Visual and Performing Arts Courses: Fall 2024
Unless otherwise specified, art courses are for majors only.
Animation
ANIM 101: Principles of Animation
2 Credit Hour(s)
This course will explore some of the Principles of Animation. It will introduce students to the art of animating on paper. This will include how to roll the paper in order to see the movement of the animation and how to flip the paper while drawing inbetweens so that the motion is continual from one drawing to the next. The students will transition from paper to drawing on the computer, learning animation princilpes along the way. Priority enrollment given to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 102: Introduction to Prospective and Photoshop
1 Credit Hour(s)
Perspective is the basic foundation needed to draw a three-dimensional object on a two-dimensional surface. This course will provide instruction on how to draw objects in one point, two point and three point perspective, first by traditional means and then digitally in Photoshop. An introduction into the interface and basic tools needed to navigate and creating drawings in Photoshop will be taught to facilitate the digital aspect of the course. (UG)
ANIM 104: Intermediate Perspective and Photoshop
1 Credit Hour(s)
Perspective is the basic foundation needed to draw a three-dimensional object on a two-dimensional surface. This course will provide instruction on how to draw objects in one point, two point and three point perspective, first by traditional means and then digitally in Photoshop. Building upon the principles learned Intro to Perspective, this course will delve into more complex and detailed perspective. (UG)
ANIM 110: Art Animation
2 Credit Hour(s)
Cross-listed as ART 110. Course will introduce high school students to the concepts and mark making that are necessary for moving forward into a degree course in Animation. (UG)
ANIM 201: History of Animation
3 Credit Hour(s)
History of Animation will introduce students to the context, culture and technology necessary for an understanding of the world of animation. In addition to a history of animation and its practitioners and development, the course also explores what happens to history when it is animated and how animation has been used during the twentieth century to interpret the past. The course also pays attention to the aesthetic of the animated image as well as the unique ability of the image to communicate. Finally, the course will explore the tools, technology used in animation, and the various techniques. Animation from various studios, feature- length animated films, and experimental shorts will be presented. Priority enrollment given to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 203: Editing and Sound Basics
1 Credit Hour(s)
This course will instruct students on how to create a film sound track using audio recordings, sound FX and music. It will also discuss film and sound editing techniques. Students will create a variety of sound work using digital audio equipment to support their career track in animation. Priority enrollment given to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 210: Introduction to Animation
2 Credit Hour(s)
This course continues the student's introduction to the fundamentals of traditional animation and computer animation through a series of exercises, increasing in difficulty, throughout the term. The course combines lectures with studio exercises to futher advance the foundations of animation principles with more advanced concepts of body mechanics. The course will begin with simple exercises utilizing single objects and progress to more complex animation. Prerequisite: ANIM 101; restricted to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 211: Animation Basics I
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course is designed to build upon the concepts discussed in ANIM 210, Intro to Animation. The student will gain a more in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of 2D animation and CG animation through a series of exercises increasing in difficulty throughout the term. The course combines lectures with studio exercises to further emphasize the animation principles as well as a deeper understanding of body mechanics. Prerequisite: ANIM 210; restricted to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 212: Animation Basics II
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course builds on the animation knowledge taught in Animation Basics 1. Working on more complex 2D and CG animation exercises and exploring deeper the Principles of Animation. This course enables students to begin to explore acting in their animation. Prerequisite: ANIM 211; restricted to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 215: Cartooning
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course introduces students to the design concepts of drawing basic cartoon characters, stressing a solid dimensional approach. Students will learn the skills and techniques to caricature from life and the understanding to create characters for a comic strip, comic book or graphic novel. Prerequisites: ART 106; priority enrollment to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 217: Layout
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course is designed to give the student the skills and creative vocabulary needed to design background layouts for Animation. We will begin with broad concepts of composition and classical design, and progress through the technical aspects of perspective, storyboarding and camera moves. Class sessions will involve a balance of lecture material and studio work. This is primarily a drawing class. There will be in-class critiques for most projects. Students will be called upon to participate in collaborative discussions to challenge and defend each other's design choices. This course is also designed (in conjunction with the Animation Department) to work through the preproduction phases of The Sophomore Project. This project will teach students to navigate the comprehensive production pipeline from concept through final animation, preparing them for the process of making a student film. Students must present their finished sophomore project as part of their application to advance into upper division. For this class, the preproduction phases of The Sophomore Project will include story ideas, storyboarding and background design. Prerequisites: ART 103, ART 104, ART 105, ART 106; priority enrollment to Animation majors (UG)
