Winter Quarter 2024

This class is designed to help students develop 3D modeling skills to produce low and high-poly hard surface models for animation and games. Students will learn to model using proper topology and be introduced to methods of speeding up workflow while creating props, buildings, and other hard surface objects.

This course provides advanced skills for playing Shakespeare. While building on the scansion skills introduced in Playing Shakespeare I, this course will develop those skills and introduce the more subjective aspects of performing Shakespeare.

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

Directing is not simply filmmaking. A filmmaker makes films; a director leads a team to make films. Using exercises and case studies that simulate the experience of directing an animated studio film, this course develops students’ skills in the two domains of professional directing: creative leadership and team leadership.

Advanced Distribution and Marketing Strategies is a forward-looking, upper-level course that prepares students with a knowledge of historic and existing strategies for the marketing and distribution of media products in particular as a way to understand the marketing and distribution of all products more generally. The course prepares students to appreciate the rapidly developing opportunities presented by new media, and to devise new marketing and distribution strategies which take advantage of those opportunities.

This course provides students with concepts and strategies related to practical financial and personal decision-making. Taking a holistic approach, students will be given the tools to manage not just their personal finances, but their investments in time, service, etc. Topics will include budgeting, spending, saving, borrowing, investing, time management, tithing, and giving.

This course is a lab production class designed to teach proper recording, editing, and studio mastering of vocals, piano, guitar, bass and percussion. Learn about mic placement, gain staging, proper studio equalization, effects processing, mixing, and mastering.

The purpose of this course is the introduction to Stanislavski terminology and technique, developing character from self, beginning rehearsal techniques, and performance analysis. Meisner exercises are used to develop emotional honesty and reliance on impulse.

This course studies a wide variety of global cultures by listening to indigenous voices expressing themselves in cultural products that include novels, films, music, poetry, essays, speeches, and journalism.

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.

This course is designed for actors, directors, and writers. Students utilize improvisational exercises to hone performance skills and free the creative imagination with the goal of generating ideas for comedy and dramatic story material. Students leverage the spontaneous inspiration that comes from the improvization process to develop strong characters, solve story problems, and understand the heart of a given scene.

This course studies a wide variety of global cultures by listening to indigenous voices expressing themselves in cultural products that include novels, films, music, poetry, essays, speeches, and journalism.

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.

This course guides students through the preparatory process for writing a novel. Special attention will be given to writing pitches, building characters, finessing plot, and choosing point-of-view. We will also be reading successful novels and allowing them to guide us as we compose the scaffolding for the next great American novel: yours.

This course will explore numerous topics within bioethics and will focus primarily on life issues, healthcare ethics, and biomedical technologies. It will provide students with an understanding of the ethical principles, theories, concepts, and values underlying bioethics. It will also explore Catholic teachings on bioethical issues and the rationale behind these teachings. Topics will include the dignity of the human person, cloning, abortion, euthanasia, palliative care, NFP, contraception, IVF, physician-assisted suicide, sex reassignment surgery, medical research, and the right to health care.

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 self-select team. Students learn: the business planning process, which maps how to move from an idea to an actual enterprise offering an actual product/service/apostolate; How to craft a compelling and clear business story that captures the true essence of your business; and finally 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 makes a rich study of screen dialogue. Students will read and screen a wide range of examples of extraordinary dialogue from film, television and the stage. They will analyze the variety of jobs dialogue performs in narrative and consider the principles they can apply to write effective dialogue for the screen. They will employ what they learn writing, rewriting and polishing dialogue for the screen.

This course provides advanced skills for playing Shakespeare. While building on the scansion skills introduced in Playing Shakespeare I, this course will develop those skills and introduce the more subjective aspects of performing Shakespeare.

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.

Study of fundamental drawing techniques used to represent three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional plane and lay a strong foundation for all other drawing and design courses.

