New Evangelization Program

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of pre-production and production, and the roles and responsibilities of all personnel and positions that are essential to its success. Students will become familiarized with the detailed preparation required for the shoot and the interdependence of the script, budget, schedule, and breakdown. Students will also learn how a digital video camera works, the characteristics of lenses, how to record clean sound, and how to use lighting to illuminate and shape an image.

This class will study some of the most important and influential films in American cinema to understand the cultural context in which they were created, the role of the director in the film making process, and the lasting legacy that the various films enjoy.

This class will focus on the basic fundamentals of post-production, which includes picture and sound editing, media management, media capture and the various editing techniques available to editors to communicate ideas.

The class will cover the history of cinematic editing and the impact it has had on visual storytelling, as well as the various styles of editing that make up the language of cinema. Students will learn and use editing software to edit various projects and assignments.

A theoretical and practical introduction to the human phenomenon of storytelling, what stories are, their central role in culture from ancient times to the present day, and how storytellers seek and communicate meaning. Particular attention will be paid to the significance of story in the Judeo-Christian tradition and story’s role within the Christian faith.

Students will generate numerous story ideas, and with the help of their classmates and the instructor will evaluate those ideas in terms of audience appeal, theme and meaning.

The Producer: Planning for Production provides a theoretical and practical introduction to the role of the film producer in five principle areas:

• Creative development
• Packaging
• Financing
• Budgeting, scheduling and hiring
• Marketing and distribution

This course is a survey and analysis of the elements of music and primary musical periods of Western European music history. Students will acquaint themselves with musical terms, major composers and repertoire.

This course will provide an analysis of music and sound as they relate to the construction of feature films, television, and video games.

A mixed lecture-lab in which students will learn songwriting fundamentals and take part in productive workshops to develop skills in music composition, notation, performance practice, and creative expression.

This course is a comprehensive examination of the fundamentals of music and music notation. Notes, keys, chords and harmonic progression, as well as ear training, intervals, and basic keyboard layout will be discussed.

Explore and familiarize yourself with the principles, equipment, and technology involved in the process of live audio reinforcement. Learn to set up, operate, and troubleshoot typical sound system equipment, and study acoustics and live recording techniques, materials and physics.

Many of the major models of evangelization that have been used throughout the history of Christianity will be studied and applied in this course. It will provide a perspective on the origins (biblical, historical, theological) of such models with the goal of advancing these models in creative ways that can be applied in our world today.

In addition to their in-class work, two practica (New Evangelization Practicum I & New Evangelization Practicum II) are also required in which students will learn how to communicate what they have learned effectively as teachers. The practica involves teaching an introductory level course on Scripture or Theology in a classroom setting outside of the university (elementary school, high school, parish-based religious education, etc.). Unless given written approval, students should begin their practicum experience in their second to last quarter as a student.

See the description of New Evangelization Practicum I.

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Social Media Marketing is a broad term that refers to any online marketing effort initiated through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This marketing discipline often combines social media management and paid digital marketing efforts (advertising). This course will explore the ever changing landscape of social media, understand the current social media ecosystem, examine best use case scenarios for businesses on each platform, understand how social media management (tactical) and social media advertising (strategic) is utilized by businesses on multiple platforms, and generate best practices through management and advertising. Each platform’s advertising options will be explored in depth. The course will also examine ethical issues currently caused by Social Media Platforms in society and apply a Catholic viewpoint to tackling these issues.

Building upon previous philosophy courses, this class examines the causes of human knowledge. Specifically, students will be introduced to philosophical solutions to questions relating to the nature of knowledge, the object of knowledge, the role of the internal and external senses, and the concepts of truth and certainty. After thoroughly examining the sophisticated understandings of the nature of truth and certainty found in Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, we will closely examine the skepticism of the modern period through the writings of Hume, and the systematization of the structure of the mind in Kantian idealism, concluding in the 20th Century attempt to fuse idealism and realism in Martin Heidegger.

This course examines major theories concerning the organization of society and the role of government. The relationship of philosophical concepts to the governing of society are carefully explored. Key ideas discussed include justice, natural rights, the role of education, the role of religion in society, the meaning and purpose of freedom, and the responsibility of members of society to themselves and one another, beginning with ancient sources such as the Code of Hammurabi and Aristotle’s Politics, continuing in Thomas Aquinas’s On Kingship, moving into the pre-modern period with works such as Machiavelli’s The Prince and the modern period with selections from Hobbes’s Leviathan and other authors.