ANIM 218: Storyboarding
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course is designed to give the student the basic tools needed to begin making a short animated film. Through the study of film editing, composition, storyboarding techniques and story structure the student will gain the conceptual and technical tools required to write, storyboard and edit an animatic for a short film. Storyboarding projects and practical exercises will reinforce and enhance the understanding of these concepts. The student will begin to think and problem solve like an animation director. Prerequisites: ANIM 217; restricted to Animation majors. (UG) (UG)
ANIM 250: Character Design
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course will explore the concepts of Character Design, Character Development for Animation. Students will learn how to approach character design and how to progress from concept to finished designs. Through the study of shape, silhouette, color, caricature, underlying structure, costume, using classical and modern drawing techniques, the class will explore ways to make characters appealing, dynamic, interesting and animatable. Prerequisites: ART 106; priority enrollment given to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 274: Gesture Drawing: Drawing in Action
3 Credit Hour(s)
Drawing from life is the foundation for understanding motion. Shifts in pose, reflected in proportion, balance and articulation, create a believable sense of organic motion. Gestural Drawing will direct the student to observe motion in the physical world, and examine how motion can be individualized and determined by circumstance. Prerequiste: ART 204. (UG)
ANIM 301: History of Animation Mid 20th Century To Today
3 Credit Hour(s)
Writing Intensive. This course will continue the students understanding of the context, culture and technology evolving in the world of animation. In addition to a history of animation and its practitioners and development, the course explores the stylistic changes that swept the industry in the 1950s, the emergence of television animation, the second golden age of Disney animation and the advent of CG animation. The course will delve into the world's changing culture from a literary to visual and the importance of the images being conveyed. Participants will view animation from various studios, studying feature- length animated films as well as narrative and experimental shorts. Priority enrollment given to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 302: Harmony Rigging
1 Credit Hour(s)
Harmony Rigging is one of the essential tasks in the production of Harmony based TV/streaming 2D animated shows. This course will teach the process of rigging a 2D character in Harmony from conception of the character design to the finished Harmony rig that is ready for animation. Rotators, bone and envelope deformers, drawing substitutions will be covered. Prerequsites: ANIM 212 (UG)
ANIM 303: 2D Rigged Animation
1 Credit Hour(s)
Students will continue to build on their knowledge of 2d rigged animination for introduced in the Basic Animation classes. This course will cover advance rigged animation techniques with more complicated exercises featuring physical action. The class exercies lend themselves to exaggeration and comic invention. Timing and pre-production planning continue to be an absolute. Prerequisite: ANIM 212 (UG)
ANIM 309: Concept Art & Visual Development
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course is designed to introduce the student to the fundamental professional practices of 2D digital Visual Development and Conceptual Art as it relates to Character Design and Illustration for film, TV and Video Games. The course covers practical, standard work-flow techniques in Photoshop, the proper use of reference material, as well as touching on the need for developing professional practice in the areas of anatomical knowledge and a general development of compositional, design and traditional painting skills, transposed into the digital realm. Classes consist of live practical demonstrations, short in-class exercises and longer assigned projects that require significant creative effort. The in-class exercises are a practical support for the larger, more involved assigned projects. Prerequisites:ART103, ART104, ART105, ART106; priority enrollment to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 311: Animation Basics III
3 Credit Hour(s)
Students will continue to build on their knowledge of classical animation principles with more complex exercises featuring physical action and dialogue. The class exercises will explore complex spacing and exaggeration. Thumbnailing, timing and spacing continue to be an absolute must in order to achieve the desired scene. Clean-up and inbetweening exercises will again be provided. Prerequisite: ANIM 212; restricted to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 317: CG Systems I
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course is an introduction to the aspects of the CG pipeline other than animation. During the semester we will be exploring each of the software's major interfaces pertaining to being a Technical Director/CG Generalist. Students will learn each of the major stages of production starting with 3D modeling, texturing, basic rigging, lighting, and rendering. Prerequisites: ART 103, ART 104, ART 105, ART 106. Priority enrollment given to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 318: CG Systems III
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course will be continuing going into the advanced details of modeling, rigging, and texturing. Most students taking this course will be creating a CG senior film. Therefore, the focus will be on finishing the blend shapes of their model, as well as rigging and texturing the model up to production standards. Activities will also include 3-point lighting, how to light a 3D scene, and the fundamentals of rendering. Prerequisites: ANIM 333. Priority enrollment given to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 320: Two-Dimensional Effects in Animation
3 Credit Hour(s)
Effects Animation centers on the mastery of observable physical phenomenon. This includes fire, water, smoke, explosions and more. Students will create effects in traditional 2D animation and in CG. Prerequisite: ANIM 211. (UG)
