FA 111 Art History: to the Middle Ages
3 credits (AS)
Lectures, discussions, and slide presentations trace major art movements and tendencies in Western painting, sculpture, and architecture from prehistoric times through the Middle Ages. The political, religious, and social contexts of art are also studied. (Offered fall and spring terms)
FA 112 Art History: Renaissance to the Present
3 credits (AS)
The course covers Western art movements and styles from the Renaissance through the present. Sculpture, architecture, graphics, painting and new art trends and movements are considered as well as the political, religious, and social contexts of art. (Offered fall and spring terms)
FA 123 Introduction to Film Analysis
3 credits (AS)
Everyone knows what movies do. They tell stories, they entertain, and they both convey and critique cultural values. In this course, students move beyond what movies do to how they do it. Students become more conscious and analytical readers of movies. Through the viewing and writing about a number of interesting motion pictures, students will break the how of film into component parts to better understand both the filmmaker’s technique and the place of film in a broader cultural context. (Offered fall term)
FA 125 History and Contemporary Trends in Photography
3 credits (AS)
From Daguerre’s photographic process introduced in 1839 to Robert Frank’s groundbreaking book "The Americans", published in the U.S. in 1959, continuing on through the development of postmodernism, constructed imagery, and the snapshot aesthetic, photography has undertaken a dizzying multifaceted journey. This course will trace that trajectory through history to the contemporary moment. We will study the story of photography in a larger social context, and highlight the important personalities who made significant contributions to this history. (Offered spring term)
FA 131 History of Architecture and Interiors I: Antiquity to the Renaissance
3 credits (AS)
This course examines the history of architecture and interior design from antiquity to the Renaissance. Specific hallmarks of the major periods of design history and culture are emphasized. Students will be expected to recognize the major concepts, movements, and individuals that influenced the progression of architecture and interior design. (Offered fall term)
FA 132 History of Architecture and Interiors II: Baroque to the Present
3 credits (AS)
This course examines the history of architecture and interior design from the Baroque period to the present day. Specific hallmarks of the major periods of design history and culture are emphasized. Students will be expected to recognize the major concepts, movements, and individuals that shaped 20th Century architectural and interior design. (Offered spring term)
FA 144 Music Appreciation
3 credits (AS)
This is a course that is designed to enhance your enjoyment of all types of music. Why is a particular pop or rock song so appealing? What makes a 200 year old symphony still relevant today? How were composers affected by the historical or social events of their time? How can media impact how we feel about the music we listen to? No one needs to take a course in order to enjoy music. But looking deeper into a musical composition uncovers elements of melody, harmony, rhythm, form and timbre. Together we will explore and experience many musical genres, their ingredients, their historical and social influences, and their many varieties of musical expression. In the end, we will transition from hearing music to listening to music… from simply liking music to appreciating it.
FA 161 Theatre History: Prehistory to the Jacobean Period
3 credits (AS)
Students study the theater’s place in history from the prehistoric through the Jacobean period. Theater is explored from the perspectives of theater architecture, scene design, costume styles, acting methods, production techniques, dramatists and dramatic literature. (Offered spring term)
FA 162 Theatre History: Restoration to the Present
3 credits (AS)
Students study the theater’s place in history from the English Restoration through contemporary theater. Theater is explored from the perspectives of theater architecture, scene design, costume styles, acting methods, production techniques, dramatists and dramatic literature.
FA 165 Acting Workshop
3 credits (CS)
This course introduces students to the acting process, tools and skills with practical application through rehearsed scene work. Students will explore role and scene interpretation, as well as communication skills in performance. Class will include lecture and workshop. (Offered fall and spring terms)
FA 210 Art of the World
3 credits (AS)
This course presents a broad survey of painting, sculpture, craft, and architecture from non-Western areas of the world – Africa, India, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Korea, the Pacific, and the Americas – treating works from prehistory to the present, as appropriate, for each cultural and geographic region. Students will be expected to recognize artists, individual works, content, materials, and stylistic patterns, and to understand the relationship between these and the cultural contexts in which they are created.
FA 218 History of Fashion
3 credits (AS)
Students will study periods of fashion from the ancient Egyptian to present day to illustrate how styles reflect the past, and how fashion is affected by the psychological, sociological and aesthetic forces around us. A timeline progression for inventions/technology and culture is the framework for student work and research topics. Students with special interests in art history, culture and world events will enjoy how these topics influenced fashion and will continue to predict fashion trends. The course also emphasizes how designers have drawn on the past for current fashion inspirations.