Students develop fundamental skills to effectively perform musical theatre songs. Students work toward producing a free sound without constriction by focusing on singing basics like resonance, diction, clear tone, and the release of physical constrictions. An introduction is made to the three main styles of vocal production: head register, chest register, and the mixed voice. Individual assessments help establish vocal range and reinforce a healthy voice and breath management. Students develop aural skills and directly apply them to sightsinging. Interval and rhythm recognition are the initial focus, with an introduction to the Moveable Do Solfege and numerical sightsinging methods. Melodic and rhythmic dictation is also explored. Individual private training will focus on each individual student's acquired foundation and develop more refined and nuanced vocal skills, including breath control, expanded vocal range, purity in vowels, projection, vocal dynamics, and techniques for singing a variety of musical genres.

Students will continue their study of screenwriting begun in Writing for the Screen I. They will complete the first draft of a feature length screenplay and plan and complete a second draft of that screenplay, and they will register their finished work with the WGA. Class time will be dedicated to covering intermediate and advanced topics including rewriting, working with producers, directors and agents, types of professional meetings and how to make the most of them, how to seek buyers for scripted material, and the articulation of a well-developed personal code of ethics in entertainment. Students will critique one another's work in small groups, with instructor supervision and guidance. Considerable time will be required for students to write. Students will read and respond to the required texts as well as to feature screenplays and episodic television scripts.

Students learn to analyze and exploration directorial approaches used in film and television, looking particularly at the creative use of cameras, sound, composition, and communication with those in front of and behind the camera. They explore, from a directorial perspective, the expressive potential of the image within. They learn methodologies, which stimulate visual creativity and positioning the image as the fundamental element of cinematic expression. They engage in exercises in the analysis of script and for purpose of directing actors to obtain the best possible performance.

In this course students identify their specialized interest and value within the media industry, and through the creation of a comprehensive career strategy, use specialized knowledge, skills and experience to prepare themselves to be hired by media companies and promote themselves within the media industry. The class will also look at the unique world of freelancing and give students the tools necessary to venture into self-employment.

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, and capture in their progress subtle movements of human consciousness, along with pivotal transformations of human hearts.

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, and capture in their progress subtle movements of human consciousness, along with pivotal transformations of human hearts.

Study of fundamental drawing techniques used to represent three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional plane and lay a strong foundation for all other drawing and design courses.

The course builds on “Introduction to Performing Techniques” with advanced explorations of the voice and speech techniques of Linklater, Berry and Skinner.

Students will attend the Sundance Film Festival under the guidance of faculty, where they will participate in the Windrider Forum, an immersive educational experience with the idea that the Sundance Film Festival could provide a dynamic learning laboratory for students, as Christians, to engage in a cultural dialogue as it takes shape. The class will attend screenings and discussions on dramatic and documentary features and short films, series and episodic content; network with filmmakers; and witness emerging media in the form of multimedia installations, performances, and films.

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, and capture in their progress subtle movements of human consciousness, along with pivotal transformations of human hearts.

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.

Description TBA

This class is designed to provide students with several opportunities to explore and research into environments and complementary object designs of various art styles, to promote the development of students’ individual art style.

This course builds on the storytelling fundamentals learned in Story, Genre and Structure, with specific application to writing for the screen. The student will learn the basics of scriptwriting and will combine this with previously acquired writing and storytelling skills to write a spec script for an existing half-hour or hour-long television series. Students will hone their presentation skills to pitch their television story. Class time will be dedicated to covering beginning and intermediate topics including breaking stories, scene writing, dialogue, subtext, direction, giving and receiving notes in a writers’ group, and script format. Students will critique one another’s work in small groups, with instructor guidance. Considerable time will be required for students to write outside of class. Students will read and respond to the required texts as well as assigned episodic television scripts.

This course is an exploration of building and performing characters that fall outside the student’s physical/ vocal type. The emphasis will be on creating characters based on the recognition of the student’s internal emotional life, demonstrating characters based on the establishment of external vocal/physical adjustments, and interpreting characters based on script analysis.

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 provides students with concepts and strategies related to practical financial and personal decision-making. Taking a holistic approach, students will be given the tools to manage not just their personal finances, but their investments in time, service, etc. Topics will include budgeting, spending, saving, borrowing, investing, time management, tithing, and giving.

Comprehensive introduction to the various components of 3D animation technology including modeling, animating, rendering, and lighting.

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.

