Historical survey of American material culture. Ways of describing and interpreting accumulated material evidence (e.g., buildings, town plans) introduced by stressing relationship between artifact and culture.

Examines conceptual, perceptual, behavioral, and technical aspects of the built environment, and methods of analysis, problem-solving, and design implementation.

Examines the material culture and visual expressions of Mediterranean and European societies from early times until ca. 1300 CE, emphasizing the political, social, and religious context of the works studied, the relationships of the works to the societies that created them, and the interrelationship of these societies.

Fundamental concepts of global, philosophic, and critical art theory examined through various historic and contemporary texts, and the analysis of works of art.

Comparative study of a variety of film traditions from around the world, including cinema from Hollywood, Europe, Asia and developing countries, with a stress on different cultural contexts for film-making and viewing.

A study of dance as a form of communication and as an art form; a survey of the theories and styles of dance, and their relationships to other art forms.

Introduction to film as art form and how films create meaning. Basic film terminology; fundamental principles of film form, film narrative, and film history. Examination of film technique and style over past one hundred years. Social and economic functions of film within broader institutional, economic, and cultural contexts.

The application of the disciplines, methods and traditions of the Humanities to contemporary problems and issues such as social injustice, immigration, income inequality, and the role of social media. Students will apply to such issues the tools of the Humanities: research and historical analysis, critical reasoning, communication and persuasion, ethical debate, and imagination. The course will utilize the institutions of Washington, D.C. to explore contemporary problems and will guide students in the creation of their individual proposals for the capstone project that is the culmination of the curriculum in Honors Humanities.

A survey of landscape architecture history from the ancient Western civilizations to the twentieth century with consideration of parallel developments in the Eastern World, European Africa and the Americas.

An examination of how music creates meaning in different eras, through studying musical sound, biography, and social history.

Introductory theory course. Notation, scales, intervals, triads, rhythm, form and basic aural skills.

A historical survey of rock music (blues, rock, soul, metal, rap, etc.) from circa 1950 to the present, with emphasis on popular music as music and popular music as social history.

Music as a part of culture. Materials drawn from traditions throughout the globe to illustrate issues of historical and contemporary significance, including the impact of race, class and gender on the study of music.

Focus on popular musics in different cultures with an emphasis on cross-cultural comparisons and analysis of how musics and identity intersect.

A critical and comparative exploration of musical practices from around the world in their social, political and economic contexts.

In the age of pop music and blockbuster films, of memes and viral videos, we often forget that theatre was one of the original forms of popular entertainment. We will focus on theatre practitioners including actors, directors, designers and backstage personnel to understand how theatre is produced. We will also consider popular entertainment in Europe and America, with a particular focus on musical theatre and Broadway to explore how theatre communicates, resonates, and remains relevant to all audiences.

Thematic and historical survey of African-American drama from the 1960s to the present. Emphasis on sociopolitical context, thematic thrust, issues, styles, the aesthetic reflected in the work, impact on African-American and general theatre audiences.