Course Finder

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: Eligibility for English 1.

Formerly CINEMA 7.

This course surveys American motion pictures that have been made by filmmakers representing three United States ethnic groups, including African Americans, Latino Americans, and Asian Americans. Students will also analyze Hollywood’s treatment of those ethnic cultures throughout film history.

IGETC AREA 3A (Arts)

• Advisory: Eligibility for English 1.

Formerly CINEMA 2.

This introductory course surveys the development and artistic, social, and entertainment ingredients of basic film genres. Emphasis on such types as the science-fiction film, western, gangster film, crime and detective thriller (“film noir”), musical, comedy, or horror film.

Please see “Independent Studies” section.

Please see “Independent Studies” section.

• Advisory: FILM 2, Eligibility for English 1.

Formerly CINEMA 4.

This course covers a limited number of film directors, writers, producers, and/or actors, examining their work in artistic, social, and historical terms. The course content and emphasis changes each term.

Please see “Internships” section.

Please see “Internships” section.

IGETC Foreign Language (required for UC only)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

This course introduces the students to basic vocabulary and fundamental sentence structures in the present and past. Pronunciation, grammar and everyday vocabulary are stressed as indispensable tools for comprehension and expression. French customs, culture and everyday life are also highlighted. The course is taught in French except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

IGETC AREA 3B (Humanities), Foreign Language (required for UC only)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: FRENCH 1*.

This course completes the basics of the language further stressing pronunciation, grammar and everyday vocabulary as indispensable tools for comprehension. It also includes simplified readings highlighting French customs, culture, and everyday life. This course is taught in French except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

*The advisory for this course is comparable to two years of high school French.

IGETC AREA 3B (Humanities)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: FRENCH 3.

The course examines the different cultures of the French-speaking world through the analysis of films. Students will not only learn some vocabulary pertinent to the analysis of films but they will also practice advanced conversation and study advanced grammar through written and spoken tasks. The films chosen for the course focus on the important issues that characterize the French-speaking world such as colonialism, diversity, immigration, and women’s issues, among others. This course will be taught in French except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

IGETC AREA 3B (Humanities), Foreign Language (required for UC only)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: FRENCH 2*.

This course reviews French grammar emphasizing idiomatic construction and expressions. Discussions are based on selected readings from contemporary French literature. The course is taught in French except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

*The advisory for this course is comparable to three years of high school French.

This course is designed to develop effective communication skills. It emphasizes the use of set-up phrases, idiomatic expressions, correct pronunciation and intonation, development of useful vocabulary, and ability to communicate without hesitation in a given situation. This course does not fulfill the language requirement. This course is taught in French unless in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

IGETC AREA 3B (Humanities), Foreign Language (required for UC only)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: FRENCH 3*.

This course continues the review of functional French grammar with emphasis upon idiomatic constructions and expressions. Discussions are based on selected readings from contemporary French literature. This course is taught in French except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

*The advisory for this course is comparable to four years of high school French.

• Prerequisite: FRENCH 2*.

*The prerequisite for this course is comparable to three years of high school French.

This course provides an opportunity to acquire fluency in spoken French with emphasis on natural, colloquial use. This course is taught in French unless in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

Please see “Independent Studies” section.

Please see “Independent Studies” section.

IGETC AREA 3B (Humanities)

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: FRENCH 3.

This course traces the development of French culture from the French Revolution to the present. It examines the fundamentals of French culture including history, geography, politics, immigration, regional identity, education, literature and the arts, and religion. It also addresses the place of France within the European Union, and some challenges faced by Francophone countries. The course will be taught in French except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

• Corequisite: Any course in French.

This course — taken in tandem with another course in the discipline — enables a student to apply course content in a meaningful and relevant way to a particular activity. In this hands-on course, students engage in applied learning through unpaid experiential activities organized by the student (in conjunction with SMC’s applied/service learning center) and approved by the instructor. Students will develop a customized reading list relevant to their particular activity, complete a minimum of 15 hours of volunteer work with that activity, and submit academically-sound written reports regarding the activity. By applying course material to their experience, students develop a deeper understanding of the discipline.

Formerly ET 42.

This course is an introductory overview of the electronic game development process that underlines the historical context, content creation strategies, and future trends in the industry. The course will also explain how games are produced, tested, and released. This course will also cover the history of game platforms up to the most recent systems, and the expanded growth in Mobile, Casual, and Serious game development.

• Advisory: GAME 1, GAME 2.

This is a faculty-supervised studio course that will enable students to produce game prototypes for portfolio inclusion. Working in teams, students will develop original game design documents, turning them into physical prototypes for common tabletop game formats such as board games, card games, or dice games. Instruction will focus on iterative design, playtesting, and successful communication. Each team will develop multiple prototypes, and team members will assume different roles for each design.