Humanities

Introduction to the Arts: The purpose of this course is to develop in students an appreciation of the arts as a vital element in understanding the human condition and to expose the students to various art forms. Students will explore the relationships between the artist, the artwork, the audience, and society. The students will engage in critical analysis of various forms of art to help them form aesthetics judgments. Attendance at arts events is a requirement of the course. (Meets MnTC Goal 6) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Introduction to Graphic Design: This introductory course provides an overview of various industry-standard software applications used in graphic design. Students will apply visual communication strategies and creative and effective design elements and layouts. The course will focus on fundamental design concepts and historical design styles relating to text and image interaction. Students will develop various types of graphic designs to include typography, color, illustration, symbols, and photography. Prior knowledge of Adobe InDesign and Photoshop is recommended, but not required, for this course. Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop (Creative Suite 6 or Creative Cloud Complete) are required applications for those taking this course online. (Meets MnTC Goal 2 and Goal 6) (Prerequisites: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Introduction to the Digital Arts and Creative Multimedia: The purpose of this course is to develop in students an appreciation of creative multimedia and the digital arts as a vital element in understanding the human condition and to expose the students to various digital art forms. Students will explore the relationships between the artist, the artwork, the audience, and society. The students will engage in critical analysis of various forms of creative electronic multimedia, interdisciplinary arts, and the digital arts to help them form aesthetic judgments. Meets MnTC Goal 6. (Prerequisites: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Digital Photography: The course introduces the student to the art of digital photography, covering such topics as composition (pattern, symmetry, depth, texture, lines), perspective, black and white vs. color, light, close-ups, panoramas, etc. The course will explore approaches to photographing such subjects as landscapes, people, the built environment, plants and animals, weather phenomena, and still life objects. The focus will be on photography as a fine art, but some attention will be given to practical applications, such as photojournalism, commercial photography, freelance photography, and portraiture. The course will also cover technological basics, such as equipment purchase and maintenance, settings, and the like. Finally, the course will ask students to consider the work of great photographers past and present (including that of such figures as Edward Weston, Mathew Brady, Ansel Adams, James Presley Ball, and Imogen Cunningham). (MnTC Goal 6) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Chinese Culture: This course provides an introduction to the Chinese history, culture, traditional Chinese medicine, communication styles, protocols and customs. The course will also provide an opportunity to learn basic greetings and introductions as well as some basic conversational vocabulary. (Meets MnTC Goals 6 & 8) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Beginning Chinese II: Beginning Chinese II is for students who have completed Beginning Chinese I and wish to continue practicing and refining their skills in Chinese. The course focuses on the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in the Chinese language. Videos and internet will be used to help students further develop communicative skills in Chinese while gaining cultural and linguistic information about the Chinese-speaking world. (MnTC Goal 8) (Prerequisite: CHIN1240 Beginning Chinese I or instructor permission) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Critical Thinking through Chess: This course will serve to introduce the student to the principles, strategies, and tactics employed in the game of chess. Specifically, students will work repeatedly through the sequence of positional judgment, risk evaluation, careful planning, execution, and adaptation. (MnTC Goal 2) (Prerequsite: none) (3 credits: 2 lecture/1 lab)

