Category: Liberal Arts Courses

Catalog

DVC-401 FILM NOIR AND BEYOND

Film Noir, with roots in German Expressionism and,American hard-boiled fiction, is an enduring,cinematic phenomenon. Beginning in the 1940’s,,Hollywood-produced stories of ill-fated,protagonists seduced by femmes fatales, dirty,deals, and double-crossing partners, struck a,nerve with American audiences (and soon after,World War II with French critics who named and,defined the “Noir” style). These dark tales,reflected a 20th century malaise spawned by the,Great Depression, WWII, and a contemporary shift,in gender roles. Our course will examine the,origins of Noir. This course may also be applied,to an upper level English or Liberal Arts,Elective. This course satisfies the General,Elective requirement.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: DEN 239, DVC 200 OR DVC 306

DAH-247 HISTORY OF GRAPHIC DESIGN

This course surveys the historical and,nonhistorical innovations that have taken place,in graphic design from 1850 to the present.,Students discuss the impact of various,technologies and their influence on the resulting,forms and functions of the objects/images,presented. The social and political climate of,past cultures and their contextual relationship,with design are considered. Thus, students come,to understand design as visual communication that,speaks of its time and place. This course,satisfies the General Elective requirement.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: DEN 102

DAS-313 CREATIVE ENTREPREN: BRANDING ESSENTIALS

This course is offered to students who wish to,understand branding, marketing, creative and,integrated marketing communications, and how they,work in industry. The course consists of small,student teams, whose interactions and work efforts,mirror those in an industry marketing firm or,agency. Teams create a new product or service for,their brand, and work to get it ready for a final,presentation to a small group of industry subject,matter experts and practitioners. Over the weeks,,teams conduct secondary research, define a target,audience, develop a strategic brand platform,,brand name and visual ID system, create messaging,content, digital, experiential co-marketing, and,guerilla marketing plans. These are followed by,customer relationship management and customer,loyalty programs, along with personal and team,skill advancement. Teams make weekly presentations,to the instructor, which create an ongoing,feedback loop to enhance team and personal,improvement. This course may count towards liberal,arts or general elective credit.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: DAS 213 OR DAS 303

DLE-305 HOMER’S ODYSSEY, SCI-FI AND,AFRO-FUTURISM

Homer’s Odyssey, Sci-Fi, and Afro-Futurism is a,class in Critical Theory, Visual Culture/Film,Studies that explores the impact of The Odyssey,in Sci-Fi, Critical Theory, and Post-Colonial,discourse in experimental film, poetry, and the,novel. The class explores why The Odyssey has,become the source text for the Sci-Fi genre in,which seas are replaced by space, in which the,journey home is the means of encounter with the,strange and the alien, and where the migration of,a people becomes existential. The class is also,an introduction to Homer’s Odyssey, to the,philosophical interpretation of film/Sci-Fi, and,to the movement known as Afro-Futurism, a,transnational Black avant-garde that uses music,,film, art, and poetics to explore the future in,terms of the place of space. In this class there,is a deliberate juxtaposition of mainstream and,experimental Sci-Fi to elicit a new critical,thinking.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: Take one 3.0 credit, 200 level course from one of the,following subjects: DAH (Art History), DEN (English), DAS,(Academic Studies), DVC (Visual Culture).

DNS-321 THE BRAIN: PSYCHOLOGY, ART & BEHAVIOR

Does it matter how your brain produces the rich,sensory array of the world surrounding you? As an,artist, what can you control of the visual,activities that seem so automatic? This course,examines the experimental steps leading up to the,most recent model of brain function, including,information from MRI imaging, questions about,brain plasticity (the ability to reprogram cell,functions), and the ways experience changes the,brain. This course satisfies the General,Elective requirement.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: DEN 102 OR DEN 108

DSS-310 ART THERAPY MODELS

In this course, students explore theoretical,approaches to art therapy historically and the,role of the art therapist in assisting others to,reach their highest potentials. Visual and,diagnostic components, levels of expression and,influences of imagery,are addressed through case studies and art,therapy.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: DEN 102

DVC-402 FILM STUDIES: SCIENCE FICTION

In this course students will explore the ways in,which science fiction films have represented,contemporary culture trends such as fear of the,other and cold-war paranoia in Invasion of the,Body Snatchers, the terror of the body in Aliens,and the transhumanism in District 9. Course,readings will examine the development of the,science fiction film as a distinct genre from a,variety of viewpoints including historical,analysis, race and gender studies, and critical,theory. This course may apply as an upper level,English and Liberal Arts elective. This course,satisfies the General Elective requirement.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: DEN 239, DVC 200 OR DVC 306

DAH-251 HISTORY OF CRAFTS

This course surveys the major developments within,the craft tradition that have influenced,contemporary studio practices and cultural,acceptance. Emphasis is on the many social and,cultural contexts that have shaped the path of,artistic production. Particular focus will,center,on nineteenth and twentieth century innovations,and their impact on today’s craft, craftsman and,culture. This course satisfies the General,Elective requirement.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: DEN 102

DAS-314 CREATIVE ENTREPREN: FINANCIAL,ESSENTIALS

This course instructs students in principles of,financial management specifically related to the,needs of artists and designers. It builds on,knowledge gained in DAS 213, Business Practices,,to deepened understanding of fundamental business,concepts and methods. Through coursework and,practice, students develop a set of skills and,tools relevant to operating a small or growing,start-up company, working in an independent,freelance practice, or working in a corporate,design studio or other creative environment. ,This course will examine such topics as:,measuring cash flow; working with budgets and,forecasts; evaluating financial performance;,managing working capital; allocating resources;,identifying sources of funding for,entrepreneurial ventures; presenting business,cases to investors and corporate managements;,understanding business related taxes, including,tax planning and legal considerations; selecting,an accountant or other financial advisor using,sound financial criteria; recognizing the,advantages and disadvantages of ownership such as,sole proprietor and LLC. This course may count,towards liberal arts or general elective credit.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: DAS 313