AN-101 • Intro to Cultural Anthropology • 3 • Christine Vassallo-Oby

Anthropology is a lot more than the scientific study of humans. By asking ourselves, “what is anthropology?” and “what is culture?” we must understand what cultural anthropologists actually do in practice. A cultural anthropologist is someone who observes, records, and thinks about the operation, function, and design of human life in all of its complexities. Humanity, like culture, is messy, nonlinear, multifaceted, and constantly shifting. Think about the culture which your parents grew up, lots of things may have changed since then, including popular music, technology, medical advancements, and so on. The purpose of this course is to provide you with an introduction to the historical context, current manifestations, and theoretical processes of cultural anthropology as an academic discipline and as a way of viewing the world. We will accomplish this by exploring the similarities and diversity of human societies through ethnographic case studies and cross-cultural comparisons in both film and text. These topics are illustrated through examining the history and utility of anthropology's hallmark method, ethnography, which is the immersion of the researcher in the culture under study.

AR-101 • Intro to Painting • 3 • Angela Heisch • Lab Fee: $60
AR-101Z • Intro to Painting Workshop • 0 • Lab Fee: $60
M/T/W/R/F • 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM

An introduction to painting as a medium of visual expression. Emphasis is placed upon exploration of formal and technical concerns. Basic studies include drawing and will explore a variety of subject matter and media directed toward the organization of the two-dimensional plane.

AR-264H • Projects in Printmaking • 4 • Sophie Isaak • Lab Fee: $100
AR-264Z• Projects in Printmaking Workshop • 0 • Sophie Isaak • Lab Fee: $100
M/T/W/R/F • 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Designed for students to explore a variety of printmaking experiences. Students will have the opportunity to design independent projects utilizing various printmaking techniques. Projects could be making a series of prints, or perhaps an ambitious installation taking advantage of the possibilities of the multiple. Demonstrations will be held on multi-block color printing, ink mixing, and various monotype techniques. The class will investigate contemporary artists working with printmaking, digital possibilities of the medium and non-traditional applications.

AR-264Z• Contemporary Drawing Projects • 0 • Sophie Isaak/Kathy Hemingway Jones/Katie DeGroot • Lab Fee: $50
M/T/W/R/F • 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM

This class will focus on contemporary drawing methods with an emphasis on experimentation and concept, using various drawing mediums to create a body of work. New mediums will be explored for example; alternative papers, digital printing, and organic matter as drawing material.

Students will complete a series of unique drawing projects and will have a diverse portfolio of finished drawings at the end of the session. Research will be done into current artists and drawing techniques. Acceptance to this course will be based on applicant’s portfolio or Directors discretion.

DS-251C • 3D Interactive Storytelling • 3 • Greg Lyons
M/T/R/F • 9:00 AM – 11:55 AM

Want to build a 3D virtual experience for others? Have a story to tell where choices lead to different consequences? Want to create interactive shorts?  In this course students will learn the basics of Unity3D and develop an understanding for interactive storytelling in a digital space. Unity3D is a powerful interactive storytelling tool that can be used to bring student research or creativity to life in a variety of ways. No prior coding or gaming experience is necessary.

CH-115 ● Fundamentals of Chemistry (w/Lab) ● 4 ● Beatrice Kendall
M/T/W/R/F • 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

An Introductory course for students with little to no background in chemistry. Fundamental chemical concepts such as atomic structure, bonding, chemical reactions, and the properties of solids, liquids, and gases are presented.  Emphasis is placed on learning the “language of chemistry,” achieving the ability to visualize and understand process on an atomic and molecular level, and developing problem solving skills. Laboratory exercises and experiments serve to illustrate concepts presented in the lecture. This course is appropriate for students preparing to take Chemistry 125-Principles of Chemistry and for students who seek a one-semester survey of the subject.

GE-101 001 • Earth Systems Science • 4 • Kyle Nichols • Lab Fee: $50
M/T/W/R/F • 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

An introduction to Earth’s dynamic systems and geologic processes. The planet is studied from its deep interior to its oceanic, surficial, and atmospheric components to develop a scientific understanding of Earth as a holistic environmental system, of which the biosphere, including humanity, is one component. Within this context, course topics such as rocks and minerals, mountain building, earthquakes, volcanoes, glaciers, surface and groundwater, and resources are examined from the perspective of the interactions between geologic processes and humans.

MF-251D • Virtual Reality • 4 • Aaron Pedinotti
M/T/W/R • 9:00 AM – 11:55 AM

This course provides an overview of several important topic areas in the academic study of virtual reality. It surveys historical, theoretical, and empirically-based approaches to VR as a technical and socio-cultural phenomenon, and incorporates texts ranging from classical myths to contemporary films and television shows and cutting-edge VR adventures into the curriculum. The historically focused units of the course trace three threads in the scholarship on virtual technologies and practices. The first thread concerns the ways that storytelling from ancient times to the present (from premodern mythology to The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter) has involved elements of virtual world construction. The second examines the roots of contemporary VR technologies in nineteenth-century optical technologies and military-based war simulations and follows their subsequent development in the online gaming, social media, and virtual worlds industries, culminating in the still-recent launches of Oculus Rift, Vive, PlayStation VR, and other virtual reality technologies. On the theoretical front, the course surveys the work of media theorists who have attempted to formally define the nature and underlying properties of virtual media and worlds.  This portion of the course focusses heavily on theories of immersion and interactivity as two core aspects of virtual reality that contemporary technologies attempt to combine. The theoretical portions also incorporate texts from a longer tradition of philosophical commentaries that deal with the virtual dimensions of existence, including Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, the cosmologies of ancient gnostic mystics, and the work of modern theorists of the virtual. Alongside these historical and theoretical contents, the course includes readings and screenings on the practical implications of virtual reality for society-at-large and a few science fiction texts that speculate about its impact on the future. Students should be advised that experiential engagement with virtual reality is a significant part of the curriculum and assignments, which will involve use of the state-of-the-art equipment available at Academic Technologies.