Drawing from draped models with props and controlled lighting. Students examine the rendering of draped, multi-textured fabric; pattern repeats in textile art; structural fit and accessories as they apply to the human figure. Manipulation of composition, light, shadow, value, color, proportion, and scale are explored to achieve mood, gesture, drama, and attitudes related to human reactions, situations and character.

A senior-level illustration capstone experience. In this course, students create portfolio content and further develop a professional visual art portfolio. Topics covered include various techniques determined by the unique challenges of each project. Significant class time will be spent discussing and working on the needs of the projects.

This course is structured as a non-technical introduction to investingconcepts, principles, strategies, and theories. Topics include: asset classes; portfolio construction; investor psychology and biases; risk and randomness management; real estate, and more.

This creative studio course is designed to help students produce their master-game prototype. At the end of this course, students are expected to complete the majority of their game production and to deliver Alpha version of their game.

This course builds on the storytelling fundamentals learned in Story, Genre and Structure, with specific application to writing for the screen. The student will learn the basics of scriptwriting and will combine this with previously acquired writing and storytelling skills to write a spec script for an existing half-hour or hour-long television series. Students will hone their presentation skills to pitch their television story. Class time will be dedicated to covering beginning and intermediate topics including breaking stories, scene writing, dialogue, subtext, direction, giving and receiving notes in a writers’ group, and script format. Students will critique one another’s work in small groups, with instructor guidance. Considerable time will be required for students to write outside of class. Students will read and respond to the required texts as well as assigned episodic television scripts.

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.

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 teaches the principles of project management that are commonly used to plan and measure projects in industry. It presents the project management mind-set, tools, and skills for successfully defining, planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and reporting a project. Topics covered include: the project life cycle, fundamental PM processes, development of the project plan, interpersonal management skills, and managing changes during project execution. Case studies are from technology and media applications.

This course provides advanced skills for playing Shakespeare. While building on the scansion skills introduced in Playing Shakespeare I, this course will develop those skills and introduce the more subjective aspects of performing Shakespeare.

The senior project is a series of courses (up to three) in which students will work either individually or as part of a team and create or contribute to a significant media project that spotlights their area of emphasis. Class II is the production phase. Instructor approval is required to take this class.

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.

Description TBA

This seminar course examines the cultural history and the cultural significance of important world literature. It asks students to study texts in the context of the period in which they were written as well as to consider them in relation to contemporary discussion and response. Although emphasis will be upon the primary texts in the seminar, students will undertake their own research projects that allow them to explore further the materials introduced and discussed in the seminar.

This course develops aural, vocal, and general keyboard skills designed to supplement Music Theory and Composition ability. Develop listening skills in melody and harmony, sight-singing, and forming chords, arpeggios, and scales on the piano.

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.

Students will learn how to effectively communicate visually through a brand to create several compelling and cohesive identities.

This course introduces students to various styles of photography through hands-on workshops. Students build upon their knowledge of photographic principles and explore which facet of the industry they aspire to work in and craft a portfolio to promote themselves in that space.

What is it to believe? Is it merely intellectual assent, or something more? Building out from the first part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, this course systematically unpacks the rich and challenging Catholic doctrines contained in the early creeds of the Church, presenting students with a faith that invites assent of all their heart, mind, soul, and strength.

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 will provide hands-on experience building effective and accurate spreadsheet models. The course reviews and strengthens the student’s understanding of applied mathematical concepts relevant to solving problems in accounting and finance. Students will learn basic and advanced functions, and how to practically apply them to business problems.

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.

In this interdisciplinary foundational design course, students explore the history of graphic design from the earliest communication technologies to the present, with a focus on the Modern era. This course will also examine changes in style and technology within the field and consider the relationship between graphic design and its cultural, political and social contexts.

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, and capture in their progress subtle movements of human consciousness, along with pivotal transformations of human hearts.

This course enables focused study of a specific author, era, or literary movement. Focus will be on significant literary texts with additional attention to critical literature, historical context, and cultural influence as needed. Repeatable for credit with different topics.

What is it to believe? Is it merely intellectual assent, or something more? Building out from the first part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, this course systematically unpacks the rich and challenging Catholic doctrines contained in the early creeds of the Church, presenting students with a faith that invites assent of all their heart, mind, soul, and strength.

