About Our Classes

Exploration of fundamental principles of drawing. Develop skills in representational drawing, perspective, and composition. Develop creative and modern drawing techniques using a wide range of subject matter. Presentations and discussions illustrate classic principles. Course encourages development of individual expression.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, Summer

Introduction to art and design. Explores design principles and creative problem solving using multiple materials. Students also examine design's ability to shape and interpret information. Hands-on studio work, lectures, and discussions. Emphasizes creativity, inventiveness, and experimentation.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: Fall
• Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Senior

Immersive field trips to nature spaces and museums provide opportunities for basic photography. Cyanotypes, and making ink from natural sources. Draw and paint using natural links and watercolors. Work with foundational principles of art and design while developing your artistic sensibility.

• Credits: 3.0; Repeatable to a Max of 6
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, in odd years
• Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Junior, Senior

Focused on making works of art "on location" - in forests, community centers, museums, theatres, and as special projects in unique spaces. Students explore different materials, and ask open-ended ideas about how art is made and what it can be.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-3)
• Semesters Offered: Spring, in even years

Introduces hand building ceramic techniques, including coil, slab, pinch and wheel throwing. The goal is to allow students to be individually creative through experimenting with the possibilities in three-dimensional form. Historical, contemporary, functional and sculpture processes will be explored.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, Summer

Students will learn the fundamental techniques of using a pottery wheel, as a tool, to shape clay into utilitarian and sculptural forms. Historical and contemporary practices will support each individuals' creative abilities.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

A foundation course in fiber art techniques, concepts, history, and theories. Conceptual development will be emphasized as students learn to use contemporary fiber techniques in their studio arts practice. Media covered includes sewing and embroidery, dyeing, felting, knitting and crocheting, printing, and soft sculpture.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: On Demand
• Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman

Large-scale drawing and painting for theatre, opera, museums, and special projects, such as community murals. Emphasis is on matching a designer's vision or "scaling up" a designer's rendering to very large scale. Includes a community/professional painting project.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-3)
• Semesters Offered: Spring, in even years

Observational and imaginative drawing including the human figure and abstraction techniques. Contemporary drawing systems, concepts, and processes. Emphasis is on proportion, structural framework, visual measurement, movement, and relationships. Students work in a variety of drawing media.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: Spring
• Pre-Requisite(s): ART 1100 or ART 1110 or ART 2130 or ART 2160 or ART 2190 or ART 2195 or ART 3130 or ART 3180 or ART 3190 or ART 4450

Addresses ceramic theory, history, and science, and aims to develop the content and quality of students' work in clay. Students will learn new ways of creating forms through use of the wheel, molds, and study of clay and glaze technologies.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: Spring
• Pre-Requisite(s): ART 1110 or ART 2140 or ART 2145 or ART 2160 or ART 2190 or ART 2195 or ART 3145 or ART 3190 or ART 3410 or ART 3420

Explores the material properties and expressive potential of clay. Learning a variety of sculptured techniques, students will demonstrate the ability to incorporate the elements and principles of art (line, space, form, harmony) to create works of art.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: On Demand
• Pre-Requisite(s): ART 1110 or ART 2140 or ART 2145 or ART 2190 or ART 2195 or ART 3140 or ART 3410 or ART 3190

Use water-based paints to explore colors' expressive potential. Develop your personal color palette. Study color theory. Consider the visual and metaphorical power of color. Analyze colors in cultural contexts. Prior drawing experience highly recommended.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: Spring
• Pre-Requisite(s): ART 1100 or ART 1110 or ART 2100 or ART 2130 or ART 2190 or ART 2195 or ART 2350 or ART 3130 or ART 3190

Introduction to contemporary sculpture using a range of materials and practices: wood, fiber, paper, found objects. Emphasizes sculptures' ability for storytelling and student's personal creative language. Class is in Rozsa student gallery; includes student exhibit at end of semester.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: Spring, in even years

