Contemporary Arts Courses
FPA 104 - Music Fundamentals (3)
This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of the elements of music and teaches the skill of reading music notation. An introduction to music theory and exposure to the application of music materials in a wide spectrum of music literature will be accompanied by practical exercises. The course is designed for students with no formal music training. May be of particular interest to students in other departments.
FPA 120 - Introduction to Dance Forms: Contemporary and Popular (3)
A studio course devoted to the development of movement skills through specific styles of dance. The content of the course changes every semester including techniques in Bhangra, Afro-Caribbian, Hip Hop and Contemporary. May repeat for credit. May be of particular interest to students in other departments.
FPA 122 - Contemporary Dance I (5)
First of two studio courses in contemporary dance and ballet technique. Introduces theoretical approaches to contemporary dance. This is one of four courses required for entry into the dance major and minor programs. Prerequisite: Prior approval as a result of an audition. Corequisite: FPA 122 and FPA 129 must be taken concurrently.
FPA 123 - Contemporary Dance II (5)
Continues and expands on the work undertaken in FPA 122. Emphasizes work in contemporary dance and ballet technique with attention to theoretical approaches to contemporary dance. Prerequisite: FPA 122. Corequisite: FPA 123 and FPA 124 must be taken concurrently.
FPA 124 - Dance Improvisation and Composition (3)
Selected dance improvisational skills will be explored in a variety of solo, duet, small group and large group forms through structured movement themes. Emphasis will be on sensory awareness, elements of movement, and composition. Recommended: dance or theatre experience.
FPA 129 - Movement Fundamentals (3)
This studio/theory course incorporates techniques of body awareness, centering, and structural realignment. The emphasis is on body conditioning and body connectedness. This course will be of interest to dancers, actors, kinesiologists, and athletes. This is one of four courses required for entry into the dance major and extended minor program.
FPA 130 - Fundamentals of Film (4)
Introduces students to the basic components of filmmaking through lectures, film screenings and creative projects in the various media that combine to form cinema. A laboratory fee is required. Students should be advised that course activities may require additional costs. Prerequisite: Prior approval through formal application. Students who have completed FPA 132, 133, 134 or 230 may not take FPA 130 for further credit.
FPA 131 - Filmmaking I (4)
An introductory course in 16 mm. film production, emphasizing creative use of the medium. Each student is expected to conceive, direct and edit a short film with a non-synchronous sound track, as well as participate in the making of class exercises and other students' films. A laboratory fee is required. Students should be advised that film production will probably incur significant costs in addition to lab fees. Prerequisite: FPA 130: Fundamentals of Film and prior approval. An introductory course in 16 mm.
FPA 135 - Introduction to Cinema (3)
An introductory course designed to facilitate a fundamental understanding of film technique, style and form in order to develop the skills with which to analyze films of all genres. Through lectures and screenings it will provide an overview of the social, aesthetic and technical development of motion pictures, introducing tools for the formal analysis of the elements of cinema: cinematography and lighting, art direction, performance, editing, sound and the screenplay. The formal and historical elements of documentary, avant-garde and dramatic films will be addressed. The course will involve the screening and discussion of several complete feature films and shorts, as well as excerpts from others.
FPA 136 - The History and Aesthetics of Cinema I (3)
This course will examine the early development of cinema from 1890 until about 1945, with particular emphasis on the fundamental principles of film as an art form. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Breadth-Humanities.
FPA 137 - The History and Aesthetics of Cinema II (3)
This course will examine selected developments in cinema from 1945 to the present, with attention to various styles of artistic expression in film. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Breadth-Humanities.
FPA 140 - Music after 1900 (3)
An introductory survey of major historical trends and practices of music in the 20th and 21st centuries as revealed by the study of selected music examples. Critical issues fundamental to an understanding of contemporary composition will be examined (e.g. impressionism, twelve-tone music, indeterminacy, the role of technology, improvisation). May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Breadth-Humanities.
FPA 145 - Introduction to Music Composition and Theory (3)
This course introduces basic concepts of music composition such as melody and pitch organization, harmony, rhythm and form. The fundamental principles of theory and acoustics (e.g. voice-leading, overtone structure, metre) will be studied with particular reference to composition. Students will compose short works within given guidelines that address specific compositional issues. Prerequisite: FPA 104. Students who have completed a music theory/notation course at another institution but who have not received transfer credit as FPA 104 should seek a clearance/prerequisite waiver from the department.
FPA 146 - Introduction to Music Composition and Theory II (3)
A continuation of FPA 145 where students compose short works for instruments within given parameters that address specific compositional issues. Analysis of a wide range of music, score reading and recorded music of selected compostions will be included. Prerequisite: FPA 140 and 145. Students with credir for FPA 244 may not complete this course for further credit.
FPA 149 - Sound (3)
Introduction to acoustics, psychoacoustics, sound synthesis, audio sampling and signal processing, and sound production in general as relating to music, film sound, radio, new media, art installations and live performance. Quantitative. Students who take FPA 149 cannot take FPA 184 for further credit. Quantitative.
FPA 150 - Introduction to Acting I (3)
An approach to the elements of acting based on improvisation, with some attention to working from established texts. Focus will be placed on the development of the actor's instrument. The work will include the development of individual powers of expression - vocally, physically, intellectually, imaginatively, and emotionally. May be of particular interest to students in other departments.
FPA 160 - Introductory Studio in Visual Art I (3)
A hands-on studio course modeled on the progressive development of artistic practice from simple mark-making to full scale installation. Through a process of continuous transformation, an original idea is developed in a sequence of methods, materials and scales. Some research is required. A course materials fee is required.
FPA 161 - Introductory Studio in Visual Art II (3)
A continuation of the work begun in FPA 160, with emphasis on particular problems in the visual arts worked through a series of projects, culminating in the Campus Project, a site-specific public work designed, built and installed at the end of the term. Some research is required. A course materials fee is required. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: FPA 160.
FPA 167 - Visual Art and Culture I (3)
An introduction to the visual arts of the nineteenth century. Formal and thematic approaches to the arts will be introduced, with attention to the social, institutional, national, and international contexts of art. Breadth-Humanities.
FPA 168 - Visual Art and Culture II (3)
A study of the visual arts from the twentieth century to the present, with attention to the artists, artworks, movements, and discourses that re-defined the functions and meanings of art. The debates of modernism, postmodernity, postcolonialism, feminism, and the avant-garde will be systematically explored. Breadth-Humanities.
FPA 170 - Introduction to Production Technology (3)
An introduction to the processes, tools and technology used in the production and presentation of the fine and performing arts. Course requirements will include hands-on assignments in the production of theatre, dance, and music events. Students will work directly with equipment and materials, and are expected to be involved in work on productions and exhibitions outside of lecture and lab hours. Laboratory fee required. May be of particular interest to students in other areas and departments.
