Course Search
Who was Joan of Arc? Was she a hero, a saint, a witch, a martyr, a patriot, a mentally ill person, or a visionary? Although we do not know much about her, except for the information gathered during her trial, she is part of the Western imagination as a woman who challenged traditions and stereotypes and changed the course of history during her short life. We will learn about her life and deeds and will discuss the meaning of her actions and her significance as a symbol of women’s heroism as well as the reactions to and interpretations of her and her behaviors through the centuries.
February 13 - February 13
Would you like to see (and touch!) unique and rare comic books, including the oldest comic published in the United States? Then join us for a journey through SDSU’s Special Collections and University Archives Comic Arts Collection! We’ll explore comics that spark social engagement through topics such as race, gender, ableness, age, and gender in autobiographical, historical, and superhero comics; take a look at pop culture ephemera from our archival collections; and peek into the history of the founding of Comic-Con.
February 21 - February 21
Have you ever wondered how popular music evolves? Are you a music listener who wants to understand more about this evolution and to learn techniques that will make your listening – whether to rock, jazz, classical, or world music – more informed? Based on the music of the Beatles, this course will provide participants an opportunity to travel the path of John, Paul, George, and Ringo from the late 1950s to 1970 as you learn the many ways the music of the Beatles challenged existing expectations in popular music and also served as among the most influential music of the 20th century.
April 17 - April 24
This course will cover the period after the Civil War between December 1863 and March 1877. The goal of the period was to reconstruct the nation after the Civil War. It also meant to reintegrate the former Southern States back into the US. The course will address the social, political, and economic impact slavery had on the nation.
March 21 - March 28
Curious about the amazing temples of Angkor in Cambodia, the stupa of Borobudur on the island of Java, Siamese Buddhas, the arts of Sri Lanka and Myanmar? Planning a visit to one of these countries or simply wish to better understand their religions and cultures? Look no further! This course explores the manifold arts of Southeast Asia. Join Art historian Douglas Barker on a wondrous two-week aesthetic journey, exploring Hindu and Buddhist temples.
April 9 - April 11
Curious about amazing Islamic art? Do you wish to better understand religion and culture? Look no further! This course explores the manifold arts of Islamic art (including North Africa and Spain.) Join art historian Douglas Barker on a wondrous three-week aesthetic journey, exploring mosques, calligraphy, ceramics and carpets
February 20 - February 27
Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, our “Classic Book” for the Spring Semester might not be as well-known as our previous picks (To Kill a Mockingbird, Grapes of Wrath). Yet this 1969 antiwar novel, set in WWII, has been ranked #18 on the Modern Library’s list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th Century. To find out what makes Slaughterhouse-Five a classic of American literature, take a deep dive into it, and then join us for a lively discussion on our Spring selection.
April 17 - April 17
Radio drama was better than television. The pictures were better. In another time, radio was about telling stories - even SHOWING us those stories. In this course, we will explore the genres of science fiction and fantasy in old-time radio. Quiet Please. X Minus One. Escape and move! Not only will we listen to some amazing programs for ourselves, but the class will also explore the history and personalities behind some of radio’s greatest programs.
April 16 - April 25
The student will learn not only about Chaplin’s film career, but about his life and challenges. The class will include an analysis of cases when Chaplin’s films serve as an autobiography.
March 4 - March 13
Whose hands don’t feel just a little itchy when you encounter a piece of art you LOVE, held captive in a museum? Is EVERYTHING in a museum legitimate? If you could steal work by any artist, would it be Picasso, Basquiat, Goya? We’ll look at films about heists- Mona Lisa Is Missing, art forgery- Made you Look, and the tragedy of stolen and destroyed artifacts- Haunting the West as well as looting a museum, Museo, not to mention The Thomas Crown Affair and Lupin. We will also discuss when is it robbery or repatriation- and can the museum survive in an era where Nazi victims and indigenous groups can point to something and say that is ours, it needs to be returned (ex: the Nigerian bronzes). Students will learn about significant art mysteries, consider what is appropriation and what is theft, and reflect on where the future of museums might be headed.
April 2 - April 23