Course Outline for Humanities 60
Creativity and the Community

Effective: Fall 2013
SLO Rev: 05/19/2016

Catalog Description:

HUMN 60 - Creativity and the Community

3.00 Units

The Arts as an expression of the community; the relationship between creativity and community; the artist as the conscience of society and the role of the audience in completing an artwork. Themes include the artist as prophet, art as transformative experience, the arts and social justice, and the shock of the new.
Course Grading: Letter Grade Only
Type Units Inside of Class Hours Outside of Class Hours Total Student Learning Hours
Lecture 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00
Total 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00

Measurable Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. describe how the artist functions as conscience of society, stating specific examples;
  2. interpret prophetic themes in art;
  3. state how the audience completes an artwork;
  4. distinguish differences between art as personal expression and art as transformative of society;
  5. write and discuss art as communal expression and transformative experience.

Course Content:

  1. How the artist functions as conscience of society
  2. Prophetic themes in art
  3. How the audience completes an artwork
  4. Differences between art as personal expression and art as transformative of society
  5. Art as communal expression and transformative experience

Methods of Instruction:

  1. Audiovisual materials
  2. Creative experience 
  3. Lecture/Discussion
  4. Distance Education

Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:

1. Typical Assignments
  1. Write an essay, contrasting art as personal expression and art as social commentary
  2. Research a speech or paper on a specific artist and identify the prophetic themes in her/his work
  3. Create a prophetic song, poem, short story or painting with an accompanying short paper explaining the social power of the piece.
2. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
  1. Exams/Tests
  2. Quizzes
  3. Papers
  4. Projects
  5. Research Projects
  6. Oral Presentation
  7. Final Examination
3. Student Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Describe how artist functions as prophet and identify prophetic themes.
  2. Through written or oral presentations, discuss art as communal expression and transformative experience.
  3. Distinguish differences between art as personal expression and art as transformative of society

Textbooks (Typical):

  1. Hughes, Robert (1991). The Shock of the New Knopf.
  2. May, Rollo (1975). The Courage to Create Bantam Books.
  3. Zinn, Howard (2003). Artists in Times of War Seven Stories Press.