2017-2018 Academic Bulletin [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Search
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To search for a course satisfying the Distribution Requirements in effect for students who entered Allegheny College in Fall 2016 or after please do the following:
- In the “Keyword or Phrase” box below, enter one of the eight Distribution Requirement abbreviations as a search term in quotation marks: “CL”, “HE”, “IP”, “ME”, “PD”, “QR”, “SB”, or “SP”.
- To search within a specific department or program, select the desired department from the “Rubric” drop down menu and enter the Distribution Requirement abbreviation in quotation marks in the “Keyword or Phrase” box (i.e., “HE”).
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Black Studies |
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BLKST 350 - Black Meadville (also listed as COMJ 350)
Credits: 4
A study of the experiences of Black Meadville residents of the past, present, and future. Class readings distinguish between Black urban experiences and Black rural experiences. Students sift through archival records in Meadville, interview Black Meadville residents, and work in collaboration with Black Meadville residents to construct action oriented projects that highlight community assets and address needs. Course participants investigate the stories of Black public school students, recent residents, and long-term Meadville residents. By semesters end, Allegheny students understand the importance of critical citizenship and question which Meadville voices are vital to local, public discourse(s).
Prerequisite: COMJ 350 .
Distribution Requirements: CL, PD.
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BLKST 480 - Capstone Seminar
Credits: 2
A capstone seminar analyzing issues concerning race and identity. Students integrate the themes and methods explored in the curriculum through reflective writing and reconcile theory and practice in Black Studies.
Prerequisite: May only be taken on a Credit/No Credit basis.
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BLKST 529 - Internship: Black Studies
Credits: 1-4
Academic study completed in support of an internship experience with a partner institution. An Allegheny faculty member assigns and evaluates the academic work done by the student. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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Chemistry |
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CHEM 104 - Forensic Chemistry
Credits: 4
An introduction to chemical principles as they apply to forensic investigations. Topics covered include the scientific method, measurements, chemical foundations (atoms, elements, compounds, and states of matter), reactions, energy, and kinetics as they pertain to forensics science. Through an understanding of basic chemical principles, this course investigates the role of chemistry in solving crimes. Crime-scene case studies are utilized to explore the scientific foundation for the examination of physical, chemical, and biological evidence. One laboratory per week. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Distribution Requirements: SP.
May not be taken for credit after successful completion of CHEM 120 or CHEM 122 .
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CHEM 105 - The Science of Chemistry
Credits: 4
A study of the basic principles of chemistry and its contributions to the understanding of nature, modern technology, and the benefits and problems of science. One laboratory per week. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Distribution Requirements: SP.
Not open to science majors. May not be taken for credit after successful completion of CHEM 120 or CHEM 122 .
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CHEM 108 - Environmental Chemistry
Credits: 4
A study of the origins, effects, and fate of chemical pollutants. Acid rain, global warming, the “ozone hole,” and other problems of the air and water environments are discussed. Underlying questions concerning the chemistry of the environment are identified. Accounts of pollution in the popular press are critically evaluated from a scientific standpoint. One laboratory per week. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Distribution Requirements: SP.
May not be taken for credit after successful completion of CHEM 120 or CHEM 122 .
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CHEM 109 - The Science (and Art) of Brewing
Credits: 2
A study of the chemical processes involved in the brewing of beer. Students explore how we get from malted barley, hops, yeast, and water to beer. Topics include the microbiology of yeast, the biochemistry of fermentation, the chemistry of alpha and beta acids, and the physics of bubbles. Brewing beer, done outside of class, is an integral part of our study. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
Restricted to Juniors and Seniors.
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CHEM 119 - Quantitative Reasoning in Chemistry
Credits: 2
An introduction to basic chemical concepts and quantitative reasoning, which are a prerequisite to the in-depth study of chemistry. This course will use mathematical relationships and models to understand and emphasize chemical concepts. These models will be used to develop quantitative problem solving skills.
Distribution Requirements: none.
May not be taken for credit after successful completion of CHEM 120 or higher. This course does not count towards a major or minor in chemistry or toward the College Distribution Requirements.
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CHEM 120 - Chemical Concepts 1
Credits: 4
An introduction to atomic and molecular structure and reactivity. Topics include quantum theory, bonding theories, molecular interaction and reaction. An emphasis is placed on the use of mathematical reasoning to solve problems and obtaining a quantitative understanding of chemical systems. One three-hour laboratory period per week.
Prerequisite: Placement into MATH 160 , or completion of MATH 157 or higher with a grade of C or higher, or completion of CHEM 119 with a grade of C or higher.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 122 - Chemical Concepts 2
Credits: 4
An introduction to chemical equilibrium and reactivity. Topics include thermodynamics, solution equilibrium and kinetics. An emphasis is placed on the use of mathematical reasoning to solve problems and obtaining a quantitative understanding of chemical systems. One three-hour laboratory period per week.
