Course Requirements

For courses from this list being offered in the coming semester, see the Spring 2009 Course Guide.

Stage 1 Core Courses (3 cu).
3 required.

Visual Studies 101 - Eye Mind and Image. Philosophy and science of perception; art and the culture of seeing. The nature of seeing and visual cognition, its physiological, environmental, and cultural conditions; selected focal topics, such as color, beauty, medical imaging, and seeing and knowing.

Visual Studies 102 - Two Dimensions: Form & Meaning. Studio based, with lecture. Contemporary approaches to art making, integrated with study of visual cultural theory. Design and composition, line and value, color, digital photography, mixed media.

Visual Studies 103 - Three Dimensions: Time & Space. Studio based, with lecture. Lines and shape in space, time-based media, motion graphics, conceptual art.

New course: Visual Studies 301 - What is Visual Studies? Seminar. The course is arranged so that parallel and sometimes antagonistic takes by various fields – the psychologist, philosopher, and historian – on similar problems force the students to assimilate ideas together, deciding for themselves what is interesting and relevant. By the end of the course, students should be well on their way to posing questions and problems that can form the basis of the their senior projects.

Stage 2 Core Courses (6 cu).
Choose two from each sector (A, B, and C).

A. Philosophy and Science of Seeing (two required):
PSYC 111 Perception (Gen Req V) or BIBB 217 (PSYC 117) Visual Neuroscience.
PSYC 311 Research Experience in Perception.
PHIL 244 Philosophy of Mind (Distrib II) or PHIL 423 Philosophy and Visual Perception.

B. Art and the Culture of Seeing (two required):
ARTH 002 The Rise of Modern Visual Media.
ARTH 103 East Asian Art and Civilization. Gen Req III
ARTH 104 (SAST 201) South Asian Art and Civilization. Gen Req III.
ARTH 287 Twentieth Century Art: 1945-Now or ARTH 296 American Art: 1865-1968.

C. Art Practice and Technology (two required):
FNAR 061 Film/Video I.
FNAR 123 Drawing I.
FNAR 264 Digital Design Foundations.

Stage 3 Concentration Requirements (5 cu).
Choose four in your area of concentration (Sector A, B, or C), one outside concentration.
Courses already counted toward the Stage 2 Core do not count again here; Stage 2 courses not previously counted may be taken now with the approval of the Visual Studies Advisor. (* = counts toward Stage 2 Core).

Sector A. Philosophy and Science of Seeing
PHIL 004 History of Modern Philosophy. Gen Req II.
PHIL 080 Aesthetics. Gen Req III.
*PHIL 244 Introduction to Philosophy of the Mind
PHIL 330 Philosophy of Perception (Instructor permission required)
PHIL 380 Topics in Aesthetics (Instructor permission required)
*PHIL 423 Philosophy and Visual Perception
PHIL 426 Philosophy of Psychology
PHIL 480 (GRMN 580, COML 503) Topics in Aesthetics

BIBB 109 (BIOL 219, PSYC 109) Introduction to Brain and Behavior. Gen Req V. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 001 or BIOL 101 or Permission of Instructor.
*BIBB 217 (PSYC 117) Visual Neuroscience. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 001 &/or BIBB 109. May not be counted towards Visual Studies Sector A Stage 2 Core in addition to PSYC 111 (see above).
COGS 001 (CSE 140, LING 105, PHIL 044, PSYC 107) Introduction to Cognitive Science.

*PSYC 111 Perception. Gen Req V. Only one of PSYC 111 or BIBB 217 may count toward Visual Studies Sector A Stage 2 Core; both may count toward the major (one as a Stage 3 elective).
PSYC 133 (BIBB233) Brain, Behavior and Evolution. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 001 or BIBB 109 or BIOL 102 or permission of instructor.
PSYC 143 Physiological Psychology. Gen Req V. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 001.
PSYC 149 (BIBB249) Cognitive Neuroscience. Prerequisite: PSYC 001 or BIBB109.
PSYC 151 Cognitive Psychology. Prerequisite: PSYC 001.
PSYC 157 Human Informative Processing. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 001 or 107, a college course in mathematics, statistics, or engineering, or instructor permission.
PSYC 211 Special Topics in Perception. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 111 or 413.
PSYC 251 Special Topics in Cognitive Psych. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 151, 157, or 107.
*PSYC 311 (CSE 311) Research Experience in Perception. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 111 or permission of instructor.
PSYC 357 (BIBB 457, COGS 357) Experiments in Cognitive Science: Human Information Processing. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor. Students should have one of the following Psychology courses: PSYC 111, 121, 151, 192, and a college course in mathematics or physics.

