Intro to Film

Last Updated: Wed, 12/31/2025
Course prefix:
LMC
Course number:
2500
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

Ever wondered how movies create magic? How do filmmakers use light, movement, and sound to make us laugh, cry, or see the world anew? This course takes you on a journey through the language and art of film, exploring how screenwriters, directors, cinematographers, and editors shape meaning on screen. No prior experience is required. You’ll learn the foundations of visual storytelling and film analysis, discovering how camera angles, editing, and music work together to create emotion and atmosphere. Along the way, you’ll build your ability to think critically, write with confidence, and watch films not just as entertainment, but as powerful reflections of culture, history, and human imagination.

Course learning outcomes:

Course Goals

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should have developed:

  • Film Analysis Skills: Develop the ability to analyze films by examining how filmmakers use visual and sound techniques to construct meaning.
  • Cultural Understanding: Explore how films from different cultures and historical periods reflect the societies that produced them.
  • Critical Expression: Develop clear and effective ways of discussing and writing about films, including the application of course concepts through film-related projects.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

  • Analyze films: Demonstrate mastery of film vocabulary and formal techniques.
  • Think globally: Compare films from different cultures and historical periods.
  • Connect film to culture: Explain how films reflect and shape social and historical contexts.
  • Express ideas clearly: Write and present ideas with clarity, coherence, and evidence.
  • Create original work: Apply course concepts through structured, hands-on projects.
Required course materials:
  • Film Appreciation by Yelizaveta Moss & Candice Wilson (OER PDF/Free).
  • Moving Pictures by Russell Sharman (OER PDF/Free).
  • Additional reading materials - will be available via Canvas and/or a Cloud Drive Folder.
  • Recommended: A Short Guide to Writing about Film, 10th Edition, by Timothy Corrigan (ISBN: 978-1478652076)
  • Access to streaming platforms for some films.
Grading policy:

Grades in this course are based on the completion and quality of assignments, activities, and assessments. The weighting reflects a balance between written analysis, collaborative work, engagement, and integrative learning.

  • Film Journal 1: 4 pts
  • Film Journal 2: 6 pts
  • Film Essay 1: 6 pts
  • Film Essay 2: 9 pts
  • Quizzes - Online (2, drop lowest): 10 pts
  • Quiz - In-Class Group: 15 pts
  • Midterm Group Presentation: 10 pts
  • Embodied Filmmaking: 10 pts
  • Creative Research/Film Art Project: 20 pts
  • Participation - Small Group Discussions: 10 pts
  • Total: 100 pts

Grading Scale:

  • A: 90-100
  • B: 80-89
  • C: 70-79
  • D: 60-69
  • F: 0-59
Attendance policy:

Regular attendance and active participation are required in this course. While attendance itself is not assigned a standalone numerical point value, absences directly affect participation-based work, including small group discussions.

  • Students are permitted up to three (3) absences without penalty.
  • Each additional absence beyond three results in a one (1) point deduction from the final course grade.
  • Absences are recorded regardless of reason.
  • Three instances of tardiness or early departure count as one absence.
  • Planned absences require written notice via email two (2) weeks in advance.
  • University policies regarding excused absences and academic accommodations will be followed when applicable.
Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Humanities area.

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students' broad academic and career goals.

Orienting Question:

  • How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic and philosophical works?

Learning Outcome:

  • Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts or of works in the visual/performing arts.

Career-Ready Competencies:

  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Information Literacy
  • Intercultural Competence
Instructor First Name:
Krystian
Instructor Last Name:
Ramlogan
Section:
B1
CRN (you may add up to five):
31547
View PDF
Department (you may add up to three):
Literature, Media, and Communication

Literary & Cultural Postmodernism

Last Updated: Fri, 01/02/2026
Course prefix:
LMC
Course number:
3518
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

A survey of major themes, representational techniques, and social and cultural concerns of postmodern art and literature.

Course learning outcomes:

School of LMC Learning Outcomes: 

 I. Textual Analysis: Students will learn to read, analyze, and interpret cultural projects such as film, literature, art, and media.

II. Interpretive Frameworks: Students will become familiar with a variety of social, political, and philosophical theories and be able to apply those theories to our course readings, as well as to their own cultural observations.

III.  Literary/Film/Narrative Art Inquiry: Students will be aware of the traditions and conventions of literature, film, and other forms of narrative art, and they will be able to analyze those traditions and conventions in specific cultural contexts.

IV. Historical Analysis: Students will study literary and cultural texts within an historical framework to become familiar with the various forces that shape artistic and commercial production. They will learn to interpret history actively, rather than passively accepting archival information.

V. Communication Skills: Students will be able to gather, organize, and express information clearly and accurately, with sensitivity to audience. They will be also be able to discuss and describe relationships among cultures, literature, ethics, and the arts.