Prerequisite: A grade of “C” or better in CHEM 120 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 222 - Inorganic Chemistry
Credits: 4
An examination of the structure, bonding, and reactivity of inorganic compounds with examples drawn from main group and transition-metal chemistry. Topics include molecular symmetry and group theory with focus placed on their application to vibrational and electronic spectroscopy; molecular orbital theory; reaction mechanisms of coordination complexes; and organometallic chemistry. One laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: CHEM 231 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 231 - Organic Chemistry I: Form and Function
Credits: 4
An examination of the structure and reactivity of small organic molecules. Discussion of molecular architecture includes bonding, geometry and conformation. These considerations are applied to a survey of organic reactions, mechanisms and energetic. Emphasis is placed on the development of problem-solving skills and the concise communication of chemical ideas. One laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Completion of CHEM 122 with a grade of “C” or better.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
CHEM 112 may be used in place of CHEM 122 in satisfying the prerequisite for the above course.
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CHEM 234 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
Credits: 1
Designed to relate directly to the material in CHEM 332 . Problems in qualitative analysis, multistep synthesis, and natural product isolation that expand on the techniques learned in CHEM 231 lab are presented. Emphasis is placed on the student’s ability to work skillfully and independently in the laboratory, and to present well-structured conclusions in the form of written laboratory reports.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Corequisite: CHEM 332 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 242 - Physical Chemistry
Credits: 4
An introduction to classical thermodynamics and kinetics. Examples from biology, physics, environmental science and chemistry are used to illustrate the principles. Spring semester offering emphasizes biological examples.
Pre- or Corequisite: MATH 210 or PHYS 272 are strongly recommended as pre-or corequisites.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
CHEM 112 may be used in place of CHEM 122 in satisfying the prerequisite for the above course.
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CHEM 253 - Introductory Biochemistry
Credits: 4
An elucidation of the structure and function of biological macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. The chemistry of various biological processes is studied and an attempt is made to provide a molecular explanation for biological phenomena. The laboratory introduces modern techniques in experimental biochemistry. One laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Completion of CHEM 231 with a grade of “C” or better.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 332 - Organic Chemistry II: Synthetic Strategies
Credits: 4
A continued examination of the structure and reactivity of small organic molecules, with an emphasis on synthetic methodology. The mechanistic background developed in CHEM 231 is expanded to include aromatic compounds, and this comprehensive knowledge if applied to the study of methods for the construction of diverse synthetic targets. Also continued from CHEM 231 is the discussion of molecular structure, which is examined from the standpoint of spectroscopic analysis. Emphasis is placed on the development of problem-solving skills and the concise communication of chemical ideas.
Prerequisite: Completion of CHEM 231 with a grade of “C” or better.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 345 - Quantum Chemistry
Credits: 4
An introduction to the description of chemical systems on the molecular level. The macroscopic behavior of chemical systems is interpreted using the theoretical, microscopic description provided by quantum mechanics.
Prerequisite: CHEM 242 . Students are encouraged to complete PHYS 272 before taking this course.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 355 - Biochemical Metabolism
Credits: 2
A survey of the major metabolic pathways. Carbohydrate, lipid, electron transport and amino acid metabolic pathways will be explored at the molecular level. The molecular mechanisms of enzyme action and metabolic integration will be emphasized.
Prerequisite: CHEM 253 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 357 - Macromolecular Synthesis
Credits: 2
A chemical and structural examination of how cells synthesize macromolecules. The biochemical mechanisms for the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins are examined at the molecular and chemical level.
Prerequisite: CHEM 253 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 361 - Instrumental Analysis
Credits: 2
An introduction to the use of instruments in chemical analysis. Students gain practical experience with modern spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques including GC-MS, HPLC-MS, NMR, stopped-flow techniques, and Raman spectroscopy. Hands-on experience is enhanced by a theoretical discussion of each technique studied.
Pre- or Corequisite: FSCHE 201 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 386 - Multistep Synthesis
Credits: 2
A practical introduction to advanced synthetic laboratory skills. Multistep procedures are used to construct small organic targets and biomolecules. Reliance on the literature to plan and execute independent investigations is required. Modern instrumentation is utilized for product analysis.
Pre- or Corequisite: CHEM 332 .
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 422-429 - Current Topics in Inorganic Chemistry
Credits: 2
An examination of methods, theories and practices in the discipline of inorganic chemistry. Group discussion is based on readings from journal articles and monographs. Students contribute to the class through literature research, discussion and brief presentations. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: CHEM 222 or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: SP.
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CHEM 432-439 - Current Topics in Organic Chemistry
Credits: 2
An examination of methods, theories and practices in the discipline of organic chemistry. Group discussion is based on readings from journal articles and monographs. Students contribute to the class through literature research, discussion and brief presentations. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: CHEM 332 or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: SP.
