Visual Culture

Additional course fees apply to this course. Please reach out to your Prague Program Manager for additional information about these fees.

Course Description
This course is designed to engage the student in the creative process and foster understanding of the visual culture. Topics of studyinclude visual expression and communication in painting, advertising, graphic design, photography, film, computer graphics and typography. Through theory, method and applications, students will develop an understanding of the visual culture and the creative processes inherent in them. Students will analyze, interpret and understand the role the visual phenomena play in their lives and in society. The course is organized around readings, critical evaluation and opinion sharing assignments, written assignments and projects designed to promote visual literacy and understanding of visual images.

Course Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Critically examine and evaluate the visual image in the arts as a form of aesthetic, social and cultural expression.
• Identify, understand, and appreciate visual images in their historical, critical, and socio-cultural contexts.
• Differentiate signs, symbols, and other visual references in painting, advertising, graphic design, photography, film and computer graphics.
• Interpret, observe and write about the arts and visual communication from critical and analytical perspectives;ead, analyze, and discuss selected writings about visual culture from critical, cultural, historical, sociological, political, and philosophical frameworks.
• Organize and prepare a final paper and a visual project focusing on one aspect of the arts and visual communication.
• Students of non-arts related majors will gain a better understanding and appreciation of the arts and visual culture.