Topics/Series Courses
A topics course is one that is not regularly offered at the University of Lethbridge. Departments may use topics courses to try out a new course that they are considering regularizing, or for faculty to offer courses related to their research. Series courses are a group of courses within a certain genre and the offering changes every semester. You may take multiple topics and series courses for credit as long as each offering is distinct (i.e. having significantly different titles).
If you have any questions about topics courses, please contact the Fine Arts Advising Office (W660).
2024-2025 | Topics/Series Courses
ART
Introduction to Ceramic Art
ART 2850 A
3.0 Credit Hours
This course will explore approaches to working with ceramic materials in a fine arts context. Basic construction methods and surface design techniques will be taught alongside discussions of contemporary theoretical approaches to working with ceramics. Special attention will be given to assisting students with strategies for incorporating ceramics into their individual art practices.
DRAMA
Shakespeare for the Intimidated
DRAM 3850 Y (Calgary Campus)
3.0 Credit Hours
A performance-based approach to the study of Shakespeare. We will engage in a variety of activities and presentations to make the text relevant and bring it to life. We will view and analyze stage and film productions of the plays as well as study their historical context.
Prerequisites: Completion of 15 University courses (a minimum of 45.0 credit hours) or admission to the Post Diploma program.
NEW MEDIA
The Human Side of Interaction
NMED 2850 A
3.0 Credit Hours
This is an interdisciplinary course to survey and examine the theories and applications of Human Factors research and their implementations in user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) related interaction design. The students will be introduced to a broad range of topics including historical reviews, influential theories, industry and market trends, and practical methodologies via introductory lectures and project-based learning reinforcements. They will be challenged to expand their understandings of today’s world of design and technology by taking a closer look at the key considerations of human factors behind real products in our daily life. This course will cover the interrelations between subcategories of such studies, and their impacts to our society and our daily life. The students will acquire an in-depth understanding to the importance of these topics, especially when it comes to their impacts on human-computer-interaction (HCI) based New Media design.
Prerequisite: Second-year standing (a minimum of 30.0 credit hours)
Developing Media for Children
NMED 4850 A
3.0 Credit Hours
Through brainstorming activities, prototyping, and field-testing with representatives of the target audience, students will work in multi-disciplinary teams to design and develop educational apps for mobile devices to be used in a K-12 classroom.
Prerequisites: New Media 3380 and New Media 3520 OR Computer Science 3770
ART
Queer Arts
ART 2015/3015 A
3.0 Credit Hours
This course will provide a studio-based overview of queer art, its historical, cultural and political contexts, and material and methodological applications. Students can expect to work in interdisciplinary mediums used by queer artists across various S2LGBTQ+ eras of creative expression. These will include fiber arts and textile, new media and video, performance art, and site-specific works, among others. Assignments will revolve around queer conceptual and theoretical frameworks found in the work of contemporary queer artists.
Prerequisite(s) Art 3015: Four of: [Art 2005 or Art 2006], Art 2010, Art 2015, Art 2023, Art 2027, Art 2033, [Art 2060 or Art 2061], or Art 2350/Indigenous Studies 2350 AND 15 university-level courses (a minimum of 45.0 credit hours)
Senior Studio I & II
ART 4048 & 4049
6.0 Credit Hours
The following instructors will be available as supervising faculty members for the above mentioned classes in Fall 2024:
- Katie Bruce
- Miguel Solis
Students who register for these courses will interview with each of the supervising faculty members to determine which faculty member will be their instructor of record. Students must ensure they are registered in the correct section of the course with their assigned instructor by the end of the add/drop period.
Art, Museums, and Activism
ARHI 3151
3.0 Credit Hours
This course will explore recent work in museums in relation to social change, with a focus on key case studies: work by museums around decolonization and repatriation; ACT UP and work by artists addressing gender and sexuality; and work by museums and artists to address the climate crisis. The course will include theoretical and practical components to support an intersectional approach to the topics, a focus on Canadian museums and artists, and attention to strategies for museums to create effective audience engagement. With the university located on traditional Blackfoot territory, Blackfoot perspectives will be central to the course.