FPA 171 - Introduction to Stage and Production Management (3)
An introduction to the management, and organization of the performing arts. This course will provide a grounding for students who wish to become further involved in the administration of the performing arts and may include practical experience outside of regular seminar hours. May be of particular interest to students in other areas and departments.
FPA 186 - Art and the Moving Image (3)
Introduces innovations in the fine and performing arts to show the range of possibilities open to those who wish to employ or understand the use of moving images in their disciplinary and multidisciplinary art practices. By the completion of the course students should have a good sense not only of previous innovations and traditions, but of the contemporary scene as well.
FPA 210 - Artworks, Theories, Contexts (3)
Introduces theoretical concepts and historical issues that have informed the creation, perception, interpretation, and analysis of selected artworks in formative epochs, such as the Renaissance, Romanticism, Modernism, or Postmodernism. Prerequisite: 21 units including six in the history or theory of the fine or performing arts and FPA 168. Students with credit for FPA 211 Introduction to Contemporary Theory in the Arts may not take this course for further credit.
FPA 220 - Contemporary Dance III (4)
The first studio course in a series designed for students pursuing a major or extended minor in dance. Emphasizes work in contemporary dance and is designed to develop technical facility in movement and acquaint the student with form and style in contemporary dance. Prerequisite: FPA 122, 123, 124, 129 and prior approval by interview. Students with credit for KIN 244 may not take this course for further credit.
FPA 221 - Contemporary Dance IV (4)
The second studio course in a series designed for students pursuing a major or extended minor in dance. Expands on the work undertaken in FPA 220-4 Contemporary Dance III and aims to develop technical facility in movement and acquaint the student with form and style in contemporary dance. (studio). Prerequisite: FPA 220.
FPA 227 - History of Dance: From the 20th Century to the Present (3)
Study of the development of modern dance and the reformation of the ballet from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. Emphasis will be placed on seminal dance artists and the impact their work has had upon the art form in western theatre dance. This course may be of particular interest to a range of students in departments across the University. Prerequisite: 30 credits. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.
FPA 228W - Dance Aesthetics (3)
An introduction to aesthetic theory as it applies to dance. Lectures will address, among other things, the nature of aesthetic experience, as well as issues pertaining to critical judgment, communication, taste, and high and low art. Writing.
FPA 229 - Selected Topics in Dance I (3)
A specific topic in dance which is not otherwise covered in depth in regular courses. The work will be practical, theoretical, or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 220 or prior approval.
FPA 230 - Filmmaking II (5)
The first of two courses (FPA 231-5 is the second) which form an intensive study of the craft of sync-sound 16 mm. filmmaking, with an emphasis on production planning, creative development and the shooting and editing of short films. In-class exercises and film screenings will lead to the production of several original films. Each student will be expected to play major creative and technical roles in these productions. A laboratory fee is required. Film production may require personal funding in addition to the lab fees. Prerequisite: FPA 131, and FPA 136 or 137, and prior approval. Corequisite: FPA 233. Students who have taken FPA 330 for credit may not complete FPA 230 for further credit.
FPA 231 - Filmmaking III (5)
This course continues the work begun in FPA 230-5 Filmmaking II. Students will acquire proficiency in film technique through lab exercises, readings and film screenings. As well, all students will participate in the completion of short original sync-sound 16 mm. films which were begun in FPA 230. Emphasis is placed on the development of means for creative expression supported by technical skills. Laboratory fee required. Students should be advised that film production will probably incur significant costs in addition to lab fees. Prerequisite: FPA 230: Filmmaking II and FPA 233: The Techniques of Film.
FPA 232 - Film Sound (3)
Through lectures, demonstrations and studio work, students will be introduced to several aspects of location sound recording and audio post production for film and video. Topics will include synchronization systems and techniques, editing, music scoring, mixing and both analog and digital sound technology. Prerequisite: FPA 131 and 149. Students who have completed FPA 330 may not take FPA 232 for further credit.
FPA 233 - The Techniques of Film (2)
Covers the technical aspects of basic 16 mm. production skills: camera, lighting, sound, editing, lab processes. Laboratory fee required. Prerequisite: FPA 131 and prior approval. Corequisite: FPA 230.
FPA 235 - Experimental Film and Video (3)
A survey of the key works and ideas that have informed contemporary moving image art practice nationally and internationally. Beginning with antecedents in painting and photography, the course will move forward from the early European avant-garde to the lyrical and structural works of the seventies, the issue-based work of the eighties, and finally the gallery-based practices of the present day. Intended for all students with an interest in the moving image as an art form. Prerequisite: REQ-one of FPA 135, 136, 137, 167 or 168 or 30 units.
FPA 236 - Cinema in Canada (3)
Examines the achievements of dramatic, documentary and experimental filmmaking in Canada from the earliest days until the present. Special attention will be paid to the cinemas of Quebec and western Canada, and to the cultural, political and theoretical traditions that have shaped contemporary cinema in Canada. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: FPA 136 or 137, or 30 units. Breadth-Humanities.
FPA 237 - Selected Topics in Film and Video Studies (3)
This course will cover a specific topic within the field of film and video studies not covered in depth in regularly scheduled courses, such as: a national cinema; film and politics; Quebec cinema; documentary film and video, etc. Weekly sessions. The course may be repeated for credit if a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: FPA 136 or 137. Breadth-Humanities.
FPA 238W - Screenwriting II (3)
This course introduces the methodologies of writing for the screen in various styles, including dramatic, documentary and experimental forms, with an emphasis on structure and the creative expression of visual ideas. Students will perform a variety of writing assignments and each will be expected to complete one or more short original scripts. Prerequisite: One of FPA 136, 137 or 253 and prior approval. Students with credit for FPA 332 or 238 for credit may not take this course for further credit. Writing.
FPA 243 - Gamelan I (3)
Practical and theoretical study of music for gamelan ensemble, based on, but not limited to, traditional Javanese music. This course is designed as an introduction to the study of the music of non-Western cultures and as a method of developing ensemble musicianship. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: Prior approval.
FPA 245 - Music Composition I (3)
Composition for small instrumental groups, electroacoustic resources or combinations of instruments and electronics. Students are also encouraged to do work involving collaboration with dance, film, theatre and visual art. In addition to individual composition lessons, students will be required to attend a composition seminar where the practice of composition will be discussed. Seminar topics will include orchestration, world repertoire, and issues of music technology. Prerequisite: FPA 146.
FPA 246 - Music Composition II (3)
This course is a continuation of FPA 245. Prerequisite: FPA 140 and 245, and prior approval from the area.
