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"Professor Burbage taught the children of witches and wizards all about Muggles... how they are not so different from us..."
Lord Voldemort's scorn and hatred for Muggle Studies[src]

Muggle Studies was an elective subject and part of the non-magical studies curriculum at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.[10] It involved the study of the history and daily lives of Muggles, and how they were able to live without magic,[10] but instead used electricity, technology and science.[11]

Class information[]

"People say Muggle Studies is a soft option, but I personally think wizards should have a thorough understanding of the non-magical community, particularly if they're thinking of working in close contact with them — look at my father, he has to deal with Muggle business all the time."
Percy Weasley regarding the importance of Muggle studies[src]

This class aimed specifically to familiarise wizards and witches with how Muggles lived their lives without magic;[10] one known essay topic was to "Explain Why Muggles Need Electricity."[11] It was an optional subject, taught from the third year[10] to the seventh. It had both an O.W.L.[12] and a N.E.W.T. exam, and presumably also has practical lessons and exam sections.

Muggle Studies was considered by some to be a soft option, but others, such as Percy Weasley, thought it was important for magical people to have an understanding of the non-magical community, especially if they work closely with Muggles, such as in the Ministry of Magic; his father being a case in point.[10]

A pamphlet titled "So You Think You'd Like to Work In Muggle Relations?" given to fifth year students at Hogwarts during Careers Advice, stated that jobs involved with Muggle liaising only required an O.W.L. in Muggle Studies, along with an enthusiastic attitude.[12]

Wizards may have used the internet as part of their research into Muggle Studies, but the internet was otherwise scarcely used by the magical community.[13]

Classrooms[]

Muggle Studies classes took place in a classroom on the first-floor, accessed through a showroom displaying Muggle artefacts.[14]

History[]

Pre-1990[]

Quirinus Quirrell taught Muggle Studies at Hogwarts until 1990, when he took a year-long sabbatical and spent time abroad before returning to Hogwarts and becoming the professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts.[1]

1990–1991[]

Professor Arif Sikander took over as the Muggle Studies Professor at Hogwarts for the 1990–1991 school year, as Professor Quirrell was away on his sabbatical tour abroad.[2][9] He taught students about many aspects of Muggle life, such as:

It is unknown if he continued to teach this subject at Hogwarts after this school year had ended.

1992–1993[]

At some point by 1992, a wizard took over as Muggle Studies Professor. In 1992, Harry Potter came looking for him with a torch for him to add to his collection. Unfortunately, he was not present and the professor's student assistant took the torch and added it to the collection for him. He presumably left by 1993.[3]

19931997[]

Ron Weasley: "What are you doing Muggle Studies for? You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"
Hermione Granger: "But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view."
Ron and Hermione, while discussing their new classes[src]

Hermione Granger took Muggle Studies, as well as every other class, in her third year, despite being Muggle-born.[24] She wanted to study Muggles from the wizards' point of view,[24] and excelled in the class, but dropped it at the end of the year when she found her schedule too demanding.[25] Ernie Macmillan also took the subject.[11]

1997–1998[]

"Alecto, Amycus's sister, teaches Muggle Studies, which is compulsory for everyone. We've all got to listen to her explain how Muggles are like animals, stupid and dirty, and how they drove wizards into hiding by being vicious towards them, and how the natural order is being re-established."
— Neville Longbottom explaining Alecto Carrow's hateful Muggle Studies curriculum[src]

In 1997, Professor Charity Burbage was captured by Death Eaters and brought to Malfoy Manor, where Lord Voldemort murdered her with the Killing Curse, because she wrote a positive and impassioned piece about Muggles and Muggle-borns for the Daily Prophet. Before her death, she begged Severus Snape to free her and tell Voldemort to let her go. Severus Snape was forced to ignore her, and then she was put to death. Her corpse was then consumed by Nagini.[4]