Prerequisite(s): Art History 1002 or Third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours)
Critical Issues in Contemporary Indigenous Art
ARHI 3152 A
3.0 Credit Hours
This course examines current critical issues in contemporary Indigenous art and visual culture from across the settler-colonial areas of North American, as well as Australia and New Zealand. We will explore how Indigenous arts are understood in the communities in which they are made, how indigenous artworks have been understood in Western art historical discourse and museum exhibitions, as well as the relationship between “historic” and “contemporary” indigenous arts. This course will investigate the recent role of indigenous art in the questioning of identity and self-representation, decolonization, sovereignty, self-determination, and anti-colonial resistance. The course will rely heavily on course readings and class participation, structured like a seminar it is organized both thematically and geographically in order to address the specific concerns of the land, visual culture, survivance, and Indigeneity.
Prerequisite(s): One of Art History 1001, Art History 1002, or Third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours)
DRAMA
Screen Acting: Theory and Analysis
CINE 4850 / DRAM 4850 A
3.0 Credit Hours
A study of major stylistic approaches to performance throughout the history of film, television, and other media, and an overview of prominent theories that focus on the work of screen actors. Students will acquire specialized means of understanding screen actors’ expressive capabilities, and the methods to critically examine actors’ performances through close, formal analysis.
Prerequisite(s): Cinema 1000 or Drama 1000 AND third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours)
Scenic Painting
DRAM 3821 A
3.0 Credit Hours
This course is designed to give an introduction to the theory and techniques of scenic painting for a variety of theatrical applications, including properties. Students will learn about the products, tools and techniques of scenic paint for the stage, as well as explore the elements and principals of scenography. This class will include both lectures, demonstrations and the physical practice of scenic painting.
Stage Makeup
DRAM 3821 B
3.0 Credit Hours
This course is designed to give an introduction to the history, practice and design aesthetic of stage makeup. Students will learn about the products, tools and application techniques of makeup for the stage, as well as explore the process of character development through makeup design. This course will combine lectures and demonstrations with physical practice.
MUSIC
Listening to Music
MUSI 3000 A
3.0 Credit Hours
In this class, students will learn about a variety of perspectives from which to think about listening to music. This approach will reinforce the concept that music is a communicative experience, involving not just compositions to be studied (in some cases) but also participatory acts of what Christopher Small calls musicking. By focusing in this class on listening, students will become aware of different contexts for musicking, and thus different social functions for music. Students will come away with an understanding of how music has been, and continues to be, used by humans for a vast array of purposes. Moreover, through a variety of theoretical perspectives on listening, students will gain a broader understanding of how music’s communicated meanings are not objectively determinate, but rather highly dependent on context. Student’s can expect an emphasis on reading and class discussion.
Prerequisite(s): One of Music 3090 OR Music 3480
History of Rock and Roll to 1970
MUSI 3200 A
3.0 Credit Hours
This course is designed to give the student a historical overview of the development of rock ‘n roll from its roots up until the end of the 60’s. This will be presented in a chronological manner, beginning with a brief overview of rock ‘n roll’s ancestors and influences. It will go on to study the musical and cultural melting pot of the 1950’s, followed by the effects of the British Invasion of the 60’s. A discussion of developments occurring in North America following the British Invasion will be the culminating point of this class.
Prerequisite(s): 15 university-level courses (a minimum of 45.0 credit hours) - as per calendar
Equivalent: Music 3200 – History of Rock and Roll: 1948-1970
NOTE: Not counted in the 16-course Arts & Science major or the core courses in the B.Mus. degree.
NOTE: Students with credit in Music 2850 (History of Rock ‘n Roll), 2850 (3850) (Popular Music in the 20th Century) or 3010 cannot receive credit for the same offering in the Music 3200 series.
NOTE: Credit is not allowed for MUSI 3200 - History of Rock & Roll to 1970 and MUSI 3200 History of Rock and Roll: 1948-1970 or MUSI 3200 – History of Rock and Roll
History of Jazz
MUSI 3200 B
3.0 Credit Hours
This course provides a comprehensive overview of jazz history, covering the major jazz styles and important musicians that have pioneered this music. We will trace jazz from its infancy, beginning in New Orleans and will highlight how this music has developed through the years and has grown into various sub-genres. Some of the styles that will be covered include: Early Jazz, Swing Era, Bebop, Cool and Fusion. Other topics will include learning important jazz terminology, becoming acquainted with the preeminent jazz artists within each style and most importantly analyzing how jazz has evolved and inspired other music genres since early in the twentieth-century.
Prerequisite(s): 15 university-level courses (a minimum of 45.0 credit hours)
NOTE: Not counted in the 16-course Arts and Science Music major or the core courses in the B.Mus. degree.
