HCU School of Fine Arts

Summer & Fall 2022 Courses: New Developments

We are very excited about new developments in our program, beginning this fall. We are expanding our digital media offerings to include more courses in animation, video game development, and graphic design. We are also reimagining much of our core curriculum to better serve the wide range of disciplines in our department. Finally, we are providing a more robust and comprehensive slate of professional courses, helping each student to build portfolios and prepare for internships.

These changes will be phased in throughout the next academic year and will not have an immediate effect on your degree plans. We will be sharing more about the new options and new courses throughout 2022.

Beginning in 2022, we are excited to unify our diverse array of programs under the new banner of NARRATIVE ARTS, emphasizing the shared core of storytelling across all of our disciplines. We look forward to providing more distinct courses in each of our primary narrative mediums—creative writing, cinema, and digital media—while also creating a greater shared community for all of the students within our department.

As a part of this effort, we will be adding a weekly gathering called “Narrative Arts Forum” which will allow our whole department to meet together every Wednesday at noon. This forum will allow us to host special guests, feature student work, share faculty wisdom, and provide regular department updates. While an additional weekly commitment may take a bit of time to adjust to, we trust that this will be a valuable and important gathering for every member of our community and we look forward to sharing in this time with each of you.

Browse through each of the sections below to see the Narrative Arts courses being offered this summer and fall:

  • CNMA 3320 Special Topics: Film Production
    Join Prof. GrothOlson and Prof. Sikora during the two-week May Fastterm, in this special class focused on the production of Jesse’s next short film, BEING HUMAN. The film is being planned and prepped by this semester’s Producing class and from May 16–May 27, the team will be building a large set, rehearsing, and then shooting the film. Students who enroll in the class will be assigned key crew positions to support the production.
    CNMA 3320-M1 – CRN 9162 (register as part of the Spring 2021-22 semester)
    Class will meet from approximately 9 am – 5 pm from May 16–May 27 (with some longer days during the actual production).

    Reach out to Jesse or Josh with any questions about the class or film.

  • Internship (CNMA 3145, 3245, 3345 / WRIT 4101, 4201, 4301)
    All students are required to complete an internship in a professional environment before graduating. Internships provide invaluable first-hand experience and prove essential to students gaining employment following graduation. Some students are hired directly by their internships, others gain valuable experience that becomes leveraged when interviewing for employment, while others are able to use the internship to network and gain important contacts that lead to future work.
    To successfully acquire and benefit from an internship requires significant work from each student and the application of all of the professional skills developed in courses like Media & Careers Survey. Some internships are paid, while many are unpaid. Weigh this as one factor to consider, but keep in mind that some of the best experiences may come through an unpaid internship.
    Students are responsible for finding and securing their own internships. Begin researching options as soon as possible. Generate a list of many potential employers, knowing that you may not be able to get selected at your top picks. Being hired for an internship can be as challenging and require as many applications as getting a job, so be prepared to expend significant effort securing your internship.
    Summer 2022 — Contact Prof. Dan Trezise (for CNMA) or Dr. Matthew Boyleston (for WRIT) for additional internship details

    Important: For Summer Internships, students are allowed to enroll in as little as one credit hour of internship in the summer term, while working additional hours during that same period. The additional hours can be “banked” and applied to additional internship credit hours taken in the fall. This saves you money by only requiring you to pay for one credit hour of courses in the summer, even though you may be completing many more hours of internship work during the summer.
    CNMA 3145-01 – CRN 1006 — 1 credit hour
    CNMA 3245-01 – CRN 1007 — 2 credit hours
    CNMA 3345-01 – CRN 1008 — 3 credit hours
    WRIT 4101-01 – CRN 7342 — 1 credit hour
    WRIT 4201-01 – CRN 7343 — 2 credit hours
    WRIT 4301-01 – CRN 7344 — 3 credit hours
    45 hours of work are required for every credit hour

  • The following classes are required (or will be required next year) for all students within the Department of Cinema, Media Arts, and Writing:

    Course
    Schedule
    NEW COURSE: NARR 1000 Narrative Arts Forum (0 credit hrs)
    Beginning in Fall 2022, all majors within the Department of Cinema, Media Arts, and Writing must attend Narrative Arts Forum every Wednesday at noon.
    NARR 1000-01 – CRN 8170 — 12:00p–12:50p Wednesdays
    CNMA 1370 Narrative Media: Fiction, Film, and Games
    This course is applied to the “Arts Appreciation” requirement for all students in the Liberal Arts core and serves as a new prerequisite for CNMA 1305 Art of Storytelling. This course introduces students to narrative theory and aesthetics, communication principles, and media literacy through a comprehensive survey of creative writing, cinematic arts, and digital media.
    CNMA 1370-01 – CRN 8171 — 4:00p–4:50p Mon/Wed/Fri (Prof. Josh Sikora)
    CNMA 1150 Faith, Culture, & the Arts (1 credit hour, must take three times)
    This class explores the role of Christian artists in culture. Students will study how great Christian thinkers have thought about culture and art throughout church history and be challenged to understand their vocation as artists and media creators from a biblical perspective. Students will also develop an understanding of how to live out their faith through their work as they seek to affect the culture around them.
    CNMA 1150-03 – CRN 7231 — 1:00p–1:50p Tuesdays (Prof. Kionna LeMalle)
    CNMA 1150-04 – CRN 7232 — 2:00p–2:50p Wednesdays (Prof. Sarah Martin)
    CNMA 1150-05 – CRN 7233 — 3:00p–3:50p Wednesdays (Dr. Matthew Boyleston)
    CNMA 1150-06 – CRN 8201 — 2:00p–2:50p Fridays (Prof. Jesse GrothOlson)
    CNMA 1150-07 – CRN 8202 — 3:00p–3:50p Fridays (Dr. Matthew Boyleston)
    CNMA 1305 Art of Storytelling
    Building on the theory of narrative arts, this class will explore the role storytelling plays in different mediums and helps train students in the development and presentation of their own stories.
    CNMA 1305-01 – CRN 7225 — 1:00p–1:50p MWF (Prof. Jesse GrothOlson)
    CNMA 1305-02 – CRN 7226 — 2:00p–2:50p MWF (Prof. Jesse GrothOlson)
    CNMA 1310 Media & Careers Survey
    A broad overview of the history and scope of the modern media industry and the particular opportunities and challenges within this dynamic, multi-platform landscape.
    CNMA 1310-01 – CRN 7228 — 5:00p–6:15p Tue/Thu (Prof. Hannah Scofield)
    NEW COURSE: CNMA 3320 Portfolio, Pitching, & Networking
    Beginning in Fall 2022, this new course will be a prerequisite for all students seeking an internship. Students develop professional portfolios reflecting their best creative work, while also practicing pitching, job interviewing, and networking in preparation for internships and future jobs.
    CNMA 3320-01 – CRN 7257 — 3:30p–4:45p Tue/Thu (Prof. Sarah Martin)

  • The following classes are required (or will be required next year) for all Creative Writing majors:

    Course
    Schedule
    WRIT 3355/4365/4392 Creative Writing: Fiction Workshop
    An introduction to fiction writing, accomplished through the study and analysis of reputable literary models, followed by production of original short stories and discussion of those stories in a workshop format.
    WRIT 3355 Fiction Workshop – CRN 7339 — 2:00p–3:15p Tue/Thu (Prof. Coleman)
    WRIT 4365 Advanced Fiction – CRN 7340 — 2:00p–3:15p Tue/Thu (Prof. Coleman)
    WRIT 4392 Sr. Seminar in Fiction – CRN 7341 — 2:00p–3:15p Tue/Thu (Prof. Coleman)
    WRIT 3383 Advanced Grammar & Writing
    The course includes an overview of the history of the English language. It emphasizes descriptive grammar using sentence diagramming and analysis. The course includes the in-depth study of construction, forms, and usage of words, phrases, clauses, and sentences.
    WRIT 3383-01 – CRN 8180 — 2:00p–2:50p Mon/Wed/Fri (Dr. Matthew Boyleston)
    Writing Internship (WRIT 4101, 4201, 4301)
    All students are required to complete an internship in a professional environment before graduating. Internships provide invaluable first-hand experience and prove essential to students gaining employment following graduation. Some students are hired directly by their internships, others gain valuable experience that becomes leveraged when interviewing for employment, while others are able to use the internship to network and gain important contacts that lead to future work.
    To successfully acquire and benefit from an internship requires significant work from each student and the application of all of the professional skills developed in courses like Media & Careers Survey. Some internships are paid, while many are unpaid. Weigh this as one factor to consider, but keep in mind that some of the best experiences may come through an unpaid internship.
    Students are responsible for finding and securing their own internships. Begin researching options as soon as possible. Generate a list of many potential employers, knowing that you may not be able to get selected at your top picks. Being hired for an internship can be as challenging and require as many applications as getting a job, so be prepared to expend significant effort securing your internship.
    Fall 2022 — Contact Dr. Matthew Boyleston for additional internship details
    WRIT 4101-01 – CRN 7342 — 1 credit hour
    WRIT 4201-01 – CRN 7343 — 2 credit hours
    WRIT 4301-01 – CRN 7344 — 3 credit hours
    45 hours of work are required for every credit hour

  • The following classes are required (or will be required next year) for all Cinematic Arts majors:

    Course
    Schedule
    CNMA 1301 Cinematic Core Principles
    An introduction to the distinct aesthetic elements of the cinematic medium, with an emphasis on historical foundations and practical opportunities for application in cinematic production.
    CNMA 1301-01 – CRN 7221 — 11:00a–1:50p Thursdays (Prof. Bearden Coleman)
    CNMA 1301-02 – CRN 7222 — 11:00a–1:50p Thursdays (Prof. Chris Hartwell)
    CNMA 3370 History of Cinema
    A comprehensive survey of the history of cinema. Beginning with the early, silent film pioneers and exploring a wide-range of international and American filmmakers, this course walks students through the complex and multi-faceted evolution of the film mediium and its universal visual grammar.
    CNMA 3370-01 – CRN 8177 — 5:00p–8:30p Mondays (Prof. Chris Hartwell)
    CNMA 3275 Media Studies: Documentaries (2 credit hours)
    Students will immerse themselves in seminal and contemporary examples of exemplary documentary filmmaking in order to best explore the facts, fictions, feelings, fantasies, and foundations that allow documentaries to achieve their desired outcomes in audiences.
    CNMA 3275-02 – CRN 7286 — 9:00a–10:50a Mondays (Prof. Jesse GrothOlson)
    CNMA 3275 Media Studies: Film Critics: Past and Present (2 credit hours)
    In this course, students will read old and new film criticism; subscribe to New Yorker and other film reviews; watch and follow the reviews of new film releases with regular visits to the theater, watch new films on streamings platforms, and discuss how reviews influence popular cinema politics and culture.
    CNMA 3275-03 – CRN 7287 — 6:30p–8:20p Thursdays (Prof. Hannah Scofield)
    CNMA 3315 Cinema Pre-Production / Advanced Pre-Production (2 credit hours)
    Students will collaborate on the development and pre-production of a short film, learning key principles in screenwriting, directing, and producing.
    CNMA 3315-01 Cinema Pre-Production – CRN 7234 — 11:00a–12:50p Tue/Thu (Prof. Chris Hartwell)
    CNMA 4315-01 Adv. Pre-Production – CRN 7290 — 11:00a–12:50p Tue/Thu (Prof. Chris Hartwell)
    CNMA 3315 Cinema Post-Production / Advanced Post-Production
    Students will collaborate on the post-production of a short film, learning key principles in editing, sound design, and visual effects.
    CNMA 3315-02 Cinema Post-Production – CRN 7249 — 9:00a–10:50a Wed/Fri (Prof. Trezise & Prof. GrothOlson)
    CNMA 4315-02 Adv. Post-Production – CRN 7293 — 9:00a–10:50a Wed/Fri (Prof. Trezise & Prof. GrothOlson)
    CNMA 3315 Acting Workshop / Advanced Acting Workshop
    Students are taught the elements of acting and directing actors. Key theories and approaches are explored, including method acting and improvisation.
    CNMA 3315-03 Acting Workshop – CRN 7254 — 9:30a–10:45a Tue/Thu (Prof. Jesse GrothOlson)
    CNMA 4315-03 Adv. Acting Workshop – CRN 7296 — 9:30a–10:45a Tue/Thu (Prof. Jesse GrothOlson)
    CNMA 4199 Senior Portfolio (1 credit hour)
    Students complete a professional resume and portfolio featuring their best coursework and personal projects (in preparation for interviews, etc). Required for Mass Media / Interactive Media students.
    CNMA 4115-12 – CRN 7333
    CNMA 439X Senior Project
    The capstone experience for each student is a year-long final project. Developed and completed with oversight from a faculty member, these classes offer students the time and space to create a professional-quality project that can be used to kickstart their artistic career after graduation. Must have taken 33 hours of CNMA coursework. Only for Cinematic Arts students.
    CNMA 4390-01 Senior Project I – CRN 7331 — 1:00p–1:50p Mon/Wed/Fri (Prof. Jesse GrothOlson)
    CNMA 4395-01 Senior Project II – CRN 7332 — 1:00p–1:50p Mon/Wed/Fri (Prof. Jesse GrothOlson)
    Advanced Practicums
    Practicums require the approval of the department chair and will only be available on a very limited basis. Most students should plan to take part in Advanced Pre-Production, Advanced Production, or Advanced Acting Workshop. Students should not register for an Advanced Practicum on their own.
    Submit a request to Professor Sikora—jsikora@HC.edu—including a brief description of what you want to work on during the practicum and designate whether you wish to register for one, two, or three credit hours.
    One credit hour requires 45 hrs of work; Two credit hours requires 90 hrs of work; Three credit hours requires 135 hrs of work.
    Internship (CNMA 3145, 3245, 3345)
    All students are required to complete an internship in a professional environment before graduating. Internships provide invaluable first-hand experience and prove essential to students gaining employment following graduation. Some students are hired directly by their internships, others gain valuable experience that becomes leveraged when interviewing for employment, while others are able to use the internship to network and gain important contacts that lead to future work.
    To successfully acquire and benefit from an internship requires significant work from each student and the application of all of the professional skills developed in courses like Media & Careers Survey. Some internships are paid, while many are unpaid. Weigh this as one factor to consider, but keep in mind that some of the best experiences may come through an unpaid internship.
    Students are responsible for finding and securing their own internships. Begin researching options as soon as possible. Generate a list of many potential employers, knowing that you may not be able to get selected at your top picks. Being hired for an internship can be as challenging and require as many applications as getting a job, so be prepared to expend significant effort securing your internship.
    Fall 2022 — Contact Prof. Dan Trezise for additional internship details
    CNMA 3145-01 – CRN 7265 — 1 credit hour
    CNMA 3245-01 – CRN 7267 — 2 credit hours
    CNMA 3345-01 – CRN 7269 — 3 credit hours
    45 hours of work are required for every credit hour

  • The following classes are required (or will be required next year) for all Interactive Media and Graphic Design majors:

    The following classes are required (or will be required next year) for all Interactive Media and Graphic Design majors:

    Course
    Schedule
    NEW COURSE: CNMA 3320 Art Foundations for Digital Artists
    Introduces foundational artistic skills in drawing and design, preparing students for narrative artistic work in character / environmental art and graphic design.
    CNMA 3320-02 – CRN 8175 — 1:00p–1:50p Mon/Wed/Fri (Prof. Sarah Martin)
    CNMA 3330 Digital Design & Portfolio
    Introduces key design principles and applications in vector graphics, photo editing, and digital painting for graphic design, video games, animation, and visual effects.
    CNMA 3330-01 – CRN 7259 — 11:00a–12:15p Tue/Thu
    NEW COURSE: CNMA 3320 3D Digital Art & Design
    Introduces key design principles and applications in computer-generated 3D imagery for video games, animation, visual effects, and graphic design.
    CNMA 3320-03 – CRN 8176 — 9:30a–10:45a Tue/Thu (Prof. Dan Trezise)
    NEW COURSE: CNMA 3120 Art & Design Topics: Digital Painting (1 credit hour)
    [Develops art and design principles that will be applicable throughout the Digital Media curriculum, supporting work in video games, animation, visual effects, and graphic design.]
    CNMA 3120-01 – CRN 8172 — 3:00p–3:50p Fridays (Prof. Sarah Martin)
    NEW COURSE: CNMA 3315 Animation Production I / Advanced Animation I
    Students collaborate on the development and pre-production of an animated project, learning key principles in story, style, and asset development.
    CNMA 3315-04 Animation Production I – CRN 8173 — 2:00p–3:50p Mon/Wed (Prof. Josh Sikora)
    CNMA 4315-04 Advanced Animation I – CRN 7299 — 2:00p–3:50p Mon/Wed (Prof. Josh Sikora)
    NEW COURSE: CNMA 3315 Principles of Game Theory / Advanced Game Development I
    Through practical application in the development of a video game, students explore key principles in game theory and storytelling in interactive mediums.
    CNMA 3315-05 Principles of Game Theory – CRN 8174 — 11:00a–12:50p Mon/Fri (Prof. Sarah Martin)
    CNMA 4315-05 Advanced Game Development I – CRN 7305 — 11:00a–12:50p Mon/Fri (Prof. Sarah Martin)
    CNMA 4330 Advanced Digital Design
    Develops and applies key design principles for graphic design, web design, and app development in larger project-based assignments.
    CNMA 4330-01 – CRN 8178 — 12:30p–1:45p Tue/Thu
    CNMA 4199 Senior Portfolio (1 credit hour)
    Students complete a professional resume and portfolio featuring their best coursework and personal projects (in preparation for interviews, etc). Required for Mass Media / Interactive Media students.
    CNMA 4115-12 – CRN 7333
    Advanced Practicums
    Practicums require the approval of the department chair and will only be available on a very limited basis. Most students should plan to take part in Advanced Animation I, Advanced Game Development I, or Advanced Digital Design. Students should not register for an Advanced Practicum on their own.
    Submit a request to Professor Sikora—jsikora@HC.edu—including a brief description of what you want to work on during the practicum and designate whether you wish to register for one, two, or three credit hours.
    One credit hour requires 45 hrs of work; Two credit hours requires 90 hrs of work; Three credit hours requires 135 hrs of work.
    Internship (CNMA 3145, 3245, 3345)
    All students are required to complete an internship in a professional environment before graduating. Internships provide invaluable first-hand experience and prove essential to students gaining employment following graduation. Some students are hired directly by their internships, others gain valuable experience that becomes leveraged when interviewing for employment, while others are able to use the internship to network and gain important contacts that lead to future work.
    To successfully acquire and benefit from an internship requires significant work from each student and the application of all of the professional skills developed in courses like Media & Careers Survey. Some internships are paid, while many are unpaid. Weigh this as one factor to consider, but keep in mind that some of the best experiences may come through an unpaid internship.
    Students are responsible for finding and securing their own internships. Begin researching options as soon as possible. Generate a list of many potential employers, knowing that you may not be able to get selected at your top picks. Being hired for an internship can be as challenging and require as many applications as getting a job, so be prepared to expend significant effort securing your internship.
    Fall 2022 — Contact Prof. Dan Trezise for additional internship details
    CNMA 3145-01 – CRN 7265 — 1 credit hour
    CNMA 3245-01 – CRN 7267 — 2 credit hours
    CNMA 3345-01 – CRN 7269 — 3 credit hours
    45 hours of work are required for every credit hour

Degree Plans for Reference
BA in Creative Writing (2021-22)   |   BA in Mass Media Arts (2021-22)   |   BFA in Cinematic Arts (2021-22)
BFA in Interactive Media & Digital Design (2021-22)   |   BFA in Graphic Design (2021-22)