FPA 247 - Electroacoustic Music I (3)
The theory and practice of electroacoustic music technology and composition. The course will examine through lecture and studio work the following topics: analog and digital synthesis, microcomputer use, the multi-track studio, signal processing, communication protocols such as MIDI and sampling techniques. Prerequisite: FPA 184. Quantitative.
FPA 248 - Conducting I (3)
Introduces basic elements of conducting technique including metrical patterns, quality of beat, cueing, score preparation, rehearsal technique, showing expression and dynamics, and score reading. The course is primarily designed for composers or prospective music teachers. Students will gain regular practical experience through conducting ensembles comprised of members of the class. Prerequisite: FPA 245: Music Composition I or Prerequisite: prior approval. Students who have received credit for FPA 249-3 Selected Topics in Music I: Conducting I may not receive further credit for FPA 248.
FPA 249 - Selected Topics in Music I (3)
A specific topic in music which is not otherwise covered in-depth in regular courses. The work may be practical, theoretical or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 140 and/or prior approval.
FPA 250 - Acting I (3)
Begins the concentrated work of training the actor in both the freedom and the control of voice and body. This is accomplished through: work on the self as a source of personal imagery and as a potential wellspring of characters, work with other actors in ensemble relationships, work on text as a blueprint for expression, scene study as a vehicle for the realization of the specific dramatic content and overall shape of a play. Prerequisite: Prior to enrolment in this course, the student must pass a successful audition. Corequisites: FPA 129, 254.
FPA 251 - Acting II (3)
Continues and expands upon the work undertaken in Acting I. Prerequisite: FPA 250. Corequisite: FPA 255.
FPA 252 - Playmaking I (3)
Introduces elements of playmaking such as self scripting, mask exploration, clowning and political theatre. The objective is to enable students to make their own theatre. Laboratory fee required. Prerequisite: 間眅埶AV to FPA 250 or prior approval.
FPA 253 - Playmaking II (3)
Expands the work undertaken in Playmaking I emphasizing writing skills and story structure. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 150 and prior approval.
FPA 254 - Theatre Laboratory I (2)
The first of four performance research courses in voice and speech training. Prerequisite: Corequisite: FPA 250 and 129.
FPA 255 - Theatre Laboratory II (3)
Continued performance research in voice and speech training, as well as research in movement. Prerequisite: Corequisite: FPA 251.
FPA 257W - Context of Theatre I (3)
A conceptual approach to a selected body of dramatic work focusing on the detailed structural analysis of dramatic texts, their historical context, their development and production histories. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the evolving relationship between theatre and its audience. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
FPA 260 - Studio in Visual Art I (3)
This course permits students to work extensively in a mature critical studio environment on a combination of freely chosen and assigned projects in various contemporary media. Reading will be required. Prerequisite: FPA 161, and 168. A course materials fee is required.
FPA 261 - Studio in Visual Art II (3)
Continues work done in FPA 260-3. Work will combine freely chosen and assigned projects in a variety of contemporary media. Readings will be required as an integral part of studio work. Prerequisite: FPA 260. A course materials fee is required.
FPA 262 - Methods and Concepts: Drawing-based Practices (3)
A studio course introducing drawing practices as they relate to practical, conceptual, aesthetic and historical issues in contemporary art. Prerequisite: FPA 160. A course materials fee is required.
FPA 263 - Methods and Concepts: Painting-based Practices (3)
A studio course introducing painting practices as they relate to practical, conceptual, aesthetic and historical issues in contemporary art. Prerequisite: FPA 160. A course materials fee is required.
FPA 264 - Methods and Concepts: Sculptural Practices (3)
A studio course introducing sculptural practices as they relate to practical, conceptual, aesthetic and historical issues in contemporary art. Prerequisite: FPA 160. A course materials fee is required.
FPA 265 - Methods and Concepts: Photo-based Practices (3)
A studio course introducing photographic practices as they relate to practical, conceptual, aesthetic and historical issues in contemporary art. Prerequisite: FPA 160. A course materials fee is required. *.
FPA 269 - Methods and Concepts: Selected Topics (3)
A studio course introducing topics in art-making practices as they relate to practical, conceptual, aesthetic and historical issues in contemporary art. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 160. A course materials fee is required. *.
FPA 270 - Production Ensemble I (6)
Students having a basic familiarity with elements of production and design participate in an in-depth theoretical and practical exploration of stage management, staging, audio and lighting for theatre, dance and music production. Assignments will be conducted in class and through practicum work on productions. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 170.
FPA 271 - Production Ensemble II (6)
Students having a basic familiarity with elements of production and design participate in an in-depth theoretical and practical exploration of stage management, staging, audio and lighting or theatre, dance and music production. Students in this class will develop skills necessary to provide technical support for the School's productions. Assignments will be conducted in class and through practicum work on productions. Maybe of particular interest to students in other departments. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 171. Quantitative.
FPA 285 - Interdisciplinary Studio - Composition/Collaboration (3)
An introduction to the techniques of artistic composition as experienced in a collaborative interdisciplinary studio environment. The emphasis is on the creation, analysis and critique of new compositions created in collaborative groups by students in dance, music, theatre, film/video and visual art. Prerequisite: One of FPA 122, 130, 145, 150, 160, 170.
FPA 289 - Selected Topics in the Fine and Performing Arts (3)
A specific topic in fine and performing arts which is not otherwise covered in depth in regular courses and which is not appropriately placed within a single arts discipline. The work will be practical, theoretical, or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: will vary according to the topic.
FPA 305 - Explorations in Contemporary Arts I (3)
Exploration of a disciplinary or interdisciplinary research topic with School for the Contemporary Arts faculty. Focuses on studio-based project(s), and attention will be paid to theoretical and historical contexts. Prerequisite: 60 units, including at least 30 units in FPA.
FPA 308 - Contemporary Arts Field School I (Theory/History) (4)
A scholarly exploration of artistic traditions and practices in the country being visited, with special attention to cultural, theoretical, historical and political contexts. Prerequisite: A minimum of 60 units and approval of Field School Director. Students with credit for FPA 289, 311, 329, 337, 388 or 389 offered under this topic may not take this course for further credit.
FPA 309 - Contemporary Arts Field School II (Studio) (4)
Students receive training in selected forms of dance, film, video, theatre, music, visual art and other forms of art production in the country being visited, with the opportunity of interacting with local people, artists and academics. Prerequisite: A minimum of 60 units and permission of Field School Director. Students with credit for FPA 289, 311, 329, 337, 388 or 389 offered under this topic may not take this course for further credit.
FPA 312 - Selected Topics in Art and Culture Studies (3)
Investigates a selected thematic topic in art and culture studies, for example, postcolonial theory and the arts; perception and embodiment; art activism and resistance; or urban art and culture. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: Will vary according to the topic.