Required course materials:

 

Italo Calvino, If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler (1979)

Theresa Cha, Dictée (1982)

Don Delillo, White Noise (1985)

Patricia Lockwood, No One is Talking About This (2021)

Toni Morrison, Beloved (1987)

Ruth Ozeki, My Year of Meets (1998)

Grading policy:

Students will attend and participate in class regularly, will write reading reflections throughout the semester, will take one midterm exam, and will engage in culminating, research-based group presentations and a final group or individual paper/project for this class. All assignment instructions will be posted on Canvas and discussed in class at appropriate times throughout the semester. The following are the grading percentages for each component of the class:

 Attendance/Participation                          25%       

Reading Reflections                                     20%          

Midterm Exam                                              25% 

Final Group Presentation/Project              30%                                      

The grading scale for students will be: 

● A: 90-100. Students who demonstrate a thorough understanding and skilled, original use of class concepts and terminology. Moreover, they use class concepts and terminology in a way that teaches us something new about the subject.

● B: 80-89. Students who demonstrate a solid understanding of and ability to use class concepts and terminology, but may need to learn more about some aspect of the subject, or to continue practicing mastery of key concepts and ideas. 

● C. 70-79. Students who generally grasp the key concepts and terminology of this class, but cannot yet use them consistently to provide in-depth analysis of class materials. 

● D: 60-69. Students who fail to understand or use class concepts and terminology much if at all in class, exams, or projects. They may also fail to provide accurate or in-depth analyses of the topic at hand or texts associated with it. 

● F: 0-59. Students who demonstrate a complete lack of understanding about the subject at hand, and/or fail to attend class and/or complete major assignments in an appropriate and/or timely manner.

Attendance policy:

Attendance and participation are vital to the success of this class. Please come prepared to engage with the material in a direct way and to share your thoughts on the readings. If you need to miss class for some reason, please email me in advance to let me know. Please note that notifying me of your absence assures me that you are a courteous and committed member of the class.  It does not, however, in most circumstances, excuse your absence. Barring officially excused absences for medical, athletic, or similar institute-approved absences, all students are expected to attend class. Please note that all absences count, in some way, in the determination of your final grade. Frequent absences (more than 3) and/or a  lack of participation/preparedness will be very detrimental to your final grade – much more than 25%. To be specific, for each additional absence beyond the first three absences, your attendance/ participation grade will be automatically lowered by half a letter grade. 

*Please note that laptop and smartphone use are not allowed in class unless they are required as part of an ADA requirement, or if they are being used for class-related purposes (i.e., reviewing the syllabus together, taking notes; screening something we are watching together).  

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Humanities area.

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:

  • How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic and philosophical works?

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:

  • Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts in English or other languages, or of works in the visual/performing arts.

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:

  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Information Literacy
  • Intercultural Competence
Instructor First Name:
Nihad
Instructor Last Name:
Farooq
Section:
A
CRN (you may add up to five):
35307
View PDF
Department (you may add up to three):
Literature, Media, and Communication

Ethnicity in American Literature & Culture

Last Updated: Thu, 12/25/2025
Course prefix:
LMC
Course number:
3210
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

This course examines ethnicity in U.S. culture through history, literature, and film. 

Course learning outcomes:

School of LMC Learning Outcomes: 

I. Textual Analysis: Students will learn to read, analyze, and interpret cultural projects such as film, literature, art, and media.

II. Interpretive Frameworks: Students will become familiar with a variety of social, political, and philosophical theories and be able to apply those theories to our course readings, as well as to their own cultural observations.

III.  Literary/Film/Narrative Art Inquiry: Students will be aware of the traditions and conventions of literature, film, and other forms of narrative art, and they will be able to analyze those traditions and conventions in specific cultural contexts.

IV. Historical Analysis: Students will study literary and cultural texts within an historical framework to become familiar with the various forces that shape artistic and commercial production. They will learn to interpret history actively, rather than passively accepting archival information.

V. Communication Skills: Students will be able to gather, organize, and express information clearly and accurately, with sensitivity to audience. They will be also be able to discuss and describe relationships among cultures, literature, ethics, and the arts.

 

Required course materials:

Required Texts:

Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street (1991)

Edwidge Danticat, Breath, Eyes, Memory (1998)

Malaka Gharib, I Was Their American Dream: A Memoir (2019)

Julie Otsuka, The Buddha in the Attic (2011)

Lê Thi Diem Thúy, The Gangster We Are All Looking For (2004)

Grading policy:

Students will attend and participate in class regularly, will write reading reflections throughout the semester, will take one midterm exam, and will engage in culminating, research-based group presentations and a final group or individual paper/project for this class. All assignment instructions will be posted on Canvas and discussed in class at appropriate times throughout the semester. The following are the grading percentages for each component of the class:

 Attendance/Participation                          25%       

Reading Reflections                                     20%          

Midterm Exam                                              25% 

Final Group Presentation/Project              30%                                      

The grading scale for students will be: 

● A: 90-100. Students who demonstrate a thorough understanding and skilled, original use of class concepts and terminology. Moreover, they use class concepts and terminology in a way that teaches us something new about the subject.

● B: 80-89. Students who demonstrate a solid understanding of and ability to use class concepts and terminology, but may need to learn more about some aspect of the subject, or to continue practicing mastery of key concepts and ideas. 