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Introduction to Literature: This course will serve to introduce the student to various aspects of literature, including its genres (fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and/or drama), its formal aesthetic elements (e.g. plot, metaphor, point of view, etc.), and its communication of ideas as they relate to the human condition. (Meets MnTC goal 6 and 7) (Prerequisite: Reading College Level Placement or successful completion of ENGL0528) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Multicultural Literature: This course will examine the diversity of North American culture through a varied body of literature produced by members of specific minority cultures within North America. The literature may include, but is not limited to, novels, short stories, memoirs, poetry, creative nonfiction, drama, and oral tradition. (Meets MnTC Goal 6 and Goal 7) (Prerequisites: Reading College Level Placement or successful completion of ENGL 0528) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Poetry of the English Language: This course will serve to introduce the student to major poems and poets of the English language. Students will study the technical elements of poetry (e.g. meter, form, sound, metaphor) as well as its power, in the hands of its masters, to communicate important truths. (MnTC Goal 6) (Prerequisite: Reading College Level Placement or successful completion of ENGL0528) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Independent Reading: The Great Books: Independent Reading: The Great Books allows students to choose books to read from a list provided by the instructor and discuss them in one-on-one meetings with the instructor and/or in small group meetings with other students and the instructor. The course may be conducted on campus or through electronic delivery (by discretion of instructor). The focus of the course will be on classic literary texts; however, books which are historical, political, philosophical, or representative of other disciplines may be used, though they should be ones accessible to skilled readers from outside those disciplines. Note: This course does not involve regular class meetings; rather, students must arrange meetings with the instructor. (MnTC Goals 2 and 6) (Prerequisite: Reading College Level Placement or successful completion of ENGL0528) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Special Topics in Literature: This course will focus on a subcategory of literature-a particular genre, a particular time period, a particular author or group of authors, a particular cultural impact, or any combination of thereof-in each semester that it is offered. Offered irregularly. (Meets MnTC goal 6) (Prerequisite: Reading College Level Placement or ENGL0528) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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French Culture: Students will read, discuss, and write about issues of past and present French culture including, but not limited to, history, language, literature, art, music, cinema, and cuisine. This course will serve to introduce students to the variety and scope of French culture as it relates to the human condition. (Meets MnTC Goals 6 & 8) (Prerequisite: None) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Complete Concert Creation: The Complete Concert Creation course is designed to be a project based learning experience focusing on the history of Rock & Roll and live performance production. The course examines the effects of popular music on society, its marketability and the core elements of live concert production. Artists, marketing, production and hospitality are studied and put into practice as the course culminates in an actual student produced live concert. (2 credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)

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Oral Interpretation: This course engages the student in analyzing prose, poetry, and drama, discovering the meaning in literature and the communication of that meaning to an audience. Emphasis is on expression, interpretation, and delivery skills involved in an interpretative oral presentation to an audience. This course furthers student's understanding of self and others, and develops oral communication skills, especially vocal and nonverbal expressiveness, critical thinking, listening, and relating to an audience a critical appreciation of literature, skill in critquing other's performances, and become more thoughtful and effective communicators in other communication situations. (Fulfills MnTC Goals 2 & 6) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Introduction to Dance: Introduction to Dance is an exploration of the practice as an embodied form of inquiry and expression that lives within the interconnected worlds of ritual, social/ cultural and artistic practice. This survey course will allow students to analyze a survey of diverse dance forms within their cultural, historical, aesthetic, theoretical and personal contexts. (MnTC Goals 6 & 8) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 2 lecture/1 lab)

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Film Studies: The course will serve to introduce the student to the study of film (analysis, comprehension and evaluation), including its history, directorial and production techniques, genres, formal elements, key figures, its relationship with other art forms, and its communication of ideas as they relate to the human condition. (MnTC Goal 6 and 7) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 2 lecture/1 lab)

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Exploring World Cultures: This course provides an overview of various world cultures through aspects such as communication styles, religions, and family relationships. The arts of each selected country will be highlighted and related to their cultural traits and history. Students will learn some basic culture definitions (high/low context, power distance, gender roles) in order to look at their own culture as outsiders, appreciate the differences in other cultures, and gain some perspective on globalization. During the course, students will be encouraged to bring the information into their daily lives through personal experiences, news stories, and discussions. (MnTC Goals 6 and 8) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture)

