Course Syllabus

ART 1100 Visual Culture

Course Description

This course is an introduction to culture, theory, and practice associated with visual art. It will include visual arts orientation, readings, critical discussion, and research related to visual culture and meaning. Required of art majors. (Formerly Art Majors Orientation)

Justification

The objective of this course is to give incoming freshman art majors a foundational understanding of contemporary visual culture. The world of visual art is vast, complex and ever changing. It is essential that students develop an understanding of visual culture, theories, and practices early in their education. In addition students must understand how visual culture is informed by and grows out of a larger cultural context. This course is designed to provide incoming majors with the necessary information required to succeed as an art student and eventually as an active, contributor to the global visual dialog. This course is offered in a similar format at other institutions in the USHE system, and is a foundation course as part of the AFA track.

General Education Outcomes

1. A student who completes the GE curriculum will have a fundamental knowledge of human cultures and the natural world, with particular emphasis on American institutions, the social and behavioral sciences, the physical and life sciences, the humanities, the fine arts and personal wellness.  Course readings, and group discussions are designed to develop a deep understanding of how art relates to, and comments on several aspect of human existence and endeavor including: history, philosophy, science, culture, and the human condition. This will be assessed through research, written assignments and oral presentations.
2. A student who completes the GE curriculum can read, retrieve, evaluate, interpret, and deliver information using a variety of traditional and electronic media. Students attend a library orientation hosted by one of the Snow College librarians, where they are introduced to a variety of research methods. Students are also taught how to verify the authenticity, and quality of a source. Using this information they write a research paper on a living contemporary artist.
3. A student who completes the GE curriculum can reason analytically, critically, and creatively about nature, culture, facts, values, ethics, and civic policy. Class discussions and assignments are centered on educating the students how to respond intelligently to any aspect of visual culture they may encounter, whether it is historical or contemporary. This will result in the students ability to interpret the visual language and recognize its connections to the broader human experience. This will be assessed through research, written assignments and oral presentations.
4. A student who completes the GE curriculum can either (a) solve a problem using information and methodologies from more than one discipline; or (b) identify the College’s general education outcomes and explain ways in which they have achieved those outcomes.  (a) Students will have daily opportunities to develop and discuss aesthetic sensibility. This course is designed to enhance the student’s ability to recognize and effectively communicate their ideas through written, verbal, and visual communication. Students will be asked to look several aspect of human existence and endeavor including: history, philosophy, science, culture, and the human condition. Student's understanding will be assessed through written assignments and class discussion. This will culminate in a more informed dialog in future coursework in the visual arts.

General Education Knowledge Area Outcomes

1. Students will have daily opportunities to develop and discuss aesthetic sensibility as part of a team. There will also be a variety of collaborative group activities. This course is designed to enhance the student’s ability to recognize and effectively communicate their ideas through written, verbal, and visual communication. This will be assessed through a group project. Students will have daily opportunities to develop and discuss aesthetic sensibility as part of a team. There will also be a variety of collaborative group activities. This course is designed to enhance the student’s ability to recognize and effectively communicate their ideas through written, verbal, and visual communication. This will be assessed through a group project.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. CREATIVE PROCESS: Demonstrate the application of the creative process
2. CONCEPTUAL PRINCIPLES: Students will be exposed to a variety of contemporary visual theories.
3. HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Students will be able to articulate how approaches to art have fluctuated throughout history and what influences, both historical and contemporary, are driving visual culture.
4. CRITICAL ANALYSES: Group discussions and lectures will provide a forum for the critical analyses of works of art.

Course Content

This course will include discussion and lecture, assigned readings, independent research, writing assignments, and collaborative activities as they apply to the following: Visual Arts Orientation: Education path, career options, exhibition opportunities, studio practice, program requirements and expectations: Visual Culture and Meaning: Aesthetics, process, influence, context, symbolism, creativity, critical thinking, audience, intention, media, formalism and concept