● C. 70-79. Students who generally grasp the key concepts and terminology of this class, but cannot yet use them consistently to provide in-depth analysis of class materials. 

● D: 60-69. Students who fail to understand or use class concepts and terminology much if at all in class, exams, or projects. They may also fail to provide accurate or in-depth analyses of the topic at hand or texts associated with it. 

● F: 0-59. Students who demonstrate a complete lack of understanding about the subject at hand, and/or fail to attend class and/or complete major assignments in an appropriate and/or timely manner.

Attendance policy:

Attendance and participation are vital to the success of this class. Please come prepared to engage with the material in a direct way and to share your thoughts on the readings. If you need to miss class for some reason, please email me in advance to let me know. Please note that notifying me of your absence assures me that you are a courteous and committed member of the class.  It does not, however, in most circumstances, excuse your absence. Barring officially excused absences for medical, athletic, or similar institute-approved absences, all students are expected to attend class. Please note that all absences count, in some way, in the determination of your final grade. Frequent absences (more than 3) and/or a  lack of participation/preparedness will be very detrimental to your final grade – much more than 25%. To be specific, for each additional absence beyond the first three absences, your attendance/ participation grade will be automatically lowered by half a letter grade. 

*Please note that laptop and smartphone use are not allowed in class unless they are required as part of an ADA requirement, or if they are being used for class-related purposes (i.e., reviewing the syllabus together, taking notes; screening something we are watching together).  

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Humanities area.

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:

  • How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic and philosophical works?

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:

  • Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts in English or other languages, or of works in the visual/performing arts.

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:

  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Information Literacy
  • Intercultural Competence

 

Instructor First Name:
Nihad
Instructor Last Name:
Farooq
Section:
A
CRN (you may add up to five):
35305
View PDF
Department (you may add up to three):
Literature, Media, and Communication

English Composition II

Last Updated: Wed, 12/17/2025
Course prefix:
ENG
Course number:
1102
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

A composition course that develops writing skills beyond the levels of proficiency required by ENGL 1101, that emphasizes interpretation and evaluation, and that incorporates a variety of more advanced research methods. Develops communication skills in networked electronic environments, emphasizes interpretation and evaluation of cultural texts, and incorporates research methods in print and on the Internet. 

Course learning outcomes:

Critical Thinking 

Critical thinking involves understanding social and cultural texts and contexts in ways that support productive communication and interaction. 

  • Analyze arguments.
  • Accommodate opposing points of view.
  • Interpret inferences and develop subtleties of symbolic and indirect discourse.
  • Use writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating.
  • Integrate ideas with those of others.
  • Understand relationships among language, knowledge, and power.
  • Recognize the constructedness of language and social forms.
  • Analyze and critique constructs such as race, gender, and sexuality as they appear in cultural texts. 

Rhetoric 

Rhetoric focuses on available means of persuasion, considering the synergy of factors such as context, audience, purpose, role, argument, organization, design, visuals, and conventions of language. 

  • Adapt communication to circumstances and audience.
  • Produce communication that is stylistically appropriate and mature.
  • Communicate in standard English for academic and professional contexts.
  • Sustain a consistent purpose and point of view.
  • Use a variety of technologies to address a range of audiences.
  • Learn common formats for different kinds of texts.
  • Develop knowledge of genre conventions ranging from structure and paragraphing to tone and mechanics.
  • Control such surface features as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
  • Create artifacts that demonstrate the synergy of rhetorical elements.
  • Demonstrate adaptation of register, language, and conventions for specific contexts and audiences.
  • Apply strategies for communication in and across both academic disciplines and cultural contexts in the community and the workplace. 

Process 

Processes for communication—for example, creating, planning, drafting, designing, rehearsing, revising, presenting, publishing—are recursive, not linear. Learning productive processes is as important as creating products. 

  • Find, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize appropriate primary and secondary sources.
  • Develop flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing, and proofreading.
  • Understand collaborative and social aspects of writing processes.
  • Critique their own and others’ works.
  • Balance the advantages of relying on others with [personal] responsibility.
  • Construct and select information based on interpretation and critique of the accuracy, bias, credibility, authority, and appropriateness of sources.
  • Compose reflections that demonstrate understanding of the elements of iterative processes, both specific to and transferable across rhetorical situations. 

Modes and Media 

Activities and assignments should use a variety of modes and media—written, oral, visual, electronic, and nonverbal (WOVEN)—singly and in combination. The context and culture of multimodality and multimedia are critical. 

  • Interpret content of written materials on related topics from various disciplines.
  • Compose effective written materials for various academic and professional contexts.
  • Assimilate, analyze, and present a body of information in oral and written forms.
  • Communicate in various modes and media, using appropriate technology.
  • Use digital environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts.
  • Locate, evaluate, organize, and use research material collected from electronic sources, including scholarly library databases; other official (e.g., federal) databases; and informal electronic networks and internet sources.  
  • Exploit differences in rhetorical strategies and affordances available for both print and electronic composing processes and texts.
  • Create WOVEN (written, oral, visual, electronic, and nonverbal) artifacts that demonstrate interpretation, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and judgment.  
  • Demonstrate strategies for effective translation, transformation, and transference of communication across modes and media. 
Required course materials:

(1) WovenText (Open Education Resource). WovenText is free and accessible online. 