ANIM 327: Background Painting
3 Credit Hour(s)
Background Painting will introduce the student to the practice of creating background environments for figurative images, including architecture, landscape, and surrounding objects. The student will explore color, value, perspective, theatrical composition, lighting and stylization. In addition, the student will explore how the background enhances the subject, whether it is an animated project, illustration, or comic art. Prerequisite: ART 103, ART 104, ART 105, ART 106; priority enrollment to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 333: CG Systems II
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course builds off the skill sets introduced in GC Systems 1 to provide the student with a more complex understanding of computer geometry in order to examine the basic elements of computer models. Modeling, animation, lighting, texture mapping and rendering are explored within a production setting. Prerequisites: ANIM 317 (UG)
ANIM 341: Digital Compositing
3 Credit Hour(s)
In Digital Compositing, the animation student will learn how to combine images in either Harmony or NUKE to create a finished scene. Students will gain the ability to manipulate frame composition, timing, and color by editing their original images. Prerequisite: ANIM 311. (UG)
ANIM 411: Animation Basics IV
3 Credit Hour(s)
Students will continue to build on their knowledge of classical animation principles with more complicated exercises featuring acting and lip sync. The class exercises lend themselves to character interactions and more subtle acting. Timing and pre-production planning continue to be an absolute must in order to achieve the desired scene. Inbetweening exercises will again be provided. Prerequisite: ANIM 311; restricted to Animation majors. (UG)
ANIM 421: Advanced Lighting
3 Credit Hour(s)
In Advanced Lighting, students will apply previous training in lighting to create realistic environments and objects. Prerequisite: ANIM 411. (UG)
ANIM 429: Dynamics & Particles
3 Credit Hour(s)
In Dynamics and Particles, students will explore Particle Systems and Paint Effects to create advanced images. Class projects will complete dynamic animations with the use of particle systems to integrate realistic motion with visual effects. This course will complete the sequence of 3D skill sets standard in the industry. Prerequisite: ANIM 411 (UG)
ANIM 432: Maya Character Modeling & Rigging
3 Credit Hour(s)
In Maya Character Modeling and Rigging, animation students will continue to explore Maya and learn how to customize Maya to speed up workflow. Advanced topics will be introduced, including squash and stretch, utility nodes, and scripting. Prerequisite: ANIM 318. (UG)
ANIM 450: Advanced Character Animation
3 Credit Hour(s)
Advanced Character Animation is a culmination of previous character modeling and animation courses. Students combine previously learned skill sets to produce character animation that demonstrate motivation and personality. Prerequisite: ANIM 411; restricted to Animation majors. (UG)
Art
ART 101: Introduction to the Visual Arts
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. An exploration of the principles of design and the creative process in the plastic arts through a series of studio projects in a variety of media; periods of lecture and discussion devoted to aesthetics and the history of art. Non-majors only. (UG)
ART 103: Foundation Design I
3 Credit Hour(s)
An exploration of two-dimensional composition with emphasis on the elements and principles of design. Limited to BFA, BS Art and BS Art Ed majors only. (UG)
ART 104: Foundation Design II
3 Credit Hour(s)
The second of two courses in design fundamentals, ART 104 builds upon the elements and principles of design with a comprehensive exploration of color theory. Prerequisite: ART 103. Limited to BFA, BS Art and BS Art Ed majors only. (UG)
ART 105: Foundation Drawing I
3 Credit Hour(s)
Development of visual perception and organization through drawing from nature and life in a variety of drawing media. Limited to BFA, BS Art and BS Art Ed majors only. (UG)
ART 106: Foundation Drawing II
3 Credit Hour(s)
The second of two courses in drawing fundamentals, ART106 explores a variety of thematic drawing experiences emphasizing work in ink, color pencil and mixed media. Prerequisite: ART 105. Limited to BFA, BS Art and BS Art Ed majors only. (UG)
ART 107: Visual Experience
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. An investigation of the visual aspects of the world through artistic themes, techniques, and landmarks. Methods of analyzing form will aid students in experiencing aesthetic responses to historical artistic examples and the contemporary, immediate environment. Non-majors only. (UG)
ART 110: Art Animation
2 Credit Hour(s)
Cross-listed as ANIM 110. Course will introduce high school students to the concepts and mark making that are necessary for moving forward into a degree course in Animation. (UG)
ART 114: Creative Community Development
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Civic Responsibility; Contextual Integration. Cross-listed as IND-114. This course is designed to engage students in meaningful learning about how the arts are an essential part of our everyday lives and communities. The instructor will engage students in activities that illustrate ways art can be used as a vehicle for community development that seeks to improve community members' well being. The instructor will introduce students to local, national, and international artists, programs, and organizations that are using the arts to positively promote community development and support community members. Students will learn how arts communities (1) are conceived, (2) identify community concerns, (2) plan and use the arts as a way to address those concerns, (3) are funded, and (4) assess their work. The course will connect the arts, healthcare, education, community/cultural development, and civic responsibility/engagement. (UG)
ART 155: Photography for Non-Majors
3 Credit Hour(s)
Please refer to ART 334 for Digital Photography for both majors and non-majors (UG)
ART 204: Figure Drawing I
3 Credit Hour(s)
ART204 concentrates on drawing from the human figure to include experimentation in a variety of media. Prerequisite: ART 104 and ART 105. (UG)