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CHEM 442-449 - Current Topics in Physical Chemistry
Credits: 2
An examination of methods, theories and practices in the discipline of physical chemistry. Group discussion is based on readings from journal articles and monographs. Students contribute to the class through literature research, discussion and brief presentations. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: CHEM 242 or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.
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CHEM 452-459 - Current Topics in Biochemistry
Credits: 2
An examination of methods, theories and practices in the discipline of biochemistry. Group discussion is based on readings from journal articles and monographs. Students contribute to the class through literature research, discussion and brief presentations. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: CHEM 253 .
Distribution Requirements: SP.
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CHEM 462-469 - Current Topics in Analytical Chemistry
Credits: 2
An examination of methods, theories and practices in the discipline of analytical chemistry. Group discussion is based on readings from journal articles and monographs. Students contribute to the class through literature research, discussion and brief presentations. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: FSCHE 201 .
Distribution Requirements: SP.
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CHEM 529 - Internship: Chemistry
Credits: 1-4
Academic study completed in support of an internship experience with a partner institution. An Allegheny faculty member assigns and evaluates the academic work done by the student. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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CHEM 584 - Junior Seminar
Credits: 2
A practical introduction to laboratory techniques and research methods used in the senior project. Multi-week projects are undertaken to investigate chemical systems. Reliance on the literature to plan and execute independent investigations is required. Modern instrumentation is utilized for each project. An emphasis is placed on good written and oral communication skills.
Prerequisite: FSCHE 201 and permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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CHEM 590 - Independent Study
Credits: 1-4
Study of special topics and/or laboratory research selected by the student who wishes to pursue independent work on material not covered in established courses. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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CHEM 600 - Senior Project
Credits: 2
A laboratory investigation of some topic of current research interest in collaboration with a faculty member. The topic is chosen by the student in consultation with the faculty mentor. Careful laboratory technique, critical evaluation of data, depth of specialized knowledge, independence and originality are cultivated. A written and oral defense before a board of Chemistry faculty and regular attendance at the departmental seminar series are required during each semester of enrollment. The Senior Project may spans two semesters, earning two credit hours in the first semester, and four credit hours in the second semester. A grade will be awarded for both semesters. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: CHEM 584 , or by permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
First semester of two-semester project.
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CHEM 610 - Senior Project
Credits: 4
A laboratory investigation of some topic of current research interest in collaboration with a faculty member. The topic is chosen by the student in consultation with the faculty mentor. Careful laboratory technique, critical evaluation of data, depth of specialized knowledge, independence and originality are cultivated. A written and oral defense before a board of Chemistry faculty and regular attendance at the departmental seminar series are required during each semester of enrollment. The Senior Project may spans two semesters, earning two credit hours in the first semester, and four credit hours in the second semester. A grade will be awarded for both semesters. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
Second semester of two-semester project.
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FSCHE 201 - Research Methods in Chemistry
Credits: 4
An introduction to writing, speaking, and research methods in the discipline of chemistry. Topics include experimental design, statistical analysis of data, ethical conduct of research and selected classical, spectroscopic and chromatographic methods of analysis. Analytical techniques are discussed in the context of laboratory projects that are designed, performed, and interpreted by the class. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: A grade of C or better in CHEM 122 .
Distribution Requirements: none.
CHEM 112 may be used in place of CHEM 122 in satisfying the prerequisite for the above course.
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Chinese |
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CHIN 110 - Beginning Chinese I
Credits: 4
An introduction to both the spoken and written Chinese language. Students learn basic Chinese characters, structural patterns, reading strategies, and basic elements of Chinese culture. Three class meetings; one oral practice period per week.
Distribution Requirements: IP, ME.
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CHIN 120 - Beginning Chinese II
Credits: 4
A continuation of the introduction to both the spoken and written Chinese language. Students learn additional Chinese characters and structural patterns. Students begin to practice reading for comprehension, develop basic writing skills, and receive an additional introduction to Chinese culture. Three class meetings; one oral practice period per week.
Prerequisite: CHIN 110 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: IP, ME.
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CHIN 200 - Chinese Civilization
Credits: 4
A general survey of Chinese philosophy, history, literature, and the arts that provides a foundation for an understanding of Chinese culture and history. Students examine the history of China from its earliest origins up until the final days of its imperial past through original texts, artifacts, and visual representations. Topics include philosophy (including Confucianism and Legalism), religion (Daoism and Buddhism), literature (poetry and novels), and dynastic changes and historiography, as well as predominant cultural features that are identifiably “Chinese.” Taught in English.
Distribution Requirements: HE, IP.
