There are, sad to say, a number of stodgy professors who think that literature ended a hundred years ago, but the number is, I hope, diminishing.

I don't know how prevalent science fiction classes are in U.S. universities in general (or non-U.S. for that matter), but most of the universities I have personal experience with have an SF class--if only one. I can't speak for anyone else, but I managed to get a B.A. in English without ever taking Shakespeare.