Arts Institute Courses (ARIN)

Related Catalog Entry: Institute of the Arts

Related Mason Website: Institute of the Arts (http://www.gmu.edu/cfa/ioa.html)

101 Arts Pass (1:1:0). Introduction to appreciation of the arts through lecture-demonstration in visual art, music, dance, theater, and film. Emphasis on aesthetic principles in modern society. May be repeated three times. Satisfactory/no credit.

102 Experiencing the Arts (3:1:2). Course reserved for high school students who are enrolled in the Institute of the Arts Summer Academy. Introduction to collaborative and interdisciplinary arts experiences in visual art, music, dance, theater, film, and media through daily intensive immersion in the arts for two and one half weeks. Not repeatable. Satisfactory/no credit.

204 Visual Thinking (3:3:0). Also ARTS 204, DANC 204, and THR 204. Not open to students who have had ARTS 102. An introduction to visual thinking. Topics include information from visual perception, memory, classical and modern art, performance, and dance. Opportunities for students to assess themselves as visual thinkers.

205 Creative Impulses (3:3:0). Also ARTS 205, DANC 205, and THR 205. A study of the creative process, in general, with particular emphasis on the inspiration, working methods, and final creations of various artists. Students are encouraged to explore their own creative processes through regular journal keeping, collaborative exercises, and two major projects.

220, 221 A Cultural History of the Arts: Prehistory to 1800 and 1800 to the Present (4:4:0), (4:4:0). The first semester begins with Prehistory and ends at approximately 1800. The second semester covers the 19th and 20th centuries. The course examines the development of dance, music, theater, and the visual arts from a global and cultural-historical perspective. Team-taught by instructors from different arts disciplines, this course will encourage students to think about the arts in an interdisciplinary way: that is, looking for common threads of vocabulary and thought that connect these related modes of human expression. Throughout the semester students not only observe how the arts have developed across the centuries and cultures, but also examine why one time and place in history might have seen the flowering of one art form but not another.

280 Computing for Arts (3:3:0). This course, open to those students majoring in the arts, investigates and presents current computer technologies with special attention and focus on their artistic applications. Basic and intermediate principles on contemporary computer hardware and software systems are discussed. An overview and comparison is provided of current operating systems, hardware architecture, storage mediums, peripheral devices, and telecommunication systems. By participating in interdisciplinary group media projects, students critique and evaluate the artistic potential of various computing environments. At the end of the semester, students publish their results on the Computing for Artists web page.

300 Distinctive American Voice (Living Artists) (3:3:0). Designed to present the multicultural spectrum of American art today. Students experience the various genres through attendance at live performances and lectures, participation in small discussion groups, completion of a reading list, and completion of a project tailored to the individual student's interests and field of study.

307 Aesthetic Awareness (3:3:0). Also ARTS 307, DANC 307, and THR 307. The presentation of the historical, philosophical, and aesthetic traditions of the arts, with opportunities for each student to confront their own sense of beauty.

308 Cross-Cultural Arts Appreciation (3:3:0). Also ARTS 308, DANC 308, and THR 308. Gives students a cumulative arts experience by tying the subject matter of the course to one of the major cultural productions of the Center for the Arts. Subject matter varies with each offering.

320 The African American Experience in the Performing Arts (3:3:0). Through lectures, slides, audio recordings, videos, and films, this course examines African American contributions to the cultural fabric of American forms and institutions. These artistic contributions are examined within the aesthetic, political, historical, and social contexts within which they occurred and which they, in turn, have shaped.

350 Seminar in Arts Management (3:3:0).Prerequisite: Junior standing, admission to the arts administration interdisciplinary minor, or permission of instructor. Seminar course that involves the planning, programming, presentation, funding, and communications involved in managing the visual, performing, and historic arts. Course includes guest speakers, case analyses, and semester-long individual and group projects.

399 Special Topics in the Arts (3-6:0:0). In-depth presentation and exploration of topical studies in the arts. Subject matter varies. May be repeated once for credit.

489 Field Experience in the Arts (3-6:0:0). Also ARTS 489, DANC 489, and THR 494.Prerequisite: Junior standing and completion of six credits in IOA courses in the area of residency, ARIN 350, or permission of instructor. An apprenticeship, internship, or project with an organization in the arts or with an individual in the arts, providing an introductory working and learning experience in the field. Must be prearranged with the division director prior to enrollment. May be repeated once for credit.

499 Research/Performance/Topics in the Arts (3-6:0:0). Advanced research, performance, or exploration of topical studies in the arts. May be repeated once for credit.

592 Special Topics in Interdisciplinary Arts Studies (1-3:3:0). Topics in interdisciplinary arts including dance, theater, film, visual arts, and music.

599 Independent Study (1-6:1-6:0).Prerequisite: Undergraduate degree or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Independent reading, performance, and/or research on a specific project under the direction of a selected faculty member. May include attendance in a parallel undergraduate course. May be repeated for a total of six credits.