Graduate Courses

This course culminates the studies in Art Education and is taken in the semester the student plans to graduate. Broadly conceived as visual research, it is a guided individual inquiry into an issue or question that has particular significance to the student's own art making and/or pedagogical practice.

Students complete a thesis project that integrates their acquired theoretical knowledge, clinical intership experience, and applied critical thinking.

The second course in the thesis sequence (following ARCS-GE 2022), this class is conducted through a series of individual meetings. Beginning with a review of structural requirements, research plans and scheduling, students complete their required thesis papers.

Final Project supports project proposals approved in ARVA-GE 2299. Each week students present work-in-progress for insight and reflection, and deepen their understanding of their concepts and the concepts of their classmates. Students appreciate how project development is an evolving process, and master their topic area, build time management skills, vital for successful leadership in the arts. The semester culminates in a public showcase of completed projects in a Department event.

Review & integration of leading conceptions encountered in the program through critical analysis of major conceptual writings on environmental issues. Formulation & completion of a thesis.

The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the concepts of financial reporting, the language of business, and its underlying assumptions as applied within the arts administration context. We will discuss the uses and limitations of the financial statements. Procedural aspects of accounting will be discussed in order to enhance your understanding of the content of the financial statements. The emphasis of the class is on using accounting information in the evaluation of business performance and risk in the arts.

In this course, students explore the place of religion in the 21st century university through an historical lens. Through readings, discussion, and essays, students examine the radically changed place of religion in the American college and university; tensions from the past that are reflected in 21st century higher education (such as perceived tensions between religion and science); and the historical reasons for the development of the role of "college chaplain”.

This course provides an introduction to theories and research that support a rich understanding of oral language development and the multiple important roles that oral language plays in providing a foundation for learning to read and write. We will investigate the development of the major domains of oral language (phonology, vocabulary, grammar, and extended discourse) from birth through adolescence, and we will explore oral language development for both monolingual English speakers and children who are learning English as a second language. We will also explore how this deep understanding of oral language development can inform educators" practical decision-making about language instruction.

Theoretical and practical aspects of physical fitness. Students to evaluate, design, and implement fitness and conditioning programs. Health, safety, injury prevention will be discussed. The importance of an active lifestyle, as a health behavior, and the role of physical activity in preventing cardiovascular disease and promoting health and longevity will be discussed.

Supervised fieldwork in dance inclusive of both elementary and secondary placements in public or private school settings. Fieldwork includes classroom observations, critical field reports, goal setting and feedback conferences, as well as assisting, teaching, and participation in school dance projects.

This graduate-level seminar is primarily intended for doctoral students and reviews the fundamentals of data analysis for qualitative and ethnographic fieldwork projects, specifically focused on the analysis of ethnographic and observational data and the integration of coded data into write-ups in articles, reports, and dissertation/book chapters. Students enrolling in this course must have original data that they have collected during Fieldwork: Data Collection (or, by prior approval of the instructor, for other projects such as dissertations).

Comprehensive study of flute-related topics, including repertoire spanning all style periods, sound, phrasing, articulation, technique, and physical setup.

Overview of current and past theories and practices in educational models and curriculum development, instructional planning, and assessment as they relate to knowledge about learning processes, motivation, communication and classroom management models. Examination of appropriateness of various educational models for students with diverse needs and characteristics. Overview of formal and informal methods of assessment and their role in instructional decision making.

We explore a broad range of advocacy tools and techniques to address issues that currently shape and challenge our food system. Topics include the legal and policy underpinnings of current food systems, economic and social conditions, inequities of access to healthy food, and public health concerns. Students gain an understanding of the policy, social and legal underpinnings of the food system, and learn to creatively and collaboratively develop effective approaches to address the many complex issues that characterize and threaten it.

We identify the meaning and significance of food in different cultures by exploring the way that ethnicity, gender, race, socioeconomic status and religion influence our food choices and food preserves culture. We look critically at the following questions: how can food have different meanings and uses for individuals, groups, or societies? How does food function both to foster community feeling and drive wedges among people? What are some prevailing academic theories that help us identify and understand individual and collective identities?

The course will focus on New Orleans with its rich history, unique location and distinctive cultures as a prime location to study the intersection of food, identity and culture. New Orleans has both shaped and been shaped by an idiosyncratic set of food practices, rituals, and beliefs. Through a firsthand study of the city, its history, its people and its food ways, student will gain a thorough understanding of food and culture in New Orleans.

This course teaches students in healthcare-related fields the tenets of evidence-
based whole food, plant-based nutrition for preventing and managing common chronic diseases. Students learn about the existing body of scientific evidence and understand nutrition’s role in promoting health and preventing disease. Each lecture class comes with a clinical case that allows students to reflect on patients they may encounter during clinical practice. Students participate in hands-on cooking labs where they prepare delicious food in line with the nutrition topics of the course each week.

Consumer behavior in food markets is more complex than "voting with your fork." In this course, students examine theoretical tools of consumer behavior, including how consumer preferences, prices and income inform individual choice, and apply those tools to food markets and systems. Applications vary by term. Past applications include the impacts of racial discrimination, gender pay gap, food support systems, and others. No previous economics coursework required.

Firm strategic behavior has a large influence on the food system. In this course, students use intermediate microeconomic analysis to deepen their understanding of how and why firms operate in the food system. Theoretical tools are developed in the first half of the course, including how firms maximize profits under competition, monopoly and oligopoly. Next, students examine firm organization, using transaction costs to understand why firms exist and why some firms choose to vertically integrate. Past case studies include meat packing, organic milk processing, and contracting in agriculture. No previous economics coursework is required.

Affirm the value of creativity in entrepreneurship; learn the specific processes needed to develop and open a new start up food business – product and/or retail; learn basic financial guidelines needed to open a new food business; understand unique attributes of food business financial styles and benchmarks; understand general steps to develop, manufacture and launch a food product; learn the logistic systems requirements and other resources for proper operation; and, understand the current labor challenges and issues.