FA 221/321 History of Visual Communications
3 credits (AS)
This course examines chronologically the history of advertising design, graphic design, web design, animation, and illustration as used specifically to inform, to sell, to persuade and to entertain. The influence of fine art on applied arts throughout history is explored, as well as its link to the social, political and economic life of various cultures. (Offered fall term)
FA 265 Theatre Production
3 credits (CS)
This course introduces students to the multi-faceted nature of the theatre experience through the hands-on and collaborative work of mounting a main stage production. Students engage in the processes of selecting/creating scripts for production, casting, designing and publicizing. Topics studied include the interdependency of acting, art and design, advertising, business management, set construction, costume design and construction, communication, lighting, community relations, directing, text study and analysis, contextual study, photography, journalism, copywriting, and other areas that are drawn upon to produce a play. Translating a written text into a three-dimensional, living art under the pressure of a performance deadline allows students to explore group dynamic and the performative nature of each of the topics studied. May be taken two times for credit. (Offered fall and spring terms)
FA 267 Stage Movement
3 credits (AS)
In this course students learn about the connectivity of the body and how it moves through space in order to improve on and build confidence in stage movement skills. In addition to strength training and aerobic/dance routines, students research basic Pilates and Feldenkrais techniques and practice their application in class. (Offered fall term)
FA 285 Liberal Arts Internship
3 credits (CS)
The Liberal Arts internship is an elective course that gives Liberal Arts students the opportunity to test career options related to their Liberal Arts area of study. The internship includes a set of preliminary class meetings on professional conduct and their connections to liberal arts study. Seminars accompany the internships to allow for exchange of information about students’ internship experiences. The College makes final arrangements for the internship placement and provides transportation when possible. This course does not satisfy General Education or distribution requirements in the Fine Arts area. (Arranged) Prerequisites: A minimum grade of "C" in EN 101 Academic Writing I and CM 121 Effective Speaking, sophomore status.
FA 301 The Creative Process in the Arts
3 credits (AS)
This course investigates artistic decision-making by involving students in the creative process, and examines the communication and problem-solving skills necessary for creating works of art. A combination of independent study and seminar, each student designs, researches and produces artistic work focused on an area of his or her individual interest within the arts; collectively, the students examine the nature, progress and outcomes of their investigations. Students analyze artistic choice by examining works of art, researching and discussing the artist and his or her context. (Offered alternate years)
FA 309 Special Topics in the Arts
3 credits (CS)
This is a repeatable course in which the content varies annually. Different faculty may teach this rotating course; the content will depend on the faculty member's expertise and the needs and interests of the student population. Prerequisites may be necessary for certain offerings. (Offered on a rotating basis)
FA 311 Women in the Visual Arts: 1960s - Today
3 credits (AS)
This course examines a number of the important achievements of individual women artists, collaborative groups, art historians, and theorists who have and continue to revolutionize aesthetic practice and cultural politics. A survey of images, film, readings and discussion will reveal the diverse voices of women artists from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is intended that students will emerge from the course with a clearer understanding of theoretical writings and the contributions of independent women artists, collaborative groups and projects. (Offered on a rotating basis) Prerequisite: FA 111 Art History: to the Middle Ages, FA 112 Art History: Renaissance to the Present, FA 210 Art of the World, or FA 401 Contemporary Developments in the Arts, or by permission of the instructor.
FA 318 20th Century Fashion Designers
3 credits (AS)
Students in this class will focus on understanding how culture, society, economics and history impacted fashion designers during the 20th century. This course is built on a framework of the six most influential fashion designers in high-fashion in the 20th century including Charles Worth, Paul Poiret, Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. A host of other designers will be studied throughout the course. This course will explore the evolving role of fashion in society - how the future is linked to the past and how global economic development, political influences and technology influenced the growth of the fashion industry. A consistent theme to be addressed will be the development of design houses, which led to the development of business models used in the fashion industry today.
FA 325 Cinema Studies
3 credits (AS)
A critical study of cinema as an evolving art form, this course concentrates on film as cultural text. Students view and discuss films and prepare written analyses on the artistic technique and cultural impact of film as a narrative form. (Offered alternate spring terms) Prerequisite: EN 201 Academic Writing II.