ART 205: Figure Drawing II
3 Credit Hour(s)
The second of two courses in figure drawing, ART205 concentrates on drawing from the model with an emphasis on human anatomy. Prerequisite: ART 204. (UG)
ART 218: Creative Drawing
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course is designed to teach students the concepts and methods to create convincing drawings from imagination. Technical instruction and demonstrations on the subjects of shape, form, gesture, lighting, and abstraction will equip students with the skills to create believable drawings of both observed and imagined subject matter. (UG)
ART 219: Graphic Design I
3 Credit Hour(s)
An introduction to traditional and contemporary production methods and practices used by Graphic Design professionals. Emphasis is placed on terminology and technical production practices. Prerequisites: ART 104 and ART 106. (UG)
ART 220: Art & Architecture of the Middle East
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competencies: Affective Awareness; Contextual Integregation; Cross listed as IND 220. The Middle East is one of the most historically and culturally significant parts of the world. This course is a survey of the art and architecture of this region from ancient to modern eras. Students will become acquainted with the aesthetic concerns of the Middle East's periods, cultures, and religions through two and three-dimensional artifacts. Since the Middle East is also known as the Cradle of Civilization we will first look at artifacts from Mesopotamia (Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, etc.). Islamic art and architecture will also be given particular attention, addressing mosque architecture, calligraphy, and painting and how they visually express the concerns of Islam. Although the focus will primarily be on art objects, significant discussion will take place on the stereotypes of the Middles East constructed through Western works of art from the 19th and 20th century. The course will conclude by looking at recent artists from the Middle East and how they have used art to address and deconstruct stereotypes. (UG)
ART 221: Computer Rendering I
1 Credit Hour(s)
Over the course of the semester, you will learn how to generate professional-quality vector graphics in Adobe Illustrator from a technical perspective. This course is designed as an introduction to Illustrator and is aimed at being approachable for students who have no experience using this software or any comparable vector editors. (UG)
ART 222: Computer Rendering II
1 Credit Hour(s)
Over the course of the semester, you will learn how to manipulate raster imagery in Adobe Photoshop fromatechnical perspective. This course is designed as an introduction to Photoshop andis aimedatbeingapproachable for students who havenoexperience using this software or any comparable raster editors. (UG)
ART 223: Computer Rendering III
1 Credit Hour(s)
Over the course of the semester, you will learn how to use InDesign from a technical perspective. In Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, we learned how to generate compelling imagery. In this course we'll learn how to place that imagery in layouts. Those layouts being print and digital magazines, flyers, books, posters, etc. This course is designed as an introduction to InDesign and is aimed at being approachable for students who have no experience using this software or any comparable desktop publishing software. (UG)
ART 225: Watercolor Painting I
3 Credit Hour(s)
An introductory course in painting using watercolor and casein painting techniques. Prerequisites: ART 104 and ART 106. (UG)
ART 226: Watercolor Painting II
3 Credit Hour(s)
Advanced study of watercolor painting processes, materials and techniques, with emphasis on contemporary Western watercolor and Oriental watercolor painting. Prerequisite: ART 104 and ART 106. (UG)
ART 229: Ceramics for Non-Majors
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. Introduction to ceramics, the aesthetic possibilities of clay, basic construction techniques and a basic experience of glazing for those students not majoring in Art, Graphic Design, or Art Education. Non-majors only. (UG)
ART 230: Computer Rendering
3 Credit Hour(s)
Students are introduced to industry standard digital tools and concepts with a focus on creating vector and raster-based work using the Adobe Creative Suite. Illustrator and Photoshop are emphasized, where students examine the process of creating, manipulating, and experimenting with photos, typography, and images, and finishing work via digital application. This course is for graphic designers, illustrators, artists, and those interested in learning the basics of image manipulation and file management. Prerequisites: ART 103 and ART 105. (UG)
ART 240: Woodcuts and Monoprints
3 Credit Hour(s)
Introduction to these two basic forms of printmaking with attention to both aesthetics and processes. Prerequisites: ART 104 and ART 106. (UG)
ART 251: Ceramics I
3 Credit Hour(s)
Introduction to ceramics, the aesthetic possibilities of clay, basic construction techniques and a basic experience of glazing. (UG)
ART 267: Sculpture I
3 Credit Hour(s)
Introduction to sculpture process concentrating on working in the round and relief. Experiences in a wide variety of common materials and techniques. Prerequisites: ART 104 and ART 106. (UG)
ART 287: The History of Design
3 Credit Hour(s)
An introduction to the history of design, with a focus on visual communication design from past to present. Prerequisites: ART 104 and ART 106. (UG)
ART 301: Motion Graphics
3 Credit Hour(s)
Students will learn about design as it relates to moving image and time-based media. The course includes motion principles and history, demos, tutorials, resources, and studio production time to provide an introduction to motion in design. Students will work primarily with Adobe After Effects. Competency in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator is highly recommended. Prerequisites: ART 319, or permission from instructor. (UG)
ART 306: Figure Drawing III
3 Credit Hour(s)
Advanced work from the figure. Special focus based on student's major field of study. Required for Drawing/Illustration majors. Prerequisites: ART 104 and ART 106. (UG)
ART 312: Contemporary Studio Practice