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CHIN 215 - Intermediate Chinese
Credits: 4
Continued acquisition and practice of both the spoken and written Chinese language. Students acquire additional Chinese characters and learn more complex structural patterns in order to improve reading and writing skills. Students begin to read selected authentic texts in Chinese to gain a better understanding of Chinese language and culture. Three class meetings; one oral practice period per week.
Prerequisite: CHIN 120 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: IP, ME.
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CHIN 225 - Chinese Readings, Film, and Composition
Credits: 4
An examination of Chinese films and written texts. Students develop reading and writing skills as well as the cultural knowledge needed for successful study abroad. Three class meetings; one oral practice period per week.
Prerequisite: CHIN 215 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, IP.
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CHIN 305 - Advanced Chinese Language and Culture I
Credits: 4
An upper-level course for students who wish to develop and refine their ability to understand, speak, read, and write Modern Standard Chinese. Students examine extensive readings and video materials dealing with aspects of Chinese society and culture, economy, and politics. These texts serve as points of departure for discussion and composition. Recommended for students wishing to specialize in any field related to China. Three class meetings per week. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: CHIN 225 or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: IP, ME.
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CHIN 355 - Modern Chinese Literature in Translation
Credits: 4
A survey of influential literary works since the May Fourth movement of 1919. Students read fiction, poetry, and novels from different periods, investigate the political, cultural and/or aesthetic issues involved when the works were produced, gain an understanding of literary conventions of different genres, and learn to critically and creatively interpret individual texts.
Distribution Requirements: HE, IP.
Taught in English.
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CHIN 385 - Contemporary Chinese Cinema
Credits: 4
An introduction to a representative selection of Chinese-language cinema. Students explore the most talented filmmakers’ works, examine Chinese cinematic language, and study these films not only as historiography and ethnography but also as representations of China mediated through cinematic discourses. One screening and three class meetings per week. Taught in English.
Distribution Requirements: HE, IP.
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CHIN 529 - Internship: Chinese Language
Credits: 1-4
Academic study completed in support of an internship experience with a partner institution. An Allegheny faculty member assigns and evaluates the academic work done by the student. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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CHIN 592 - Teaching in the Elementary or Secondary Schools
Credits: 2-4
A field experience in education during which students work with teachers and students in elementary or secondary schools. Relevant readings, as well as discussions with the instructor and the supervising teacher, provide the background and context for the fieldwork. Students are required to keep a reflective journal and to complete a culminating project based on their experiences in the classroom. May be repeated for credit. Must be taken Credit/No Credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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Chinese Studies |
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CHIST 529 - Internship: Chinese Studies
Credits: 1-4
Academic study completed in support of an internship experience with a partner institution. An Allegheny faculty member assigns and evaluates the academic work done by the student. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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Classical Studies |
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CLSST 529 - Internship: Classical Studies
Credits: 1-4
Academic study completed in support of an internship experience with a partner institution. An Allegheny faculty member assigns and evaluates the academic work done by the student. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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Communication Arts |
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COMRT 120 - Introduction to Critical Media Studies
Credits: 4
An introduction to the field of critical media studies. We examine the role of traditional and new media in everyday life and politics, preparing students to be literate in the ways in which media participate in the shaping of identity and society. Students discuss media institutions, media policy and regulation, media history, media consumption, and media texts using critical media theory and the work of key thinkers in the field.
Distribution Requirements: PD, SB.
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COMRT 130 - Introduction to Theatre
Credits: 4
The study of theatre as an interpretative discipline. A lecture and discussion course concerned with artistic problem solving in the production of live theatre and the influences of aesthetic theory, dramatic criticism, and the work of collaborative artists on the theatre as a cultural institution. Viewing of live theatre and group projects required.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 145 - Foundations of Rhetoric and Public Communication
Credits: 4
An introduction to the theory and history of public persuasion as an art central to civic life in a democratic society. Working with both ancient and contemporary texts, students explore the beginnings of communication as a field of study and the power of acts of communication to influence others, enable inquiry, shape identity, form community, and promote collective interests.
Distribution Requirements: CL, HE.
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COMRT 150 - Acting I: Fundamentals
Credits: 4
Exercises in the actor’s basic skills, including scene analysis, sensory work, and improvisation as applied to realistic drama. Classroom performance of memorized scenes is required. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 151 - Theatre Practicum: Performance
Credits: 1
Further exploration of the topics examined in COMRT 150 . Students engage problems in scene analysis, sensory work, vocal production, and stage movement. Emphasis is placed on the student’s ability to work within a production team and to document and analyze the production process. Must be taken Credit/No Credit.
