Offered Courses

Beginning skills in American Sign Language (ASL) and skills needed in communication with deaf persons.

Principles of public speaking; practice in composition, delivery, and criticism of informative, persuasive, and entertaining speeches.

Do you appreciate art but cannot find the words to talk about it? Are there events in paintings or sculpture that you can feel but don’t know how to express? The online course in Art Appreciation is an opportunity to look at many pieces of artwork and to learn “art talk.” Travel around the world on your computer to look at all kinds of fine art. This is not an Art History course. The emphasis is on looking and understanding what you see.

Explore the technical and the creative principles of beginning digital photography. Students will develop their own analytical eye for framing and composing photographs as well as working with their digital camera and basic Photoshop to develop a personal workflow. In addition to readings, audio and visual lessons and feedback will be provided for both the technical and creative components of this class.

Examination of the techniques, materials, and ideas of drawing, with emphasis on discovery, experimentation, and personal expression in relation to concepts and images in art.

Individualized work that introduces a range of technical and experimental approaches to oils and acrylics. Varied approaches to the problems of structure, shape, and color, and to the development of formal coherence and imagery through individual and group critiques.

This course explores the evolution of dance in musical theater and on Broadway. Course topics will include a historical survey of dance on Broadway; an examination of the reciprocal relationship of Broadway dance to economic and cultural change; and a close look at the power structure and organization of Broadway musicals. The evolution of Broadway dance steps and styles and the contribution of notable dancers will be examined.

This course is an introduction to both the technical and creative elements essential for video editing. In this class through reading and assignments, students will examine the role of video editors in the storytelling process. Students in the class will learn the tools necessary to manipulate existing footage into thoughtful and creative video edits using Adobe Premiere Pro software. Through a series of readings and provided video examples, the students will expand their understanding of editing concepts and storytelling tools. Then they will use that creative knowledge and apply it practically through a series of video editing assignments.

Dance Appreciation is an introduction to dance as an art form, wherein students study the historical, cultural, social, and performative contexts of diverse dance forms. Students engage with aesthetic, theoretical, and scholarly discourses aimed at illuminating how dance functions as a form of communication and personal, aesthetic expression. In addition, students explore the ways in which dance both reflects and comments upon contemporary society. Students develop fundamental dance literacy through critical analysis of dance in live and recorded formats; identify aesthetic concepts and ideas through written and visual media; demonstrate comprehension in their utilization of dance vocabulary and terminology; discuss influential choreographers and genres of dance; and articulate critical conclusions about the reciprocal relationship between dance, the arts, and societal concerns.

Rudiments of music: intervals, scales, key signatures, modes, chords, rhythm, and meter. Development of aural skills. No previous musical experience required.

An introduction to computer music technology with a focus on creative composition projects integrating studies in electronic music theory and history, digital signal processing (DSP), performance practice, and aesthetics.