Undergraduate Courses

New York has played a crucial role in the history of media, and media have placed a crucial role in the history of New York. New York has been represented by media since Henry Hudson wrote his reports to the Dutch. Media institutions have contributed centrally to its economy and social fabric, while media geographies have shaped the experiences of city living. This course explores media representations, institutions, and geographies across time and is organized around the collaborative production of an online guidebook to the media history of New York.

This class is designed to equip MCC students with the ability to translate their academic background in media and cultural analysis into a career working within a facet of the media industry and to expose them to the latest industry practices from a master media practitioner. Students are guided by an alumni instructor to make
connections between their academic coursework and current industry practice with the goal to help them understand the media industry application of their intellectual studies. Industry focus is dependent on alumni instructor’s expertise.

A historical analysis of mental health viewed within a changing social & political context. Special attention given to the changing notions of mental health. Applications to different populations & symptoms &, as a corollary, changing notions of intervention.

This course engages the sculpture student interested in small metal construction & cross-disciplinary approaches to object making. Noticing that a growing number of contemporary artists are producing work with their hands, using methods & materials traditionally associated with craft, this course will focus on the object materiality & the condition of their construction. We will pay close attention to the psychical & physical processes involved in the handmade object, & explore the intersection where process & product, idea & material, tradition & innovation meld.

Beginning & traditional techniques for jewelry & metalsmithing. Through demonstrations & practice, students create individual projects in a variety of materials. Discussions & assignments consider preconceived notions about jewelry as well as structural design problems.

The relationship between learning outcomes and assessment is considered in relation to how it influences instructional decisions especially with respect to development of curriculum. The roles of instructional strategies, motivation, classroom management, curriculum and technology are addressed as a means of sustaining learner interest and cooperation.

Introduces students to several methods of analyzing the content, production, and contexts of media in society. Students explore the basic approaches of textual analysis, political economy, and ethnography. Students adopt, adapt and employ these methods in their own analyses, survey and data collection, and ethnographies. Students create their work by means of digitally mediated image annotation and manipulation, data collection and visualization, and audio/video production.

Techniques and practice of creative drama. Students lead classes; weekly critiques. Laboratory experience.

Critical analysis of teaching models through observation and practice. Students will learn to organize a course, conceptualize a unit, prepare lesson plans, devise and evaluate assessments, and effectively use technology in the classroom.

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This course examines contemporary media in (primarily Arab parts of) the Middle East and media about the Middle East, and Islam within the U.S. it analyzes the role played by these media in representing and reproducing the perceived rift between Islam and the West. Readings and media examples focus on the politics of culture, religion, modernity, and national identity as they shape and intersect with contemporary geopolitical events, cultural formations, and media globalization.

This studio course is centered on in-class discussion and demonstration of student works created using a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) such as Logic Pro, Sample Libraries, Synthesizers, and Sound Processors. During the class, students and faculty will provide feedback to student projects in order to improve the overall quality of the music production. In addition, there will be presentations and discussion of new releases of sample libraries, audio processors,
and synthesizers, as well as new features from updates on the DAW.

An introduction to MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) with an emphasis on sequencing, production and arranging techniques. Open to students without previous experience in music technology.

Programming for MIDI, C, and other appropriate techniques. Design and implementation of software sequencers, interface drivers, and hardware applications will be the focus.

A one credit, seven week analysis of the life and times of Miles Davis. The theme of searching & changing will unify the discussion of the five important periods in the career of Miles Davis: Early Miles (bebop); The Cool School of the 50s; Kind of Blue & modal jazz; The 60s quintet & modern jazz; Electric Miles. Video & audio examples will inform the discussion around Miles Davis' autobiography.

Musicians are increasingly writing about experiences with mental health difficulties, such as posttraumatic stress, suicidal ideation, and psychosis. Their vulnerability in song can help listeners feel less alone and can reduce stigma in talking about mental health issues and accessing treatment. In this course, students examine songs from diverse artists and genres to explore how music can provide a unique understanding of mental health issues by emphasizing lived experience and open and honest expression.

This course explores the art and craft of mixing records, with special attention to “mixing in the box” (via a digital audio workstation). Focus on methodology and technique, with particular emphasis on establishing balances, using such tools as compression and automation to enhance dynamics and develop unique coloration. Examines intersection of technology, budgets, and the marketplace. Students execute their own mixes, with guidance and critique from the instructor. Basic level of DAW proficiency required.

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