FPA 313 - Arts, Audience, Patronage, Institutions (5)
An investigation of the fine and performing arts, their audiences, patronage and institutions in a specific historical context. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of a selection of art works and their relationship to their specific cultural context. Prerequisite: 45 units which must include six units in the history or theory of the fine or performing arts. The course may be repeated when different topics are offered. Recommended: FPA 210. Students with credit for FPA 313 prior to 1998 may take this course for further credit only if the topic differs from the former course.
FPA 314 - Readings in the History of Art and Culture (3)
Investigates a selected historical topic in art and culture. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: Will vary according to the topic.
FPA 317 - Introduction to Performance Studies (4)
Traces the interdisciplinary origins of performance studies and brings its concepts and methods to bear on dance, music, theatre, performance art, and media performance. Prerequisite: Minimum of 45 units, including one critical or history course within the School for Contemporary Arts; or by prior approval. Students with credit for FPA 311 under this topic may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Humanities.
FPA 319W - Critical Writing in the Arts (3)
Examines aspects of critical writing associated with the fine and performing arts and encourages students to participate as writers in the artistic and cultural debates of their day. Forms examined will include but not be limited to reviews, articles, descriptive synopses for exhibition and festival programs, curatorial essays, project proposals and artists' statements. Prerequisite: 60 units including at least six units in FPA history/theory courses. Students with credit for FPA 319 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.
FPA 320 - Contemporary Dance V (4)
The first of four upper division courses which build upon the movement vocabulary of contemporary dance. Prerequisite: FPA 221.
FPA 321 - Contemporary Dance VI (4)
Continues and expands upon the work undertaken in FPA 320. Prerequisite: FPA 320.
FPA 322 - Ballet I (3)
Explores the vocabulary and movement range of classical ballet technique at the intermediate level. Further attention will be given to the understanding of body placement, balance, flexibility and strength. Practical studio experience is offered within the context of specific theoretical principles. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the dance major or extended minor program, or prior approval.
FPA 323 - Ballet II (3)
Continuation of FPA 322, with an emphasis on expanding the vocabulary and movement range of classical ballet technique at the intermediate level. Further attention will be given to the understanding of body placement, balance, flexibility and strength. Practical studio experience is offered within the context of specific theoretical principles. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: REQ-FPA 322, or prior approval.
FPA 324 - New Dance Composition (3)
Students will be introduced to traditional choreographic structures and explore new directions in composition. Emphasis will be on the creation and analysis of work generated by extending the parameters of source, style and form in contemporary dance. Prerequisite: FPA 124, 228. Quantitative.
FPA 325 - Special Project in Dance Composition (3)
A specific topic or set of ideas will form the basis for choreographic exploration. Students will create one or more works and participate in research and critical analysis, depending on the particular topic in a given term. Prerequisite: 40 units in FPA courses.
FPA 326 - Repertory I (4)
One of two courses which provide advanced level dance students the opportunity to work as an ensemble rehearsing and preparing for a series of public performances. Choreography will be created and/or selected by a faculty director. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the dance major or extended minor, and prior approval. Corequisite: students must be concurrently enrolled in a technique course at an appropriate level.
FPA 327 - Repertory II (4)
One of two courses which provide advanced level dance students with the opportunity to work as an ensemble rehearsing and preparing for a series of public performances. Choreography will be created and/or selected by a faculty director. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the dance major or extended minor and prior approval. Corequisite: students must be concurrently enrolled in a technique course at an appropriate level.
FPA 329 - Selected Topics in Dance II (3)
A specific topic in dance which is not otherwise covered in depth in regular courses. The work will be practical, theoretical or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. Prerequisite: FPA 221 or prior approval.
FPA 332 - Film Production Seminar (3)
Facilitates an in-depth understanding of the organizational aspects of film production, with emphasis on pre-production planning. The class will study methods of proposal writing, pre-production and production, developing production packages for short film and video projects. This course is strongly recommended for all students intending to take FPA 430. Prerequisite: FPA 231 or prior approval.
FPA 334 - Selected Topics in Film and Video Production (3)
FPA 335 - Introduction to Film Theory (4)
This course is concerned with the systematic understanding of the general phenomenon called Cinema rather than with the properties or techniques of individual films. Various theoretical positions will be assessed and compared in terms of cinematic practice and its ideological functions. Prerequisite: Six units from among FPA 136, 137, 211, 236, 237. Recommended: FPA 210. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Students who have credit for FPA 234 may not take this course for further credit.
FPA 337 - Intermediate Selected Topics in Film and Video Studies (4)
An intermediate course in critical studies in film addressing a variety of topics. This course may be taken twice for credit under another topic. Prerequisite: 6 credits in film studies or 9 credits in FPA courses including FPA 136 or 137.
FPA 338W - Screenwriting II (3)
This course will present advanced theory and techniques for writing dramatic, experimental and documentary film and video scripts. Additional topics covered include script analysis, production breakdown, and the writing of treatments and proposals. Prerequisite: One of FPA 238 or 353 or 457 and prior approval. Strongly recommended for all students developing projects for production in FPA 430. Writing.
FPA 339 - Directing and Acting for Film and Video (3)
This course acquaints intermediate level students with techniques of dramatic film performance. Students will be expected to perform as both actors and directors on scene work in class. Topics covered include auditioning, script analysis, role preparation, rehearsal, blocking for the camera, and directing techniques. This course is not a duplicate of FPA 339 Selected Topics in Film. Prerequisite: FPA 231, or FPA 251 with prior approval.
FPA 340 - Contemporary Music Performance II (3)
Performance of works from the contemporary music repertoire for instruments and voice. A range of material will be covered from more improvisational pieces to conventionally notated scores. Prerequisite: FPA 104 and 45 FPA credits.
FPA 341 - World Music (3)
The relationship of music and culture, with emphasis on traditional and contemporary music in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and indigenous cultures of North America. Specific cultural areas may be selected for intensive study in any particular term. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: 45 units.
FPA 343 - Gamelan II (3)
Continuation of FPA 243, with increased emphasis on the theoretical and ethnomusicological aspects of gamelan. Prerequisite: FPA 243.
FPA 344 - Contemporary Music Analysis and Criticism (3)
An in-depth investigation of selected social, critical and theoretical issues associated with contemporary music, with special emphasis on the period c. 1945 to the present. Issues discussed might include such theoretical concerns as integral serialism; indeterminacy; process music; timbral concerns; or new approaches to melody, harmony and tonality. Critical topics such as music and technology; popular music and the mass media; or critical issues connected with world music might also be considered. The material of the course will be presented through the study of scores, recorded examples and when possible, live concerts. Prerequisite: FPA 245.
FPA 345 - Music Composition III (4)
This course is a continuation of FPA 246. Prerequisite: FPA 246 or 247, and prior approval.