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Multicultural America: In this course students will study, analyze, and discuss literary, cinematic, and other artistic or cultural works about multicultural American experience. Students will have opportunities to explore the historical context in which these works were produced, as well as the literary, cinematic or artistic aspects of their style, theme, language, and structure. (MnTC Goals 6 & 7) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Introduction to Women's Studies: This course primarily looks at literary works, films, and other artistic and cultural artifacts, such as oral story-telling, visual arts, and performances, to examine how artists represent womens experiences from a historical and cross-cultural perspective. With a combination of class activities such as lectures, discussions, response papers, and projects, this course hopes to broaden students' understanding on how gender issues impact women's (and men's) lives across race, class, ethnic, national, and religious boundaries. (MnTC Goals 6 & 8) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Using Music as a Therapy: This is an intensive music listening course in which student will enhance the awareness and understanding of their music listening skills to different types of music. Students will analyze the effects of musical elements, especially those effective in pain management and relaxation and associated with the healing process. (Prerequisite: none) (2 credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)

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Introduction to Music: The course offers an approach that emphasizes the progressive development of listening skills and an appreciation of music as an expression of the human condition. Students are introduced to music elements through simpler music styles and familiar recordings and gradually build up to the most rigorous forms of music. The structure of the course provides the skills necessary to listen to all music with knowledge and sophistication. Goals and reflections become increasingly sophisticated as students progress through the course, resulting in progressive development of their listening skills, active vocabulary, elements of music, and significant terms. Students will be required to attend music concerts. (Meets MnTC Goal 6) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Introduction to Music Theory: An introduction to the structure and notation of music for both the musician and non-musician to increase understanding and application of fundamentals in musicianship found in past and current compositions. Musical notation, pitch, scales, intervals, meter and rhythm, chords, form, and basic harmony will be covered. Students will develop the skills needed to read and write Western music. (MnTC Goal 6) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Popular Music in American Society: This course surveys the history of American popular music from the 1950s to the present. The course examines the development of various music styles, such as rock and hip-hop, and explores the relationship between cultural trends and popular music. Notable recordings and musicians will be studied. Attendance at one concert is required. (MnTC Goals 6 & 7) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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World Music: The course is a survey of musical-cultural practices of various ethnic peoples of the world. This course is designed to study sound and music in human life and society as a cultural expression, aand how musical meaning is produced. (MnTC Goals 6 & 8) (Prerequisite: none) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Technology Ethics: This course examines ethics in relation to technology in the modern society. Students will analyze the foundations of ethics, and how they are applied to use of technology as well as investigate ways in which technology may improve the world for our families, workplaces, and society. Students will examine the ethical implications associated with securing digital information. Lastly, students will be exposed to how emerging technologies have an effect on our health and on the environment. MnTC Goals 6 & 9.

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Conversational Spanish: This course will focus on basic Spanish pronunciation, vocabulary, and language functions to better enable students to orally communicate at a very basic level. Listening, reading, writing, and cultural skills will also be incorporated. Basic grammatical structures will be used to communicate needs, desires, preferences, and basic personal information. This course is ideally for students who have had very little or no prior Spanish experience. (Prerequisite: none) (2 credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)

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Introduction to Hispanic Cultures: Taught in English, Intro to Hispanic Cultures will acquaint the students with the concepts of culture and cultural identity, and bring them an awareness of the skills necessary to achieve successful cross-cultural communication, especially as it pertains to work with Hispanic clients. Students will compare and contrast their own culture with that of Spanish-speaking peoples. The course will also look at the "high" culture and civilization of Spanish-speaking countries, examining the arts, history, architecture, and literature. (MnTC Goals 6 & 8) (Prerequisite: None) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)

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Beginning Spanish I: Beginning Spanish is for students with little or no prior training, or for those wishing to refresh other skills in Spanish. Instruction in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and culture will occur through practice in and out of the class session. (Meets MnTC Goal 8) (Prerequisite: None) (4 credits: 4 lecture/0 lab)

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Beginning Spanish II: Beginning Spanish II is for students who have completed Beginning Spanish I and wish to continue practicing and refining their skills in Spanish. Instruction in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and culture will occur through practice in and out of the class session. (Meets MnTC Goal 8) (Prerequisite: SPAN1240 Beginning Spanish I or permission of instructor) (4 credits: 4 lecture/0 lab)

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