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We think differently about writing than most. We generate and edit, analyze and share; and our thoughts and feelings take shape on the page in the form of written words. Paragraphs get hewed and sculpted. Ideas get carried into concrete expressions. And…blam. There we are, ready for Posterity. Let history say what it will about our toil this Freshman term. We are writers and we take our orders from a higher power: our desire to be heard and our belief in the power of communication. This class is also part of a First Year Learning Community paired with Communications Design: Typography. Its overall name is “The Shape of Language.” COM-D 1127 is a foundation course in typography with emphasis on using type for a range of industry related application–from print to interactive. Students are introduced to principles of type design and terminology including: variations of type structure, anatomy, font usage, grid, leading, kerning, tracking and alignment. Students learn industry standard software such as InDesign on the Macintosh operating system. Faculty: Sarah Schmerler (ENG1101) & M. Genevieve Hitchings (COMD1127)

We think differently about writing than most. We generate and edit, analyze and share; and our thoughts and feelings take shape on the page in the form of written words. Paragraphs get hewed and sculpted. Ideas get carried into concrete expressions. And…blam. There we are, ready for Posterity. Let history say what it will about our toil this Freshman term. We are writers and we take our orders from a higher power: our desire to be heard and our belief in the power of communication. This class is also part of a First Year Learning Community paired with Communications Design: Typography. Its overall name is “The Shape of Language.” COM-D 1127 is a foundation course in typography with emphasis on using type for a range of industry related application–from print to interactive. Students are introduced to principles of type design and terminology including: variations of type structure, anatomy, font usage, grid, leading, kerning, tracking and alignment. Students learn industry standard software such as InDesign on the Macintosh operating system. Faculty: Sarah Schmerler (ENG1101) & M. Genevieve Hitchings (COMD1127)

“Great photography is always on the edge of failure.” — Garry Winogrand An introduction to photography as a fine art and communications medium, from the publication of its invention in 1839 to the present, among Western practitioners. Illustrated lectures and discussions appraise diverse overlapping functions of photographs and view camera work within the history of art and culture. Changing styles, purposes and techniques are outlined chronologically. Additional Description for this section: We will examine the use of photography for aesthetic, documentary, and “scientific” purposes, stylistic shifts in photography related to aesthetic concerns, and varying interpretations of subject matter based on social and cultural concerns at specific moments in history. We will also consider the relationship between photography and the visual arts in general, which culminates with the primacy of photography as a medium by the late twentieth century.

“Great photography is always on the edge of failure.” — Garry Winogrand An introduction to photography as a fine art and communications medium, from the publication of its invention in 1839 to the present, among Western practitioners. Illustrated lectures and discussions appraise diverse overlapping functions of photographs and view camera work within the history of art and culture. Changing styles, purposes and techniques are outlined chronologically. Additional Description for this section: We will examine the use of photography for aesthetic, documentary, and “scientific” purposes, stylistic shifts in photography related to aesthetic concerns, and varying interpretations of subject matter based on social and cultural concerns at specific moments in history. We will also consider the relationship between photography and the visual arts in general, which culminates with the primacy of photography as a medium by the late twentieth century.

This basic design and color theory course explores graphic communication through the understanding of the elements and principles of design, as well as the design process, including idea development through final execution. This is a course in visual literacy and the design process: How we see, how we analyze the effects of our vision, and how we craft a design that will have energy and content. All projects will include thumbnail sketches, discussion and research. A weekly scrapbook will be kept. Media used are paint, paper, ink, pencil, ruler, knife, glue, and digital software for expressing graphic ideas. Numerous critiques will take place throughout the course and students’ active engagement in group discussion will play a vital role in establishing an atmosphere of collaboration and shared learning.

This basic design and color theory course explores graphic communication through the understanding of the elements and principles of design, as well as the design process, including idea development through final execution. This is a course in visual literacy and the design process: How we see, how we analyze the effects of our vision, and how we craft a design that will have energy and content. All projects will include thumbnail sketches, discussion and research. A weekly scrapbook will be kept. Media used are paint, paper, ink, pencil, ruler, knife, glue, and digital software for expressing graphic ideas. Numerous critiques will take place throughout the course and students’ active engagement in group discussion will play a vital role in establishing an atmosphere of collaboration and shared learning.

Language, Culture and Society course examines the relationship between language use and social and cultural structures. It engages issues of language policy, language variation, dialects, and language change, among many other topics.

Language, Culture and Society course examines the relationship between language use and social and cultural structures. It engages issues of language policy, language variation, dialects, and language change, among many other topics.

“The Shape of Language” This is a foundation course in typography with emphasis on using type for a range of industry related applications from print to interactive. Students will be introduced to principles of type design and terminology including: variations of type structure, anatomy, font usage, grid, leading, kerning, tracking and alignment. Students will learn industry standard software such as InDesign on the Macintosh operating system. This class is also part of a learning community focused an engaging and lively exploration that unites the structure of words and the meanings behind them. Students investigate the historic evolution of the written word and the nuanced details that have come to form the basis for excellence in typographic design. This course collaboration inspires students to find the right words to express their thoughts and communicate them with clarity and beauty. Faculty: Sarah Schmerler (ENG1101) & M. Genevieve Hitchings (COMD1127)

“The Shape of Language” This is a foundation course in typography with emphasis on using type for a range of industry related applications from print to interactive. Students will be introduced to principles of type design and terminology including: variations of type structure, anatomy, font usage, grid, leading, kerning, tracking and alignment. Students will learn industry standard software such as InDesign on the Macintosh operating system. This class is also part of a learning community focused an engaging and lively exploration that unites the structure of words and the meanings behind them. Students investigate the historic evolution of the written word and the nuanced details that have come to form the basis for excellence in typographic design. This course collaboration inspires students to find the right words to express their thoughts and communicate them with clarity and beauty. Faculty: Sarah Schmerler (ENG1101) & M. Genevieve Hitchings (COMD1127)