(2) Writer/Designer (3rd edition) of the Bedford Bookshelf is an eTextbook for purchase. 

(3) Macbeth #killingit 

(4) Macbeth No Fear Shakespeare 

Grading policy:

Common First Week Video (5%); Presentation (20%); Collaborative Podcast (20%);  Digital Museum Exhibition (20%); Final Portfolio (20%); Participation (15%) 

A: 90-100 

Superior performance—rhetorically, aesthetically, and technically—demonstrating  advanced understanding and use of the media in particular contexts. An inventive spark and exceptional execution. 

B: 80-89 

Above-average, high-quality performance—rhetorically, aesthetically, and technically. 

C: 70-79 

Average (not inferior) performance. Competent and acceptable—rhetorically, aesthetically, and technically. 

D: 60-69 

Below-average performance. Needs substantive work — rhetorically, aesthetically, and/or technically. 

F: 0-59 

Unacceptable performance. Failure to meet minimum criteria rhetorically, aesthetically, and/or technically. 

Attendance policy:

Attending class faithfully is the surest guarantee of your enjoyment of and success in the course. There may be times when you cannot or should not attend class, such as if you are not feeling well, have an interview, or have family responsibilities. Therefore, this course allows a specified number of unexcused absences without penalty, regardless of reason. The class meets 31 times. Missing 3 classes means you made it to 90% of the course meetings. You are allowed 3 absences (equivalent to 1.5 weeks of class, or roughly 10% of our class meetings). Each additional absence past 3 will lower your final grade by 2%. Your instructor can communicate with you about how to access materials or make up work. If the class has 100% attendance twice in the first month of class, I’ll award everyone an additional absence (for a total of 4). Excused absences do not count toward your allotment of 3. Excused absences require documentation (official GT documentation for university-sponsored events, doctor’s note, etc.). Please see these sites for more information: https://registrar.gatech.edu/info/institute-approved-absence-form-for-students and https://catalog.gatech.edu/policies/student-absence-regulations/.

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.   

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:  

  • How do I write effectively in different contexts?   

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcomes:  

  • Students will communicate effectively in writing, demonstrating clear organization and structure, using appropriate grammar and writing conventions.  
  • Students will appropriately acknowledge the use of materials from original sources.  
  • Students will adapt their written communications to purpose and audience.  
  • Students will analyze and draw informed inferences from written texts.   

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:  

  • Critical Thinking  
  • Information Literacy  
  • Persuasion
Instructor First Name:
Kelly
Instructor Last Name:
Williams
Section:
N6
CRN (you may add up to five):
28499
View PDF
Department (you may add up to three):
Literature, Media, and Communication

English Composition II

Last Updated: Wed, 12/17/2025
Course prefix:
ENG
Course number:
1102
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

A composition course that develops writing skills beyond the levels of proficiency required by ENGL 1101, that emphasizes interpretation and evaluation, and that incorporates a variety of more advanced research methods. Develops communication skills in networked electronic environments, emphasizes interpretation and evaluation of cultural texts, and incorporates research methods in print and on the Internet. 

Course learning outcomes:

Critical Thinking 

Critical thinking involves understanding social and cultural texts and contexts in ways that support productive communication and interaction. 

  • Analyze arguments.
  • Accommodate opposing points of view.
  • Interpret inferences and develop subtleties of symbolic and indirect discourse.
  • Use writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating.
  • Integrate ideas with those of others.
  • Understand relationships among language, knowledge, and power.
  • Recognize the constructedness of language and social forms.
  • Analyze and critique constructs such as race, gender, and sexuality as they appear in cultural texts. 

Rhetoric 

Rhetoric focuses on available means of persuasion, considering the synergy of factors such as context, audience, purpose, role, argument, organization, design, visuals, and conventions of language. 

  • Adapt communication to circumstances and audience.
  • Produce communication that is stylistically appropriate and mature.
  • Communicate in standard English for academic and professional contexts.
  • Sustain a consistent purpose and point of view.
  • Use a variety of technologies to address a range of audiences.
  • Learn common formats for different kinds of texts.
  • Develop knowledge of genre conventions ranging from structure and paragraphing to tone and mechanics.
  • Control such surface features as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
  • Create artifacts that demonstrate the synergy of rhetorical elements.
  • Demonstrate adaptation of register, language, and conventions for specific contexts and audiences.
  • Apply strategies for communication in and across both academic disciplines and cultural contexts in the community and the workplace. 

Process 

Processes for communication—for example, creating, planning, drafting, designing, rehearsing, revising, presenting, publishing—are recursive, not linear. Learning productive processes is as important as creating products. 