FPA 346 - Music Composition IV (4)
This course is a continuation of FPA 345. Prerequisite: FPA 345.
FPA 347 - Electroacoustic Music II (4)
An advanced examination of the aesthetics, technology, and compositional approaches of electroacoustic music. Topics may include computer music programming, performance systems, compositional strategies and their relationship to technology, synthesis and processing techniques and the analysis of works. Prerequisite: FPA 247. Students with credit for FPA 347 under its former title may take this course for further credit.
FPA 348 - Conducting II (3)
Continuation of FPA 248, with an increased emphasis on more advanced conducting projects. Prerequisite: FPA 248 or FPA 249-3 Selected Topics in Music I: Conducting I. Students with credit for FPA 349-3 Selected Topics in Music II: Conducting II may not take this course for further credit.
FPA 349 - Selected Topics in Music II (3)
A specific topic in music which is not otherwise covered in depth in regular courses. The work may be practical, theoretical or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. Prerequisite: FPA 245 and/or prior approval. (Prerequisite may vary according to the topic.).
FPA 350 - Acting III (3)
Continues and expands work undertaken in FPA 250 and 251, with an increased emphasis on work with established texts. Prerequisite: FPA 251 and 255. Corequisite: FPA 354.
FPA 351 - Acting IV (3)
Continues and expands on the work undertaken in Acting III. Prerequisite: FPA 350. Corequisite: FPA 355.
FPA 352 - Playmaking III (3)
Continues the development of playmaking research through intensive studio work consisting of the deconstruction or adaptation of a major dramatic text. Provides the basis for a public presentation in the subsequent term. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 251.
FPA 353 - Playmaking IV (4)
Black Box Theatre. Students continue playmaking research through the creation of an ensemble season in a series of public presentations. Prerequisite: Second year standing in a studio discipline and prior approval from the instructor. May be repeated for credit.
FPA 354 - Theatre Laboratory III (2)
Continued performance research in voice and speech training. Prerequisite: Corequisite: FPA 350.
FPA 355 - Theatre Laboratory IV (2)
Continued performance research in voice and speech training. Prerequisite: Co-requisite: FPA 351.
FPA 357W - Context of Theatre II (3)
A conceptual approach to a selected body of dramatic work. The detailed structural analysis of dramatic texts, their historical context, their development and production histories. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the evolving relationship between theatre and its audience. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: 24 lower division units or prior approval. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
FPA 359 - Selected Topics in Theatre (3)
A specific topic in theatre which is not otherwise covered in-depth in regular courses. The work may be practical, theoretical or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: 30 lower division credits.
FPA 360 - Studio in Visual Art III (4)
An open critical studio course. Students are required to have a program of work prepared at the beginning of the term. This program will constitute the basis of the student's work in the course, and will be the subject of continuing critical discussion. This discussion will be integrated with theoretical studies in the parallel seminar course, FPA 366. Those students who have satisfactorily completed the lower division requirements for the major may apply for entry into the third year studio/seminar stream. 間眅埶AV is by portfolio assessment and course achievement review in the spring term before third year. A course materials fee is required. Prerequisite: FPA 261,167,168, 210 and status as an approved Visual Art Major. Co-requisite: FPA 366.
FPA 361 - Studio in Visual Art IV (4)
An open critical studio course. It will continue and extend work done in FPA 360. Students are required to have a program of work prepared at the beginning of the term. This program will form the basis of the student's work in the course, and will be the subject of continuing critical discussion. This discussion will be integrated with theoretical studies in the parallel seminar course, FPA 367. A course materials fee is required. Prerequisite: FPA 360 and 366. Co- requisite: FPA 367.
FPA 362 - Methods and Concepts: Drawing-based Practices (3)
Presents drawing practices as they relate to practical, conceptual, aesthetic and historical issues in contemporary art. Additional assignments will be required for students taking the course at this level. Prerequisite: FPA 160. A course materials fee is required.
FPA 363 - Methods and Concepts: Painting Practices (3)
Presents painting practices as they relate to practical, conceptual, aesthetic and historical issues in contemporary art. Additional assignments will be required for students taking the course at this level. (studio). Prerequisite: FPA 160. A course materials fee is required.
FPA 364 - Methods and Concepts: Sculptural Practices (3)
Presents sculptural practices as they relate to practical, conceptual, aesthetic and historical issues in contemporary art. Additional assignments will be required for students taking the course at this level. Prerequisite: FPA 160. A course materials fee is required.
FPA 365 - Methods and Concepts: Photo-based Practices (3)
Presents photo-based practices as they relate to practical, conceptual, aesthetic and historical issues in contemporary art. Additional assignments will be required for students taking the course at this level. Prerequisite: FPA 160. A course materials fee is required.
FPA 366 - Seminar in Visual Art I (3)
A seminar course to be taken by all students in FPA 360. It deals with visual art topics of an historical, critical and theoretical nature that concern practicing artists in the contemporary context. Students will be required to present research papers. Each research subject will be studied in connection with the student's own artistic work. Prerequisite: FPA167, 168, 210, 261 and status as an approved Visual Art Major. Corequisite: FPA 360.
FPA 367 - Seminar in Visual Art II (3)
A seminar course to be taken by all students in FPA 361. It deals with visual arts topics of an historical, critical and theoretical nature that concern practicing artists in the contemporary context. Students will be required to present research papers. Each research subject will be studied in connection with the student's own artistic work. Prerequisite: FPA366. Corequisite: FPA361.
FPA 369 - Methods and Concepts: Selected Topics (3)
A studio course presenting topics in art-making practices as they relate to practical, conceptual, aesthetic and historical issues in contemporary art. This course may be taken more than once for credit under a different topic. Prerequisite: FPA 160. A course materials fee is required.
FPA 370 - Production Ensemble III (6)
Provides students with training and an historical and contemporary context for their related practicum roles as production heads and stage management and design personnel. Issues will be drawn from the School's current production season and from national and international forums in related fields. Assignments will be conducted in class and through practicum work on productions. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 270 and 271 or prior approval.
FPA 371 - Production Ensemble IV (6)
Provides students with training and an historical and contemporary context for their related practicum roles as production heads and stage management and design personnel. Issues will be drawn from the School's current production season and from national and international forums in related fields. Assignments will be conducted in class and through practicum work on productions. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 270 and 271 or prior approval.
FPA 374 - Stage Lighting (3)
Explores contemporary stage lighting for theatre, dance and opera. Participants will review the principles of theatrical lighting instruments and control systems and will experiment with the components of lighting design in a variety of studio projects. This course will require a practicum in an actual performance. Laboratory fee required. Prerequisite: FPA 270 or prior approval.