Planning and Delivering Group Instrumental Instruction
MUSI 3850A
3.0 Credit Hours
This course provides hands-on training for teaching instrumentalists of any level in small group sessions including sectionals, clinics, workshops, or classroom settings. It will include a lecture portion on classroom management, time management, pedagogical techniques, adaptive teaching methods, and teaching strategies, as well as controlled classroom settings and real-world settings with high school-aged students.
Prerequisite(s): Third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours) AND permission from the instructor.
NEW MEDIA
New Media Soundscapes
NMED 2850 A
3.0 Credit Hours
This course explores the theory, practice and history of sound and sound-based media. A primary aim is to analyze historical contingencies and contemporary complexities of sound and sound-based media as social and cultural phenomena. Emphasis is placed on understanding the often-overlooked role sonic media plays in current and emergent digital technologies and practices, including social media, advertising, music and podcasting. We will also develop and practice basic tools and techniques of digital sound production for various genres, including podcasting, sound for film and games, and sound art.
Advanced Game Design Studio
NMED 3850 A
3.0 Credit Hours
Building on fundamental game design skills, this course will challenge students to make increasingly complex and intricate games while also guiding them further into the production and release process. The course will culminate in a capstone final, polished game.
Prerequisite(s): New Media 3310
Art & Imagination Anthropocene
NMED 3850 B
3.0 Credit Hours
Welcome to the Anthropocene, a world on the brink of a constellation of ecological, social, and economic catastrophes. In this studio course we’ll explore what is at stake and the urgent need to attune ourselves to an interconnected world, a practice long-held by Indigenous cultures. We’ll critically examine and creatively respond to such topics as: representation and reality; questions of consciousness; the ramifications of AI; the paranormal; the dearth of meaning in contemporary culture; and what the non-human world communicates, to bring into practice what we might call an “everyday magik”, a way of being and interacting that respects the netted nature of our world.
Prerequisite(s): 15 university-level courses (a minimum of 45.0 credit hours)
Emerging Video Technology
NMED 3850 C
3.0 Credit Hours
A studio intensive in moving image creation. Students are encouraged to pursue new innovations in video creation including immersive installation, 360° video, projection mapping and video applications for augmented and virtual reality.
Prerequisite(s): New Media 2030 or Third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours) and a skills based assessment.
AI, Immortality, Art, & Identity
NMED 4850
3.0 Credit Hours
Benign assistants or robot overlords? In this seminar/studio course we’ll explore the promises and perils of Artificial Intelligence. Through readings, viewings, and hands-on experimentation with AIs, we’ll engage in a cross-disciplinary conversation around the existential, ethical, and practical ramifications of AIs.
Prerequisite(s): Fourth year standing (a minimum of 90.0 credit hours) in a BFA New Media program.
ART
Artists' Books and Printed Matter
ART 3015 A
3.0 Credit Hours
This studio course invites students to explore the artist book and printed matter as dynamic art forms. Open to all media, students will engage with the international contexts and networks of artists’ publishing as a vital aspect of creative practice. Students will conceive, design, produce, and present their own artists’ books and related artworks, deepening their understanding of this unique medium.
Senior Studio I & II
ART 4048 & 4049
6.0 Credit Hours
The following instructors will be available as supervising faculty members for the above mentioned classes in Winter 2025:
- Katie Bruce
Students who register for these courses will interview with each of the supervising faculty members to determine which faculty member will be their instructor of record. Students must ensure they are registered in the correct section of the course with their assigned instructor by the end of the add/drop period.
FINE ARTS
Introduction to Visual and Cultural Studies
FA 2850 A/LBED 2850 CL
3.0 Credit Hours
Introduction to Visual and Cultural Studies: Visual images shape our worlds. From our sense of self to our politics, our relation to the world is negotiated through visual images. This interdisciplinary course will introduce various theoretical frameworks for interpreting visual and material culture. It will introduce key thinkers and theories about cultural studies to provide students skills for the critical analysis of the world around us. Topics may include construction of identities, visuality and power, activism and protest in various medias including art, popular culture, social media, news, etc.
MUSIC
Music in Performance and Practice
MUSI 3000 A
3.0 Credit Hours
An exploration of the art of the performer. Course units include:
- the philosophy of music performance from the standpoint of formalism, music and emotion, musical works, music and representation, music and politics.
- Knowing the score. Understanding Historical performance practices and changing notational meaning in music; tempo, dynamics, articulation, etc.
- Perfect practice makes perfect; Knowing the state of pedagogy for your instrument/voice, structuring practice to optimize learning
- Music performance anxiety; what it is and what it isn’t, strategies to mitigate.
