Cultural Foundations I
This course focuses on the world's great traditions in literature, music, and the visual and performing arts from the most ancient civilizations to the Middle Ages. It familiarizes students with the earliest foundations of the world's major cultural traditions and the connections between these cultures. The course includes such literary works as The Odyssey, The Ramayana, and the Shih Ching; students personally encounter foundational achievements of visual art in museums as well as learning about them in art history texts.
Cultural Foundations II
This course focuses on the world's great traditions in literature, music, and the visual and performing arts from the Middle Ages into the Enlightenment. It familiarizes students with the exchanges between the major world cultural traditions of the pre-modern era. The course includes such literary works as Journey to the West, Dante's Commedia, and the poetry of Rumi; in addition it continues the study of original works of art and introduces students to musical masterworks of the era.
Cultural Foundations III
(Note: This course is required for Fall 2009 Entering Liberal Studies Freshmen)
This course focuses on the world’s great traditions in literature, music, and the visual and performing arts from the Enlightenment through Modernity. It familiarizes students with the impact of the colonial and post-colonial eras on global developments in culture. The course covers such literary works as A Grain of Wheat, the poetry of Adrienne Rich, and Crime and Punishment; films like The Battle for Algiers; the art of Picasso and Hokusai; and musical works by Stravinsky and Ali Akbar Khan.
