SYLLABUS

ARTH101 VISUAL CULTURE

Fall 2020 • Section 3 CREDIT HOURS: 4 credits / 44 contact hours

LENGTH: 11 weeks
INSTRUCTOR: Franco Castilla
PREREQUISITES: HUMA101 Composition I
[email protected]
Office Hours: via email CANVAS: https://cch.instructure.com
or by appointment

CLASS SESSIONS
Wednesday, 2:00 – 6:00 pm

LOCATION
Online

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Introduces the study of visual culture through a combination of media studies, art history
and criticism, and cultural studies. Students explore the visual (and audiovisual) logic of
contemporary media and culture, including art, film, advertising, television, news media, the
internet, social media, and interactive media. Coursework aims to broaden knowledge and
cultural awareness while also sharpening skills in writing, research, and visual literacy.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
1. Classify distinct media that make up the broad landscape of contemporary visual
culture.
2. Define theoretical frameworks commonly used for the study of visual arts and media.
3. Experiment with methods for translating words and ideas into images.
4. Locate information to support a thesis on a given issue or debate within visual arts
and/or media.
5. Relate images to the cultural and/or representational issues that they propagate,
illuminate, or critically address.

TEXTBOOKS + READINGS
• Marita Sturken & Lisa Cartwright, Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture, third
edition (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017). ISBN: 9780190265717
• John Berger, Ways of Seeing, (New York: Penguin Group, 1973). ISBN: 0140135154
• In-class readings will be taken from Ways of Seeing and additional sources which will be
provided in class.

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COURSEWORK
You will be graded on the following assignments:
1. The mid-term and final test.
2. The weekly quizzes.
3. A one and a half page response to the documentary film Hypernormalisation.
4. A three-page response essay to articles about Emmett Till.
5. A three-page essay on a visual artist.
6. A visual project inspired by the visual artist you wrote about.

GRADE BREAKDOWN
Mid-term and final test 200 points
Quizzes 150 points (6 quizzes @ 25 points each)
Documentary film response essay 50 points
Emmett Till Response Essay 100 points
Artists Essay 100 points
Visual Project 100 points
TOTAL 700 points

ELECTRONIC DEVICES
During class time, the use of mobile devices (laptops, tablets, cell phones, etc.) is allowed
only for taking notes and participating in sanctioned class activities. The use of devices for
non-sanctioned activities is not allowed.

ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM POLICIES

All work must be received by the set deadlines. ABSOLUTELY NO WORK WILL BE
ACCEPTED AFTER THE FINAL CLASS MEETS WEEK 11.

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COURSE CALENDAR
Subject to change with notification

WEEK 1: Wednesday September 30

In Class: Introduce the class syllabus and assignments for the quarter.
Lecture: Images, Power, and Politics (Chapter 1, pgs. 13-49)
Homework: Study for quiz.

WEEK 2: Wednesday October 7

Quiz: On last week’s lecture.
Lecture: Viewers Make Meaning (Chapter 2, pgs. 51-88)
Screen: Ways of Seeing, Part 1 (Presented by John Berger, 1972)
Homework: Study for quiz. Emmett Till response essay due next week.

WEEK 3: Wednesday October 14

Quiz: On last week’s lecture.
Lecture: Spectatorship and the Gaze (Chapter 3, pgs. 89-138)
Screen: Ways of Seeing, Part 2 (Presented by John Berger, 1972)
Homework: Study for quiz.

WEEK 4: Wednesday October 21

Quiz: On last week’s lecture.
Lecture: Realism and Perspective (Chapter 4, pgs. 139-177)
Screen: Ways of Seeing, Part 3 (Presented by John Berger, 1972)
Due Now: Submit Emmett Till Response Essay to Canvas.
Homework: Study for the mid-term test.

WEEK 5: Wednesday October 28

Mid-term Test: Multiple choice test on Chapters 1-4.
Screen: Hypernormalisation (Adam Curtis, 2016)
Homework: Response essay to Hypernormalisation.

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WEEK 6: Wednesday November 4
Lecture: Visual Technologies, Reproduction, and the Copy (Chapter 5, pgs. 179-218)
Screen: Everything Is A Remix, Parts 1- 4 (Kirby Ferguson, 2010-2012)
Due Now: Submit response essay to Hypernormalisation to Canvas.
Homework: Study for quiz.

WEEK 7: Wednesday November 11 Veteran’s Day

Quiz: On last week’s lecture.
Lecture: Media in Everyday Life (Chapter 6, pgs. 219- 256)
Homework: Study for quiz.

WEEK 8: Wednesday November 18

Quiz: On last week’s lecture.
Lecture: Consumer Culture (Chapter 7, pgs. 257-299)
Screen: Ways of Seeing, Part 4 (Presented by John Berger, 1972)
Homework: Study for quiz. Visual Artist Essay due Week 10.

