Muggle Studies

Warning! At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery & Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells & Harry Potter: Magic Awakened. As such, spoilers will be present within the article.

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[]

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[]

Arthur Weasley took Muggle Studies as an elective during at least his third year at Hogwarts in 1963. He would later claim that cars were not taught as part of the subject during his time at school.^[15]

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] Cedric Diggory also took the subject during this school year.^[15]

1993–1997[]

Hermione Granger took Muggle Studies, as well as every other class, in her third year, despite being Muggle-born.^[25] She wanted to study Muggles from the wizards' point of view,^[25] and excelled in the class, but dropped it at the end of the year when she found her schedule too demanding.^[26] Ernie Macmillan also took the subject.^[11]

1997–1998[]

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", 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[]

Quirinus Quirrell (?–1990)^[1]

Arif Sikander (1990–1991 school year)^[2]

Male teacher (at least 1992–1993)^[3]

Charity Burbage (After 1993–1997)^[4]

Alecto Carrow (1997–1998)^[5][6]

Concordia Rowle (21st century)^[7]

Required textbooks[]

Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles by Wilhelm Wigworthy^[8]

Grades[]

Known O.W.L.s[]

Bill Weasley^[27]

Charles Weasley^[9]

Nymphadora Tonks ^[9]

Arif Sikander

Percy Weasley^[27]

Badeea Ali^[9]

Andre Egwu^[9]

Ben Copper^[9]

Jacob's sibling^[9]

Merula Snyde^[9]

Ismelda Murk^[9]

Barnaby Lee^[9]

Diego Caplan^[9]

Tulip Karasu^[16]

Jae Kim^[16]

• Individuals who worked in Muggle Relations^[12]

Behind the scenes[]

• In the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the subject is referred to as "Non-Magical Studies", as the game curiously goes to great lengths to avoid using the term "Muggle".
• Given that the non-magical population is called differently by wizards in different countries, it is presumable that other wizarding schools gave this subject a different name (should they have taught it).

Appearances[]

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First mentioned)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Mentioned only)
• Pottermore (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter (website) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (First appearance)
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened

Notes and references[]

Muggle Studies
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
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