  • Find, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize appropriate primary and secondary sources.
  • Develop flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing, and proofreading.
  • Understand collaborative and social aspects of writing processes.
  • Critique their own and others’ works.
  • Balance the advantages of relying on others with [personal] responsibility.
  • Construct and select information based on interpretation and critique of the accuracy, bias, credibility, authority, and appropriateness of sources.
  • Compose reflections that demonstrate understanding of the elements of iterative processes, both specific to and transferable across rhetorical situations. 

Modes and Media 

Activities and assignments should use a variety of modes and media—written, oral, visual, electronic, and nonverbal (WOVEN)—singly and in combination. The context and culture of multimodality and multimedia are critical. 

  • Interpret content of written materials on related topics from various disciplines.
  • Compose effective written materials for various academic and professional contexts.
  • Assimilate, analyze, and present a body of information in oral and written forms.
  • Communicate in various modes and media, using appropriate technology.
  • Use digital environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts.
  • Locate, evaluate, organize, and use research material collected from electronic sources, including scholarly library databases; other official (e.g., federal) databases; and informal electronic networks and internet sources.  
  • Exploit differences in rhetorical strategies and affordances available for both print and electronic composing processes and texts.
  • Create WOVEN (written, oral, visual, electronic, and nonverbal) artifacts that demonstrate interpretation, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and judgment.  
  • Demonstrate strategies for effective translation, transformation, and transference of communication across modes and media. 
Required course materials:

(1) WovenText (Open Education Resource). WovenText is free and accessible online. 

(2) Writer/Designer (3rd edition) of the Bedford Bookshelf is an eTextbook for purchase. 

(3) Macbeth #killingit 

(4) Macbeth No Fear Shakespeare 

Grading policy:

Common First Week Video (5%); Presentation (20%); Collaborative Podcast (20%);  Digital Museum Exhibition (20%); Final Portfolio (20%); Participation (15%) 

A: 90-100 

Superior performance—rhetorically, aesthetically, and technically—demonstrating  advanced understanding and use of the media in particular contexts. An inventive spark and exceptional execution. 

B: 80-89 

Above-average, high-quality performance—rhetorically, aesthetically, and technically. 

C: 70-79 

Average (not inferior) performance. Competent and acceptable—rhetorically, aesthetically, and technically. 

D: 60-69 

Below-average performance. Needs substantive work — rhetorically, aesthetically, and/or technically. 

F: 0-59 

Unacceptable performance. Failure to meet minimum criteria rhetorically, aesthetically, and/or technically. 

Attendance policy:

Attending class faithfully is the surest guarantee of your enjoyment of and success in the course. There may be times when you cannot or should not attend class, such as if you are not feeling well, have an interview, or have family responsibilities. Therefore, this course allows a specified number of unexcused absences without penalty, regardless of reason. The class meets 31 times. Missing 3 classes means you made it to 90% of the course meetings. You are allowed 3 absences (equivalent to 1.5 weeks of class, or roughly 10% of our class meetings). Each additional absence past 3 will lower your final grade by 2%. Your instructor can communicate with you about how to access materials or make up work. If the class has 100% attendance twice in the first month of class, I’ll award everyone an additional absence (for a total of 4). Excused absences do not count toward your allotment of 3. Excused absences require documentation (official GT documentation for university-sponsored events, doctor’s note, etc.). Please see these sites for more information: https://registrar.gatech.edu/info/institute-approved-absence-form-for-students and https://catalog.gatech.edu/policies/student-absence-regulations/.

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.   

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:  

  • How do I write effectively in different contexts?   

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcomes:  

  • Students will communicate effectively in writing, demonstrating clear organization and structure, using appropriate grammar and writing conventions.  
  • Students will appropriately acknowledge the use of materials from original sources.  
  • Students will adapt their written communications to purpose and audience.  
  • Students will analyze and draw informed inferences from written texts.   

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:  

  • Critical Thinking  
  • Information Literacy  
  • Persuasion
Instructor First Name:
Kelly
Instructor Last Name:
Williams
Section:
HP3
CRN (you may add up to five):
28497
View PDF
Department (you may add up to three):
Literature, Media, and Communication

Introduction to Gender Studies

Last Updated: Mon, 12/15/2025
Course prefix:
LMC
Course number:
2200
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

Course Catalog Description: This course introduces the cultural concept of gender, examining topics such as biology and gender, social constructions of gender, and the psychology of sexual roles.

 

Course learning outcomes:
  • Textual/Visual Analysis: Students will learn to read, analyze, and interpret cultural products (cartoons, films, fictions) and scientific and technical documents.
  • Interpretive Frameworks: Students will become familiar with a variety of social, political, and philosophical theories and apply those theories to creative texts and to their own cultural observations.
  • Historical Analysis: Students will study literary and cultural texts within an historical framework to become familiar with the various forces that shape artistic and commercial production. They will learn to interpret history actively, rather than passively accepting archival information.
Required course materials:

All texts for the class will be made available on the Canvas site either through a pdf or a link to an external source.

