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Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation

DEGREE PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

The New York Film Academy (NYFA) Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Animation is a nine-semester conservatory-based, full-time study undergraduate program. The curriculum is designed to immerse gifted and energetic prospective Animators in all aspects of the discipline. The New York Film Academy Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation provides a creative setting with which to challenge, inspire, and perfect the talents of its student body. Students follow an intensive curriculum and achieve multiple learning goals.

Our prescribed nine-semester animation curriculum serves to address the following core competencies:

DEGREE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

  • Students will demonstrate creative mastery of animation principles to create believable animation of characters and objects.
    • use key-framing principles to animate objects or characters using a combination of straight- ahead and pose-to-pose animation.
    • apply the laws of motion to create the illusion of weight, inertia and force to objects and characters.
    • use slow-in and slow-out to create believable acceleration and deceleration.
    • apply arcs of action to create the appearance of natural movement.
    • create anticipation and follow-through to create a complete and realistic animation movement and guide the viewer’s eye.
    • use exaggeration to enhance the behavior of objects and characters in order to add interest and caricature to their motion.
    • add overlapping actions to a character’s movement.
    • use squash and stretch to emphasize the weight and motion of an object or character while maintaining the appearance of volume
    • use exaggeration to enhance or amplify size, shape and motion.
    • vary the timing of animation actions to adjust the illusions of weight, inertia and force, to create emotion and create realistic or caricatured actions and movements
  • Students will create believable and defensible character design of animated characters.
  • Students will create believable and defensible design of animation environments.
  • Students will create believable and defensible characters through concept, acting, and story.
  • Students will produce managerial assets for entrepreneurial film creation to include materials required for production management, an emotional maturity to accept criticism, and professional ability to speak the vocabulary of animation.
  • Students will produce short films with an in-depth understanding of cinematic principles and practical creative application of appropriate narrative concepts.
    • differentiate and classify short and long-form films and television programs based on their genre and visual style.
    • understand and apply the principles of cinematography including image aspect ratio, image design, rule of thirds, point-of-view, perspective, camera angle and placement, camera movement, aperture, depth of field, and lens choice.
    • construct a chronological illustration (diagram) or written précis of a film documenting the major acts, scenes and shots
    • create a short story using a variety of narrative structures by applying the principles of exposition, development, complication, climax and resolution.
    • identify the key principles of narrative structure including the story arc, linear sequential plots, the back story, flashbacks, parallel stories, script formulas (such as the hero’s journey) and other forms of storytelling.
    • apply the principles of color theory, color selection and color psychology to the design of shots that set the mood of a scene and reinforce the viewer’s experience.
    • apply the principles and aesthetics of editing to create transitions between shots and create emotional impact through shot selection, visual interest, scene pacing, transitions, cutting on action, continuity editing, the 180 degree rule, cutaways, and inserts.
    • select and specify music that enhances and reinforces the mood and actions in a scene and specify appropriate sound effects to support specific actions and events in a shot.

liberal arts and sciences REQUIREMENTS

The liberal arts and sciences curriculum of this degree program meet the general standards and requirements of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and are designed to provide students with engaging elective courses of study within a prescribed framework. In spirit with the traditions of the BFA degree, the curricular structure of this degree program focuses heavily on professional artistic development, supplemented with a well-rounded general education.

SEMESTER BREAKDOWN

During the 1st semester, students will develop a foundational understanding of movement and the tools required to create an animated story. The student is introduced to movement theory and begins animating their first week of class.

In the 2nd semester, students will build upon what they learned in semester one. Courses continue to develop 2-D drawing skills through repetitive hand drawn animation assignments and figure drawing studies. The drawing lab will continue for four semesters in order to encourage a daily habit of drawing. Color theory advances the understanding of color manipulation in film begun in Cinematography, and also studies tactile color application in art.

The 3rd semester provides a transition from 2-D to 3-D space, and focuses the student on believable story and character. Drawing lab continues to train the student in necessary drawing habits, but Ecorche and Digital Environments advance understanding of human anatomy and form to the 3d space. Animation II transitions the student from 2-D animation to applying the basic principles of animation in a 3-D environment. Screenwriting leads the student to create short stories using a variety of narrative structures by applying the principles of exposition, development, complication, climax and resolution. Movement and Improv supports Screenwriting by introducing the student to the basics of improvisation and expressing themselves both physically and emotionally.

