Category: 26-27 Catalog

Explorethe rich soundscapes of the world through,an interdisciplinary lens, examining the,intersection of music, design, and culture. The,course covers diverse musical traditions across,continents and time, with a focus on how sound,embodies cultural identity and social expression.,Students engage with hands-on projects, including,designing instruments and building their own,synthesizers, to understand the creative process,behind music-making and sound design. The course,also features in-class and on-your-own trips to a,selection of Detroit’s vibrant cultural spaces,,such as museums, music studios, and performance,venues, where students can experience live,performances and explore the city’s musical,heritage. Through listening sessions, readings,,workshops, and discussions, students develop a,deeper appreciation of how music shapes, and is,shaped by, global and local contexts. No musical,experience is required.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: WRT-102

This course is a comprehensive survey of the,historical development of interior design with,emphasis on furniture and the decorative arts.,The course explores the designs and materials of,Egypt, the Classical Mediterranean, the Medieval,World and Tudor-Elizabethan England. Students,examine the influence of Islam on Spanish design,and that of the French monarchy on Baroque,,Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. The course,concludes with the technological developments and,their impact on designs of the late 19th and 20th,centuries. Lectures and on-site study of museum,collections provide direct experience of the,decorative arts. The history of interior design,and furniture encompasses numerous styles,,movements, and individual artistic contributions.,It also reflects the influence of cultural,,political, and social developments

Credits: 3

Prerequisites:

This course examines the social, economic,,political, and cultural forces that influence,modern design. Beginning with the Industrial,Revolution and continuing to the present day, this,course introduces prominent designers, as well ,their ideas, their influences, and the historical,context in which they worked. The course covers,a variety of media and discusses design in the,United States, Europe, and Asia.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites:

This course surveys the historical and,nonhistorical innovations that have taken place,in graphic design from 1850 to the present.,The impact of various technologies and their,influence on the resulting forms and functions of,the objects and images will be discussed. The,social and political climate of past cultures and,their contextual relationship with design are,considered. The aim is to understand design as,visual communication that speaks of its time and,place.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites:

This course surveys the development of,communication design from 1980 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.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites:

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,,craftsperson and culture.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites:

This course explores the history of fashion from,the earliest periods of human,development to modern industrial, digital society,as it influences the various styles of dress,,garment production, fashion in the wider culture,,and the marketing of fashion. Detailed focus on,individual designers, cross-cultural exchange,,politics, and historical processes will illuminate,the many ways fashion represents a profound,anthropological study of humanity. Organized field,trips to local artisan studios for presentations,and discussions will be provided to enhance the,understanding of process and artifact.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites:

The Special Project class is offered on an,occasional basis, with course content specific to,the area being explored.,

,FALL 2026,

,WOMEN IN VIDEO & PERFORMANCE,,

,This course provides an in-depth exploration of,the intersections between art, media, and gender,theory, combining both creative practice and,critical analysis. Focusing on the pivotal role of,women in video and performance art, students will,examine how these mediums have been used to,challenge and subvert traditional gender,representations. Through a combination of,screenings, readings, discussions, analysis,writing, and hands on projects, the course,investigates how visual culture shapes societal,understandings of gender and identity. Special,attention will be given to feminist art movements,and the innovative ways in which women artists,have utilized video and performance to critique,,disrupt, and transform dominant cultural,narratives about femininity. Students will engage,with key feminist texts and artworks that,interrogate the relationship between the gaze, the,body, and the visual, while exploring how these,practices offer new ways of seeing and,understanding gender. By integrating theory with,creative assignments, students will gain a nuanced,understanding of feminist art practices and the,ongoing relevance of these approaches in,contemporary visual culture.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites:

The Special Project class is offered on an,occasional basis, with course content specific to,the area being explored.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites:

This course uses an interdisciplinary approach,that requires students to apply methodologies,learned in Visual Culture, Critical Thought, and,Literary and Film Studies, as well as a number of,studio based disciplines, to analyze the,utopian/dystopian genre. The class will examine,Western utopian and dystopian philosophies and,how they are manifested in the visual mediums of,literature, architecture, film, fine art, video,games and the internet community.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: WRT 102 and any 200 level Liberal Arts (General Education),subject.