This course offers a comprehensive study of the nature of being and its characteristics. After examining the subject and scope of this branch of philosophy, the course will cover topics such as the problem of the one and the many, the analogous nature of being, the attributes and divisions of being as well as the causes of being. The course also provides a basic introduction to natural theology, that is, what can be known about God through reason apart from divine revelation. Texts used begin with Plato’s Timaeus, continuing through the Classical period by means of Aristotle, the Middle Ages in St. Thomas Aquinas, the end of Scholasticism in Ockham, the Renaissance via Hume and Kant, and concluding in the 20th Century in Martin Heidegger.

This course examines some of the key figures and events of the Church. Students will learn about the Church’s response to important heresies and understand the Church's impact on world history.

This course is a continuation of Scripture I. Whereas Scripture I focuses largely on the Gospels, this course takes a closer look at the major figures and events of the Old Testament. After a discussion of the literary and historical issues relating to biblical study, students learn the basic structure of the story of salvation history, surveying the books of the Old Testament. Special attention is given to the way the Old Testament books relate to those in the New Testament. As in Scripture I students also focus on how Scripture study relates to the life of prayer.

In this course the student explores the Scriptures, particularly the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) to understand the person of Jesus Christ. This Scripture course serves as the starting point for JPCatholic University’s religion curriculum. While examining some of the basic literary and historical issues relating to Scripture study, the course also introduces students to the theological principles of Catholic biblical exegesis. The course also explores ways the study of Scripture enhances the life of prayer.

Building on Fundamental of Catholicism and Sacraments, Liturgy & Prayer, this course rounds out the study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, offering an in-depth analysis of the third pillar, namely, the section on Catholic morality.

This course examines the ways in which the Christian faith is presented and illuminated through the literary arts. Potential topics include: the relation of Christian faith to literary theory; the literary forms of the Bible; theological reflection on literature; specific theological themes in literature (e.g., sin and grace; human persons and the image of God, etc.); the ways in which literature sheds light on the challenges and prospects of Christian faith in the modern world; the historical interplay between theology and literary art; the relationship between inspired and non-inspired literature.

This course builds on the introduction to the virtues students receive in The Intellectual Life and Virtue (THEO110) and Moral Theology & Ethics (THEO313), offering a close study of the biblical roots of Christian charity and its development as a theological virtue in the Catholic tradition. Students will examine the nature of charity present in relationships between humans, between God and creation, and in the inner life of the Trinity itself.

This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of Catholic Spirituality: its history, clarification of terms, its development with different prayer forms, and the advice of contemporary spiritual writers. It will also cover the elements of a Catholic Evangelization.

This course will introduce students to theological dimensions of contemporary film, on the one hand evaluating films using the criteria for truth and beauty provided by the Catholic faith, and on the other discerning theological elements that are often veiled or left buried in cinematic narrative. This course uses cinematic art as a means to contemplate the existential desires of humanity and to discern the presence of God in the world.

Depictions of the afterlife are all the rage in the popular imagination. The last several decades have seen no shortage of stories about ghosts, but current television seems more interested in exploring “heaven” and “hell” as a narrative setting. After a review of the relevant Catholic teaching about the Last Things – death, judgment, heaven, hell, purgatory – this course will analyze various media from the cultural moment and attempt to understand its theological stakes.

What exactly is the “New Evangelization”? This course takes up that question. First, the course will examine the Mission Ad Gentes, beginning with an analysis of the ministry of Christ, his commissioning of the apostles, and the spread of the Gospel in the New Testament era. In addition, the student will study evangelization in the early Church and renewals in later periods of Christian history. From here the course will turn to investigate the origin of the new evangelization in the Second Vatican Council and in the writings of Paul VI, particularly his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Nuntiandi (1975). Against this backdrop, the student will be introduced to the concept, methodology, and challenges of the New Evangelization as discussed in the writings of John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and other Catholic writers.

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This class will explore selections from primary texts of some of the classics of Christian mysticism. Special attention will be given to the writings of St. Catherine of Siena, St. John of the Cross, and St. Teresa of Avila. Topics covered will include: prayer, friendship and union with God, stages in the spiritual life, charity, virtue, sin, dark nights, mystical experiences, and conversion.

While many Catholics today are well-acquainted with Thomas Aquinas, the most famous theologian of the middle ages, his theology develops the theological method begun a century earlier in the emergence of new “scholastic” and “monastic” theologies in and around the early universities. This course will explore some of the figures and works of the 12th century that inspired and influenced so many later Christian thinkers. Students will read a selection of primary works from Anselm, Hugh of St. Victor, Bernard of Clairvaux, and others.