FPA 375 - Stage Design (3)
Explores the numerous complex processes and practices needed to create two and three dimensional designs for stage and performance. Students will engage in a series of creative projects, research, analysis and presentations to enable them to develop and realize their design solutions. Laboratory fee required. Prerequisite: FPA 270 or prior approval.
FPA 386 - Film Music: An Overview of the Relationship between Music and Moving Pictures (3)
This course examines the role of music in the viewer's experience of moving pictures. Beginning with the early 1900s, the lectures will introduce important composers, directors, films, genres and historical periods. Specific films and other works will be analyzed. Prerequisite: 60 credit hours. Students who have taken this course previously as special topics may not take it again for further credit.
FPA 389 - Selected Topics in the Fine and Performing Arts II (3)
A specific topic in fine and performing arts which is not otherwise covered in depth in regular courses and which is not appropriately placed within a single arts discipline. The work will be practical, theoretical, or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. Prerequisite: Will vary with the topic. May be of particular interest to students in other departments.
FPA 390 - Digital Media (3)
A hands-on introduction to digital video production and post-production. This course includes a series of technical workshops, screenings and seminars along with the completion of creative student projects. A laboratory fee is required. Project costs may require personal funding over and above the lab fee. Prerequisite: FPA 231 or approval of instructor.
FPA 393 - Advanced Digital Media (3)
Students are encouraged to challenge conventional notions of digital media and to explore the creative possibilities associated with contemporary media applications. This project-based course includes a series of technical workshops,screenings and group seminars. Students will initiate and complete a project of their own choosing; collaborations are encouraged. A laboratory fee is required. Students should be advised that project costs may require personal funding over and above the lab fee. Prerequisite: FPA 390 or approval of instructor.
FPA 400 - Directed Studies (Studio) (3)
An opportunity for advanced students to carry out an independent project which is planned and completed in close consultation with the supervisory instructor. Before enrolment, the student must submit a written proposal outlining the project in detail to the chosen supervisor for approval. Directed studies courses may not be used as a substitute for existing courses. May repeat for credit. Variable units 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Prerequisite: 60 units plus a minimum standing of completion of second year in any of the programs offered in the School for the Contemporary Arts, and prior approval.
FPA 401 - Directed Studies (Theory/History) (3)
This course is intended to provide opportunity for advanced students to carry out an independent project which is planned and completed in close consultation with the supervisory instructor. Before enrolment, the student must submit a written proposal outlining the project in detail to the chosen supervisor for approval. Directed studies courses may not be used as a substitute for existing courses. May repeat for credit.Variable units 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Prerequisite: 60 units plus a minimum standing of completion of second year in any of the programs offered in the School for the Contemporary Arts, and prior approval.
FPA 405 - Explorations in Contemporary Arts II (5)
Exploration of a disciplinary or interdisciplinary research topic with School for the Contemporary Arts faculty. Focuses on studio-based project(s), and attention will be paid to theoretical and historical contexts. Prerequisite: 60 units, including at least 36 units in FPA. Students with credit for FPA 389 under this topic may not take this course for further credit.
FPA 406 - Internship in Contemporary Arts (4)
Provides an opportunity for advanced students to carry out independent projects, which are planned and completed in close consultation with the supervisory instructor. Students are required to write a research essay or other project of equivalent academic value. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
FPA 408 - Contemporary Arts Field School III (Theory/History) (4)
A scholarly exploration of artistic traditions and practices in the country being visited, with special attention to cultural, theoretical, historical and political contexts. Prerequisite: A minimum of 60 units and approval of Field School Director. Students with credit for FPA 289, 311, 329, 337, 388 or 389 offered under this topic may not take this course for further credit.
FPA 409 - Contemporary Arts Field School IV (Studio) (4)
Students receive training in selected forms of dance, film, video, theatre, music, visual art and other forms of art production in the country being visited, with the opportunity of interacting with local people, artists and academics. Prerequisite: A minimum of 60 units and approval of Field School Director. Students with credit for FPA 289, 311, 329, 337, 388 or 389 offered under this topic may not take this course for further credit.
FPA 412 - Advanced Seminar in Art and Culture Studies (4)
Provides an in-depth investigation of a selected theoretical, historical or thematic topic in art and culture studies. This course requires independent research leading to a substantial paper, as well as directed reading preparation for seminars. Topics will vary from term to term. The course may be repeated when different topics are offered. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: Eight upper division units and FPA 210.
FPA 412W - Advanced Seminar in Art and Culture Studies (4)
Provides an in-depth investigation of a selected theoretical, historical or thematic topic in art and culture studies. This course requires independent research leading to a substantial paper, as well as directed reading preparation for seminars. Topics will vary from term to term. The course may be repeated when different topics are offered. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: Eight upper division units and FPA 210. Writing.
FPA 414 - Advanced Topic in the History of Art and Culture (3)
An in-depth investigation of a selected topic in the history of art and culture. Prerequisite: Will vary according to the topic.
FPA 420 - Contemporary Dance VII (4)
The third of four upper division courses which build upon the movement vocabulary of contemporary dance. Prerequisite: FPA 321.
FPA 421 - Contemporary Dance VIII (4)
Continues and expands the work undertaken in FPA 420. Prerequisite: FPA 420.
FPA 425 - Intensive Studies in Performance (5)
Advanced performance studies in intensive specialized workshops and/or participation in choreographic projects culminating in public performance. Course content may include interdisciplinary collaborations and a variety of performance styles and techniques. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 326 or 327 with prior approval by application. Students must be concurrently enrolled in a dance technique course at the appropriate level.
FPA 426 - Dance/Movement Analysis (3)
An introduction into the theory and practice of movement analysis based on recognized theories of analysis. Experiential work may be included in the course and a dance or similar movement background is necessary. Prerequisite: FPA 124 or 150 or prior approval.
FPA 427 - Ballet III (3)
An extension of classical ballet technique on an upper intermediate level. Understanding of basic principles is assumed and attention will be focused on combinations of movement, musicality and performance. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: REQ-FPA 323, or prior approval.
FPA 428 - Ballet IV (3)
An advanced course. Students must have a thorough background in the vocabulary and techniques of classical ballet. Attention will be given to movement sequences from the ballet repertoire. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: REQ-FPA 427, or prior approval.
FPA 430 - Filmmaking IV (6)
The first half of a two term project in advanced film and/or video production. Students are expected to participate in the realization of one or more projects during the two terms. Students seeking entry into this course are required to present a completed script (for a drama) or detailed proposal (for a documentary or experimental film) prior to enrolment. The exact nature of each student's participation will be determined in consultation with the instructor. This course is open only to approved film majors. Students should be advised that film production will probably incur significant financial costs in addition to required lab fees. Prerequisite: FPA 231 and 10 units in film or video studies plus prior approval.
