Liberal Studies & Art History

This course acquaints students with the neighborhoods, cultures, people, customs, institutions and organizations in Paris through a thematic approach based on three main modules: the city and its history; the literary and artistic representations of the city; the city, its citizens, and its future. Students will learn about key moments in French history, from the Romans on, via the Middle Ages, the Revolution, Haussmannization, and May 1968; they will be introduced to such themes as political migrations and colonialism, and will explore the city from a variety of points of views including literary and artistic exchanges, urban history, architecture, and ecology. Active exploration of the environment is strongly encouraged and learning is accomplished through a variety of means: site visits, the examination of texts and images, and first-hand encounters with museums, galleries, and libraries, as well as other art and design-related resources in the city.

This year-long course is designed to improve critical thinking, reading, and writing skills. Students learn to understand the inherent argument and logic of a text, to think more systematically and critically, and to write more effectively by developing skills in the structure, grammar, and mechanics of writing. Students also work toward the more focused goal of situating design and art practices within larger intellectual, historical and philosophical frameworks by exploring the indissoluble connection between ideas and the products of human culture. This is achieved by introducing students to texts representing and describing various methodologies applicable to art and design, which can then be used to critique and analyze visual and material artifacts.

This year-long course is designed to improve critical thinking, reading, and writing skills. Students learn to understand the inherent argument and logic of a text, to think more systematically and critically, and to write more effectively by developing skills in the structure, grammar, and mechanics of writing. Students also work toward the more focused goal of situating design and art practices within larger intellectual, historical and philosophical frameworks by exploring the indissoluble connection between ideas and the products of human culture. This is achieved by introducing students to texts representing and describing various methodologies applicable to art and design, which can then be used to critique and analyze visual and material artifacts.

As an introduction to design in general, this seminar provides students with a contextual understanding of specific movements in design history. ‘Design’ has come to mean many different things. It has been defined as problem solving, communication of an idea, an aesthetic decision, but it is rarely discussed as a vital business concern, though design communicates to us and makes us desire things in order to sell something. The weekly sessions will incorporate topics ranging from avant-garde movements, technology and media, information theory, business and marketing practices, sociology, and psychology, set within a broad historical narrative.

This course is designed for students with an intermediate level in English, and will support their studio classes and experience as a student in an English-language environment at PCA. The content and material covered in class will focus on language related to their studies, as well as their areas of interest. Class themes will also include visual analysis of art and design, and cover questions related to the collection and display of art and images. Throughout the course, students will develop and practice their English language skills in order to prepare them for the next semester of their studies.

The class takes a dual approach to the study of English, giving a fuller vision of this global language. We will examine 1) its internal expression (aspects of its grammar and vocabulary) and 2) its exterior expression (its historical and sociological life). Human language is a system! In taking a more formalized approach to English language learning, students can use theories developed in the language sciences as tools to efficiently master concepts in grammar. We will seek to conceptualize language as a system and describe the specific system that is English.

Language is political! In parallel, we will also study the history of the English language, its socio-political role as a global form of communication and finally the implications of language variation in the Anglosphere. We will be asking questions like: why do English and French have so many words in common? and why are there different ways to pronounce -gh, like in ‘tough’ versus ‘dough’ or why do people have accents?

“French for Paris” is a course open to beginners who would like to expand their knowledge of French culture and develop their listening & speaking skills. The course will cover specific themes relating to everyday life in Paris, its history, its culture, and the arts. Emphasis will be placed on phonetics (rhythm, intonation, liaisons, silent letters & some specific French sounds) as well as everyday vocabulary and exchanges. Different subjects will be developed over the semester: cultural life in Paris, French cinema, French and Francophone cuisine, as well as music. Students will be able to engage in short conversations and will practice describing themselves and their environment along with their studies and artistic practice. Visits in French will be organized. Conscientious completion of homework and class participation is emphasized; a website has been specially designed to accompany students throughout the semester (readings, targeted grammatical exercises, podcasts, phonetics, etc.) The class will be conducted in French.

“French Language and Culture” is a course open to anyone who has some knowledge of French and would like to improve their listening & speaking skills. The course will cover specific themes such as Paris and its architecture, French cinema, French artists and artistic movements, as well as professional life in Paris. Students will develop key vocabulary in order to be able to communicate orally in French in everyday life situations, as well as in professional settings. Using a variety of materials, students will learn how to tell a story, make a description of their work and practice, talk about a personal experience or project, and give their opinion. Several museum guided tours in French will be organized during the semester. Conscientiouscompletion of homework and class participation is emphasized. Class will be conducted in French.