This course explores the biblical and theological sources of Catholic Mariology. In addition to looking at patristic and medieval sources, the course also looks at contemporary theological work. Special attention will be placed on the role of the Second Vatican Council’s teaching and its influence in recent Mariology.

Students will gain a better understanding of contemporary theology through studying the works of Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI).

Students will explore the field of public relations from both journalistic and corporate points of view. Through discussion, case studies, and individual and group projects, they will develop an awareness of the important roles branding, PR, and publicity play in our society; learn the differences between news, opinion, advertising, and propaganda; discover basic strategies and tools for attracting publicity and dealing with press attention, and wrestle with the moral and ethical aspects of creating and maintaining a compelling, authentic public image.

A theoretical and practical introduction to the human phenomenon of storytelling, what stories are, their central role in culture from ancient times to the present day, and how storytellers seek and communicate meaning. Particular attention will be paid to the significance of story in the Judeo-Christian tradition and story’s role within the Christian faith. Students will generate numerous story ideas, and with the help of their classmates and the instructor will evaluate those ideas in terms of audience appeal, theme and meaning.

This class will study some of the most important films in American cinema to understand the cultural context in which they were created, the role of the director in the filmmaking process, and the lasting legacy that the various films enjoy.

An introduction to the skills used in multicamera television production. This course provides a comprehensive overview of the medium and provides the student with handson experience in television studio techniques.

Using multi-camera TV production, students will plan and produce a series of live-on-tape studio productions. Content could include talk shows, sitcoms, newscasts, news magazines and music performances.

This class introduces students to electronic news gathering. Students will learn how to visually craft a news story, shoot interviews, collect b-roll and edit these materials into a 90 second news story.

This course will provide an analysis of music and sound as they relate to the construction of feature films, television, and video games.

A mixed lecture-lab in which students will learn songwriting fundamentals and take part in productive workshops to develop skills in music composition, notation, performance practice, and creative expression.

Explore and familiarize yourself with the principles, equipment, and technology involved in the process of live audio reinforcement. Learn to set up, operate, and troubleshoot typical sound system equipment, and study acoustics and live recording techniques, materials and physics.

Many of the major models of evangelization that have been used throughout the history of Christianity will be studied and applied in this course. It will provide a perspective on the origins (biblical, historical, theological) of such models with the goal of advancing these models in creative ways that can be applied in our world today.

In addition to their in-class work, two practica (New Evangelization Practicum I & New Evangelization Practicum II) are also required in which students will learn how to communicate what they have learned effectively as teachers. The practica involves teaching an introductory level course on Scripture or Theology in a classroom setting outside of the university (elementary school, high school, parish-based religious education, etc.). Unless given written approval, students should begin their practicum experience in their second to last quarter as a student.

See the description of New Evangelization Practicum I.

Whether with Christian intent or not, artists of the Western European tradition have for centuries contended fiercely over questions of form, composition, representation, and relationship to tradition. This survey of the heritage and high-water marks of Western visual art brings students to view and analyze individual works, and larger artistic movements, with the wide-angle lens that allows for the best possible appreciation of beauty. Thus students will build for themselves the foundation they need for artistic engagement with a culture not exactly known for its historical self-awareness.

Monumental dramatic works of ancient Greece—works by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and others—provide students taking this course with a lens through which to examine aesthetic, spiritual and social dimensions of narrative art. Special attention will be paid to the function of the theatrical performance in ancient Greek culture, the phenomenon of transgression, the influence of Greek dramatic forms on culture in our own day, and the relationship of individual literary artistry to an abiding tradition.

The power of story is enduring and undeniable. Even today, many of the characters and scenes we deem most memorable and gripping come from the epic poems crafted by Homer and Virgil in the centuries before Christ. Beyond simply encountering finely-worked literary figures and plot developments, however, students taking this course will learn how the structures and conventions of epic narratives give these works immense force and drive, and how the importance of epic narratives in the self-understanding and collective life of ancient peoples invites a deeper appreciation of the importance of great stories for us in our own time.

Fictional narrative, that human invention that trips so naturally from the tongues of children and grandparents alike, appears simple, even inevitable. Such appearances can be deceiving, however. Any narrative worthy of the name— one employing richly drawn characters and tensile plotting, and set down in lucid and evocative language—functions as a highly complex artistic organism. This course brings students to notice trademarks of excellent and lasting prose fiction, and to engage critically with prominent works so as to discern accurately between a masterpiece and a piece of pulp masquerading as well-hewn literature.