FPA 432 - Filmmaking V (6)
This course is intended for completion of film and video projects begun in FPA 430. Particular emphasis will be given to advanced film craft in the post-production phase. The exact nature of each student's participation will be determined in consultation with the instructor. A laboratory fee is required. Students should be advised that film production will probably incur significant costs in addition to lab fees. Prerequisite: FPA 430.
FPA 436 - Advanced Seminar in Film and Video Studies (4)
Features intensive study and analysis of selected topics in film theory, history, criticism and aesthetics. Examples include: work of specific directors or periods; theories of narrativity; particular aspects of national cinemas, etc. Prerequisite: FPA 335 or 337.
FPA 443 - Gamelan III (3)
Continuation of FPA 343 with emphasis on the technique of the elaborating instruments of the gamelan ensemble. Prerequisite: FPA 343.
FPA 445 - Music Composition V (4)
This course is a continuation of FPA 346. Prerequisite: FPA 346.
FPA 446 - Senior Project in Music Composition (5)
Students will undertake a large-scale project in music composition as the culmination of their undergraduate composition studies. Prerequisite: FPA 445.
FPA 447 - Computer Music Composition (4)
The theory and practice of digital techniques and computer systems as applied to sound synthesis and music composition. The course will consider the major types of hardware and software systems developed for music from 1955 to the present, and will discuss such issues as machine programmability, user interaction, acoustic models for sound synthesis, and compositional algorithms. Students will have the opportunity for practical compositional work. Prerequisite: FPA 347. Recommended: CMPT 001 or 110. Students with credit for FPA 348 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
FPA 450 - Advanced Studio Skills (4)
A course in public performance, with the option of focusing on other advanced studio skills. Integrates and implements the techniques acquired in the earlier studios. Prerequisite: Prior approval or audition. May be repeated for credit.
FPA 453 - Theory and Practice of Directing (4)
A course in the fundamentals of directing leading either to public performance of a student directed project, or to a public performance with a professional director. Integrates and implements the techniques acquired in the earlier studios. Prerequisite: FPA 150, and prior approval. May be repeated for credit.
FPA 457 - Context of Theatre III (4)
An analytical approach to a selected body of dramatic work. Course content includes an intensive consideration of practical dramatic techniques such as story structure and dramaturgy. May be repeated for credit if course content is different. Prerequisite: 45 units and prior approval from the instructor.
FPA 460 - Studio in Visual Art V (4)
This course permits students to work in an open studio situation. Students propose an independent program of work in the media of their choice at the beginning of the term and develop it in critical dialogue with the instructor(s). A course materials fee is required. Prerequisite: FPA 361, 367 and status as an approved major in visual art.
FPA 461 - Studio in Visual Art VI (5)
Permits students completing the visual art major to work in an open and critical studio situation. Students continue to develop a body of work begun in FPA 460 for their graduating exhibition at the end of the term. Preparation and installation of the exhibition is part of the course requirement. A course materials fee is required. Prerequisite: FPA 460 and status as an approved major in visual art.
FPA 462 - Honours Studio in Visual Art (5)
Individual studio work at an advanced and intensive level with a commitment to participation in group critiques. Students propose an independent program of work and develop this in critical dialog with instructor(s). Prerequisite: FPA 361, 367 and admission into the Visual Art Honours Program.
FPA 470 - Production Ensemble V (6)
Provides senior students with training and an historical and contemporary context for their related practicum roles as production heads and stage management and design personnel. Issues will be drawn from the School's current production season and from national and international forums in related fields. Assignments will be conducted in class and through practicum work on productions. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 370 or 371 and prior approval.
FPA 471 - Production Ensemble VI (6)
Provides senior students with training and an historical and contemporary context for their related practicum roles as production heads and stage management and design personnel. Issues will be drawn from the School's current production season and from national and international forums in related fields. Assignments will be conducted in class and through practicum work on productions. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 370 or 371 and prior approval.
FPA 485 - Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Contemporary Arts (5)
A studio course focusing on creative collaborations between artists of different disciplines. The emphasis is on the creation, analysis and critique of new compositions created in collaboration between senior students in dance, film, music, theatre and visual art. Prerequisite: One FPA studio course at the upper level, a CGPA of 3.0 and an overall average of 3.5 in FPA courses.
FPA 489 - Interdisciplinary Project in FPA (5)
This course permits students to explore the relationships among the arts by undertaking creative projects involving more than one art form. Students will work under the close supervision of one or more faculty and will be required to discuss their work on a regular basis with others involved in the course. Prerequisite: Will vary according to the topic.
FPA 811 - Interdisciplinary Graduate Seminar I (5)
Critical study of contemporary issues in the fine and performing arts, with emphasis on concerns common to diverse artistic disciplines and the interaction between art and society.
FPA 812 - Interdisciplinary Graduate Seminar II (5)
Continuation of FPA 811. Prerequisite: FPA 811.
FPA 813 - Interdisciplinary Graduate Studio (5)
A selected topics studio course with an emphasis on interdisciplinary artistic projects. Prerequisite: FPA 811 or 812.
FPA 821 - Research Methods in Comparative Media Arts (4)
This core course is taken in the first semester of the MA program. It develops thinking across the media arts in a comparative perspective that synthesizes the historical and theoretical approaches of art history, cinema studies, performance studies, and computer-based media studies. It establishes bases for understanding the relationships among the visual arts, visual culture, performing arts, and art forms that incorporate reproducible and digital media; these include cinema, video, photography, and computer-based media. In addition to this, the course investigates some of the useful emergent methods for making comparisons among media, across history, and across cultures. While other courses in the MA in Comparative Media Arts focus on the distinctive nature of specific media arts, this course considers what properties cross different forms of media arts. Prerequisite: Enrolment in MA in Comparative Media Arts or permission ofthe instructor.
FPA 822 - Research Colloquium in Comparative Media Arts (4)
The research colloquium is a core course is taken in the final semester of the MA program. It develops students' research presentation skills and other aspects of professional development. In it students develop the extended research essay under the supervision of the faculty member leading the colloquium. The course guides students in methods of writing extended prose works, including strategies to move through writer's block. We will devote time to developing public presentation skills for a variety of venues. During the first half of the semester, students submit a draft of their extended essay to their peers and make a formal presentation in the colloquium, which is followed by detailed discussion, the goal of which is to evaluate the framing of the research topic and research problem, timeliness, originality, appropriateness of research methods, depth of research, structure and effectiveness of argument, and style. Students are guided in peer review, developing useful and specific comments that will help their peers in revising the essay for publication. In the colloquium students also learn how to develop their work for publication, including identifying their audience, choosing an appropriate venue for publication, and submitting their work for publication. We discuss issues regarding publication such as permissions for reproducing artworks, contracts, and responding to peer review. Prerequisite: Enrollment in MA in Comparative Media Arts or permission of instructor.