The 4th semester of the NYFA BFA degree program returns to a close study of advanced topics rooted in the Art & Design History, Natural Sciences and Math, allowing students to expand upon the base of study completed in the second semester. These courses emphasize research, and the analysis and synthesis of diverse sources of information. Students continue to animate, and spend this semester on tactile stop motion animation. They exercise their analytical and advanced anatomy skills to construct new fantasy creatures researched and derived from living beings.

In the 5th semester, students are challenged to create original character designs and concepts. They are expected to research their ideas and develop believable constructs. Research is emphasized this semester through advanced liberal arts and sciences topics. The study of the Humanities is intended to develop skills to interpret and understand the human condition and of the values inherent in it. Social and Behavioral Sciences courses develop students' understanding of the diverse personal, interpersonal, and societal forces that shape people's lives and teach them how to approach these subjects through the concepts, principles, and methods of scientific inquiry. The 4th semester Natural Science course requires the student to acquire scientific factual information, to use scientific methodology and to develop an appreciation of the natural world. These diverse topics are intended to inspire the student explore divergent story ideas.

The overall goal of the 6th and 7th semester is to challenge students to grow as an artist by exposing them to skills, techniques and approaches to animation that are more specific and complex than those they learned in previous semesters. Students will be asked to complete projects of increasing complexity.

By semester 6, students have experienced the three major forms of animation – 2-D, 3-D and stop motion. In this semester, they will choose a Track of study that allows them to further specialize in a favorite form. This semester also continues study in the liberal arts and sciences. Upon completion of the 6th semester, students are expected to have mastered the tools to create a believable animated character and environment.

The final 3 semesters develop the student into a filmmaker. Semester seven concentrates on advanced character animation and storytelling in a scene. Students learn to construct scene arcs and put this skill to use in anticipation of creating a short film in semesters 8 and 9. In addition, students will create several short scenes this semester in a variety of storytelling styles in order to master character arcs.

In semesters 8 and 9, students are challenged to assemble scenes into a compelling story. They continue supervised character development and acting studies intended to push the student to recognize nuance and distinguishable characteristics. Multiple feedback and critique sessions are intended to focus the student on the core message intended in the film.

SEMESTER ONE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Figure in Motion
Drawing from life is at the foundation of understanding human and animal articulation, proportion, balance, weight - and pose essential for the animator. Course concentrates on the human figure in motion, and analyzes the change in balance, weight, perspective, inertia, force and attitude of the human body in motion. Students will have the opportunity to draw, sculpt, and move a basic anatomical puppet to emulate the movement of a live model in an effort to understand the physical response to motion. Students will prepare studies in digital media to document these efforts, in order to see still-life observations in motion and compare them to the real-life model.

Cinematography
In this course, students undergo intensive training in the use of a 16mm motion picture camera and its accessories. Students will learn fundamental lighting techniques through shooting tests on film. As students’ progress through the course, they learn how to support the mood of the story with lighting choices as they experiment with expressive lighting styles and lens choices.

Drawing
This course is a studio experience exploring basic drawing techniques, materials and concepts while addressing historical and contemporary issues as they pertain to film preproduction. A conceptual framework for critical analysis is presented along with basic art theory.

SEMESTER TWO COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Animation I
This course is a lecture exploring animation techniques, materials and concepts while addressing historical and contemporary issues as they pertain to animation production. Emphasis will be upon principles that support character development and animation that show cause and effect. Students will apply these principles to create animations that reflect movement and character appropriate for different uses and environments.

Color Theory
In this course, students will explore color theory, including additive and subtractive color. Discussions of color and its relationship to composition, through harmony and contrast, will be explored.

Drawing Lab I
Course continues on study introduced in DSGN200, and concentrates on the human figure in motion, and analyzes the change in balance, weight, perspective, inertia, force and attitude of the human body in motion. Students will have the opportunity to draw, sculpt, and move a basic anatomical puppet to emulate the movement of a live model in an effort to understand the physical response to motion. Students will prepare these studies in digital media to document these efforts and compare still-life observations in motion to the real-life model. Students will be expected to prove continued mastery and improvement over prior studies.

SEMESTER THREE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Ecorche
The practice of building an ecorche sculpture fosters an intimate understanding of the spatial relationships between the three-dimensional structures of the human body and develops the students’s visual memory. Students will study and construct a three-dimensional model of the human; and then will sculpt muscles individually onto one side of the skeleton. The end result is an anatomical model juxtaposing the skeletal structures of the human body onto one side with the muscular forms which lie over them in life on the other.