Prerequisite: COMRT 150 and permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 170 - Oral Interpretation
Credits: 4
Development of the voice as a communication tool through the study of projection, articulation, and expression of mood and character. Analysis of written material for oral presentation. Classroom performance before an audience is required.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 180 - Introduction to Theatre Production
Credits: 4
A lecture and laboratory course dealing with the problems of physical setting as an integral part of theatre communication. Standard production theory and practice in scenery, lighting and sound.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 181 - Theatre Practicum: Production
Credits: 1
Further exploration of the topics examined in COMRT 180 . Students engage problems in production communication, procedure, and systems operations. Emphasis is placed on the student’s ability to work within a production team and to document and analyze the production process. Must be taken Credit/No Credit.
Prerequisite: COMRT 180 and permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 200 - Fundamentals of Play Direction
Credits: 4
Literary analysis of the play from the director’s point of view. A lecture and laboratory course dealing with the problems of translation from script to stage in terms of composition, picturization, movement, pantomime, rhythm and tempo. Emphasis on the realistic proscenium theatre.
Prerequisite: COMRT 150 and permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 202 - Modes of Film and Video Production
Credits: 4
An introduction to the critical study of the modes of film and video production. Students examine the distinctive formal elements of each mode as well as the historical, cultural, and economic context of production and reception. The modes we explore include, but are not limited to classical Hollywood narrative, experimental, non-fiction, animation and new media.
Distribution Requirements: HE.
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COMRT 211 - Topics in Scenic Production
Credits: 2
Lecture and laboratory that explore the realization of scenic designs for the live performance. Topics may include automation, scene painting, stage properties, structural design, or theatrical rigging.
Prerequisite: COMRT 180 or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: ME.
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COMRT 212 - Topics in Lighting and Sound Production
Credits: 2
Lecture and laboratory that explore the realization of lighting and sound designs for the live performance. Topics may include electrical theory, transduction, photometrics, control technologies, production documentation, automated fixtures, signal manipulation, or live sound reinforcement.
Prerequisite: COMRT 180 or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: ME.
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COMRT 213 - Topics in Costume Production
Credits: 2
Lecture and laboratory that explore the realization of costume designs for the live performance. Topics may include garment construction, fabric manipulation, flat-pattern drafting, draping, stage makeup, or mask construction.
Prerequisite: COMRT 180 or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: ME.
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COMRT 215 - Voice and Movement for the Actor
Credits: 2
An exploration of the physical nature of actor training. Emphasis is on vocal and speech production for the stage and engagement with a range of approaches to the physical work that actors need to know and incorporate into their practice.
Prerequisite: COMRT 150 or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: ME.
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COMRT 220 - Media Criticism-Critical Approaches
Credits: 4
A writing-intensive exploration of the practices and methods of media analysis. Students learn to examine media as a product of industry, culture, history, policies and regulations, and consumption practices. Assignments, which encourage students to carefully examine the texts and contexts of contemporary media culture, draw on four major approaches to analysis: textual, historical, institutional, and audience-based.
Distribution Requirements: HE, PD.
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COMRT 225 - Text and Performance
Credits: 4
An introduction to dramatic and theatrical analysis. In this course, models of critical theories (historical, textual, political) will be used to further the student’s understanding of dramatic literature across several periods. Emphasis will be on written analysis, discussion, and dramaturgical research.
Prerequisite: COMRT 130 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 230 - Production Design I
Credits: 4
An exploration of the communicative role design plays within the performing arts. Students learn basic design building blocks and communication theory as they apply to theatre and design. Emphasis is placed on developing the student’s ability to communicate visual ideas coordinated within a performance framework.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 235 - Advanced Public Speaking
Credits: 4
A practical exploration of the skills and theories of effective public presentation. Students perform a number of formal and informal speeches and engage with readings on the nature of context, audience, persuasion, and persona. Our studies foster a commitment to civic engagement by focusing on the skills of public dialogue essential to processes of citizenship, community and social change.
Distribution Requirements: CL, ME.
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COMRT 240 - Textual Analysis
Credits: 4
A writing-intensive introduction to the practices of textual analysis and close reading grounded in a rhetorical perspective. Students study the process of criticism and survey critical approaches that help them examine the texts and contexts of contemporary public culture. They read and write essays that assess the efficacy of cultural artifacts (such as television programs, advertisements, speeches, images, public spaces, events) in relation to community problems. We emphasize exploring the political significance of communication in public culture, especially how these cultural artifacts persuade us to adopt certain attitudes, shape our identities, and affect the relations of power in our society.
Distribution Requirements: HE, PD.
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COMRT 251 - Gender in Public Communication
Credits: 4
An inquiry into the interactive relationship between gender and public communication in American society. Students study ways in which practices of public communication define, reinforce, and challenge traditional norms of femininity and masculinity. Emphasis is placed on cultural expectations for performing gender, the communication of such expectations through public culture, and historical shifts in gender roles.
Distribution Requirements: HE, PD.