Introduction to traditional ways of making sculpture around the world. Students develop studio skills while studying creative traditions from varied cultures. Hands-on studio work, lectures, discussions. Class takes place in Rozsa gallery; includes student exhibit at end of semester.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: On Demand
• Pre-Requisite(s): ART 1100 or ART 1110 or ART 2110 or ART 2130 or ART 2140 or ART 2145 or ART 2190 or ART 2195 or ART 2350 or ART 3130 or ART 3190

Examines important themes, processes, and issues in art, including local and global traditions. Spans a variety of creative practices. Creative projects, lectures, readings, and discussions. May be repeated if topic differs.

• Credits: variable to 6.0; Repeatable to a Max of 9
• Semesters Offered: On Demand
• Restrictions: Permission of instructor required

Upper-level sculpture course focused on student's personal arts language and an open-ended idea of what "sculpture" can be. Class takes place in the Rozsa student gallery, and includes exhibit at end of semester.

• Credits: 3.0; Repeatable to a Max of 6
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: On Demand
• Restrictions: Permission of instructor required
• Pre-Requisite(s): ART 3140 or ART 3145 or ART 3410 or ART 3420

Students build on skills from prior hand-building, throwing, and ceramic sculpture coursework, developing greater technical skills and aesthetic sensibilities. Class also studies historic and contemporary ceramics, art criticism, and student's personal creative language.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: Spring
• Restrictions: Permission of instructor required; May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman
• Pre-Requisite(s): ART 2140 or ART 2145 or ART 2190 or ART 3140 or ART 3145 or ART 3410 or ART 3420 or ART 3190

Explores contemporary and traditional drawing and painting practices. Develops students' own arts language. Experiments with varied materials. Prepare to unlock your creativity and expand your definitions of "drawing" and "painting". Course emphases change each semester.

• Credits: 3.0; Repeatable to a Max of 6
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-0-4)
• Semesters Offered: Spring, in odd years
• Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman
• Pre-Requisite(s): (ART 1100 or ART 2100 or ART 2130 or ART 2195 or ART 2350 or ART 3130) and (ART 3180 or FA 3180)

A special-project course. Students work as a studio/research assistant to art faculty on professional projects, such as gallery, field work, studio, or public art.

• Credits: variable to 3.0; Repeatable to a Max of 6
• Semesters Offered: On Demand
• Restrictions: Permission of instructor required; May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman
• Pre-Requisite(s): ART 2100 or ART 3140 or ART 3180 or ART 3410 or ART 3420 or ART 3145 or ART 2130 or ART 3130 or ART 2195

An introduction to the major concepts and theories of normative ethics and metaethics and an examination of a variety of issues in applied ethics including poverty and economic justice, lying and truth-telling, euthanasia, sexual conduct, and issues in communication ethics.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
• Semesters Offered: On Demand

Introduction to the ways that communication creates and maintains culture. Considers a variety of perspectives on the significance of communication. Explores the importance of communication for understanding culture

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
• Semesters Offered: Fall

Examines communication practices and styles across selected cultures and multicultural groups, drawing on an interdisciplinary range of research fields. May address social issues, language and cultural differences, gender, race, ethnicity, class, disabilities, age, religion, family and national identity.

• Credits: 3.0; Repeatable to a Max of 6
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
• Semesters Offered: On Demand
• Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015

This course provides students with a better understanding of underrepresented populations within the United States by examining the culture and experience of African American; American Indian; Asian American; Latina/Latino American; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transsexual; or Post-Colonial peoples.