FPA 823 - New Approaches in Visual Art and Culture (4)
Empire follows Art, and not vice versa as Englishmen suppose. - William Blake, annotations to Sir Joshua Reynold's Discourses (ca. 1798-1809) For WJ.T. Mitchell, pictures have lives and loves. Instead of seeing images as inert objects that convey meaning, he urges us to see them as animated beings with desires, needs, appetites, demands, and drives of their own. In the past three decades, literature on visual culture has burgeoned in art history, cultural studies, critical theory, philosophy and anthropology, and recently it has taken on a "performative turn." For art history, which is traditionally concerned with the interpretation of art objects, the artists who make them and the interests of patrons, the interdisciplinary field of visual culture has opened up new ways of thinking about images of all kinds. In a culture in which the production and dissemination of images has grown exponentially, it has never been more necessary to pay attention to how images work and what they do. While histories of images tend to locate intentionality in the maker or the patron, this seminar seeks to bring forward the intentions of the image, how, for example, its formal material characteristics, modes and contexts of circulation and use, reproducibility and referentiality, solicit responses: how images seem to take on, in Mitchell's words, "lives of their own." For your paper, you can choose as your main object of study a work of art, a landmark exhibition, or a famous image drawn from popular culture. This image or event will be the subject of student presentations at the end of the term. The topic must be a visual phenomenon about which there is a substantial discourse in print, preferably in both scholarly and popular sources. The final paper will be based on your presentation and should address some of the critical issues and readings discussed in class. Prerequisite: Undergraduate degree or equivalent and permission from instructor.
FPA 824 - New Approaches in Moving-Image Studies (4)
This course is an elective in the MA program. In it we examine what are understood as the arts of the moving image: these include film, video, and other time based audiovisual media. We will begin by grounding our objects of study, i.e. specific works and practices, in cinema studies and survey emerging approaches in cinema studies, relating these developments to the longer history of the discipline. Investigating cinema intermedially, we will keep in mind the art forms that informed it historically, including theater, public spectacles, photography, painting, music, sound recording. Then the course will examine how the practice, aesthetics, and reception change when cinema moves to television, both move to digital formats, and all these platforms move to handheld and social media. We will investigate medium specificity in the moving-image arts in light of what is termed "media convergence." We will consider what new forms emerge when moving images shift from the institution of cinema to other contexts such as museums and online sites. The course includes two or three weeks topics of interest that arise in the field, such as new national cinemas, new approaches to documentary, cognitive theory and neuroscience, etc. Prerequisite:.
FPA 825 - New Approaches in Digital Art Studies (4)
This course will focus on the history and practice of digital art, with an emphasis upon the artistic outcomes of the new methodologies and practices within this field. Digital technology has fundamentally changed the process and products of contemporary creativity in art-making. Although a great deal of contemporary art involves some aspect of digital technology, this course will examine those artists and art-works in which digital technologies play an intrinsic part in the creative process, as well as the realization. A range of processes - from interactive systems through to algorithmic approaches (stochastic, deterministic, chaotic) - will be examined, with particular reference to artistic goals, approaches,and results. Prerequisite: Undergraduate degree or equivalent and permission from instructor.
FPA 826 - New Approaches in Performance Studies (4)
This course is an elective in the MA program. It traces the interdisciplinary origins of performance studies and brings its concepts and methods to bear on dance, music and sound arts, theatre and performance arts, and media performance while introducing cross-disciplinary ideas from emergent areas such as neuroscience, cognitive science, and gaming, for example. Course assignments will involve case studies as forerunners for further research. Prerequisite: Undergraduate degree or equivalent and permission from instructor.
FPA 827 - Practicum in Comparative Media Arts (4)
This course is an elective in the MA program. Students are placed with an arts organization in order to carry out a specific project of finite length. This may be an organization that students identify themselves or that the MA program identifies. The student liaises with the organization with the supervision of a faculty member from the MA program. The practicum takes place at the organization. Organizations include artist run centers, festivals of film, media art, and performance, nonprofit organizations with arts programs, galleries, museums, and arts publications. The student's labor time in the practicum should total approximately 120 hours, to be carried out over the course of a semester. Projects are initiatedby the student in consultation with the supervisor at the organization and the MA program supervisor. Projects can involve research, writing, organizing events, curating exhibitions and programs, public relations, media production, archiving, andrelated activities. The student submits a proposal that indicates the project's purpose, schedule, plans for documenting andreporting, and planned outcome. Final outcomes will vary depending on the placement. The MA program director and the supervisor at the organization approve the project, and they and the student agree on the grading criteria. Prerequisite: Permission of MA coordinator required.
FPA 829 - Extended Essay in Comparative Media Arts (6)
This essay is the final project of the MA, and is completed in the fourth semester of the program. The extended essay builds on knowledge students have gained in coursework. It requires them to research in-depth a topic in comparative media arts and develop and polish an original argument, with the goal of producing an essay suitable for publication. Alternatively, students can combine two essays written during their coursework in this MA, one of which must have been instructed by a faculty member in the School for the Contemporary Arts; however, the student is still expected to build upon and develop the topics covered in the coursework. The length should be that of a typical academic journal article in the media arts, about 6000-7000 words. Students may also write a catalogue essay or similar nonacademic publication, supplemented by an academic essay. The object of study may be a single work or a group of works. Methodological, historical, and theoretical approaches should be clearly identified. In researching these, students should identify other scholars who work with similar objects of study and approaches: this is the intellectual company of the extended essay. Students should clarify in what ways their project both belongs to this company and contributes something original. The Research Methods course will have established methods by which to do this. Students research the extended essay independently, but they develop and polish it in the Research Colloquium, FPA 822-4. In the colloquium they write the essay proposal and drafts, give and receive peerreview, prepare to submit the essay for publication,and prepare to make a 20-minute public presentation of it at the culminating research symposium. Students may enroll in the extended essay continuously beginning in the third (summer) semester if they wish, or they may enroll in it in the fourth (fall) semester only. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor, as well as FPA 821-4 and two electives.
FPA 877 - Selected Topics in Fine and Performing Arts (5)
Study of particular artistic techniques or issues. The topic varies from term to term.
FPA 883 - Studio in Fine and Performing Arts I (5)
Intensive studio work, concentrated in a particular art discipline, but with opportunity to involve interdisciplinary materials and techniques.
FPA 885 - Studio in Fine and Performing Arts II (5)
Continuation of FPA 883. Prerequisite: FPA 883.
FPA 887 - Selected Topics in Fine and Performing Arts (5)
Study of particular artistic techniques or issues. The topic varies from term to term.
FPA 889 - Directed Study in Fine and Performing Arts (5)
FPA 898 - Master of Fine Arts Graduating Project (10)