Minors & Certificates
Critical Visions
What is Critical Visions?
The undergraduate critical visions certificate is a joint endeavor between faculty from the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP). The cross-college curriculum will teach students how to effectively combine critical theory and social analysis with art, media and design practice and has two primary goals: (1) Increase students' understanding of what is at stake in how we see, including the social and political ramifications of advertising, art, media, popular culture and science, among other dominant and subversive visual forms and visualizing practices. (2) Develop new artistic, media or design forms and practices that will intervene in dominant ways of seeing and explaining the world.
Through core es and approved electives, students will critically examine the relationships among power, image and imagination; situate and theorize vision alongside other modes of perception; and historically and cross-culturally explore a range of forms of seeing. Through studio and production courses they will learn to reflexively produce and rethink the ontology and epistemology of vision. More than just promoting a sophisticated, academic visual literacy, the certificate will enable students to actively engage, critique and reinterpret the visual objects and forms they encounter in their everyday lives.
In addition to core courses in anthropology and fine art, students will enroll in at least one studio course at or above the 2000-level from DAAP and between nine and twelve units of electives from across the two colleges. After fulfilling these requirements students will enroll in critical visions, where they will develop and execute independent projects organized around a critique of a dominant way of seeing. The goal of these projects, which will be sponsored by two core faculty members from opposite colleges, is to wed together the three core components of the certificate: critical theory, social analysis and art, media, or design practice. Ultimately, we envision having a student-edited art/media/design and theory journal, annual exhibition or virtual venue to display and circulate student projects, stimulating discussion and broad university engagement with their work.
- Identify and describe the social and political ramifications of both dominant and subversive visual forms and visualizing practices such as advertising, art, media, popular culture and science, highlighting the relationship among image, imagination and power.
- Using methods and theories from critical theory and social analysis, situate and theorize vision alongside other modes of perception, recognizing its historical, social and cultural contingency.
- Using art, media, or design practice, gain a deeper understanding of how visual forms are produced while also becoming more reflexive and thoughtful in producing them.
- Develop new artistic, media, or design forms that effectively combine critical theory, social analysis and creative practice to intervene in dominant ways of seeing and explaining the world.
Curriculum Guides
| Course | Title/Desc | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL3038 | Film Noir and Neo Noir | 3 |
| PHIL3050 | Aesthetics | 3 |
| ENGL3035 | The Films of John Huston | 3 |
| ENGC3091 | Introduction to Film Studies | 3 |
| FAA1085 | Current Arts Forum | 3 |
| PLAN1061 | Understanding the Urban Environment | 3 |
| SOC3015 | The Media and Society | 3 |
| ENGL3077 | Visual Rhetoric | 3 |
| ENGC2040 | Topics in Drama | 3 |
| COMM4068 | Communication of Technology and Science | 3 |
| JOUR3070C | Photojournalism | 3 |
| ENGL3037 | American Literature and Film | 3 |
| ENGC3095 | The Horror Film | 3 |
| COMM2028 | Communication and Popular Culture | 3 |
| ENGC3092 | Genres of Film | 3 |
| SOC3032 | Body and Society | 3 |
| COMM4044 | Visual Culture and Rhetoric | 3 |
| COMM4048 | Media & Identity | 3 |
| ENGL3078 | The Films of Alfred Hitchcock | 3 |
| ARTE6050 | Community-Based Environmental Art | 4 |
| PLAN1011 | Principles of Planning Design Graphics I | 3 |
| ENGC3025 | Introduction to Critical Theory | 3 |
| ENGC3028 | Topics in Critical Theory | 3 |
| ENGL2034 | Contemporary World Literature: Drama | 3 |
| ENGC3094 | Issues in Film Studies | 3 |
| ENGL3036 | Classic Film Comedy | 3 |
| PLAN6079 | Social Justice and the City | 3 - 4 |
| COMM2025 | Introduction to Media Literacy | 3 |
| WGS3072 | Gender and Artistic Expression | 3 |
| ANTH4078 | Beauty, Race, and Gender in the Marketplace | 3 |
| ENGL2067 | Topics in Film | 3 |
| PLAN1051 | Introduction to Urban Planning | 3 |
| ENGL3039 | Western Films | 3 |
| ANTH2072 | Anthropology of Media | 3 |
| WGS2061 | Gender in Popular Culture | 3 |
| COMM4047 | Theories of Mediated Communication | 3 |
| ENGC3026 | Introduction to Cultural Studies | 3 |
| COMM2026 | Introduction to Mass Communication | 3 |
| PHIL2050 | Philosophy and The Arts | 3 |
| JOUR2030C | Principles of Photojournalism | 3 |
| PHIL2051 | Aesthetics for Fine Arts Majors | 3 |
| Course | Title/Desc | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| FASH2081 | History of Fashion 2 | 3 |
| JUDC3090 | Art and Judaism | 3 |
| ARTH6067 | Video Art History | 3 |
| JUDC6012 | Special Topics in Judaic Studies: Literature, Art,and Film | 1 - 6 |
| SPAN3031 | Spanish Film | 3 |
| AIST2083 | Introduction to East Asian Films | 3 |