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course explores the role of the artist in response to personal, social, political, and cultural issues in our contemporary context. Through research, writing, and studio practice, students will engage in working beyond a traditional discipline-specific approach to studio art. Prerequisite ART 204 (UG)
ART 319: Graphic Design II
3 Credit Hour(s)
The history of typography, the anatomy of the letterform, typeface classifications, typographic terminology and the effective usage of type to convey visual/verbal messages are explored in this course. Prerequisite: ART 219. (UG)
ART 320: Web Design
3 Credit Hour(s)
Using design and typography principles, students will learn about the web design process, UI/UX design, and screen-based applications. Industry standard design tools will be used to create responsive websites, understand CMS platforms, and for the creation of interactive digital elements. Competency in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator is highly recommended. Prerequisites:ART 104 or CA 125. (UG)
ART 325: Introductory Oil Painting
3 Credit Hour(s)
Introductory course in painting using oil as the vehicle of expression. Prerequisites: ART 104 and ART 106. (UG)
ART 326: Introductory Acrylic Painting
3 Credit Hour(s)
A painting course emphasizing the use of the acrylic medium. Prerequisites: ART 104 and ART 106. (UG)
ART 331: Art Reading List
3 Credit Hour(s)
The Modernist Revolution addresses the dramatic shift in artistic expression occurring between the 1860s and the 1960s. Students will investigate Modernist impulses by examining the role of avant-garde artists, primary sources and contemporary criticism. The primary academic goal is to provide a solid background for study of the present era by first investigating the formalist concerns that informed it, and the contributing social factors. This course is an important foundation for continued studies in Contemporary Art, Postmodernism and Art Theory. Prerequisite: ART 275 or ART 285. (UG)
ART 334: Digital Photography
3 Credit Hour(s)
This studio course is designed for majors and non-majors with limited or no experience with digital photography and will include a study grounded in the historical, conceptual and practical developments of the art of photography as embodied in the use of digital image making technologies. (UG)
ART 344: Art in Space and Environment
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. Writing Intensive. A collaborative experience with THA 326, Performance in Space, that leads students to address issues relating to art and theater in a site-specific context. (UG)
ART 345: Advanced Drawing I
3 Credit Hour(s)
Emphasis on the development of an idea through a sequence of drawings. Prerequisites: ART 204. (UG)
ART 346: Advanced Drawing II
3 Credit Hour(s)
As a follow-up to ART345, Advanced Drawing II provides the drawing major with a bridge between the high level of instructor participation characteristic of preceding drawing/illustration courses and the expected independence of the senior project semesters. Prerequisite: ART 345. (UG)
ART 348: Seminar and Practice in Graphic Design
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course will focus on an inquiry of the traditional and expanded roles that graphic designers have filled. It will encompass investigation and research into current topics of sustainable practices, opportunities, and theories as applied to the professional practice of graphic design. Issues to be addressed include ethics, current events, and the role of the designer as problem seeker. Prerequisite: ART 319. (UG)
ART 351: Ceramics II
3 Credit Hour(s)
Ceramics II explores technical and creative experiences in throwing on the wheel and a creative exploration of glazing. Prerequisite: ART 251. (UG)
ART 355: History of Non-Western Art
3 Credit Hour(s)
An overview of artistic traditions outside the influence of Europe with particular emphasis on the arts of East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Open to Non-majors. (UG)
ART 356: Women in Art
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. Illustrated discussion of women in the arts, centering on the obstacles and reception of women in the artistic establishment, and the depiction of women by both male and female artists. Open to non-majors. (UG)
ART 367: Sculpture II
3 Credit Hour(s)
Theory and practice of sculptural composition utilizing modeling and carving with introductory welding and casting. Prerequisite: ART 267. (UG)
ART 368: Sculpture III
3 Credit Hour(s)
Continued exploration of sculptural techniques with emphasis on understanding the character and value of the material to the final work. Prerequisite: ART 367. (UG)
ART 381: Illustration I
3 Credit Hour(s)
Illustration I is an exploration of effective picture-making; how to make readable and visually engagin images. This course explores shape design, rendering, composition, and value structure. (UG)
ART 382: Illustration II
3 Credit Hour(s)
Illustration II explores ideation (the process of creating ideas) and visual communication of both narratives and concepts. Prerequisite: ART 381. (UG)
ART 383: Illustration III
3 Credit Hour(s)
Advanced exploration of illustration in various media. Prerequisite: ART 382. (UG)
ART 400: Practical Seminar
3 Credit Hour(s)
This team-taught course will engage students in both the creative and administrative operations of an arts organizations. Students will form, as a cohort, a business enterprise to deliver the creation of a single artistic product (an exhibition, a production, a radio show) while engaging in the development, management and presentation of the creative endeavor supported by a strategic plan focused on financial, marketing, organizational, programming, and event planning. In the opening weeks of the practical section of the course, students will be introduced to the basic framework of the artistic product and will be assigned titles and responsibilities consistent with the organizational structure needed to develop and deliver that product. Students will be asked to research similar organizations and products, interview area professionals associated with the field, and design and mount a program of their own. As individuals and as a group, the class will be led through the practical considerations of producing a collective, artistic project and will be responsible, under guidance, for its planning, execution, and public reception. Focus throughout will be on cooperative, collaborative creation, in which students are responsible for their allotted areas of expertise while working with and depending on other members of the organizational team. In the administrative section of the course, students will engage such areas as planning, budgeting, marketing, insurance, contracts, and public relations. Students will also be asked to plan and create such artifacts - EG, advertising, social media campaigns, brochures, playbills, catalogs etc. - consistent with the overall project. Prerequisites: MKT 312, ENTR 201, ENTR 301. (UG)