SW-253 • Human Behavior and the Social Environment • 3 • Peter McCarthy
M/T/W/R• 9:30 AM – 11:45 AM

A multidisciplinary examination of theories and knowledge of human bio-psycho-social development from birth through later years. The course draws on research from biology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and political science to study the impact of biological, psychological, social, and cultural systems on health and well-being. Students explore the range of social systems in which individuals live (families, groups, communities, and organizations) and study the importance of ethnicity, culture, gender, disability, and other elements of diversity in human development.

WLI-101 • Elementary Italian • 4 • Barbara Garbin
M/T/W/R • 9:00 AM – 11:55 AM

An introduction to spoken and written Italian emphasizing cultural perspectives. Linguistic emphasis is on basic grammar, vocabulary, and the development of reading, conversation, and writing skills while learning about the culture of Italy.
Note(s): Four hours of class, one hour of drill or tutorial. Presupposes no previous study of Italian.

 

AR-101 • Intro to Painting • 3 • Angela Heisch • Lab Fee: $60
AR-101Z • Intro to Painting Workshop • 0 • Lab Fee: $60
M/T/W/R/F • 1:30 PM – 5:15 PM

An introduction to painting as a medium of visual expression. Emphasis is placed upon exploration of formal and technical concerns. Basic studies include drawing and will explore a variety of subject matter and media directed toward the organization of the two-dimensional plane.

AR-133 • Drawing I • 4• Kathy Hemingway-Jones • Lab Fee: $50
AR-133Z • Drawing I Workshop • 0 • Lab Fee: $50
M/T/W/R/F • 1:30 PM – 5:15 PM

This course builds on basic drawing experiences, refining skills in observation, organization, interpretation, and critical analysis. Studio work introduces a range of traditional drawing tools and materials while exploring a variety of approaches to image making and visual expression.

GE-101 002 • Earth Systems Science • 4 • Kyle Nichols • Lab Fee: $50
M/T/W/R/F • 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM

An introduction to Earth’s dynamic systems and geologic processes. The planet is studied from its deep interior to its oceanic, surficial, and atmospheric components to develop a scientific understanding of Earth as a holistic environmental system, of which the biosphere, including humanity, is one component. Within this context, course topics such as rocks and minerals, mountain building, earthquakes, volcanoes, glaciers, surface and groundwater, and resources are examined from the perspective of the interactions between geologic processes and humans.

MF-101 • Introduction to Media Studies • 4 • Aaron Pedinotti
M/T/W/R• 1:30 PM – 4:25 PM
An interdisciplinary introduction to the questions re: Human dilemmas in the context of an increasingly technology and media saturated culture. The course begins with close consideration of the nature and structure of human communication and an historical overview of communications and media. Students will study media from both psychological and societal perspectives and will consider the impact of media on politics, government, community, and consumer behavior. Special attention will be paid throughout the course to the personal and social impact of current and emerging forms of communication and media.

PY-109 • Physics: Sound and Music • 4 • Jill Linz
M/T/W/R/F • 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM

The physical principles of sound—how it is produced, propagated, and perceived. Illumination of principles will emphasize examples from music. Mechanisms used to produce different types of musical sounds will be discussed as well as the physical principles behind the reproduction of music in its many forms such as radio, tape recorders, and CD players. The laboratory component will include measurement of the speed of sound, frequency analysis of musical instruments, and sound recording.

SO-101 • Sociological Perspectives • 3 • Phil Lewis
M/T/W/R • 1:15 PM – 3:30 PM

The basic concepts and principles of major sociological perspectives. Attention is given to how these perspectives have been developed and used by social scientists to explain social phenomena. Recommended as an introduction to the discipline.

EN-103 • Writing Seminar I • 4 • Andy Fogle
M/T/W/R • 3:45 PM – 6:10 PM
Introduction to expository writing with weekly writing assignments emphasizing skills in developing ideas, organizing material, and creating thesis statements. Assignments provide practice in description, definition, comparison and contrast, and argumentation. Additional focus on grammar, syntax, and usage. Prerequisite:writing placement exam.

EN-105 • Writing Seminar II • 4 • François Bonneville, Thaddeus Niles
M/T/W/R • 3:45 PM – 6:10 PM

This seminar immerses students in the process of producing finished analytical essays informed by critical reading and careful reasoning. Special attention is given to developing ideas, writing from sources, organizing material, and revising drafts. Additional emphasis is on grammar, style, and formal conventions of writing. Students respond to one another’s work in workshops or peer critique sessions. Prerequisite:writing placement exam.