General Education Course Descriptions

The course introduces and analyzes the Four Contrasts of Color Theory—value, intensity, hue, and temperature—as the cornerstone of understanding color schemes, color interaction, color relationships, and color’s compositional effects for purposes of creating color organization, exploring fundamental elements of design, and organizing color and design to create a customer message of intent.

The course emphasizes the use of human skeletal anatomy as a fundamental base of knowledge to accurately and aesthetically draw the human form’s complex surface definitions, proportions, and three- dimensionality. Each class begins with an anatomical lecture of a specific skeletal region which is then integrated with drawing from a live model. The procedural methods of the course are based on Renaissance and Beaux Arts figure drawing traditions.

The course builds upon the anatomical knowledge, drawing skills, and procedural methods of Anatomy and Figure Drawing I. Each class begins with an anatomical lecture of a specific muscular region and reviews the relevant, connective skeletal structure of that muscle group. The theoretical knowledge of the anatomy lecture is then incorporated into the experiential practice of drawing from a live model. The course structure emphasizes the importance of human anatomy as a necessary and efficient means to correctly draw the complex and dynamic nature of the human form.

Prerequisite: ART128 Anatomy and Figure Drawing I

The course is an introduction to digital photography which emphasizes the aesthetic and technical concerns of image capture and content. Lectures discuss digital camera use, applications, and functions; computer and camera equipment requirements; file and memory formats; aspects of the digital medium; digital camera lenses; digital editing, saving, sizing, posting and printing; and, shutter speed effects. Lectures and instructional demonstrations also include information on lighting, composition, photographic rendering, publishing, and portfolio preparation. Additional course content covers the history of photography and its impact on society.

The course teaches methods and techniques for integrating and converging different knowledge domains to form new patterns of thought, expand frameworks, and connect the previously unconnected in order to think creatively, explore problems from different perspectives, find solutions to complex problems, and think outside of the box.

The course provides a survey of art and architecture from prehistoric times to the Gothic period. A selected number of paintings, sculptures, and buildings is presented in the weekly lectures as the embodiments of a culture’s political, social, and technological historical context. The lectures will explore the paradigmatic shifts of religious and scientific beliefs among cultures and civilizations to explain the different appearances and purposes for the artifacts, art, and architecture created by humanity.

The course examines the arts of the broad Western tradition from the Early Renaissance to Abstract Expressionism. Its lectures focus on the arts as the expression of a culture’s political, economic, social, philosophical, and technological context. The course provides of interpretive processes which decipher its functionality as a construct of cultural and societal belief.

This course charts moments in art history from the 1950’s to the present. Lectures highlight key artists and their accomplishments. The focus of class lectures is placed on the aesthetics of late modernism to the beginnings of the post-modern period including Abstract Expressionism, Pop, Minimalism, Conceptual, and Post-Modern art. Special emphasis will focus on the art’s historical context during the past 60 years, the evolution of the artist’s role in society and the effect the art and artist have on our culture.

HUM400 History or Revolutionary Ideas

The course is designed for non-math major students. It is an introductory course which broadens a student’s appreciation of mathematics’ interdisciplinary nature by exploring ways in which its principles develop quantitative reasoning skills. Students will learn mathematics and basic statistics as a necessary tool of analytical problem-solving skills for success in future college courses, careers, and life-strategies. Topics include computational skills, basic concepts of algebra and geometry, statistics, and probability.

This course explores an advanced application of mathematical solution strategies, processes of conversions, and the integration of equative problem-solving techniques.

The course introduces the basic principles of Physics, analyzes the revolutionary theories of Physics from Ptolemy to Einstein, and explains the way these themes changed humanity’s perception of the universe. Additional lecture content juxtaposes Physics’ revolutionary theories with the simultaneous and parallel revolutionary concepts in Art. The interconnectivity of simultaneous and equivalent ideas from these two disparate fields of study provides a frame of reference and zeitgeist which makes the complex theories of Physics accessible and relevant.

The course provides a neuroscientific explanation for the mystery of human creativity. Lectures will explore the brain’s large network areas and its hemispheric interconnectivity, neural architecture, and neurotransmitters which makes it possible for an individual to receive, process, organize, and reformulate the information of “crystallized intelligence” into cognitive patterns of “fluid intelligence” necessary for the generation of original ideas and innovative thought.

This course explores the social context of innovation and creativity as the basis of success for many of today’s leading companies. Class lectures analyze the creative industries recognized standard of ‘fluid intelligence’, the new social class of “creative” people, and the competitive advantage they bring to the marketplace. The course analyzes the impact of the creative class on social relationships, the growth of innovation, new technologies and public policy. Lectures also focus on the struggles of certain members of the creative class and their efforts to reinvent themselves.

This course provides a comprehensive analysis of individual and group behavior in organizations. Its purpose is to provide an understanding of how organizations can be managed more effectively and at the same time enhance the quality of employees work life. Topics include motivation, rewarding behavior, stress, individual and group behavior, conflict, power and politics, leadership, job design, organizational structure, decision- making, communication and organizational change and development. This course aims to improve students understanding of human behavior in an organization and the ability to lead people to achieve more effectively toward increased organizational performance.

This course aims to provide students with current global trends that shape an international dialog of commonality found in law, ethics, morality, economics and technology trends between divergent cultures and nationalities.