General Arts & History   

A survey of primarily Western artistic traditions beginning with Ancient Greece and Rome provides an understanding of continuity and change in art making through the ages. The exploration of art movements is framed thematically in relation to societal issues. This course will also introduce students to Asian, Islamic, First Nations and African art. The fundamentals of theoretical issues will be incorporated. Textbook required. Software Required: Word 2000 or higher. *NOTE: Students wanting to register for a General Education course as part of their certificate or diploma program should make sure to receive formal approval from their Program Coordinator. It should be noted that some general education courses are too close to the vocational specializations of specific programs and are therefore excluded as an option for students. It’s therefore important to receive formal approval before registration.

In this course, students learn the basics of safely maintaining a creative space as well as foundational art knowledge, colour theory, and terminology. With a focus on concept development and planning, students learn how to effectively use a sketchbook and time management to develop ideas from concept to completed work. Incorporating beginner photography skills, students capture still life and staged vignette reference photographs, for use in other courses, as well as visually document completed 2D works for their artistic portfolio. Creative Practice 1 also introduces students to contemporary issues in creating art, basic exhibition standards, and art evaluation and criticism. The course culminates in the development and video presentation of a first semester student portfolio.

Have you ever needed to design your own business card or a flyer for an event? If so, this is the course for you. Design Basics will give you the building blocks of design. You will learn about fonts, different layout techniques, and simple layout concepts essential to effective graphic design. Prerequisite: Knowledge of InDesign, Illustrator or Photoshop would benefit the student as assessments may need to completed using these packages. Students cannot get by with only access and knowledge of MS Word.

Textbook required. Software Required: As well as a word processing software program, students will require a design/page layout program (such as Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, QuarkXpress or Corel Draw) capable of creating and saving small graphic design compositions in jpeg or PDF formats.

The history of furniture includes an understanding of antiques, of the major periods of style and of trends and influences incorporating antiques. Contemporary and 20th-century furniture will also be discussed, allowing students to recognize particular designs, to accurately assess a piece of furniture’s worth and to recognize the good-better-best categories of goods. Students will discuss all types of case goods, both wood and upholstered and the purchasing of these goods.

In this course, students examine the evolution of the American Musical from circa 1866 (Gilbert and Sullivan/The Black Crook) – circa 1950 (Lerner and Loewe) through research and discussion of the influential performers, composers, lyricists, choreographers, producers and directors in the first part of the 20th century. Through systematic assessment of their written assignments, tests and performance, students have the opportunity to improve their knowledge of the musical theatre genre. Students apply that knowledge to the preparation and performance of songs with respect to appropriate style and historical context.

This course will analyze the sociological aspects of popular music from the 20th century to the mainstream music of today. It will emphasize important trends, genres, labels and individuals in music history. Special attention will be given to Canadian experiences in popular music. Textbook required. *NOTE: Students wanting to register for a General Education course as part of their certificate or diploma program should make sure to receive formal approval from their Program Coordinator. It should be noted that some general education courses are too close to the vocational specializations of specific programs and are therefore excluded as an option for students. It’s therefore important to receive formal approval before registration.

This class will explore the film genre of Westerns. Major themes, theories and ideas will be examined via the work of selected actors, directors and films. Subjects to be studied via discussion and assignments include The History of the Western / Components of the Western / Landscape and Setting / Actors / Directors / Films / Indigenous Peoples. The course will conclude with an analysis of the place of the Western in a contemporary context - can it still sit tall in the saddle? Textbook Optional.

News stories confront us with people, places, issues, and crises from around the world. An understanding of background issues helps us make informed judgements. This subject focuses on the main news stories of the day and looks for your critical interpretations. Textbook required. *NOTE: Students wanting to register for a General Education course as part of their certificate or diploma program should make sure to receive formal approval from their Program Coordinator. It should be noted that some general education courses are too close to the vocational specializations of specific programs and are therefore excluded as an option for students. It’s therefore important to receive formal approval before registration.