Sector B. Art and the Culture of Seeing
ARTH 001 Architect and History. Gen Req III.
*ARTH 002 The Rise of Modern Visual Media. Gen Req III.
ARTH 101 European Art & Civilization before 1400
*ARTH 103 East Asian Art and Civilization. Gen Req III.
*ARTH 104 (SAST 201) South Asian Art and Civilization. Gen Req III.
ARTH 108 (CINE 101) Film History. Gen Req III.
ARTH 109 (CINE 102) Film Analysis & Methods. Gen Req III.
ARTH 211 (SAST 211) Art in India
ARTH 212 (SAST 201) Indian Temple Architecture
ARTH 213 Arts of Japan.
ARTH 214 (EALC 127) Arts of China.
ARTH 215 Japanese Painting
ARTH 216 Chinese Painting
ARTH 217 Islamic Civilization and Its Visual Culture. Distribution II.
ARTH 218 Modern Japanese Arts.
ARTH 220 Introduction to Greek Art & Architecture
ARTH 221 Introduction to Roman Art & Architecture
ARTH 222 Minoan Cycladic and Mycenaean Art
ARTH 223 Egyptian Art
ARTH 240 Medieval Art
ARTH 241 Byzantine Art and Architecture
ARTH 242 Introduction to Medieval Architecture
ARTH 252 Art/Time of Michaelangelo
ARTH 255 The Renaissance. Distribution III.
ARTH 260 Northern Renaissance Art.
ARTH 271 Baroque Art in Europe. Distribution III.
ARTH 281 Early Modern Architecture
ARTH 282 Modern Architecture
ARTH 283 The Modern City
ARTH 284 Revolution to Realism
ARTH 285 Impressionism: European Art 1870-1900. Distribution III.
ARTH 286 Twentieth Century Art: 1900-1945. Distribution III.
*ARTH 287 Twentieth Century Art: 1945-Now. Distribution III.
ARTH 289 Contemporary Art
ARTH 291 (CINE 209) The Road Movie
ARTH 292 (CINE 208) Women in Film
ARTH 293 History of Photography. Distribution III.
ARTH 294 African American Art
ARTH 295 American Art before 1865
ARTH 296 American Art: 1865-1968
ARTH 301 or 302 Undergraduate Seminars. Open to juniors and seniors, topic varies. A special section is offered biennially at the Institute of Contemporary Art, resulting in an exhibition.
ARTH 414 Post-War Japanese Cinema and Visual Culture. Distribution III
ARTH 511 Ukiyo-e: Japanese Prints and Paintings of the "Floating World"

CINE 204 (COMM 262) Visual Communication.

SOCI 137 Sociology of Media and Popular Culture. Gen Req III.

Sector C. Art, Practice, and Technology
ARCH 201 Visualization I: Drawing and Design.
ARCH 202 Visualization II: Drawing and Communication.

FNAR 061 Film/Video I.
FNAR 062 Film/Video II. Prerequisite: FNAR 061.
FNAR 063 Documentary Video. Prerequisite: FNAR 061.
FNAR 064 Interactive Video. Prerequisite: FNAR 062.
FNAR 065 Cinema Production
FNAR 123 Drawing I.
FNAR 124 Drawing II. Prerequisite: FNAR 123.
FNAR 142 3-D Design.
FNAR 145 Sculpture I: Materials and Techniques.
FNAR 146 Sculpture II: Intermediate Skills and Techniques. Prerequisite: FNAR 145.
FNAR 211 Color.
FNAR 222 (URBS 222) The Big Picture: Mural Arts in Philadelphia
FNAR 226 The Photography of Urban Places
FNAR 231 Painting I
FNAR 232 Painting II. Prerequisite: FNAR 231.
FNAR 234 Web Design. Prerequisite: FNAR 265.
FNAR 235 3D Computer Modeling: Digital Sculpture. Prerequisites: FNAR 124 and FNAR 264
FNAR 236 Digital Figure Modeling. Prerequisite: FNAR 235
FNAR 238 Open Book: A Visual Exploration
FNAR 241 Hand Drawn Computer Animation
FNAR 243 Figure Sculpture I
FNAR 244 Figure Sculpture II
FNAR 247 Sculpture III: Advanced Materials and Techniques. Prerequisite: FNAR 146.
FNAR 251 Printmaking: Intaglio
FNAR 252 Printmaking: Relief & Screen Printing
FNAR 257 Printmaking: Mixed Media
FNAR 260 Beginning Ceramics: Handbuilding.
FNAR 261 Clay Wheel Throwing I
FNAR 262 Mosaics
FNAR 263 Clay Wheel Throwing II
*FNAR 264 Digital Design Foundations.
FNAR 266 Graphic Design. Prerequisite: FNAR 264.
FNAR 267 Computer Animation. Prerequisite: FNAR 265 and FNAR 123.
FNAR 268 Interactive Multi-Media. Prerequisite: FNAR 265 and FNAR 141.
FNAR 269 Typography. Prerequisite: FNAR 265.
FNAR 270 Graphic Design Practicum. Prerequisite: FNAR 266.
FNAR 271 Photography I.
FNAR 272 Photography II. Prerequisite: FNAR 271.
FNAR 274 Portrait Photography. Prerequisite: FNAR 271
FNAR 275 Color Photography I. Prerequisite: FNAR 271.
FNAR 276 Photography in Art. Prerequisite: FNAR 271.
FNAR 277 Visual Diary. Prerequisites: FNAR 272.
FNAR 278 Photojournalism. Prerequisite: FNAR 272.
FNAR 279 Large Format Photography & Studio Lighting. Prerequisite FNAR 272.
FNAR 280 Figure Drawing I
FNAR 281 Figure Drawing II
FNAR 282 Advanced Topics in Photography: Installation
FNAR 283 The Body and Photography
FNAR 287 Color Photography II
FNAR 289 Mixed Media Animation
FNAR 333 Painting III. Prerequisites: FNAR 232.
FNAR 334 Painting IV. Prerequisite: FNAR 333.
FNAR 340 Digital Photography
FNAR 341 Architecture, Landscapes, and Cities: Large Format Photography
FNAR 362 Clay II
FNAR 370 Advanced Graphic Design
FNAR 490 Collage/Montage. Prerequisite: FNAR 211.

Stage 4 Senior Project
VLST 395 Senior Seminar. Year-long capstone project, .5 cu per semester.

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