FA 351 Museum as Medium
3 credits (AS)
This course is designed for students who are interested in all aspects of gallery work and museum collections and those who are preparing for future opportunities in exhibiting their own work. It is structured as a shared research and gallery practicum course that directs a critical lens on the use and function of exhibition space and the museum and gallery as spatial material and framework for culture. (Offered alternate spring terms)
FA 366 Advanced Acting Workshop
3 credits (CS)
This course is a continuation of skills introduced to students in the Acting Workshop. Students work closely with the instructor to explore and develop advanced role and scene interpretation skills, as well as to further improve their communication skills in performance. Class includes lecture and workshop. (Offered fall and spring terms) Prerequisite: FA 165 Acting Workshop.
FA 373 Research in the Performing Arts I
3 credits (AS)
Students are assigned an advanced dramatic text around which are designed dramaturgical research and scholarship projects. The subject matter is explored as text and as performance, with some emphasis on drama and performance theories. Research methods and materials are examined. During most semesters, research is linked to a current or upcoming production. Those enrolled in FA 473 are assigned additional and more complex research work. This course does not require performance.
FA 385 Internship I
6 credits (CS)
Internships consist of off-campus field-work based on a learning contract signed by the student, agency supervisor and faculty director. The student participates in internship seminar meetings and an annual group presentation of internship experiences. A written evaluation of the experience is required of the student and agency. The student develops a final report that synthesizes the internship and academic activities (Arranged) Prerequisites: CM 301 Speech and Rhetoric, PS 234 Social Psychology.
FA 401 Contemporary Developments in the Arts
3 credits (AS)
This course addresses the major theories, concerns, processes and trends that have shaped the arts since 1980. A thematic approach emphasizes the many points of connection among the arts, including a study of gender, race and culture. Students have numerous opportunities to put these theories into practice through in-class exercises, formal workshops, and creative projects. (Offered most semesters)
FA 405 The Arts in the Community
3 credits (AS)
Arts in the Community explores the many types of relationships among artists, art and audiences, especially as mediated by cultural institutions. The history, intention, function and ownership of the arts will be examined at both the individual and institutional level. Art as an agent of social and political change will be discussed. Readings, field trips, guest speakers, projects and research will provide a real life context. The course considers the ethnic, social and racial diversity of cultural production primarily within the United States. (Offered spring term)
FA 408 Aesthetics: Philosophy of the Arts
3 credits (AS)
This course examines key problems and themes in the philosophical discipline of aesthetics. Through the close reading of primary sources by noted philosophers and theorists, students develop a range of analytical skills that enable them to think critically about the arts and artistic experience. Main topics to be addressed include understanding the nature of aesthetic experience, the "essence" or defining characteristics of the work of art, artistic creativity and genius, and our understanding of aesthetic concepts such as beauty, horror, tragedy, and the sublime. Throughout these investigations, close attention will be paid to the question of how our experience of art and sense experience in general factors into broader – sociological, political, moral – questions of human life and existence.
FA 473 Research in the Performing Arts II
3 credits (AS)
See FA 373 Research in the Performing Arts I
FA 485 Internship II
3 credits (CS)
Internships consist of off-campus fieldwork based on a learning contract signed by the student, agency supervisor and faculty director. The student participates in internship seminar meetings and an annual group presentation of internship experiences. A written evaluation of the experience is required of the student and agency. The student develops a final report that synthesizes the internship and academic activities. (Arranged) Prerequisite: FA 385 Internship I.
FA 489 Independent Professional Study
3 credits (CS)
This course may take a variety of forms: studio, portfolio, research project, or intense reading and a major paper. Characterized by a mentoral or preceptoral relationship, the course places significant demand on the students’ capacity for independent critical thought. (Arranged)
FA 499 Capstone Seminar in the Humanities
3 credits (AS)
Principally designed for students completing course work in a humanities-oriented area (literature, performing arts, communication), the Capstone Seminar allows students to propose and carry out specific academic projects that build on the knowledge and skills emphasized in previous course work. Projects may be individual or team-based. The course stresses written, oral, and visual communication, problem-solving, setting and achieving specific goals, teamwork, and self-assessment. The overall goal is to prepare for the next stage of students’ education or professional development. The course culminates with a public presentation of the finished project. (Offered fall and spring terms) Prerequisite: Student must be eligible for graduation at the end of the term in which seminar is taken.