felicitate their exceptional achievements in a particular field. In Taylor's case, NYU offered her an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts to recognize her achievements in the field of music and arts.

Taylor's doctorate degree was due for a long time. The singer/songwriter expressed that she 'really wanted' to have a doctorate when she was answering rapid-fire questions in a 2016 '73 Questions' interview with Vogue.

Z100's Jingle Ball 2012 Presented By Aeropostale - Show (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Jingle Ball 2012)

She also explained that her friend Ed Sheeran has a doctorate from England's University Campus Suffolk, but she doesn't.

"I feel like he looks down on me 'cause I don't have one," Taylor joked in the interview.

However, Taylor Swift's dream came true in 2022. Now, she can brag about it too!