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COMRT 256 - Power, Politics, and Communication
Credits: 4
An inquiry into the relationship between communication and politics. Emphasis is placed on the potential of language and strategic discourses to create, perpetuate, and alter patterns of political and cultural behavior. Students consider the influence of contemporary political discourse on our understandings of public policy, political and cultural institutions, social controversies, and everyday life.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
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COMRT 261 - Media Institutions
Credits: 4
An introduction to media institutions, surveying the history of media industries and media policy. Students explore the development of media technologies and content in relation to historical transformations in cultures of media production as well as contemporary debates about media regulation. We consider the economic structure of the media industries and focus on the practical ways in which institutions and industries shape media culture.
Distribution Requirements: CL, SB.
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COMRT 270 - Acting II: Scene Study
Credits: 4
An intermediate acting course that builds on the work done in Acting I to develop a student’s abilities to analyze and perform dramatic text. Students study and analyze key playwrights in the realistic genre. Classroom performance of memorized scenes is required. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: COMRT 150 , or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 276 - Media, Theory, and Practice
Credits: 4
A project-oriented application of critical media theory. Working within a specific topic of study (such as brand culture, global media, media and social change, children and the media), students have the opportunity to translate theory into media artifacts. Students learn to create and critically evaluate advertising and publicity campaigns, public service and social marketing initiatives, new media content, and/or media literacy projects.
Distribution Requirements: CL, HE.
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COMRT 277 - Video Activism: History, Theory, Politics and Practice
Credits: 4
An examination of the history of video activism. Through readings, screenings, discussions and the production of videos, students examine the blurring lines between art, documentary, journalism and activism. Topics include, but are not limited, to the infusion of identity politics (shifts created through feminist, queer and race theory), youth action in the 1990s, the act of recording as defense, movement from viriti to personal documentary, and issues of distribution.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: ME, PD.
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COMRT 279 - Community-Based Media: Creative Citizenry Through the Use of Video
Credits: 4
An exploration of the history, theory, and practice of community-based media practices. In conjunction with identified community organizations, students develop a strategic plan for the construction of a film or video, learn about the practices of distribution, and actively engage a target audience. The creation of the film or video is seen as a critical, though not isolated, component in the process of productively advancing community goals. Students ground their work in historical and theoretical understandings of community-based media practices.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: CL, ME.
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COMRT 280 - Stage and Production Management
Credits: 4
A survey of management practices specific to theatrical production. Students investigate organizational structures and procedures for theperforming arts, personnel coordination, production communication and documentation, standard labor agreements, contracts, and other legal issues pertaining to theatrical production.
Prerequisite: COMRT 180 or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 281 - Theatre Practicum: Management
Credits: 1
Further exploration of the topics examined in COMRT 280 . Students engage problems in management structure, personnel coordination, and production procedures and communication. Emphasis is placed on the student’s ability to work within a production team and to document and analyze the production process. Must be taken Credit/No Credit.
Prerequisite: COMRT 280 and permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 285 - Visual Production I
Credits: 4
A study of aesthetic concepts and production techniques involved in cinematic and television production. Students produce works demonstrating an understanding of the various production elements and how they can be combined for effective communication.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 300 - Visual Production II
Credits: 4
An intermediate-level production course that develops a student’s abilities to communicate in narrative, nonfiction and experimental forms of cinema. Students study key elements of scriptwriting and concept design and expand their technical skill base in lighting, sound design, cinematography and editing. Technical skills are developed in service to artistic, narrative and conceptual forms of expression.
Prerequisite: COMRT 202 and COMRT 285 and permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 303 - Acting and Directing for the Camera
Credits: 4
Instruction and practice in the basics of directing and acting for both television and film. Students work on skills in script and character development, camera placement, lighting, blocking, directing, and performance. Students produce projects to demonstrate their ability to understand and utilize the principles of film production.
Prerequisite: COMRT 150 or COMRT 285 and permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 305 - Advanced Studio Production
Credits: 4
A continuation and further examination of the studio television experience begun in Visual Production I. Students increase their understanding of the technical aspects of television production, create and interpret scripts in terms of communication objectives, and produce programs that effectively combine production elements. We also explore the history of television programming and delivery from the 1940s to the present.
Prerequisite: COMRT 285 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 315 - Theatre History I: Classical Ages of the Theatre
Credits: 4
Close study of several major periods in Western theatre history, commencing with the origins of drama and concluding with the closing of the English playhouses in 1642. The course focuses on individuals, events, and dramatic forms that have contributed to the development of the theatre as a complex institution. In a larger sense, lectures and class discussions examine how these developments are shaped by the political, social, and intellectual forces of their time.
Prerequisite: COMRT 130 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, IP.