ART 420: Graphic Design IV
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course in visual communication addresses a wide range of career tracks through understanding current industry standards, trends, and practices, along with the history of advertising and professional practices. An emphasis on advertising, branding, and integrated campaign development will allow students to explore deliverables such as print, packaging, signage, strategy, video, out-of-home, interactive, motion graphics, web, and social media. Prerequisites: ART 230 and ART319, or permission from instructor. (UG)
ART 425: Painting III
3 Credit Hour(s)
Advanced painting problems in various media. Prerequisites: ART 325, 326. (UG)
ART 426: Painting IV
3 Credit Hour(s)
Advanced study in painting. Prerequisite: ART 425. (UG)
ART 427: Fibers II
3 Credit Hour(s)
Work in fibers emphasizing on-loom textile construction techniques. Prerequisite: ART 327. (UG)
ART 431: Professional Practice
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course is designed to help bridge the gap between higher education and professional work in the creative sector, helping to put students in the best position to succeed as they graduate into the professional field. This course covers various financial, legal and practical aspects of professional work in the creative sector, with specific emphasis on freelance work. (UG)
ART 435: Advanced Typography
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course introduces students to advanced design principles that explore the expressive potential of typography in a variety of conceptual and utilitarian applications. All projects focus on the refinement of the design process to generate solutions through visual communication. Prerequisite: ART 319. (UG)
ART 436: Overview of Aesthetics
3 Credit Hour(s)
Aesthetics studies the nature of reception and appreciation of the visual realm. Often described as the philosophy of beauty, aesthetics encompasses the role of visual experience, beauty/ugliness, and visual and poetic expression. This course investigates the history of aesthetics, with a focus on the development of modern aesthetics. Prerequisite: ART 331. (UG)
ART 439: Serigraphy
3 Credit Hour(s)
Serigraphy, or screen-printing, is an exploration of printmaking processes using the photo-mechanically produced image. Prerequisites: ART 104 and ART 106. (UG)
ART 441: Advanced Printmaking
3 Credit Hour(s)
Opportunity for advanced students to continue exploration of and involvement with chosen printmaking processes and procedures. Prerequisites: ART 240, 340, 439. (UG)
ART 443: Issues and Methodologies in Contemporary Art
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Information Literacy. Writing Intensive. Together with ART 498, Senior Exhibition, ART 443 satisfies the department's Research and Presentation requirement. Diverse exercises in criticism and analysis to broaden the art student's aesthetic awareness, judgment and sensitivity. Prerequisite: ART 331. (UG) (UG)
ART 445: Special Projects
3 Credit Hour(s)
Advanced study in a studio area with special authorization of a faculty member and approval of the department chairperson. May be repeated; two uses total, senior year only. (UG)
ART 446: History of Contemporary Art:1940- Present
3 Credit Hour(s)
Study of contemporary art history based on the visual and historical movements from the second half of the twentieth century to present day. Prerequisite: IND 285. (UG)
ART 455: Photography
3 Credit Hour(s)
An exploration of various black and white film photography practices including photograms, pinhole and film cameras, as well as developing and printing methods. Recommended for Art Education majors. No previous darkroom experience is needed. Open to majors and non-majors. (UG)
ART 456: Advanced Photography
3 Credit Hour(s)
Advanced photographic work that spans digital and darkroom practices. Prerequisites: ART 334 and/or ART 455 or by permission of the instructor. (UG)
ART 464: Sculpture IV
3 Credit Hour(s)
Advanced study in sculpture. Prerequisite: ART 368. (UG)
ART 490: Senior Project
3 Credit Hour(s)
Advanced study in a major discipline in preparation for and including an exhibition of completed works; supervision by a major instructor and a faculty review board. Normally elected in the final semester, and only after the completion of the entire numbered sequence of courses in the major discipline. Required of all BFA candidates. A BFA degree may not be earned without a grade of C or higher in this course. Prerequisite: ART 443. (UG)
ART 498: Senior Art Exhibit
1 Credit Hour(s)
With ART 443, fulfills Research and Presentation requirement. Required of all BFA Art, BFA Graphic Design, BS Art, and BS Visual Arts Education majors. Prerequisite: ART 443. (UG)
Arts Administration
ARTA 450: Practicum Seminar in Arts Administration and Management
3 Credit Hour(s)
Students will intern at a practicing arts organization, where they will gain experience in day-to-day operation and support procedures. Students will meet weekly with the faculty advisor to chart time, troubleshoot about organizational issues and discuss assignments. The faculty advisor will correspond closely with the cooperating organization to monitor student progress. Prerequisite: BA 211. (UG)
Music
MUS 100: Introduction to Music
3 Credit Hour(s)
Basic concepts and terminology; survey of selected periods in music history, with study of representative compositions. (UG)
MUS 115: The Music of the United States
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. A survey of the entire range of American music: religious, folk, classical, popular, jazz, etc. (UG)
Private music lessons are also available for credit: contact the Visual & Performing Arts Department to arrange.
