400

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the socio-cultural dynamics that affect the communication process. Students focus on their own cultural world view as they are exposed to the cultural dynamics and characteristics of other societies. Emphasis is placed upon the nonverbal and oral/visual aspects of communication content, structure and context. May be used to fulfill general distribution requirements for the social sciences if not used for the major.

Raises fundamental questions about the relationship between science and the humanities. Analyzes the role of technology in modern life with special emphasis on the impact of new information technologies. May be used to fulfill general distribution requirements for the humanities if not used for the major.

Examines public opinion from a variety of perspectives, providing students with the ability to be intelligent consumers of public opinion research and effective users of public opinion research tools. Explores the interaction between the media and public opinion, as well as public opinion's effects on contemporary society and politics.

This course teaches theories of digital media from an aesthetic perspective. Students explore how scholars and practitioners have attempted to define digital media, describe their primary characteristics, and distinguish them from other forms of media. Surveying an array of digital media, from web-based and algorithmic art to videogames and synthetic worlds, the class examines how digital media both depart from and continue earlier media traditions.

Examines women directors worldwide. The course will focus on the theoretical, critical, historical, cultural and aesthetic basis of films made by international, mainstream, documentary and the avant-garde women film directors of New Zealand, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the African and Asian diasporas, and North and South America. Students will submit a series of written critical responses and complete a major project related to course material. May be counted in the humanities if not counted in the major.

This course studies critical contexts of public communications to bring students an understanding of forces that shape media and representation, and relationships between mass communication and the public.

Advanced explorations of feature film scriptwriting and analysis. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

Students explore the role of communication in the social construction of culture. Emphasis is on acquiring knowledge of culture as an evolving process of codifications, and examining dominant and marginal cultural meaning systems in science, history and the arts. May be used to fulfill general distribution requirements for the social sciences if not used for the major.

Explores the relationship between myth and cinema. Also looks at the politics of representation as it relates to race, gender and ethnicity. May be used to satisfy general distribution requirements in the humanities if not used for the major.

This course examines experimental, avant-garde cinema worldwide. It focuses on the theoretical, critical, historical, cultural and aesthetic basis of experimental and avant-garde films made by national and international directors. Students submit a series of written critical responses and complete a major project related to course material. May be counted in the humanities if not counted in the major.

A seven-week course with a study abroad component at a major international film festival. The core of the course is the intensive travel component, which is intended to provide a working understanding of the contemporary film market with an emphasis on how the film producer or business executive functions in the marketplace. Activities the participants may attend may include but are not limited to red carpet competition screenings and daily workshops, internships, networking meet-ups, business and film market symposiums and critique sessions. Film and media arts majors will be encouraged to submit their films for screenings for distributors, producers and festival programmers.

The course explores worldwide film theory and criticism from its roots to the present through lectures and screenings of international, global and non-western films.  Classical and contemporary theorists include Sergie Eisenstein, Andre Bazin, Gilles Deleuze, Walter Benjamin, Laura Mulvey and Lev Manovich, and more.   Issues of representation, the cinematic apparatus and semiotics including psychoanalytic film theory will be covered.  Students submit a series of written critical/theoretical responses and complete a conference style abstract and paper related to course material.  May be counted in the Humanities if not counted in the major.

Film and media arts majors only. Seminar for seniors completing a film or digital production project as the requirement for graduation in film and media arts. Pre-production and production of the senior thesis project will be completed by the end of the semester. Students pursue production projects of sufficient breadth and depth as to crystallize their experiences at the University. Should be taken two semesters prior to graduation (fall semester, for spring graduation;  spring semester for fall graduation).

Multi-Media and Installation Art is a course that introduces students to contemporary multi-media and installation art through both the study of the cutting edge practitioners within the field, and through the production of artwork. More specifically, the course provides students with an in-depth study of the development of multi-media art over the last fifty years and also teaches the tools for the production of such works. Modes of production covered include video projection, audio installation, site-specific works, land art, and hybrid combinations of the above modes incorporating sculpture and other traditional media such as painting.