WEEK 9: Wednesday November 25 Happy Thanksgiving

WEEK 10: Wednesday December 2

Quiz: On last week’s lecture.
Lecture: Irony, Parody, and Pastiche (Chapter 8, pgs. 301- 336)
Homework: Study for final test. Visual Project due next Week 11.

WEEK 11: Wednesday December 9

Final Test: Multiple choice test on Chapters 5-8
Presentations: Present visual projects to the class.
Due Now: Visual Project, Powerpoint presentations. Submit to Canvas.

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 ACADEMIC POLICIES

DEFINITION OF A CREDIT HOUR

A credit hour is defined by Columbia College Hollywood and the U.S. Department of Education as an amount of work
represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally
established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than one (1) hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction
and a minimum of two (2) hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately ten to twelve weeks for one
quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time, or at least an equivalent amount
of work for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practicum,
studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours. Senior Thesis and production-based courses
may exceed the minimum expectation for out-of-classroom work.

CONTACT HOURS & OUT-OF-CLASS STUDENT WORK PER COURSE

A typical 4-quarter-credit-hour course at Columbia College Hollywood meets for one 4-hour/240 minute class period each
week for 11 weeks for a total of 44 contact hours/2640 contact minutes over the quarter. Each course also requires 8
hours/480 minutes of out-of-class student work per week for a total of 88 hours/5280 minutes of out of class student work
over the quarter. Total quarterly contact and out-of-class hours for each course is 132 hours or 7,920 minutes.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR SPECIAL NEEDS

Columbia College Hollywood is committed to responding to all eligible student requests for reasonable accommodations
that can be provided without undue hardship to the college. Please see the Disability Services section of the General
Catalog for more information.

ATTENDANCE POLICY • LOS ANGELES CAMPUS 

Regular class attendance is mandatory and integral to success at Columbia College Hollywood.
Students enrolled in on-campus courses are expected to be present at the start of each class
session and remain throughout the entire class period. A student who is absent for a class session
is responsible to make up missed coursework.

Class attendance policies and attendance tracking procedures are required in every course.   
Details are found in the course syllabus which is distributed at the beginning of each term. 

The college sets the following minimum attendance standard for all courses:
 Students must attend a class for a minimum of 33 hours during the course’s 44 hours of
class time in order to receive credit for the course. 
 Students who accrue 12 hours (the equivalent of three class periods) or more of
unexcused absences during Week 2 to 9 will be withdrawn from the course. Excused
absences require documentation and are granted at the instructor’s discretion. There are
conditions under which students will be administratively withdrawn due to non-
attendance.
 A student who fails to attend the first two class sessions of a course will be withdrawn
from the course. 
 A student who is absent from all registered courses for the entire first week of a term
without notice will be administratively withdrawn from all courses and dismissed from the
college. If applicable, the cost of tuition will be adjusted. A student who is unable to
attend all courses for the first week of a term must notify the college in writing before the
first Friday of the quarter in order to remain enrolled. 
 At any time, a student who fails to attend all registered courses for a period of 14
consecutive calendar days will be withdrawn from all courses and dismissed from the
 college. A student who is administratively withdrawn from a course after the Add/Drop
deadline will be charged tuition. 

Administrative Withdraw
 When a student accumulates 12 hours of absenteeism, they are notified by the registrar
they will be dropped from the course in 96 hours from the notification.  
 The student has 48 hours to appeal the decision directly to the instructor.
 The instructor has 48 hours to make a determination if the absences are justifiable and
success in the course is possible.
 Students who accumulate 12 hours after Friday at 5 PM of week 9, the official last day to
withdraw from a course with an “AW,” risk failing the course due to lack of participation.

COURSE WITHDRAWAL POLICY

A student who wishes to drop an individual course and receive a tuition refund must submit a Drop Request prior to the
Add/Drop deadline at 5:00 p.m. on the seventh (7th) calendar day of the quarter, which is usually the second Monday of
the quarter. If the either the first or seventh calendar day of the quarter falls on a school holiday, the Add/Drop deadline is
extended to 5:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the quarter.
A student who submits a Drop Request for an individual course prior to 5:00 p.m. on the seventh (7th) calendar day of the
quarter is entitled to a 100% tuition refund for the course. There is no pro-rata refund for withdrawing from an individual
course after the Add/Drop deadline.
A student may officially withdraw from an individual course after the Add/Drop deadline by completing and submitting a
signed Course Withdrawal Form available in the Registrar's Office. Course Withdrawal Forms must by submitted by 5:00
p.m. on Friday of the before the end of the 9th week of the quarter. A grade of W (Withdrawal) will be automatically
recorded on the student’s transcript for the course. There is no tuition refund for withdrawing from individual courses after
the Add/Drop deadline.
A student who fails to complete and submit a signed Course Withdrawal Form will not be withdrawn from the course and
will receive an appropriate grade from the instructor to reflect work completed. This grade will be recorded on the
student’s transcript and become part of the student’s permanent record. A student who withdraws from a required course
must enroll in and successfully complete the course at a later date.
International students must obtain approval from the PDSO before withdrawing from a course in order to avoid violating
legal status.
COURSE WITHDRAWAL DEADLINES
Week 2 to Week 9: Students will receive a W grade for officially withdrawing from a course between Tuesday of Week 2
and Friday of Week 9. A grade of W does not impact grade point average but does impact attempted credit hours and will
appear on the student’s academic transcript.
Week 10 to Week 11: No course withdrawal are permitted after Week 9. If a student has stopped attending class but did
not submit a Course Withdrawal Form before the end of Week 9, the instructor will assign the appropriate grade to reflect
the work completed.