This course exposes students to the vast wealth of the English-language poetic tradition. Beginning with the micro-sagas, riddles and serenades that populate Old and Middle English verse, students advance to engage with major writers and works of intervening centuries before concluding with the more familiar speech—but also the bewildering disjunction— of the poetry of our modern era.

There is no counting the number of scholars, artists, and admirers who have gotten entirely knotted up contemplating the figure and literary output of William Shakespeare. By plunging into his dramatic works, students will grow entangled in the work of arguably the greatest literary writer in human history. Only by reckoning with the truly revolutionary impact of Shakespeare’s art—its massive literary and dramatic influence, and also its prompting for a new appreciation of what it means to be human—will they find themselves untied again.

The 20th century confronted Western civilization with a huge array of cultural movements, political crises, and technological breakthroughs. This course provides students with the historical grounding necessary for a serious reconnaissance into the recent past via its major cultural products. Some of these works have emerged over time as radiant masterworks, and others have proved to be but nightmarish visions. All, however, merit study and critical treatment, as they mark our previous century in all its alarm, acceleration and terrible beauty.

This course is a survey and analysis of the elements of music and primary musical periods of Western European music history. Students will acquaint themselves with musical terms, major composers and repertoire.

This course examines foundational beliefs of the Catholic faith: divine revelation and its sources, the role of faith, the Incarnation, Christ’s work of redemption, beliefs about Mary and the communion of saints, the nature and mission of the Church, and more. Focus is placed on connecting your faith to the study of theology and in developing a personal relationship with Christ.

The course examines the legal relationships in the motion picture and television industries, as well as the legal relationships between artists and their personal managers. It covers the key legal principles that are involved in most media productions. This includes with trade unions, licensing, intellectual property and contract issues. In addition, this course explores ethical challenges students are likely to encounter working in entertainment and guides them through the development of a personal code of ethics that is informed by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

This course offers students an in-depth study of the sacraments, liturgy, spirituality and prayer. The course examines the challenges of developing an interior life, focusing on the nature and difficulties of prayer. In addition, students analyze the Church’s liturgical life, with a focus on the seven sacraments by studying the Catechism and spiritual masters.

In this course, students will come to appreciate their own lived experience of God’s design for human life. Students will examine the moral imperatives that result from their own bodily existence and how these honor the dignity of those around them and guide them in their own loving service to others in the pursuit of their vocations.

After providing an overview of the basic principles of the Philosophy of Nature, this course examines the nature of the human being, beginning from the Epic of Gilgamesh, continuing through the Classical period by means of Aristotle, the Middle Ages in St. Thomas Aquinas, the Renaissance via Blaise Pascal, and concluding in the modern period in Nietzsche, Freud and T. S. Eliot.

This course is a detailed study in the various understandings of nature, beginning from the mythology of the Enuma Elish as a primitive attempt at grasping the world, to the classical understanding found in Aristotle’s Physics and 141 Parts of Animals and their Medieval development in Thomas Aquinas’s The Principles of Nature, to foundational texts in modern natural sciences such as those of Descartes, Galileo and Newton, to discussions of evolution found in Darwin, and finally to near contemporary physicists such as Heisenberg. The contrast between the classical stress on substantial form and formal causality and the modern method of material causality and mathematical law will be brought to the forefront, as will the emphasis on technology as a mastery of nature in modern science and the question of teleology, whether nature acts for a purpose.

This is a course in the various understandings of metaphysics, or the nature of being as being, beginning from Plato’s Timaeus, continuing through the Classical period by means of Aristotle, and the Middle Ages in St. Thomas Aquinas. The course continues by covering several related questions, beginning with Natural Theology (discussing the traditional proofs for the existence of God, the Divine Attributes that can be understood using reason alone, the analogy of being, and the act of creation), continuing with the “problem of evil” and the question of free will

Students learn about the basic structures of sound reasoning, focusing largely on classic Aristotelian logic. The course serves to help students think and argue with clarity as well as to effectively analyze arguments of others. The course includes a careful analysis of the operations of the intellect, i.e., understanding, judgment, and reasoning, focusing on their products, i.e., term, proposition, and syllogism.

As this course engages apparently timeless literary works from the classical tradition, it situates them within specific historical contexts. This approach enables students to better appreciate the enduring power of story even as they recognize the complex relationship art to its surrounding culture. Masterworks of pagan antiquity (Homer and/or Virgil) give way to key texts of early Christendom (Augustine, Beowulf, and others) in order to further illuminate the impact of Christian theology and anthropology on artists and thinkers in myriad disciplines.

