An introduction to Western Music. Students listen to, read about and discuss the great music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern periods. (Fulfills Humanities requirement)
Provides a historical overview of American popular music, from the mid-19th to the turn of the 21st century, including folk, jazz, ragtime, blues, swing, show music, motion picture music, country, rock and roll, soul, heavy metal, pop, grunge, rap and Latin / African music. Students will be required to listen to music associated with these styles. (Fulfills Humanities requirement)
Provides a historical overview of film from its inception to the present day. In addition to exploring textual elements such as narrative, characterization, plot and symbolism, film’s technical elements (mise-en-scène, cinematography, lighting, editing and sound) are considered. Emphasis is on film as both cultural artifact and institution. Major films, developments, genres, directors and movements are studied and the technical vocabulary needed to interpret, analyze and appreciate film is developed. (Fulfills Humanities requirement)
This course explores the relationship between American film and American culture. The emphasis is on film as a product of a specific period of time; its potential to both reflect and challenge American ideals will be considered. Readings, film screenings and discussions will focus on genre, important films/filmmakers and key developments within the industry. Prerequisites: ENGL110M or equivalent, or permission of the instructor. (Fulfills Humanities requirement)
The Humanities explores what it means to be human within a contemporary or historical context. The Humanities provide us with the broad frameworks within which enduring questions of existence, relationships, values, and aesthetics can be examined from multiple perspectives. The Special Topics in the Humanities course changes thematically each semester and may explore ideas around evil, love, race, gender, sport, spirituality, and those strands which connect us and make us human. Prerequisites: completion of ENGL110M or ENGL110XM.
The Humanities discipline considers what it means to be human within a contemporary or historical context. The Humanities provide us with the broad frameworks within which enduring questions of existence, relationships, values, and aesthetics can be examined from multiple perspectives. It is the basis of a Liberal Arts education. This course proceeds from the premise that in order to identify with and feel empathy for the Other, one must first know oneself and be secure in one’s own identity. If I am not in tune with my own humanness, how can I connect with the humanness in Another? The Arts (literature, music, painting) can help us see ourselves and others in a deeper way. The Arts provide us with two things: (1) A record of the individual artist’s exploration of themselves and the world and (2) An opportunity to recognize ourselves in their art. In this course, students will be exposed to a wide assortment of paintings, poems, literature, music, and drama/film, looking at both the author/composer/artists and their work. For the liberal arts student, this course contains a strong interdisciplinary component that will provide a unifying thread to their studies, while modeling the significance of the humanities across the curriculum. Students will engage in a series of guided journal reflections in a research essay focused on an author/composer/artist or theme of their choosing, and compile a thoughtfully curated digital gallery making thematic connections among various genres of art.
