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Syllabus
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.
COMM 150N: The Art of Cinema (3 credits). The development of cinema to its present state; principles of evaluation and appreciation; examples from the past and present.
Description
Communications 150N: The Art of Cinema is designed to introduce students to a critical and analytic mode of viewing film. The course will focus on major trends and landmarks in the history of cinema that will be intertwined with important concepts and frames for viewing film as a cultural form. From early silent films to classic Hollywood, and from post WWII studio system to so-called post-modern films, we will examine significant exemplars of cinematic movements and styles. We will examine different narrative forms, such as Comedy, Tragedy and Melodrama, and relate these forms to their use in different genres, such as the Western, populist cinema and Horror. In each case, students will be encouraged to think critically about how films construct meaning, convey emotion and create patterns of audience identification with their message.
Cyber Etiquette
As an online class, students should be mindful of cyber etiquette. The instructors and graders are not anonymous customer service employees and should not be treated as such. Your communications should not be intimate instant message between friends; avoid email shorthand, use normal letter writing conventions and display a rudimentary knowledge of the English language. In the group forums, be respectful of others.
Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Using the Library
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Communications 150N will combine film viewings with readings surrounding the films. Students will be required to view the films, keep up with the readings, watch and answer questions on the online lectures, complete responses in each lesson, and complete lesson discussions and quizzes. All readings will be available as E-Reserves through the university library. Each student’s grade for the semester will be based on the following components:
Assignments
- Lesson Responses
- Lesson Discussion Participation (Odd numbered lessons)
- Lesson Quizzes (Even numbered lessons)
- Engagement with lectures
Lesson Responses (15 total, lowest score dropped)
There will be Lesson Responses each week, consisting of a video clip and a question from the feature film of the week. Students should think about the question in relation to the clip and, in about 250 words, submit a text response. These responses will be graded based on a scale of 100%, 85%, 70% and 50%. At the end of the semester, the low score will be dropped before generating the average. The Lesson Responses will be open during the week that each response is due. All submissions received after the scheduled due date will be penalized one step in the grading hierarchy. The response average will be worth 40% of your final grade.
Lesson Quizzes (even numbered lessons, 7 total, lowest score dropped)
Lesson Quizzes will be a test of the students’ ability to recognize formal components of film. Students will be required to complete these quizzes. The lowest score from the quizzes will be dropped from the final average. The total quiz average will comprise 40% of the final grade.
Lesson Discussion Participation (odd numbered lessons, 8 total)
The Lesson Discussion Forums consist of a general question prompt to get the discussion started. Students are encouraged to engage in the discussion by drawing upon what is learned from the lesson Previews and Critic's Corner. You should not only respond to the question in a thoughtful way, but also engage the ideas of your fellow students by responding thoughtfully to at least two other students' posts. While critical engagement is encouraged, you should be respectful and constructive when interacting with one another.The total discussion participation average will be worth 20% of the final grade.
Please see the Grading Rubric, which outlines the expectations for the content quality of discussion posts.
Grading Rubric for Discussion Forums
Example Discussion Forum Question:
What is the relationship between the following clip and the idea discussed in the lecture about the difference between fantasy and realism in cinematic representation?
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"This scene isn’t real looking. U would have to be wacked to think this was real." (This doesn't address the question, doesn't refer to the idea in the lecture and uses poor grammar and texting conventions.) | 1 out of 4 points |
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"This clip is from the movie The Matrix, which is one of my favorite films. It is about a guy who thinks that his life is real, but it is really just a computer program that he is hooked into. It made me really think." (This is better, but still doesn't really address the question or refer to the concept as described in the lecture notes. Moreover, it is merely giving the opinion of the author about the movie instead of showing analytical thinking.) | 2 out of 4 points |
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“In the lecture, it talked about how realism and fantasy were two of the trajectories in cinema. Directors wanted to use the capacity of photography to look real and apply it to cinema. In some cases they wanted things that were trying to be accurate to life to be convincingly real. In other cases, they wanted things that were obviously make-believe to appear to look real so as to give film goers the experience of something different.” (This shows a good grasp of what we discussed in the lecture, but does not link the ideas to the clip. It is generally correct and well written.) | 3 out of 4 points |
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“In this clip, we see Trinity in what looks like a standard detective movie. The police are coming to get her and the viewer is given all the cues the movie can give to make it seem like a realistic picture. However, when the fighting starts, Trinity begins to defy gravity and move in ways that are completely fantastic. The film still looks real in many ways, but it is portraying things that transcend conventional representations of the world. So it seems to show both tendencies as discussed in the lecture. It is both realistic, in that it is trying to convince the viewer that it actually could happen, yet fantastic, in that it is obviously showing something that could only happen in the make-believe world of cinema.” (This discusses both the specifics of the clip and the concepts at stake from the lecture. It shows that the commenter is trying to integrate the concepts into the commentary in a way that shows a grasp of both the film and the material.) | 4 out of 4 points |
An additional point will be added for responding to other people's comments in a constructive manner.
Grading
Your grade will be based on the following:
| Assessment | Total | % of Grade | Where? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lesson Responses | 15 (drop lowest score) | 40% | Lessons 1 through 15 |
| Lesson Quizzes | 7 (drop lowest score) | 40% | Even numbered lessons |
| Lesson Discussion Participation | 8 | 20% | Odd numbered lessons |
Your final grade will be determined based on the scoring explained above, and will conform to the following:
| Percent | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 92 - 100% | A |
| 90 - 91.99% | A- |
| 88 - 89.99% | B+ |
| 82 - 87.99% | B |
| 80 - 81.99% | B- |
| 78 - 79.99% | C+ |
| 70 - 77.99% | C |
| 60 - 69.99% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
* To meet graduation requirements, students must earn at least a C for this course
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Course Schedule
| Readings: |
No Readings for this lesson |
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| Feature Film: |
Night and Fog |
| Assignments: |
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| Readings: |
No Readings for this lesson |
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| Feature Film: |
Unforgiven |
| Assignments: |
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Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Counseling and Psychological Services
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.