Grading policy:

All written assignments should be posted to the class Canvas site. Any postings should be in the body of the message (not sent as attachments). Late assignments will be penalized and will not be accepted after two weeks unless you arrange with the instructor in advance of the due date.

Attendance policy:

Because class discussion and in-class assignments make up a significant percentage of the final grade, excessive absences (more than 2) could result in an unsatisfactory mark. Submit the appropriate documents to the instructor for medical, athletic, or other justified absences. Extended absences away from campus for family, medical, or legal reasons should be reported to the Dean of Students Office. The Georgia Tech Office of Student Life in Atlanta also has information: https://studentlife.gatech.edu/content/classattendance

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Arts, Humanities & Ethics area.

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:
--How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic, and philosophical works?

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:
--Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts in English or other languages, or of works in the visual/performing arts.

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:

  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Information Literacy
  • Intercultural Competence
Instructor First Name:
Carol
Instructor Last Name:
Colatrella
Section:
B
CRN (you may add up to five):
29532
View PDF
Department (you may add up to three):
Literature, Media, and Communication

Biomedicine and Culture

Last Updated: Fri, 01/02/2026
Course prefix:
LMC
Course number:
3318
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

Discusses the history of biology and medicine; popular representations of health, disease, and the medical establishment; and the cultural implications of medical imaging technologies.  

Course learning outcomes:
  • To increase awareness of the cultural factors affecting the development of biomedical knowledge and practice
  • To increase awareness of and think critically about the role of biomedicine, including its technological means, in culture
  • To explore nuance and ambiguity in ethical debates about research and practice in biomedicine
  • To communicate in sophisticated ways about these issues of broad concern, orally and in writing
Required course materials:

All texts for the class will be made available on the Canvas site either through a pdf or a link to an external source.

Grading policy:

All written assignments should be posted to the class Canvas site. Any postings should be in the body of the message (not sent as attachments). Late assignments will be penalized and will not be accepted after two weeks unless you arrange with the instructor in advance of the due date.

Attendance policy:

Because class discussion and in-class assignments make up a significant percentage of the final grade, excessive absences (more than 2) could result in an unsatisfactory mark. Submit the appropriate documents to the instructor for medical, athletic, or other justified absences. Extended absences away from campus for family, medical, or legal reasons should be reported to the Dean of Students Office. The Georgia Tech Office of Student Life in Atlanta also has information: https://studentlife.gatech.edu/content/classattendance.

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Arts, Humanities & Ethics area.

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question: How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic, and philosophical works?

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:

  •  Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts in English or other languages, or of works in the visual/performing arts.

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:

  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Information Literacy
  • Intercultural Competence
Instructor First Name:
Carol
Instructor Last Name:
Colatrella
Section:
A
CRN (you may add up to five):
33353
View PDF
Department (you may add up to three):
Literature, Media, and Communication

Music, Culture & Society

Last Updated: Fri, 11/21/2025
Course prefix:
LMC
Course number:
3263
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

The course will be a series of historical case studies looking at the development of genres of popular music in the United States between about 1947 and about 1967, with occasional chronological deviations, in specific places at specific times. Examples will include Post war Rhythm and Blues; The Music of the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-65; The Early 1960s, including Brill Building Pop, Motown and Stax Soul, and the Greenwich Village Folk Scene; 1965-1967: Folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock, the countercultural scenes in LA and San Francisco. Many of the issues and ideas we will entertain are still directly relevant today, and you will have opportunities to extend them to more recent development if you wish.

Course learning outcomes:
  • Historical Analysis: Students will study cultural texts and performances within historical frameworks to become familiar with the various forces that shape the productionand dissemination of culture. They will learn to interpret history actively, rather than passively accepting archival information.
  • Interpretive Frameworks: Students will become familiar with a variety of interpretive frameworks drawn from social, cultural, and aesthetic approaches and be able to apply such frameworks to cultural texts, as well as to their own observations.
  • Textual/Visual Analysis: Students will learn to read, analyze, and interpret cultural texts and performances within the realm of music.
Required course materials:

All materials will be provided. There is nothing to purchase.

Grading policy:

Final Grade Scale: To get a final grade of A, you must have earned at least a numerical grade of at least 90% of the available points. For a B, you must have a numerical grade of at least 80%; 70% for a C; 60% for a D. Please use these benchmarks to interpret the numerical grades you receive in the course.

The numerical grade generated by this calculation is subject to modification in either direction in light of attendance, class participation, and other indications of engagement
with and commitment to the course (or lack thereof). Please note that I do not automatically round up numerical grades at any stage

Attendance policy:

You may miss a total of three (3) classes over the course of the semester without penalty. If at all possible, please contact the instructor when you know you will not be in class. 

  • Reasons for absences. The attendance policy does not make any distinction about the reasons for your absences. Absences for any illness count against the three permitted absences. Only absences officially exempted by the Institute (e.g., due to participation in official GA Tech athletics, to religious observance, to personal or family crisis confirmed by documentation from the Dean of Students) will not be counted among your allotted absences. These exemptions are difficult to get.
  • Responsibility for missed work. Students are responsible for finding out what they may have missed while absent from class and what policy the instructor has for making up missed work. However, if you are not present to participate in a group presentation, you will fail the course.
  • Absence penalties. Each additional absence after the allotted number deducts onehalf of a letter grade (5 pts) from your final grade.
Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals. 