• Credits: 3.0; Repeatable to a Max of 9
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
• Semesters Offered: Spring
• Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015

Study of literary genres, themes, and movements, with emphasis on comparing and contrasting perspectives reflected in literatures from Western and non-Western cultures. Topics may focus on historical, social, aesthetic, and cultural factors as they influence these literatures. Films may be used.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
• Semesters Offered: Spring, in even years
• Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015

Examines the sources of creativity and the ways that it has been used to change cultural values, feelings, beliefs, and practices. A project-based course that cultivates and applies creative action toward cultural change.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
• Semesters Offered: On Demand
• Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015

Engages with color as an aesthetic, theoretical, historical, cultural, and political concept. Explores media histories of visuality in black and white and in color in various expressive and interpretative contexts including politics, science, and industry.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
• Semesters Offered: Spring, in odd years
• Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015

Introduction to the field of cultural anthropology with a focus on human diversity, patterns of culture and human organization, globalization, and social change.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
• Semesters Offered: Fall

Examines social approaches to understanding why environmental problems happen and how environmental problems are resolved. Includes concepts such as sustainability, market-based environmental policies, property systems, and environmental justice. Case studies may include biodiversity, deforestation, climate change, water quality, and toxics.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (2-1-0)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

This course has two main goals: to explore the relationship between gender in the past and present; and to evaluate the actual empirical evidence that speaks to people's gendered lives in many times and places.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, in even years

Landscape is a lens through which scholars study people, environment, and place. The concept transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. Students will read and discuss different approaches to landscape, with special focus upon anthropological, geographic, and historical perspectives.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, in odd years
• Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015

Examines historical relationships between skill, tool use, embodied knowledge, and the design process in America from the colonial era to today. Includes production techniques, distribution systems, technological changes, industrialization, post-war globalization, and current craft and design.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, in even years
• Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman
• Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015

Survey of North American architecture from prehistoric times to the present. Focuses on principal architectural styles, building types, and construction technologies. Also examines ideas about architecture to understand the American past.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
• Semesters Offered: Spring
• Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015

Seminar focused on the rights and liberties guaranteed by US Constitutional amendments. Students learn constitutional theory and interpretation on topics of privacy, speech, media, religion, criminal justice, and gender/ethnic equality. Constitutional Law I is not required.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
• Semesters Offered: Spring, in even years
• Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman
• Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015

This course focuses on the histories, theories, and practices of environmental justice in local, national, and global contexts. Topics to be explored include environmental racism, industrial facility siting, sustainable development, as well as food, energy, and climate justice.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
• Semesters Offered: Spring, in odd years
• Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015

Survey of social, cultural, and cognitive influences on individual and group behavior. Introduces attitude formation, social conformity, personal perception, aggression, cooperation, and interpersonal and intergroup relations.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, Summer
• Pre-Requisite(s): PSY 2000 and UN 1015

Introduction to materials and processes that shape the earth we live on. Lecture and laboratories acquaint students with minerals, rocks, earth resources, weathering, geologic time, landslides, groundwater, streams, shorelines, deserts, glaciers, geologic structures, earthquakes, plate tectonics, and the dynamics of the earth's crust, mantle, and core.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (2-0-3)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring

Introduction and study of current environmental issues related to the earth sciences. Covers major topics such as volcanism, earthquakes, shoreline erosion, and pollution of groundwater as multi-week modules with associated labs, lectures, and field projects.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
• Semesters Offered: Spring

This course covers the physical and biological history of the Eargh from 4.5 billion years to the present. Emphasis on recognizing and evaluating the evidence for large-scale changes in major Earth Systems.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (2-0-2)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, in even years
• Pre-Requisite(s): GE 2000 or GE 2100

Environmental factors and plant and animal characteristics which control composition, structure, and function of forest ecosystems. Emphasis on how ecosystems change across space and time and knowledge needed to sustainably manage forest ecosystems for social, economic, and ecological benefits.

• Credits: 3.0
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (2-0-3)
• Semesters Offered: Fall
• Pre-Requisite(s): FW 2051(C)

Application of forest and environmental management practices by teams of students with the assistance of faculty, staff and local and regional partners.

• Credits: 2.0; May be repeated
• Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-1-3)
• Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
• Pre-Requisite(s): FW 2010 and FW 2051