| ENGB3049 | EARLY MODERN DRAMA II | 3 |
| CLAS2021 | Art and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt | 3 |
| ARTH6062 | African American Art, 1945-Present | 3 |
| FASH2080 | History of Fashion 1 | 3 |
| GRMN1051 | Introduction to Film Studies | 3 |
| JUDC2073 | Film and Holocaust | 3 |
| CLAS2022 | Art and Archaeology of Ancient Greece | 3 |
| HIST3046 | Museums and Collecting | 3 |
| ANTH3027 | Identities and Material Culture | 3 |
| FAA2080 | Visual Art Concepts 1 | 3 |
| CLAS2011 | Classics and Cinema | 3 |
| ARTH3072 | 19th-Century Art, 1850-1900 | 3 |
| ARTH6061 | African American Art, 1619-1945 | 3 |
| ARTH3071 | 19th-Century Art to 1850 | 3 |
| ARTH6081 | Spatial Politics | 3 |
| ARTH3030 | West and Central African Art | 3 |
| GRCD3080 | History of Visual Communciation | 3 |
| HIST4022 | Style and Power in 19th Century America | 3 |
| FREN3031 | Love-Desire-Sex: French Cinema | 3 |
| FAA3080 | Visual Art Concepts 2 | 3 |
| CLAS3011 | Palaces of the Bronze Age Aegean | 3 |
| ANTH6028 | Spatial Archaeology | 3 - 4 |
| ENGB3048 | EARLY MODERN DRAMA I | 3 |
| JUDC1090 | Monuments to War and Tragedy: Engraving the Mind and Remembrance | 3 |
| ARTH3055 | Baroque Art | 3 |
| JUDC2072 | Israeli Cinema | 3 |
| SPAN1085 | US Latino Culture through Film | 3 |
| CLAS3013 | Roman Cities | 3 |
| CLAS2023 | Art and Archaeology of Ancient Rome | 3 |
| HIST4068 | Film in the Middle East and North Africa | 3 |
| HIST3047 | Art, Race and Nation: Citizenship and Identity in the United States | 3 |
| CLAS3012 | The Acropolis of Athens: An Ancient City's Sacred Heart | 3 |
| ENGB3069 | Modern British Drama | 3 |
| HIST3085 | Film and the History of World War II | 3 |
| ARTH6065 | Photography and Visual Culture Since 1945 | 3 |
| ARTH2071 | Survey of Japanese Art | 3 |
| ARTH3097 | Public Art and Public Funding in the U.S. | 3 |
| JUDC2071 | Jews in American Film | 3 |
| AFST2064 | African Literature II: Drama | 3 |
| ITAL3031 | Italian Film | 3 |
| INTD3021 | Interior Design History Theory Criticism 1 | 3 |
| ARTH2070 | Survey of Chinese Art | 3 |
| ARTH6064 | History of Photography to 1945 | 3 |
| ARTH6050 | History of Japanese Prints, 1670-1970 | 3 |
| SPAN3032 | Latin American Film | 3 |
| Course | Title/Desc | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH3074 | Forms of Seeing | 3 |
| ANTH5075 | Critical Visions | 4 |
| FAA1080 | Introduction to Contemporary Art and Visual Culture | 3 |
| Course | Title/Desc | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| EMED2010 | New Media 1 | 3 |
| FAA2054 | Introduction to Relief Printmaking | 3 |
| EMED2001 | Digital Video | 3 |
| FAA2034 | Introduction to Internet Art | 3 |
| FAA2038 | Introduction to Video for Artists | 3 |
| FAA2035 | Introduction to New Media | 3 |
| EMED3002 | Post Production | 3 |
| FAA2061 | Introduction to Sculpture | 3 |
| FAA2033 | Introduction to Interactive Art | 3 |
| FAA2032 | Introduction to Game Art | 3 |
| FAA2036 | Introduction to Programming for Artists | 3 |
| FAA2031 | Introduction to 3D Animation Art for Artists | 3 |
| FAA2071 | Introduction to Photography 1 | 4 |
Advising
Contact the program co-chairs, Stephanie Sadre-Orafai (sadreose@ucmail.uc.edu) from the Anthropology Department in Arts and Sciences or Jordan Tate (Jordan.Tate@uc.edu) from School of Art in DAAP. Or you may contact any of the following core faculty.
A&S: Todd Herzog, German Studies; Jenny Wohlfarth, Journalism
DAAP: Katie Parker, School of Art; Amanda Curreri, School of Art
UC Advantages and Special Opportunities
Students in McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) enjoy many benefits afforded through study at a research-intensive institution ranked among the nation's top 25 public research universities. UC's urban, Tristate location offers exciting opportunities for global education, research and service learning, while its student-centered focus includes an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, a nationally recognized Center for Exploratory Studies and a highly successful First Year Experience program that teaches critical skills for first-year students and provides connections with important campus resources.
Freshman Admission Requirements
Students already pursuing a degree in any college at UC can add the certificate to their program. Be sure to submit a declaration of the certificate program using our online form.
In addition, you must meet with the program director so that they are aware that you are pursuing the certificate and can advise you appropriately. Do this early enough to avoid delay in obtaining your certificate.
Students not currently pursuing a degree may declare the certificate after establishing non-matriculated status.
Graduation Requirements
Make sure that you have declared the certificate program online. Next, make sure that the certificate program director is aware of when you are finishing the program. If you are pursuing another bachelor's degree, then your certificate will be reviewed at the time that you submit your separate degree application.
Accreditation
The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.Quick Facts
Undergraduate Certificate Degree in Critical Visions
Full-Time Program Duration
2 Years
Location
Uptown Campus West
Admission Criteria
Open
Contact
448 Braunstein Hall
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0380
Phone: (513) 556-3569
Stephanie Sadre-Orafai
sadreose@ucmail.uc.edu