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question: 

  • How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic and philosophical works? 

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome: 

  • Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts in English or other languages, or of works in the visual/performing arts. 

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies: 

  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Information Literacy
  • Intercultural Competence
Instructor First Name:
Philip
Instructor Last Name:
Auslander
Section:
B
CRN (you may add up to five):
35300
View PDF
Department (you may add up to three):
Literature, Media, and Communication

Performance Studies

Last Updated: Fri, 11/21/2025
Course prefix:
LMC
Course number:
3262
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

This course explores methods for understanding and analyzing music performance. Classical music, jazz, rock, blues, country, and other genres will all be represented in our readings and classroom examples; the ideas presented are not specific to aparticular genre.

Our framework for thinking about musical performance is multi-disciplinary, drawing from sociology, musicology, psychology, media studies, and performance studies. Some of the key issues to be discussed include genre; the visual aspects of musical performance; musicians' performance personae and how they are constructed and disseminated, and the means musicians use to communicate in performance, including gestures, movements, facial expressions, and stage talk.

You do not have to have any technical knowledge of music or any musical ability to take this course. Enthusiasm for some kind of music and an interest in spending a semester thinking about musicians and what they do as performers are necessary prerequisites.

Course learning outcomes:
  • Historical Analysis: Students will study cultural texts and performances within historical frameworks to become familiar with the various forces that shape the productionand dissemination of culture. They will learn to interpret history actively, rather than passively accepting archival information.
  • Interpretive Frameworks: Students will become familiar with a variety of interpretive frameworks drawn from social, cultural, and aesthetic approaches and be able to apply such frameworks to cultural texts, as well as to their own observations.
  • Textual/Visual Analysis: Students will learn to read, analyze, and interpret cultural texts and performances within the realm of music.
Required course materials:

All materials will be provided. There is nothing to purchase.

Grading policy:

Final Grade Scale: To get a final grade of A, you must have earned at least a numerical grade of at least 90% of the available points. For a B, you must have a numerical grade of at least 80%; 70% for a C; 60% for a D. Please use these benchmarks to interpret the numerical grades you receive in the course.

The numerical grade generated by this calculation is subject to modification in either direction in light of attendance, class participation, and other indications of engagement
with and commitment to the course (or lack thereof). Please note that I do not automatically round up numerical grades at any stage

Attendance policy:

You may miss a total of three (3) classes over the course of the semester without penalty. If at all possible, please contact the instructor when you know you will not be in class. 

  • Reasons for absences. The attendance policy does not make any distinction about the reasons for your absences. Absences for any illness count against the three permitted absences. Only absences officially exempted by the Institute (e.g., due to participation in official GA Tech athletics, to religious observance, to personal or family crisis confirmed by documentation from the Dean of Students) will not be counted among your allotted absences. These exemptions are difficult to get.
  • Responsibility for missed work. Students are responsible for finding out what they may have missed while absent from class and what policy the instructor has for making up missed work. However, if you are not present to participate in a group presentation, you will fail the course.
  • Absence penalties. Each additional absence after the allotted number deducts onehalf of a letter grade (5 pts) from your final grade.
Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals. 

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question: 

  • How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic and philosophical works? 

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome: 

  • Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts in English or other languages, or of works in the visual/performing arts. 

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies: 

  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Information Literacy
  • Intercultural Competence
Instructor First Name:
Philip
Instructor Last Name:
Auslander
Section:
A
CRN (you may add up to five):
31554
View PDF
Department (you may add up to three):
Literature, Media, and Communication

Creative Writing: Poetry

Last Updated: Tue, 11/18/2025
Course prefix:
LMC
Course number:
3234
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

First and foremost, this course is a course about perception and seeing. Artists perceive ordinary things through ordinary language, and cut, splice, combine, and reimagine the world and words into something new. Today, art, based on passionate and empathetic perception, is more important than ever. Ruth Asawa’s daughter said she sketched almost every day to strengthen her ability to see. I believe in the transformative power of art now more than ever, and think it begins with deep perception. 

On a practical basis, this course is an introduction to the pleasures and joys of reading and writing of poetry. As part of this course, we will study traditions of poetic practice and theory, in parallel with a weekly workshop session focused on the student’s own poems. Each week, students will learn about various elements of poetry such as imagery, the line, rhythm, sound, form, syntax, diction, tone, content, theme, and others. Each week, students will write a poem and together workshop each other’s poems. Workshop will focus on the possibilities of a poem, the possibilities of revision, and the various ways we can help a poem expand in possibilities. In addition, we will do a fair amount of reading in this class through course texts below and poetry the professor may bring into class. Students will also attend poetry readings and other possible activities as part of Poetry@Tech programming.