Digital Environments
This course explores 3-D space environments, including the foundations of modeling techniques for the creation of digital sets and assets. Shading techniques and natural and studio digital lighting are introduced. Motion studies specific to camera animation, complex parenting techniques, keyframe interpolation techniques and basic expression animation techniques are covered.

Movement & Improvisational Acting
This course provides an overview of the origins and philosophy of improvisation since the mid-twentieth century and how it is has been a major influence since the 1960's on live performance, film and TV and now as a primary format for digital performance media. Students will learn the basics of improvisation through coaching, warm-up exercises, creative performance games and basic short-form scene-work, team-building, trust, speed, status, active listening, and agreement. Students learn to be fearless and creative on stage using a modern approach to improvisational comedy and how to apply improvisational approach to character creation.

Screenwriting
Screenwriting is a course designed to familiarize the neophyte screenwriter with the basic principles of writing for the silver-screen. By closely examining produced films, in-depth readings of both good and bad scripts, and thorough the writing of our own, we will gain an understanding of how screenplays are written, and written well. The course will provide a foundation in the basics of the three-act act structure, dramatic action, character arc, the revision process, and an introduction to the business of screenwriting. By the end of the semester we will have produced and polished a 10 page/minute manuscript.

Animation II
This course is a lecture exploring animation techniques, materials and concepts while addressing historical and contemporary issues as they pertain to animation production. Emphasis will be upon principles that support character development and animation that show cause and effect. Students will apply these principles to create animations that reflect movement and character appropriate for different uses and environments.

Drawing Lab II
Course continues on study introduced in DSGN101 and DSGN200, and concentrates on the human figure in motion, and analyzes the change in balance, weight, perspective, inertia, force and attitude of the human body in motion. Students will be expected to prove continued mastery and improvement over prior studies.

SEMESTER FOUR COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Stop Motion Animation
This course is a lecture exploring animation techniques, materials and concepts while addressing historical and contemporary issues as they pertain to stop motion animation production. Emphasis will be upon principles that support character development and animation that show cause and effect. Students will apply these principles to create animations that reflect movement and character appropriate for different uses and environments.

Imaginatomy
This class augments entertainment and character designers by bringing in anatomy and mechanics into the thought process of character design. It is imperative for students to explore the 3-dimensional "common sense" of organic forms in a hands-on application. This class will explore anatomy and zoological similarities and differences in a variety of animals. By studying their mechanics, students will observe how levers and fulcrums function. This class is designed for those who want to invent a completely imaginative animal or creature while keeping the same logic of human and animal anatomy.

Drawing Lab III
Course continues on study introduced in DSGN101 and DSGN200, and concentrates on the human figure in motion, and analyzes the change in balance, weight, perspective, inertia, force and attitude of the human body in motion. Students will have the opportunity to draw, sculpt, and move a basic anatomical puppet to emulate the movement of a live model in an effort to understand the physical response to motion. Students will prepare these studies in digital media to document these efforts and compare still-life observations in motion to the real-life model. Students will be expected to prove continued mastery and improvement over prior studies.

History of Animation
This course focuses on the history and aesthetics of animation, with references to related arts such as live-action cinema, puppetry and comics. Screenings include a wide range of commercial and experimental works produced throughout the world. Students create small projects and written works pertaining to course topics.

History of Sequential Art
This course focuses on the history and aesthetics of sequential art, with references to related arts such as live-action cinema and animation. This studio course allows students to explore the history, theory and practice of alternative comics. Students may discover how alternative approaches and markets are relevant to their practices. Students are encouraged to discover a unique voice in their writing and visual execution.

SEMESTER FIVE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Character Design
Emphasizing the observational skills and attention to detail that help a creator define and individualize characters and backgrounds, students in this course create appropriate model sheets and character maquettes for animation preproduction bible.

Concept Development
Students explore methods for cultivating original ideas suitable for production as a short animated film. Preliminary exercises lead to the development of a production-ready concept package including storyboard, maquettes, script, animatic with sound, art direction samples and research.