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, and capture in their progress subtle movements of human consciousness, along with pivotal transformations of human hearts.

A senior-level graphic design capstone experience. This course provides hands-on and practical experience managing “real-world” graphic design projects and interactions with local businesses and/or non-profit clients. Students will be designing creative content for businesses and organizations throughout the quarter. Additionally, students will be creating design content to further build out their creative portfolio and resume.

In this senior level workshop, students will have the opportunity to develop key deliverables for a current client or prospective client of a local social media agency. The student will learn about the research, strategy, execution, promotion, and creative elements that make up a digital agency, or service-based business. The class will be structured around short lectures, supported by scheduled in-office training with the social media agency team to implement course material in service of an actual client or prospect. At the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding of how social media can communicate a brand’s story, and how to deliver this service in a viable way.

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 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, and capture in their progress subtle movements of human consciousness, along with pivotal transformations of human hearts.

What is it to believe? Is it merely intellectual assent, or something more? Building out from the first part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, this course systematically unpacks the rich and challenging Catholic doctrines contained in the early creeds of the Church, presenting students with a faith that invites assent of all their heart, mind, soul, and strength.

This creative studio course is designed to help students produce their master-game prototype. At the end of this course, students are expected to complete the majority of their game production and to deliver Alpha version of their game.

This course will explore some of the basic teachings of St. Teresa of Avila and St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein). Topics covered will include stages of spiritual growth, mental prayer, the Cross and its role in the spiritual life, mystical experience, union with God, and women in the Church. The Interior Castle and selected writings of Edith Stein will be read.

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.

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 strategy 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 relevance of innovative marketing concepts.

This class is designed to help students understand basic programming concepts and programming tools. The class will focus on object-oriented programming.

This course provides advanced skills for playing Shakespeare. While building on the scansion skills introduced in Playing Shakespeare I, this course will develop those skills and introduce the more subjective aspects of performing Shakespeare.

One of the most vital skills any writer can have is the ability to recognize the flaws in one’s own work and fix it before anyone else does. This course will provide students with the opportunity to bring in original scripts for the express purpose of identifying their flaws, magnifying their strengths, and revising their work with a set of editorial skills that will serve them well in their careers as screenwriters.

Actors collaborate with a select group of directors and cinematographers to craft compelling scenes in a narrative film environment. Scenes are performed and captured on set with active mentorship from faculty to foster fruitful collaborations between actors and directors. Students study their work in post production to develop a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities that exist within narrative filmmaking to craft a dynamic performance.

Students pursuing a Communications Media degree will complete a capstone project spanning 1-3 quarters that serves as the cumulation of their media coursework. Students will complete a real-world media project under faculty supervision. This course is intended for media students who do not plan to enroll in the senior project sequence of classes. This course serves as a substitution for the Senior Project requirement.

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 gives an in-depth introduction to the major concepts of business macroeconomics, exposing them to the issues faced by companies competing in global markets. This course is devoted to the fundamental principles of macroeconomics, with particular attention paid to how these principles shape the structure and performance of nations and governments. The course provides conceptual tools for analyzing how governments and social institutions inter-relate, and how their policies influence economic competition on national and global scales. They learn how national systems have affected production, inflation, unemployment, as well as the quality of life in their respective countries.

This course explores the craft of filmmaking through an in-depth analysis of the work and career of prolific directors. Students will study the distinct visual styles, filmmaking philosophies, and career paths that have lead to commercial and critical success in the entertainment industry. 

This course serves as an introduction to the art of short story writing, providing students with the opportunity to engage in their own original work with foundational aspects of prose fiction.  Class discussions focus on the work of established masters of the short story form, and regular workshop sessions provide opportunities to explore and critique the stories of classmates, and to build a supportive community of writers in the process.

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. 

The third in a sequence of three 3-unit classes offered to upperclassmen, generally seniors. In this course, the team will continue to refine their financial forecast model and develop their marketing and funding plans, as well as putting their legal structure in place. The goal is a product or service ready for market with a team in place to deliver and support it, with a complete business plan, which includes a refined financial forecast model.