Course learning outcomes:
  • Students will learn/review/enhance their understanding of the basic poetry techniques and forms.
  • Students will learn how to write poems by drafting and revising original poems over the course of the semester, based on exercises provided in class.
  • Students will develop critical prose writing skills by providing their peers with observations and/or suggestions on poems on a weekly basis, writing a critical response/annotation to each poem being workshopped.
  • Students will develop critical prose writing skills by writing reading responses to assigned readings for class and be prepared to discuss readings.
  • Students will develop oral presentation and communication skills through class and small group participation.
  • Students will gain an understanding of contemporary poetry by attending readings by visiting poets through the Poetry@Tech reading series.
Required course materials:

Required Course Texts (through the bookstore or online)

  • Gregory Orr, A Primer for Poets & Readers of Poetry, W.W. Norton & Company, 2018 (ISBN: 0393253929)
  • Layli Long Soldier, Whereas, Graywolf Press, 2017
  • Michael Joseph Walsh, A Season, University of Georgia Press, 2026
  • Two additional books of student’s choice from this list:
    • Reina María Rodríguez and Kristin Dykstra, The Winter Garden Photograph (ISBN: 1946433225)
    • Wang Yin and Andrea Lingenfelter, A Summer Day in the Company of Ghosts: Selected Poems (ISBN: 1681376482)
    • Jakub Kornhauser and Piotr Florczyk, Hemorrhages & Squirrels (ISBN: 1956921605)
Grading policy:

The final grade will be based on students’ poems, critical writing, class participation, and attendance. Since voices are needed to generate a rich class discussion, class participation is an important component of your grade. If there are extenuating circumstances in any situation, students should contact the professor ahead of time. Grades will be updated each week on the course’s Canvas site (each assignment’s scale will be out of 100).

A breakdown of the student’s grade will be as follows:

Bi-Weekly Poems: 35%

Annotations of Workshop Poems and Reading Responses of Books: 35%

Class Participation: 20%

Final Portfolio of Poems: 10%

Grading Scale

Your final grade will be assigned as a letter grade according to the following scale:

A          90-100%

B          80-89%

C          70-79%

D          60-69%

F          0-59%

Grading Criteria

Poems will be graded based on effort shown toward the writing exercises.

Annotations of peer poems will be graded based on cohesiveness, insight, argument, detail, and effort. Annotations should also reflect student learning of poetry terms and concepts. Students are not allowed to use any form of AI for these annotations. If you use AI for annotations, you will receive a zero on the assignment.

Reading responses and responses to other books will be graded based on cohesiveness, insight, argument, detail, and effort. The response can be how the reading inspired your writing or thinking, what you learned from it, additional questions you might have on the reading, etc. (examples of annotations and reading responses are at the end of the syllabus). Responses to the P@T readings will be described below.

In order to create a vibrant and collaborative community within our class, students will be expected to attend every class. For each unexcused class (due to anything other than illness or other serious personal or family issues), students will have their attendance grade for that week reduced to a zero. 

If a student misses more than two unexcused classes, students risk failing the course. Students who need to miss class for any reason must contact the professor via email before class. Students must also attend all the Poetry@Tech readings and student readings (unless you have a class, job, or other obligation you have cleared ahead of time with the professor). Even if you have excused absences due to illnesses or other extenuating circumstances, you still need to complete the assignments for each week. If you miss three or more classes (excused or unexcused), you risk failing the class.

Class participation includes oral discussion of peers’ poems, thoughts on what is discussed in class on craft and form, and discussion of assigned readings. Students should try to participate at least once (if not much more) per class. The instructor may ask students to participate based on their annotations and reading responses.

Students will be expected to turn in all poems, annotations, and reading responses on time as stated in the syllabus. For each late poem, annotation, or reading response, students will see a grade reduction of 20 points (out of 100 for the assignment) for every day the assignment is late. 

Therefore, it is advised that students upload their assignments onto Canvas EARLY to avoid grade reductions, and to regularly check the syllabus. If students do not turn in a workshop poem according to the schedule below, students will receive a zero for the assignment (out of 100).

Attendance policy:

In order to create a vibrant and collaborative community within our class, students will be expected to attend every class. For each unexcused class (due to anything other than illness or other serious personal or family issues), students will have their attendance grade for that week reduced to a zero. 

If a student misses more than two unexcused classes, students risk failing the course. Students who need to miss class for any reason must contact the professor via email before class. Students must also attend all the Poetry@Tech readings and student readings (unless you have a class, job, or other obligation you have cleared ahead of time with the professor). Even if you have excused absences due to illnesses or other extenuating circumstances, you still need to complete the assignments for each week. If you miss three or more classes (excused or unexcused), you risk failing the class.

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Humanities area. 

 

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals. 

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:

  • How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic, and philosophical works? 

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome: 

  • Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance, and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts or of works in the visual/performing arts. 

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies: 

  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Information Literacy
  • Intercultural Competence
Instructor First Name:
Victoria
Instructor Last Name:
Chang
Section:
VC
CRN (you may add up to five):
24147
View PDF
Department (you may add up to three):
Literature, Media, and Communication
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