- Lecture performance
The first two units will employ readings for class discussions. Students will be asked to consider the topic of the unit in the context of particular musical examples. The remaining units are designed to give opportunity for students to discuss and perform their repertoire in terms of the class material.
Prerequisite: Music Studio 3348
History of Rock and Roll Since 1970
MUSI 3200 A
3.0 Credit Hours
This course is meant to be a follow‑up course to the History of Rock and Roll to 1970. It will cover the fragmentation of rock 'n' roll styles through the seventies and eighties and nineties, beginning with the trends of the late sixties, through the mass marketing of the early seventies, moving to the technological boom that characterized much of eighties rock and roll, and ending with rock alternatives and Alternative rock and roll from the nineties.
Equivalent: Music 3200 – History of Rock and Roll: 1968-1990
Prerequisite: 15 university-level courses (a minimum of 45.0 credit hours) - as per calendar
NOTE: Not counted in the 16-course Arts & Science major or the core courses in the B.Mus. degree
NOTE: Students with credit in Music 2850 (History of Rock ‘n Roll), 2850 (3850) (Popular Music in the 20th Century) or 3010 cannot receive credit for the same offering in the Music 3200 series.
NOTE: Credit is not allowed for MUSI 3200 – History of Rock and Roll, and either of MUSI 3200 - History of Rock and Roll: 1948-1970 or MUSI 3200 – History of Rock and Roll: 1968-1990.
World Instruments for Audio Engineers
MUSI 3850 N
3.0 Credit Hours
This course will introduce international musicians from countries like Brazil, Colombia, Kenya, Philippines, India, Israel, Spain, and Peru. These guest speakers will present an instrument and music style that is native to their country. Students will learn about how these instruments are used to celebrate and preserve ceremonies, oral history, and other life events. Additionally, students will learn techniques to record instruments that are not commonly found in a recording studio. These instruments may include cuatro, cajon, qanun, djembe, surdo, repique, berimbau, and loud.
Prerequisite: Music 2550
Electronic and Popular Music Production
MUSI 3850 NA
3.0 Credit Hours
This course is designed for students who have little to no knowledge of electronic music production but who have experience using a Digital Audio Workstation. It introduces the necessary tools and techniques to produce electronic music in different styles including House, Techno, Synthwave, Trance, and Drum and Bass. These genres will be contrasted with styles of electroacoustic music to challenge conventional popular approaches. Students will research and present on the history as well as important cultural and technological aspects of these music styles. The class explores production techniques in Logic Pro and students will create productions of their own.
Prerequisite: Music 2550
NEW MEDIA
Interactive Technologies: Web Essentials
NMED 2000 A
3.0 Credit Hours
An introduction to website authorship using open-source content management systems.
New Media Aesthetics
NMED 3850 A
3.0 Credit Hours
This course explores the intersection of new media art, aesthetic theory and emerging technologies, examining how digital, interactive, and networked forms build on and transform notions of art, design, beauty, and sensory experience. Engaging with new media artworks, aesthetic theory, and creative practices, the course examines how new media forms and technologies impact artistic creation, cultural production and consumption, and the ways in which we perceive and relate to the world around us. Additionally, this course will help students frame their own creative work in terms of ongoing debates in new media.
Prerequisites: New Media 2150 OR Third-year standing (a minimum of 60.0 credit hours)
Typography
NMED 3850 C
3.0 Credit Hours
An introduction to typography through a range of materials and practices, both digital and physical. Students will make work in response the study of type histories, contemporary issues, cultural contexts, and digital innovations.
Prerequisites: 15 university-level courses (a minimum of 45.0 credit hours)
Documentary Video Production
NMED 3850 D
3.0 Credit Hours
An introduction to the art and craft of documentary video creation. Students will explore the techniques and strategies used in making compelling documentary video including research, storytelling, videography and post-production. Through studio practice, students will gain an understanding of documentary and its complicated role in contemporary media.
Prerequisites: New Media 2030
Social Issues in Games
NMED 3850 E
3.0 Credit Hours
Video games carry tremendous social and cultural power, but are often cast as simple, value-free forms of mass entertainment. In this course, we will unpack the ways that video games affect our social and cultural world and explore a variety of areas that game creators have attempted to address with their work. Topics covered in the course include, representation, gender, environmentalism, and labor.
Prerequisites: 15 university-level courses (a minimum of 45.0 credit hours)