INCOMPLETE POLICY
The grade of Incomplete (INC) is exceptional and given only to students whose completed coursework has been
qualitatively satisfactory but who have been unable to complete all course requirements due to unforeseen circumstances.
The student must request an Incomplete grade before the end of the quarter. The instructor retains the right to make the
final decision to grant or deny a student’s request for an Incomplete grade.
It is the responsibility of the student to complete and submit the remaining coursework by the assigned deadline. Prior to
the end of the Add/Drop period of the following quarter, the instructor must submit a grade change, converting the
Incomplete to a letter grade. If the student does not meet the deadline, the student fails the course and the Incomplete
grade is automatically converted to a final grade of F.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY

Columbia College Hollywood students are responsible for knowing and following all policies and procedures of the
institution and all rules for each course in which they are enrolled. Rules for a course are found in the course syllabi.

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Columbia College Hollywood expects all students to fulfill assignments and complete tests independently and honestly.
The institution will penalize any student found guilty of cheating, plagiarizing, or any other form of dishonesty. All members
of the faculty, administration, and student body are expected to uphold academic honesty in their work.
CHEATING
Cheating, plagiarism and knowingly furnishing false information are defined by established academic standards in
widespread use.
Cheating refers to the use of unauthorized assistance in completing coursework. Unauthorized assistance may include
the use of the printed material, computer files, equipment, or personal notes of another student or individual. Cheating on
exams and assignments, plagiarism, and knowingly furnishing false information are unacceptable behaviors on the part of
a student.
Fraud on tests, papers, production work, or any aspect of college life is taken very seriously and is addressed on a case
by case basis by the Academic Affairs and Student Services Departments. Cheating or plagiarism may result in
permanent dismissal from the college.
Examples of cheating include: using written or produced assignments from one course for academic credit in another
course unless expressly allowed; collaborating with another student on an assigned project unless expressly allowed;
handing in work written or produced by another student as your own; writing or producing work for another student to use
as his or her own; submitting exams or other assignments that contain answers or materials knowingly taken from the
work of another student; consulting texts, notes, or other materials while taking an exam, unless expressly allowed; using
crib sheets; signing another student’s name on an attendance or crew roster; and knowingly and falsely stating that
another student was present in a class or on a crew.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is presenting the words or ideas of another person as one’s own, including the use of direct or paraphrased
material without proper documentation or attribution
All students are expected to honestly attribute and correctly cite sources included in course assignments. Information and
instructions regarding citing sources is available at the Learning Resource Center.
DISHONESTY
Other forms of dishonesty may include falsely claiming to have done work, misrepresenting reasons for not completing
assignments or taking examinations as scheduled, and submitting the same work in more than one course.
An instructor who discovers any student cheating, plagiarizing, or committing other forms of dishonesty will report such
action in writing to the Student Services Department. The report will be entered into the student’s official record for
possible disciplinary action that may include receiving a failing grade for the assignment, test or course and may include
academic probation, suspension, or in extreme or repeated cases, expulsion.

GRADE SCALE
INCLUDED IN SAP:
Letter % Grade ICR
GRADE CRITERIA CGPA
Grade Grade Points Credit Hours
Earned Attempted
Performs at the highest level and demonstrates A 92.5-100 4.00 Yes Yes Yes
full, uncompromised commitment and effort A- 90-92.49 3.75 Yes Yes Yes
Performs at a high level and demonstrates B+ 87.5-89.99 3.50 Yes Yes Yes
consistent and effective achievement in meeting B 82.5-87.49 3.25 Yes Yes Yes
course requirements B- 80-82.49 3.00 Yes Yes Yes
C+ 77.5-79.99 2.75 Yes Yes Yes
Meets the basic requirements
C 72.5-77.49 2.50 Yes Yes Yes
of the course
C- 70-72.49 2.25 Yes Yes Yes
D+ 67.5-69.99 2.00 Yes Yes Yes
Meets minimum standards and performs at a
D 62.5-67.49 1.75 Yes Yes Yes
level sub-par to basic requirements
D- 60-62.49 1.50 Yes Yes Yes
Fails to meet minimum course requirements F < 60 0 Yes No Yes