This course tracks the development in European art and thought during the transition from the High Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Special attention is paid at the outset to the tensions arising from, surrounding, and even bringing about this epochal shift, especially as evidenced in Dante’s Divine Comedy. When the course later shifts its focus to texts produced by Shakespeare and other authors in Renaissance England, students find these tensions now located in increasingly realistic and complex human figures and dramas. Through these explorations students come to see the distinctive groundwork being laid for what will later be recognized as the modern period.

This third course in our Cultural Foundations series tracks the rise of modernity against the backdrop of various 18th and 19th century upheavals. In order to best appreciate the dynamism and complexity of this period, students will immerse themselves in the literary form most characteristic of the 19th century: the novel. By applying order to an increasingly dissonant world, the great novels of the European tradition illuminate daily life amidst revolutionary change in a uniquely personal way, and they capture in their progress both the subtlest movements of human consciousness and the most profound transformations of human hearts.

At the highest level, the course looks at how nations and regions across the world are navigating the tumultuous currents of globalization.

This course will emphasize the use of correct grammar, usage, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics. Students will be required to apply these skills to writing assignments.

This course examines how media and business shape the attitudes, practices and beliefs of individuals and groups, and develops in students a rich understanding of the subtle and powerful cultural currents swirling around them, so that they can make valuable contributions to the development of future cultures. Students will consider critically how media and business shape them, learning to recognize the attitudes, assumptions, arguments and ideas promoted by media and business enterprises and products. They will develop a full, thoughtful and practical understanding of what cultures are and how they grow, and of the university’s mission to impact culture for Christ. They will gain an understanding of how Christians are perceived by the cultures around them, and appreciate how one gains the privilege of participation in the shaping of cultures. Finally, students will learn to articulate what of value they have to offer the cultures around them, and how they hope to make that contribution over the course of their lives and careers.

This course will build on the skills learned in College Writing I.

This course is a review of basic mathematical skills, with a focus on those needed to review and understand business statistics and information. The course focuses on real life application of the concepts learned.

Students will also be introduced to basic financial literacy concepts such as budgeting and planning for large purchases that require a loan. The course is also designed to help students learn how to interpret quantitative information and other data in order to make decisions.

This course explores the scientific method and reasoning. A special emphasis is placed on the design found in nature and environmental science.

In today’s world there is a need for strategic thinking and business vision based on a different paradigm. Competition is not only between products and services, but also between business models. Students will learn about innovation-driven business strategies and methodologies to develop business designs to successfully compete in the new economy.

This course focuses on introducing the idea of “entrepreneurial marketing” and is aimed at students who plan to start a new venture or take a job as a marketing professional pursuing an innovative marketing approach. Students will study a full spectrum of marketing strategies and tactics that are especially suitable for entrepreneurial firms aiming for high growth and innovation yet faced by limited resources and uncertain industry dynamics.

Students will work in teams on marketing plans for their own venture or for other high profile entrepreneurs or executives. The focus of this course is on hands-on experiences and practical application of marketing concepts.

In this class students get a “big picture” look at the ingredients of a start-up firm and the process of creating one. The class details those ingredients, discusses the stories (good & bad) of people who have done it, and learn the process by going through it with a team. Students learn the business planning process, how to craft a compelling and clear business story, and acquire inquisitiveness as to how the world of business really works. The class deliverable is a complete Business Plan created by student teams along with a presentation of the plan.

This course teaches students to meet and resolve objections and conflicts that result from written and oral proposals and pitches. Emphasis is on resolving customer obstacles before addressing your own. Topics covered include: Wants vs. Needs; Win-Win Strategies; Best Alternatives to Agreement; Schedule vs. Quality vs. Cost; Progress vs. Perfection. The class progresses through carefully structured, progressively more complex negotiation exercises. Students learn how external and internal negotiation has become a way of life for effective managers in a constantly changing business environment.

This course will prepare you to act both strategically and tactically –utilizing social media tools like blogs, microblogs (Twitter), vodcasts, video, and networking sites to engage with your audience and sell your products and services. You will discover how to use analytic tools to gauge the effectiveness of your campaigns and communicate meaningfully with your audience. In this class, we will divide into small groups. Each group will build their own blog, as well as two accompanying social media accounts (Twitter & Facebook) for their chosen “business,” and we will analyze their implementation & progress.

This course gives an in-depth understanding of the differences between – and similarities of – leadership and management. The course focuses on the major traits of leaders and managers, and augments these with examples of great historic leaders, including George Custer and Jesus Christ.

The course also studies the leadership traits of Abraham Lincoln, and looks at how these can be applied in business to improve management techniques.

This course will teach students how to write and speak effectively in business and other communication.