Theater Arts
THA 103: From Page to Stage: Playtexts for Beginners
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. Acting as an art, survey and evaluation of its development, analysis of method acting and current trends. Exercises and application of acting principles to individual talents and towards development of an ensemble. Theatre games, improvisation, and beginning scene work. (UG)
THA 106: Introduction to the Theater
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. Analysis of theater and drama, historical and current production practices, in order to enhance aesthetic appreciation. (UG)
THA 108: Masked Performance
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving. This introductory class will explore the fundamentals of acting and characterization through the lens of the mask and the specific problems it creates for the actor. (UG)
THA 115: Theatre of Betrayal:Sex,Lies And Politics
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Communication Skills. This course, aimed at first year students, examines plays and films that explore the ways in which sexual infidelity have dislocated the political state. Drawing on examples from classical and modern theatre as well as dramatic treatments of 20th century history, the course explores the disruption private affairs have caused the public sphere. As a Freshmen Seminar, the course also introduces students to the importance of Communication, Information Literacy, and Critical Thinking Skills. (UG)
THA 119: Theater, Madness, Power
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. This course, which complements and will be in continued dialogue with REL 114 Culture and Story, examines the role that theater plays in establishing, creating, maintaining or transgressing the categories and boundaries considered essential to modern life: purity and the sacred; morality; sexual identity and gender roles; sanity; honor; free will and choice. (UG)
THA 203: Improvisation in the Classroom
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course will introduce students to the work of improvisational practitioners Viola Spolin, Paul Sills and Keith Johnstone. They will gain practical experience with these techniques as tools to engage students in a classroom environment, and will learn how to create a class activities progression, assess student progress, and use the techniques themselves as means of assessment. (UG)
THA 207: Improvisation
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. The class will look at improvisation in various performative and cultural contexts. Activities will include practical experiences, including solo and group performances, readings, viewings, research, and writing on historical aspects and contexts of improvisation. Prerequisite: THA 103. (UG)
THA 208: Public Speaking
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency Communication Skills. Cross-listed with IND 208.This course is designed to assist students in developing public speaking skills. Emphasis will be on helping students gain the confidence and techniques to make public, oral presentations; to select, organize and articulate ideas; and to adapt to particular audiences. Our main focus will be on stressing some basic physical and breathing skills, on preparing material, an on meeting a variety of circumstances with confidence and enthusiasm. (UG)
THA 213: Introduction to Stage Combat
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. This class will focus on the idea of unarmed, staged violence, and will seek primarily to gain an understanding and respect for the physical safety concerns of the stage. Prerequisite: THA 103. (UG)
THA 214: Stage Movement
3 Credit Hour(s)
Studies techniques for presence and movement on stage. (UG)
THA 215: Introduction to Suzuki Method of Actor Training
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course introduces students to the Suzuki method of actor training. (UG)
THA 216: Mask Construction & Performance
3 Credit Hour(s)
In this course, students will learn to engage in an aesthetic conversation with the forms and materials involved with mask construction. This awareness will then be used to create original masked performance, as well as exploring the various uses of mask and what advantages each of these uses offers within an Applied Theater context: ritual, educational, psychological and physical. Prerequisite: THA 106. (UG)
THA 222: Costume Design
3 Credit Hour(s)
Introduces the student to the art of costume design. (UG)
THA 223: Lighting Design
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course presents techniques and facets of lighting design. (UG)
THA 224: Set Design
3 Credit Hour(s)
This class focuses on the fundamentals of set design. (UG)
THA 225: Sound Design
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course provides instruction in the basics of sound design. (UG)
THA 230: Acting for Animators
3 Credit Hour(s)
The course will deal in depth with the skills and sensibilities associated with communication through speech, the physical appearance and structure of the vocal articulators, the implementation of the Laban effort actions and their relationship to the definition of a character and the use of improvisation as a tool for creating and evaluating narrative structure. (UG)
THA 231: Performing Objects
3 Credit Hour(s)
The manipulation of objects is an ancient form of popular performance. This course will explore the history, technology, theory and practice behind puppetry, both mainstream and experimental, and how the traditional role of puppetry has been, and can continue to be extended into previously unexplored areas and sources of objects. Prerequisite: THA 106. (UG)
THA 232: Shakespeare in Performance: Acting/Directing
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competencies: Affective Awareness and Critical Thinking and Problem Solving. This course has a dual focus. Firstly, we will approach Shakespeare as trainee performers, so that we will engage the text by asking questions about how to perform it. Secondly, we will study performances and the work of theatre practitioners, and learn from them how to interrogate and be challenged by Shakespeare's texts. In this way, we'll be able to assess the variety of interpretations offered by texts and performances, as well as the choices available to practitioners and the implications of making them. Some of the topics guiding our work will be interpretation, plot, character, psychology, motivation, staging, the demands the scripts place on actors, and the feelings aroused in an audience during or at the end of a performance. (UG)
THA 246: Design for the Theater: History of Theatrical Space
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Contextual Integration. This course explores the design of theatrical spaces throughout history, especially in terms of the cultures that shaped them. Students will use this information to investigate what they can learn about a culture from its theatrical events and the spaces designed to hold these events. Prerequisite: THA 106. (UG)
THA 250: Voice and Speech for the Actor