Pre-requisite: French for Paris or Placement

Ce cours a pour objectif de fournir aux étudiants les connaissances nécessaires pour comprendre la culture française mais également d’approfondir leurs connaissances linguistiques. Le cours portera sur différents aspects de la culture française : faits historiques et politiques marquants, courants intellectuels, économie, mouvements artistiques et vie quotidienne. Les étudiants auront l’opportunité grâce à des visites de se familiariser avec l’architecture et les monuments de la ville, mais ils pourront également découvrir les institutions culturelles et artistiques ainsi que la vie professionnelle à Paris. Les discussions seront nourries par la lecture d’articles de journaux, par des analyses littéraires, des documents audio-visuels ainsi que grâce à des rencontres avec des professionnels et historiens de l’art. Une partie du cours sera consacrée à des révisions de grammaire et des exercices de composition. Le cours est dispensé en français.

Pre-requisite: Placement

Paris Inside/Out is a one-credit course consisting of visits to art & design exhibits, as well as meetings with artists, artisans and designers in Paris. The course will use a wide approach by including a variety of artistic fields, thus allowing students to draw inspiration from any discipline. The course will be held every week in a different location in Paris. Students are free to participate in as many visits as they wish, however a minimum of 5 visits are required to pass the course. For each visit, students will create a personal work within a given set of constraints. At the end of the semester, students will be asked to present to the class a personal work inspired by one of the visits during the semester.

A partir d’une sélection de longs métrages, allant du Voyage dans la lune de Méliès, à la fin du 19^e siècle, à Ni le ciel, ni la Terre (Clément Cogitore) en 2015, nous  tenterons de découvrir et de définir ce qui constitue le cinéma français. Nous étudierons son histoire, ses différents univers et genres (muet, parlant, Nouvelle Vague, film social, aventure et comédie populaire), son économie et ses « acteurs » (réalisateurs, chefs opérateurs, décorateurs, musiciens, comédiens, critiques, …). Pour une approche plus concrète et créative, nous nous rendrons à la Cinémathèque Française, au cinéma indépendant Le Louxor et nous rencontrerons des professionnels du cinéma français. Chaque semaine les étudiants seront en charge d’une présentation sur un sujet donné.

Dans la continuité du séminaire d’automne de langue française et littérature 1, ce cours se propose d’initier les étudiants à la lecture d’une grande variété de textes littéraires populaires et à la découverte de la culture du livre à Paris. Chaque semaine sera consacrée à la découverte d’un thème (les contes de fée, la bande-dessinée, les nouvelles fantastiques etc…) et à un texte que les étudiants liront du début à la fin. Le cours de conversation hebdomadaire prendra ainsi la forme d’un club de lecture dans lequel les étudiants pourront échanger librement au sujet de leurs livres et discuter de manière précise de thèmes littéraires. La séance de deux heures nous permettra d’approfondir les connaissances littéraires et livresques, d’améliorer le niveau de lecture et donc d’écriture (révisions de points de grammaire et mise en place d’un lexique). Nous étudierons également le livre en tant qu’objet d’art, son histoire et ses illustrations. Le cours permettra également aux étudiants de découvrir l’actualité littéraire parisienne à travers la visite de bibliothèques, de maisons d’éditions et de librairies spécialisée et des sorties à la Maison de la Poésie et au Salon du Livre de Paris.

This course introduces students to the study of plants biology insisting on their crucial ecological role. Topics will include: the anatomy, physiology and taxonomy of plants; ecology; the study of applied sciences as horticulture (gardening), forestry, agronomy and food science. Students will be encouraged to establish connections between the study of plants and their artistic interests. Field trips to some of the best Parisian botanical gardens, to the botanical gallery at the Jardin des Plantes, as well as to the Ecole Du Breuil will be essential parts of this class.

This course explores the history of dance from the nineteenth century to the contemporary moment. We will trace the work and influence of major American and Western European choreographers/dancers and examine key trends and genres in dance history. We shall broaden this perspective by looking at dance in other cultures and contemplating the significance of dance and dance cultures more broadly. Some of the questions we will tackle include: What is unique about these choreographers’ approaches to movement and the other arts involved in dance making? How do they create their works? What is a “dance culture”? What cultural assumptions determine who “can” and “cannot” dance? Where does dance happen and how does location influence the dance experience? Do visual art and dance connect in any ways? What do artists see in dancers’ movement? How do they depict motion? How can one describe and write about the experience of watching dance? What is “kinesthetic empathy” and could it be used to write about and respond to dance? The course format includes a mixture of lecture, discussion, and viewings of live and recorded performance.

Modern phenomena of mass migration and globalization are contributing to a rapidly changing landscape of language diversity and acceleration of language loss. One of the consequences is an unprecedented redistribution of languages around the world, particularly in major international cities. This course explores the modern-day multilingual city using Paris as a case study. Students will be introduced to concepts from the fields of linguistics, anthropology, and language planning, in general, and more specifically linguistic typology and the role of the science in language maintenance and revitalization; the anthropology of migration and transnational communities; and the history of language planning in the era of nation-states. Paris will be both conceptually and physically explored as a modern example of a multilingual urban center from a critical perspective. Concepts of language loss, transmission, and revitalization will be approached through artistic practice in order to affirm the innately human aspect of language.