Drawing Lab IV
Course continues on study introduced in DSGN200, and concentrates on the human figure in motion, and analyzes the change in balance, weight, perspective, inertia, force and attitude of the human body in motion. Students will have the opportunity to draw the movement of a live model in an effort to understand the physical response to motion. Students will prepare these studies in digital media to document these efforts and compare still-life observations in motion to the real-life model. Students will be expected to prove continued mastery and improvement over prior studies.

SEMESTER SIX COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

3-D TRACK

3-D Character Setup and Animation
This course explores the basic principles of modeling and rigging as applied to a series of very different characters. Students explore basic tools and apply them to various anatomical problems to find modeling and rigging solutions for character motion. Major emphasis is placed on proper identification of controls for the end user.

MEL Scripting for Animation
Maya's Embedded Language (MEL) is Maya's scripting language. Through an in-depth look at what goes on under Maya's hood, this course leads to a firm understanding of commands, syntax and procedures. Students explore using MEL commands, Variables and Data Types, Conditional Statements, Looping Statements, Procedures, Strategies for Designing MEL Scripts, Environment Variables and userSetup.mel and other advanced character related scripting issues.

Advanced 3-D Modeling
Students gain the advanced modeling skills necessary to create digital assets. Emphasis on character modeling in Maya.

2-D TRACK

Advanced 2-D Animation
Students learn to develop a more advanced sense of timing, staging and fluid movement while continuing to develop sequential drawing skills developed in ANIM250.

Digital Cel Animation
Students learn to apply color in a digital software to hand drawn traditional animation. Emphasis is placed on professional application of color, file saving and management, and production management skills. Students study 2-D animation that is created digitally. Students assess both the aesthetic and technical aspects of character animation as it relates specifically to a paperless pipeline.

Background Art
This course provides students with the background knowledge and practice methods necessary to plan and direct animation sequences with characters. Students research historical use of background elements and overall art direction to provide context, emotional interest, and pictorial depth to storytelling.

STOP MOTION TRACK

Advanced Cinematography
This class immerses students in the technical and creative demands of cinematography. They will learn to go beyond simply ‘getting an image’ and focus on the nuances of visual storytelling. Topics include: Arriflex 16SR camera and accessories, High Definition Camera, Use of Color and Light, and 35mm cameras. In addition to being trained to operate advanced camera equipment, students study basic color theory and learn to control the color palette of their projects. Special attention is given to emotional attributes that can be assigned to an image by changing the hue, saturation, and contrast of any given image.

Stop Motion Armature
Course demonstrates the construction of armatures for film industry stop-motion puppets and the technical aspects of how to machine metal into the desired shape. It describes in detail the milling machine and the metal lathe, the two main tools used in constructing the armature, other cutting tools, and how the anatomical makeup of the puppet determines the armature design.

Stop Motion Puppet and Stage Fabrication
Building on skills learned in Stop Motion I, students explore more advanced stop motion and clay animation production techniques. Topics include foam/latex build-up models, a survey of background construction techniques, basic casting, and further study in lighting and F/X. The course emphasizes art direction and project development. Course will also study the manufacture of basic stage elements to construct a professional stop motion production environment.

SEMESTER SEVEN COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Storyboarding
This course helps students increase their knowledge of storyboarding and how it applies to the advertising, animation and motion picture fields. Students break down ideas and scenes sequentially to promote visual storytelling.

Character Animation I
Character animation is an advanced understanding of character and the tools required to administer believable movement. Students may complete exercises in traditional hand drawn, 3-D digital or stop motion methods. Students focus on blocking and expressive timing. Technical understanding is developed in posing, weight, and timing to create effective acting with facial expressions and lip-synch.

The Shorter Short
This course helps students increase their knowledge of storyboarding and how it applies to the advertising, animation and motion picture fields. Students break down ideas and scenes sequentially to promote visual storytelling.

Directing the Voice Actor
This course explores the theoretical and practical considerations of the director in relationship to the multiple facets of directing actors. The course is an in-depth workshop involving casting, mounting and realization of a sequence from a screenplay emphasizing characterization and shot design. Students are introduced to basic techniques in film, television and theater acting; script and character analysis (text vs. subtext); the director's breakdown; casting actors; special skills in rehearsals; improvisation; pacing the actor's performance; and navigating multiple film performances from the ensemble perspective.

SEMESTER EIGHT COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Senior Animation Project I
Students define the preproduction, production and postproduction stages of their senior projects. Emphasis is placed on analyzing the script, preparing a budget, determining a schedule, casting, identifying the target audience and deciding on a method of distribution. Students are expected to focus on very specific career goals, setting expectations and creating strategies.