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COMRT 325 - Theatre History II: The Revolutionary Stage
Credits: 4
A survey of significant, revolutionary periods in the development of Western theatre through the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The craft, theory, technique, and dramaturgy of major movements including French neoclassicism, the English Restoration, romanticism, melodrama, and realism form the basis of study.
Prerequisite: COMRT 130 or permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, IP.
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COMRT 330 - Production Design II
Credits: 4
A lecture and studio course designed to provide the student with a beginning portfolio of work and a functional knowledge of advanced design theory. Emphasis is placed on the student’s ability to communicate through drafting, sketches and representational models.
Prerequisite: COMRT 180 and COMRT 230 , or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 331 - Bodies and Health in Public Communication
Credits: 4
An exploration of representations of the body and human health in American public communication. Students engage with a wide range of theoretical readings that carefully analyze how questions of the body and health are defined and operate within public culture. The influence of gender, race, power, media, and context on the form and force of such representations is particularly emphasized.
Prerequisite: COMRT 220 or COMRT 240 , or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: PD, SB.
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COMRT 336 - The Visual in Public Communication
Credits: 4
An advanced examination of visual imagery in public communication, with emphasis on how visual images can serve as sites of struggle over cultural norms. Students read works from a range of disciplines, such as cultural studies, media studies, art history, and rhetoric, and investigate a range of visual media, such as photography, film, TV, the internet, digital media, and public space. Assignments encourage students to consider the relationship between the visual and the verbal, the effect of practices of looking, and the relationship between visual imagery and reality, including the role of visual imagery in constituting social identities and power relationships.
Prerequisite: COMRT 220 or COMRT 240 , or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, SB.
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COMRT 340 - Digital and Screen Cultures
Credits: 4
Advanced discussion of mediated cultures. Students will investigate a specific medium, technology, or genre in media history, gaining historical, institutional, and textual expertise in a particular mediated culture. Topics may include new media technologies, media convergence, digital media cultures, reality television, television and new media, social media, Hollywood film, international cinema, brand culture, and broadcast history.
Prerequisite: COMRT 220 or COMRT 240 , or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, SB.
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COMRT 351 - Media and Identity
Credits: 4
Advanced reading in theories of media and identity. Students explore the ways in which media texts, industries, and practices work to both construct and challenge our notions of identity. Readings may focus on issues of nationalism, globalism, race, class, gender, sexuality, ritual, or other elements of media identities.
Prerequisite: COMRT 220 or COMRT 240 , or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, PD.
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COMRT 360 - Rhetoric and Civic Engagement
Credits: 4
An inquiry into the nature and role of rhetoric and public communication in a civil society. Democracy is based on an engaged citizenry advocating their positions and constructing reasoned, persuasive arguments. Students explore themes of civic engagement and social change in order to better understand the importance of rhetoric to America’s contemporary democratic society.
Prerequisite: COMRT 120 or COMRT 145 , or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: CL, HE.
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COMRT 375 - Documentary Tradition
Credits: 4
An exploration of the development and impact of the documentary genre in film and television. Students are exposed to films that probe a social, economic, or political issue. The written analysis and discussion of the films screened emphasizes process, style, and historical perspective. Students produce their own documentary in video as their major project for the course.
Distribution Requirements: CL, HE.
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COMRT 376 - Media Consumption
Credits: 4
An examination of the role of media in everyday life, discussing specific practices of media consumption and interrogating how these practices intersect with broader questions of power and identity. Students discuss the relationship between media and consumer culture, audiences’ reactions to and uses of media technologies and content, and subcultures of media fans, while developing their knowledge of methods for investigating media audiences and media consumption. Possible topics include ethnography, interviewing methods, critical reception studies, subcultural studies, media rituals, media and consumer culture, and media and citizenship.
Prerequisite: COMRT 120 or COMRT 145 , or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: CL, HE.
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COMRT 380 - Acting III: Styles in Performance
Credits: 4
Continued study of an actor’s skills, including style in period or nonrealistic plays. Acting for the camera may also be covered. Classroom performance of memorized scenes required. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
Prerequisite: COMRT 150 .
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 425 - Advanced Play Direction
Credits: 4
A lecture and laboratory course dealing with the auditory, visual, and kinetic analysis of the script. Theories of perception and communication are also dealt with. Emphasis on the problems of directing in the non-realism, non-proscenium theatre.
Prerequisite: COMRT 200 .
Distribution Requirements: HE, ME.
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COMRT 430 - Advanced Topics in Theatre
Credits: 4
Advanced level examination of developments in theatre performance. Topics may include: performance studies, nineteenth-century American theatre, musical theatre, community-based theatre, Asian theatre.
Prerequisite: COMRT 130 and COMRT 225 .
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 460 - Media and Cultural Politics
Credits: 4
Advanced reading in contemporary debates about the cultural politics of media representations and institutions. Topics may include media and globalization, post/anti-colonialism and media culture, media and citizenship, sexuality and the media, feminist media theory, or race/ethnicity and media culture.