Voldemort took over the Ministry of Magic soon afterwards and Death Eater Alecto Carrow was appointed the new professor of Muggle Studies, with Professor Burbage noted as "resigned" in the newspaper.[5] The subject was made compulsory, and instead of teaching students accurate facts about the non-magical community and encouraging understanding and tolerance.[6]

Carrow taught that Muggles were "like animals, stupid and dirty" and that they "drove wizards into hiding by being vicious toward them," and "how the natural order is being restored". This was an attempt to brainwash young wizards into hating the Muggle world and supporting Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Neville Longbottom would defy such teachings by asking how much Muggle blood the new professor and her brother had.[6]

Post-war[]

After Voldemort's defeat, death and the end of the Second Wizarding War, Alecto Carrow was presumably imprisoned in Azkaban for her crimes, and also that Muggle Studies was restored to its factual roots. Concordia Rowle was known to have taught Muggle Studies in the 21st century.[7]

Known professors[]

Required textbooks[]

Grades[]

Passing grades[]

Fail grades[]

Known O.W.L.s[]

Behind the scenes[]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.K. Rowling and the Live Chat, Bloomsbury.com, July 30, 2007
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 1 (Year Seven Begins)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) - GBC version
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 1 (The Dark Lord Ascending)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 12 (Magic is Might)
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 29 (The Lost Diadem)
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
  8. 8.0 8.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 13 (Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw)
  9. 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 3 (On the Case)
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 14 (Cornelius Fudge)
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 12 (The Patronus)
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 29 (Careers Advice)
  13. Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Technology" at Wizarding World
  14. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 4 (A New Assignment) - Muggle Studies Lesson "Rotary Phone"
  16. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 9 (A Beast of a Division) - Muggle Studies Lesson "Rubber Duck"
  17. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 10 (The Wampus Cat's Out of the Bag) - Assignment "Transportation Regulation"
  18. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 15 (The Counter-Serum) - Muggle Studies Lesson "Hair Spray"
  19. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 22 (The Search for Ryu) - Muggle Studies Lesson "Toaster"
  20. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 27 (Now That's What I Call a Cursed CD) - Muggle Studies Lesson "Roller Blades"
  21. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 35 (The Auror Programme) - Muggle Studies Lesson "Cars"
  22. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 44 (The Memory Heist) - Muggle Studies Lesson "Blender"
  23. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 50 (Turning Point) - Muggle Studies Lesson "Flight"
  24. 24.0 24.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 4 (The Leaky Cauldron)
  25. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 22 (Owl Post Again)
  26. 26.0 26.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 4 (At Flourish and Blotts) - It is said that both Percy and Bill Weasley earned twelve Ordinary Wizarding Levels, meaning they must have earned an O.W.L. in this subject.
Muggle Studies
Muggle Studies class HM
Professors: Quirinus Quirrell · Arif Sikander · Unidentified male professor · Charity Burbage · Alecto Carrow · Concordia Rowle
Classrooms: Art Classroom · Fifth-floor classroom · Muggle Studies Classroom · Muggle Studies showroom · Music Classroom
Textbooks: Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles
Subjects: Blender · Car (Model car) · Electricity · Hair spray · Light bulb · Radio · Roller Skates · Rotary phone · Rubber duck
Hogwarts subjects
Core classes Astronomy · Charms · Defence Against the Dark Arts · Herbology · History of Magic · Potions · Transfiguration
Hogwartscrest
Elective classes Alchemy · Arithmancy · Care of Magical Creatures · Divination · Muggle Studies · Study of Ancient Runes
Extracurricular classes Apparition · Advanced Arithmancy Studies · Ancient Studies · Art · Flying · Ghoul Studies · Magical Theory · Muggle Art · Muggle Music · Music · Xylomancy · Field Studies
Former classes Beasts · Dark Arts
Examinations
First year exams · Second year exams · Third year exams · Fourth year exams ·
Ordinary Wizarding Level · Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test
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