Meisner and Improvisational Acting
Course is an intensive studio approach devoted to advanced acting techniques and their mastery. Students will practice the "Harold," a series of interconnected scenes inspired by a single suggestion. Characters, ideas, and themes appear and reappear throughout the piece and eventually connect, completing the piece. This course will delve into more advanced exercises for the actor in an effort to strengthen his or her craft by understanding how to tell the story through acting, movement and voice.

Character Animation II
Character animation is an advanced understanding of character and the tools required to administer believable movement. Students may complete exercises in traditional hand drawn, 3-D or stop motion methods. Students focus on blocking and expressive timing. Technical understanding is developed in posing, weight, and timing to create effective acting with facial expressions and lip-synch.

Senior Animation Project II
This project class builds on the technical and aesthetic skill set of the advanced animation major. Through the exploration of projects, students continue to develop content delivery, story and technical mastery. Emphasis is placed on the identification and utilization of individual strengths in the context of a production environment.

SEMESTER NINE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Animation Post Production
Postproduction is the business of wrapping up production. This course represents the third phase of the senior project and the final phase of animation career preparation. Students focus on the postproduction of their senior short including final edit and rendering, updating reel and self-promotional support items, and researching self-promotional opportunities such as competitions and festivals.

Senior Animation Project II
Students define the preproduction, production and postproduction stages of their senior projects. Emphasis is placed on analyzing the script, preparing a budget, determining a schedule, casting, identifying the target audience and deciding on a method of distribution. Students are expected to focus on very specific career goals, setting expectations and creating strategies.

Professional Development in Animation
Students learn the business of animation form the perspective of future employee. Course emphasizes portfolio building, marketing, and researching the industry for employment opportunities.

liberal arts and sciences

Students in the BFA program will find that a strong foundation in liberal arts and sciences will be invaluable to their development as creative artists. The seqence begins with foundation courses in the first year upon which more advanced acdemic work builds in following two years. Courses in the Arts and Humanities, Social and Natural Sciences will emphasize critical thinking and college-level writing skills, research, and the sythesis and analysis of diverse sources of information. The selection of courses in liberal arts and sciences are designed to inform and support the BFA candidate’s interest in filmmaking and the arts.

FOUNDATION STUDIES

OVERVIEW
Courses taught in the area of basic studies focus on communications, analysis and deductive reasoning. Students practice critical thinking, analysis, scholarly research, writing and reading. These courses build a foundation for more specialized subjects requiring advanced written and oral communication skills. The skills mastered will prepare students for the advanced course work of constructing an authentic voice in their production projects. Coursework in Physical and Mental Wellness provides focus on the theory and practice of life long wellness.

English Composition and Literature
This course will introduce students to the careful reading of texts and familiarize them with the idea of literature as part of history and culture. Readings will include a selection of lyric poems, short fiction, and critical essays. Structured writing assignments develop written language skills and while fostering sophisticated analytical thinking abilities.

Public Speaking
This course covers the theory and practice of public speaking. Building on ancient rhetorical canons while recognizing unique challenges of contemporary public speaking, the course guides students through topic selection, organization, language, and delivery. Working independently and with peer groups, students will be actively involved in every step of the process of public speaking preparation and execution. Assignments include formal speeches (to inform, to persuade, and to pay tribute), brief extemporaneous speeches, speech analyses, story pitch.

Critical Thinking
This course explores the process of thinking critically and guides students in thinking more clearly, insightfully and effectively. Concrete examples from students' experience and contemporary issues help students develop the abilities to solve problems, analyze issues, and make informed decisions in their academic, career and personal lives. Substantive readings, structured writing assignments and ongoing discussions help students develop language skills while fostering sophisticated analytical thinking abilities.

Introduction to Computing
Lectures and hands-on assignments cover a wide variety of topics such as hardware organization, the Internet, computer programming, limits of computing, the research process and graphics usage. Students are introduced to software used in the business of filmmaking.

Physical and Mental Wellness
Course covers a variety of physical and mental wellness topics such as diet, exercise, stress management, mental health, team building, alcohol consumption and drug use, sexual health awareness, and safety education. Student is also introduced to safe practices in physical exercise and stunt work used in the business of film making.

