ARTT 2000 Introduction to Art, Culture & Technology (4 Credits)

This course introduces the foundational practices and methods involved in creating art with technology in the 21st century. Student engagement with technical skills will be informed by the making practices evident in prominent cultures, subcultures, and countercultures such as gaming communities, indie electronic arts scenes, open-source software development, and DIY publishing. Through a series of individual and collaborative projects, students will develop an understanding of art’s engagement with critical thinking and interdisciplinary problem-solving beyond industry standards. Lab fee.

ARTT 3100 Programming for Play (4 Credits)

This course offers an introduction to the creation of games and playful interactive objects. Students explore the space of socially conscious and humane games as well as investigate the creation of compelling interfaces and interactive opportunities. Specific topics will vary each time the course is taught, and the course is repeatable up to two times. Lab fee. Pre-requisites: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3110 Tabletop Game Design & Prototyping (4 Credits)

This course is a rigorous investigation into games, rules, systems, interaction, and the iterative design methodology through the rapid creation of paper-based and physical game prototypes. The ambition is for each student to create one new game per week in response to varying material and conceptual constraints. Participants both create and constructively critique games created by classmates. Participants are expected to become reflective in their play. Class time is devoted to play-testing and discussion. Lab fee. Prerequisite: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3112 Big Games: Human-Scale Game Design (4 Credits)

This course is a rigorous investigation into games, rules, systems, interaction, collaboration, and the iterative design methodology through the rapid creation of large, human scale, "Big Games." The ambition is for students, working in changing collaborative groupings, to rapidly create games in response to varying material and conceptual constraints. Participants will both create and constructively critique games created by classmates. Participants are expected to become reflective in their play. Class time will be devoted to play-testing and discussion. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3120 Making Critical Games (4 Credits)

Students are challenged to create games (board, physical, video-, and hybrid games) that respond to social conditions in a critical manner while still maintain an essential ludic quality. Public good and civic engagement projects are welcomed. The course may be repeated with instructor permission when projects vary. Specific topics will very each time the course is offered, and the course is repeatable up to 3 times. Lab fee. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3210 Typographic Landscapes (4 Credits)

This class is a rigorous investigation of the expressive potential of typography as a crucial element of visual expression and electronic media. This class presumes no background in typography. Students are guided through project-based explorations that range from hand-rendered inter-letter spatial relationships to the typesetting of modest sets of pages for paper and e-books. Lab fee. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3490 Expanded Cinema (4 Credits)

This course introduces several forms of emerging practices that take the cinematic arts out of the cinema. The class introduces video and audio production skills that include remixing; video synthesis; sonic visualization; and using live camera and other media sources. These skills can be applied to VJ sets, live audiovisual performances, generative and interactive installations, and projection mapping. Lab fee. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3500 Sonic Arts (4 Credits)

This course introduces the tools and techniques of the sonic arts, including field recording; sound editing and effects processing; sampling and synthesis; and mixing. Students will survey a variety of sonic arts, historical and contemporary, to understand techniques and strategies for developing and distributing sonic artifacts. Sonic artworks can be developed for use in different scenarios (experimental compositions, video or game soundtracks) and venue contexts (gallery installations, performances, and web-based outlets). Lab fee. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3700 Topics in Culture (1-4 Credits)

Topics vary. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3710 Critical Game Studies (4 Credits)

This course is a critical investigation of contemporary ludic cultures. Ludic cultures are environments and practice of play. This course is taught with a hybrid teaching model where games are treated as texts, and outcomes are in the form of discussion and synthetic media responses. We construct and play a hyper-local canon of games, both in and outside of class. We read from the growing body of literature in game studies. We reflect and respond to these texts through shareable media. This course satisfies a cultures requirement for Art, Culture, & Technology majors and minors. Lab fee. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3720 Cultures of Typographic Design (4 Credits)

We will explore both Western and Non-western narratives of typographic cultures. We will attempt to understand the history and dissemination of this technology and its complex interrelationship with cultures of the word. We will look at Hammurabi's and Hadrian's monumental inscriptions. We will look at the Chinese invention of movable type, and Gutenberg's instantiation of similar technology in the 15th century. We will trace how certain typefaces followed and reinforced empires, and how certain compositional aesthetics challenged empires and hegemonies into the 21st century. We will explore contemporary parametric letterforms and their impact on visual aesthetics. No prerequisites. Lab fee. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3750 Sound Cultures (4 Credits)

This course explores some of the new sound technologies and practices that have emerged alongside a new field of interdisciplinary sound studies. Much of the course content emphasizes contemporary sonic experience and auditory ways of being in the world, including the study of genres like glitch, vaporwave, hauntology, dub, techno, generative music, sound art, and modular systems. Students will develop a sonic literacy that covers how we: listen constructively with sound technologies; work with diverse sonic materials; and appreciate the creative and critical dimensions of sound making. Course outcomes will include making a podcast and other sonic artifacts. Lab fee. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3780 Science Fiction: Speculative Cultures (4 Credits)

This course explores the intersections of art and technology using the thought experiments, technical extrapolations, and social criticisms of science fiction. Students will engage with a range of both canonical and contemporary science fiction and speculative fiction media, including short stories and theory, film and television, and other expanded media such as visual art, audio, graphic novels, and games. Students will critically and creatively explore conceptual approaches such as world-building, speculative technology design, digital aesthetics, and more. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3790 Spiritual Technologies (4 Credits)

This course encourages you to think critically and creatively about the intersections of technological systems with spiritual ways of knowing and being in the world. Traditional spiritual technologies range from holy texts and icons, divinatory systems like the I Ching and Tarot, prayer or meditation adjuncts like singing bowls, prayer beads and wheels, crystals, and much more. The human body itself may also be regarded as a spiritual technology honed through practices including yoga, dance, ritual gathering, and public service. In this class, you will put some of these traditional aspects of spiritual practice—and those you’ll think of that I haven’t—into dialogue with emerging technologies and cultural systems of your own design. Lab fee. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3800 Special Topics in the ACT Studio (4 Credits)

Selected topics in making-practices for art, culture, & technology. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 credits. Lab fee. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3980 Internship (1-8 Credits)

Independent Study form required. Pre-reqs: ARTT 2000.

ARTT 3991 Independent Study (1-8 Credits)

Independent Study form required.