Prerequisite: A Communication Arts course at the 200 level, or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: CL, PD.
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COMRT 465 - Media and Cultural Theory
Credits: 4
A thorough immersion in critical media and cultural theory. Students engage both classical and contemporary theories of media and cultural meaning-making. Readings are advanced and challenging, exposing students to sophisticated primary and secondary sources and encouraging them to develop more informed, complicated, and critical relationships to contemporary media cultures.
Prerequisite: COMRT 220 , or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, PD.
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COMRT 471 - Theories of Identity and Representation
Credits: 4
An advanced study of key theories in communication and cultural studies on the questions of identity and representation in the contemporary world, with an emphasis on interpreting primary sources. Students engage with original theoretical texts that define the nature of identity and subjectivity, consider the role of representation in the creation of our reality, and analyze the power of public communication to change and shape our worlds and ourselves.
Prerequisite: COMRT 220 or COMRT 240 , or permission of the instructor.
Distribution Requirements: HE, PD.
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COMRT 500 - Internships
Credits: 2 or 4
Internships sponsored by the Communications Arts department require the joint approval of a faculty liaison person and the host agency. Information on internship positions is also available from the Allegheny Gateway.
Internships with Public and Commercial Television/Radio Stations
Liaison: Professor Keeley
Students may choose to work in one or more of the following areas of public and commercial television: production; publicity and public relations; fund raising and development in public television accounting and business management; continuity writing; and broadcast writing. Past interns have worked with WQLN, Erie; WSEE-TV, Erie; WJET-TV, Erie; WICU-TV, Erie; KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh; WPXI, Pittsburgh; WQED, Pittsburgh; WEWS, Cleveland; and NBC headquarters, New York.
Internship in Graphic Arts, Public Relations, and Advertising
Liaison: Professor Keeley
The internship is designed as a practicum in the areas of graphic arts, preparation of audio-visual materials, copy writing, photography, promotion planning, radio commercial preparation, and educational program production. Interns follow a general orientation program, which will involve contact with commercial and service organization clients. The culminating point of the internship experience will be a client-oriented project for which the intern is the primary researcher and producer.
Internship in Cable Television System
Liaison: Professor Keeley
A practicum in the areas of cable television program production, management, community relations, and special problems in the cable system operation, subject to the approval of the host agency.
Internship in Arts Administration
Liaison: Professor Cosdon
The intern works in the administration of a professional arts organization in one or more of the following areas: fund raising and development; promotion, publicity, and public relations; touring and booking; financial administration; house management; rehearsal management; community relations and education outreach programs. Past interns have been with the Pittsburgh Alloy Dance Theatre; the Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival; Meadville Council on the Arts; The Pittsburgh Foundation; and the Trumbull (Ohio) Council on the Arts.
Internship in Theatre Arts
Liaison: Professor Cosdon
The student may choose to work in a theatre organization in one or more of these areas: acting; scene, sound, lighting design; house management; box office and publicity; costume design and management; stage management; financial administration; rehearsal and production responsibilities; properties; and scenery, sound, lighting, and costume construction. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 529 - Internship: Communication Arts
Credits: 1-4
Academic study completed in support of an internship experience with a partner institution. An Allegheny faculty member assigns and evaluates the academic work done by the student. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 581 - Communication Junior Seminar
Credits: 4
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 582 - Theatre Junior Seminar
Credits: 4
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 583 - Production Junior Seminar
Credits: 4
An intensive production class which explores visual and aural elements, which contribute to the art of narrative cinema. Early films, fictional and non-fictional, are used to study the origins of modern cinema. Each student makes short projects exploring filmic principles chosen from those presented in class. As a group, students produce a lengthier project and then arrange and promote a public screening. Students create a coherent visual style, understand the logistics of production, and gain an overview of the marketplace.
Prerequisite: COMRT 285 and COMRT 300 and permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 590 - Independent Study
Available to qualified students seeking to do advanced work outside the scope of scheduled course offerings. A project proposal must be submitted and approved in the semester prior to the semester in which the student registers for the course. May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 600 - Comprehensive Seminar
Credits: 1
Preparation for the Senior Comprehensive Project. Students study research methods, conducting exploratory research, developing focused topics, and addressing issues of composition and revision. Much of the work for the seminar is conducted independently; the culminating assignment is a Comprehensive Project Proposal. Must be taken Credit/No Credit.
Corequisite: COMRT 581 , COMRT 582 , or COMRT 583 .
Distribution Requirements: none.
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COMRT 610 - Communication Senior Project
Credits: 4
Prerequisite: COMRT 581 or COMRT 583 , COMRT 600 , and permission of instructor.
Distribution Requirements: none.
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