Drawing
This course covers the necessary tools, materials and techniques to communicate ideas visually. Lectures and assignments demonstrate the basics of how our brains interpret form via value changes. The rendering examples demonstrate the use of pencil, chalk and marker. Students practice practical applications of technique to render value changes, form, and shadows to communicate lighting strategies. Further study leads to the visual development of a storyboard and how this tool aids the filmmaking process.

Choose ONE Math:

Algebra
This course provides a solid foundation in algebra, geometry and trigonometry for students who have moderate to no previous experience, as well as to help students succeed with science courses that require an understanding of mathematic fundamentals. The concepts examined in this course will include a review of mathematical principles, equations and graphing, practical mathematical applications and mathematical thinking.

Mathematics of Film
For students with a background in Algebra, this course explores the practical application of math as it applies to filmmaking. Lighting, Cinematography, and other specializations within the film business rely on precise calculations and formulas to achieve desired artistic results.

ARTS & HUMANITIES

OVERVIEW
Through courses in the arts, students are introduced to aesthetic values and their relationship to a cultural language. This study will develop an expanded artistic vocabulary and appreciation for arts-related skills. Coursework guides students to become conversant with the terminology, techniques, attitudes, ideas, and skills that the arts comprise so as to understand how humankind relates to the arts.

The study of the Humanities is intended to develop skills to interpret and understand the human condition and of the values inherent in it. This interpretive understanding should evolve into the development of insights and a critical evaluation of the meaning of life, in its everyday details as well as in its historical and universal dimensions.

Together, these fields are intended to provide the tools for students to utilize a visual language in their films and add depth to projects illustrating the human condition.

Choose TWO of the following:

Philosophy of Logic vs. Rhetoric
Comparison of Logic to Rhetoric. Logic allows us to differentiate good from bad arguments. The approach is two-sided: (1) the analysis and classification of fallacies and (2) the analysis as well as the construction of valid arguments. Rhetoric is a theoretical and practical introduction to the art of written persuasion. Emphasis on persuasive techniques and their ethical consequences.

Comparative Literature
An introduction to the elements of fiction, from the short story to novel, from a selection of linguistic, cultural and national groups. Course will also explore the comparative relationship between different types of art to literature.

Cultural Mythology and World Religions
Exploration of the stories and beliefs that characterize a culture. Emphasis on the interdependency of human thinking patterns and the relationship of man to myth. Explores religious doctrine as models for human behavior.

Ethics
An examination of the main theories in ethics—including utilitarianism, Kantianism, virtue ethics and contractualism—as well as some of the central topics—the objectivity and meaning of moral claims, the possibility of relativism in ethical judgments, the nature of justice, and the relationship between morality and the good life. Readings are drawn both from the classics and from contemporary writings.

SOCIAL & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

OVERVIEW
Social and Behavioral Sciences courses develop students' understanding of the diverse personal, interpersonal, and societal forces that shape people's lives and teach them how to approach these subjects through the concepts, principles, and methods of scientific inquiry.

Choose two of the following:

Contemporary Psychology
An exploration of the basic concepts of psychology. General introduction including topics in cognitive, experimental, personality, developmental, social, and clinical psychology. Students will be challenged to apply their understanding to contemporary issues as well as to their own artistic work.

Economics
An interdisciplinary introduction to the positive and normative aspects of economics. Topics include: markets as a means of coordinating human behavior toward the achievement of specific social objectives, how and why markets may fail to achieve these objectives, the evolution of non-market institutions such as rules of law as responses to market failures, and theories of unemployment and inflation in their historical context.

International Politics
An introduction to international politics, applying various theories of state behavior to selected historical cases. Topics include the balance of power, change in international systems, the causes of war and peace, and the role of international law, institutions, and morality in the relations among nations.

General Anthropology
The course examines contemporary anthropological theory in terms of abstract concepts and ethnographic analyses. It will concentrate on several key theoretical approaches that anthropologists have used to understand society, such as structuralism, interpretation, Marxism, feminism, practice theory, critical ethnography, and postmodern perspectives.

Introductory Sociology
An introduction to the systematic study of the social sources and social consequences of human behavior, with emphasis upon culture, social structure, socialization, institutions, group membership, and social conformity versus deviance.