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Communication Skills. This class explores the different facets of vocal communication and how they can be manipulated purposefully towards a theatrical end. The class will also investigate the differences between the concerns of stage voice and everyday voice. Prerequisite: THA 103. (UG)
THA 253: Theater As Outreach
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Civic Responsibility. Fulfills Service Learning requirement. The broad purpose of this course is to equip students with the means to design and lead theater workshops for others, especially disadvantaged citizens. The course will train students to facilitate workshops and residencies in a range of settings (schools, hospitals, places of detention, etc.), and will prioritize assisting people of all ages and in a variety of circumstances to find and express an artistic voice. Our main focus will be learning how to assist non-actors to express their issues and concerns through the medium of theater, and to empower members of our community to articulate those concerns in live performances that can then serve as fora community discussion. A signed petition from the Coordinator of Service Learning is required for registration in this course. (UG)
THA 260: Advanced Acting: Scene Study
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. This course for advanced acting students focuses on the skills involved in interpreting text, especially in terms of character development. We will explore the notions of character objective, tactics and arc, as well as continuing our study of narrative structures and the actor's responsibilities toward story. Prerequisite: THA 103. (UG)
THA 308: Community Acts: Community-Based Theater
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course focuses on creating new works for performance through workshops, improvisation, and rehearsal. Students are engaging acting skills and using basic storytelling and improvisation techniques to craft a new work through collaboration. Prerequisite: THA 103, THA 207, THA 253. (UG)
THA 326: Performance in Space
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Critical Thinking. A collaborative experience with ART 344: Art in Space and Environment that leads students to address issues relating to art and theater in a site-specific context. (UG)
THA 328: Advanced Improvisation
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competency: Affective Awareness. This course for advanced acting students is a continuation of the skills introduced in THA 207. Prerequisite: THA 207. (UG)
THA 333: Stage Management
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course will explore and articulate the various duties, responsibilities and skill sets associated with the role of stage manager in a theatrical production. Prerequisite: THA 106. (UG)
THA 352: Directing for the Stage
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course will give students an immersive introduction to the process of directing live performance. It will be a project-based examination of the process, from text selection to fully realized production, including negotiating design elements, exploration of dramaturgical questions and working with performers. (UG)
THA 404: Devised Performance
3 Credit Hour(s)
Devising performance is one of the most exciting of contemporary ensemble practices. In this course, students will learn about theories of narrative and dramatic structure, and experiment with a range of methods and techniques for applying these creatively in practice. The course focuses on creating new works for performance through workshops, improvisation and rehearsal, and will teach students to engage acting skills, storytelling and improvisational techniques, as well as making directorial and design decisions. Prerequisite: THA 106. (UG)
THA 410: New Media & Performance
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course will introduce students to practical and theoretical innovations in contemporary theater and performance. We will explore new technologies, and investigate how these technologies affect performance, either through communication, information processing/exchange and the performer as interface. Through practical exploration and theoretical study, students will explore the human on stage and how s/he is commented upon, mediated, alienated or celebrated through technological intervention. Prerequisite: THA 106, THA 326. (UG)
THA 419: Theater of the Oppressed
3 Credit Hour(s)
This course will expose the students to the methodologies of Augusto Boal and the various formats and styles of performance that are covered broadly by his Theater of the Oppressed. It is a practical course that will focus on project-based learning and a high level of reflective analysis and writing to build a relationship with the work of Boal. Prerequisite: THA 106. (UG)
THA 480: Applied Theater Practicum
3 Credit Hour(s)
Fulfills core competencies: Critical Thinking; Contextual Integration; Research & Presentation; Writing Intensive. In this course, students will engage in supervised work in schools, with youth programs, and in community service settings. They will conceive, organize and implement their own applied theatre projects, in consultation with representatives of the partners as well as the theater faculty advisors. Students will meet weekly with the faculty advisor to chart time, troubleshoot about organizational issues and discuss assignments. The faculty advisor will correspond closely with the cooperating partners to monitor student progress. Prerequisite: Permission of Program Director. (UG)
Visual Effects
VFX 110: 2D and 3D Matchmoving
3 Credit Hour(s)
In this course students will begin acquiring post-production skills for employment in the Visual Effects industry. This first section instructs students on how to adjust for lens distortion by incorporating survey data in order to solve complex and problematic shots. (UG)
VFX 115: Rotoscoping
3 Credit Hour(s)
In this course students will develop a thorough knowledge of the software Nuke and its Roto/Paint node. Specific attention will be placed on basic studio practices related to work flow, such as establishing proper file structures and naming conventions. (UG)
VFX 220: Compositing
3 Credit Hour(s)
In this course students will effectively utilize Nuke for compositing purposes, and to develop a full working knowledge of basic production and pipeline procedures. Additionally, the course explores the more traditional aspects of cinematography as they pertain to visual effects. Prerequisites: VFX 110, VFX 115. (UG)
VFX 230: Paint and Rig Removal
3 Credit Hour(s)
In this course students will continue working with the software Nuke in its Paint/Roto node. Additional emphasis will be placed on basic studio practices, such as proper file structures and naming conventions. Prerequisites: VFX 110, VFX 115. (UG)
VFX 255: Stereoscopic Conversion
3 Credit Hour(s)
In this course students will learn to employ different techniques to convert standard 2D plates into stereo shots. They will discover the latest techniques for solving complex stereo problems, including how to rectify different focal lengths, to address vertical misalignment between plates, to employ stereo re-timing to solve stereo artifacts and rotation misalignment. Prerequisites: VFX220, VFX 230. (UG)