NATURAL SCIENCES

OVERVIEW
The Natural Sciences reveal the order, diversity, and beauty of nature and in so doing enable students to develop a greater appreciation of the world around them. The chosen Natural Science courses will require the student to acquire scientific factual information, to use scientific methodology and to develop an appreciation of the natural world. Students should gain an understanding of how scientists reason and how they draw conclusions and think critically.

Environmental Biology
An interdisciplinary study of human interactions with the environment, examining the technical and social causes of environmental degradation at local and global scales, along with the potential for developing policies and philosophies that are the basis of a sustainable society. This course will include an introduction to ecosystems, climatic and geochemical cycles, and the use of biotic and abiotic resources over time. The relationship of societies and the environment from prehistoric times to the present will also be discussed. Interrelationships, feedback loops, cycles, and linkages within and among social, economic, governmental, cultural, and scientific components of environmental issues will be emphasized.

Introductory Physics
Algebra-based physics course which covers the fundamental principles of physics, including Newton’s laws of motion, the mechanics of motion, vectors, velocities, and elastic and inelastic collisions, amongst others. Students will incorporate examples from everyday life, such as car crashes, basketball, air travel, and sports in their work. The emphasis will be on developing a conceptual understanding of the physical processes, as well as problem solving skills.

Anatomy
Introduction to Concepts of Human Anatomy and Physiology. This introductory course provides an overview of the basic anatomy and physiology of all body systems. It is designed as to be useful for other health-related technologies and for strengthening or developing a vocabulary in human anatomy and physiology.

Introductory Astronomy
The fundamentals of planetary, stellar, galactic, and extragalactic astronomy will be covered. Designed for the non-specialist, the course provides a basic understanding of the nature of astronomy and its relation to physics. In addition to focusing on selected topics within our solar system, the course will engage students in more philosophical debates within astronomy including the origin of the universe and the search for extraterrestrial life.

ART/DESIGN HISTORY

Required courses:

Critical Film Studies I
This seminar teaches students to identify the techniques used by cinematic innovators throughout the history of filmmaking. Through screenings and discussions, students will grow to understand how filmmakers have approached the great challenge of telling stories with moving images from silent films to the digital age. The course explores ways that the crafts of directing (particularly shot construction), cinematography, acting, and editing have developed. Students are then challenged to place themselves within that development with regard to their on-going film projects.

Critical Film Studies II
This seminar examines the contemporary landscape of narrative filmmaking. Style, structure, and the narrative form itself are discussed through close analysis of current filmmakers from the international arena as well as examples from the world of documentary and the burgeoning field of new media. This course challenges students to identify techniques and a conceptual framework to apply to their own body of work.

Critical Film Studies III
In this seminar, students will explore advanced topics in the contemporary world of critical film studies. These could include a survey of international film movements, third world cinema, alternative narrative forms and strategies, and the cinema of from “the margins” as well as others. The course gives students an understanding of how cinema has developed to the present moment and where they find themselves in that development.

Choose ONE of the following:

Art History
Course emphasizes the language of visual culture with a particular focus on the symbols, strategies and messages employed in major works. Incorporating the methods of art analysis, the course introduces students to different forms of visual culture (television, advertising, fashion, gaming, architecture and the media), while comparing and contrasting these within a philosophical and historical setting.

History of Photography
Covering the history of documentary photography, students examine major photographic movements, styles, critics and theoretical perspectives. The focus is on the rich and varied critical and theoretical discourse circulating between photographs, or images using photography, and the texts, which helped frame the most significant contributions to contemporary photography.

History of Graphic Design
This course surveys the pivotal events and achievements that led to the current state of graphic communication. Through lectures, videotapes, discussions, presentations and research, students are introduced to the creative thinkers, important innovations and breakthrough technologies that have shaped the evolution of visual communication.

Film History
This course will explore major developments in film history, theory, and criticism. Students will become familiar with several different film movements in the development of the art form and will be introduced to basic ideas in film theory. Through a variety of film movements and historical periods, students will develop an understanding of the cultural, industrial, and political contexts for some of most significant debates about film.

History of Animation
This course focuses on the history and aesthetics of animation, with references to related arts such as live-action cinema, puppetry and comics. Screenings include a wide range of commercial and experimental works produced throughout the world. Students create small projects and written works pertaining to course topics.

History of Sequential Art
Highlighting significant works of sequential art including their historical roots and major influences, students in this survey analyze trends, styles, techniques, subject matter and works of important artists across the sequential art spectrum.

COMING SOON

COMING SOON