CDM Website > Academics > Undergraduate Programs > Liberal Studies Courses
Liberal Studies Courses 
Have you ever been interested in learning how to create interactive web environments, put together computer animation, or do you want to know more about codes and ciphers as featured in the movies “Enigma” or “Windtalkers?” Then CDM has some great courses for you!
 

CDM Liberal Studies Courses


CDM offers dozens of courses in many domains of the Liberal Studies Program. You can experiment with Computer Graphics, Programming and E-Commerce Technology and fulfill a requirement at the same time. Many of these courses also serve as gateway courses into more advanced CDM courses.

To see what courses are approved for your major:


LS Course List 


Arts and Literature 

  • DC 125 - Digital Still Photography for Non-Majors
    This course is an introduction to the history and aesthetics of still photography and to the concept of photography as a descriptive and interpretive artistic medium. Students studying photographs in this context will discover relationships between individual photographers choices and their own understanding of meaning. Students will learn the fundamental concepts necessary to shoot, edit, manipulate, and print digital still photographs.

  • DC 201 - Introduction to Screenwriting
    This course focuses on narrative storytelling and encourages students to find their unique voices, while emphasizing the critical importance of working as part of a creative team.

  • DC 205 - Foundations of Cinema
    Acquisition and computer representation of sound and image. Sound and video standards. Lossy and Lossless compression. Basic computer graphics and rendering. Distribution of digital information. 

  • DC 233 - Cinema & Art
         This course will provide an overview of avant-garde film, video, animation and installation and the relationship of these cinematic forms to Modern and Contempory art.

  • DC 250 - Working with Actors 1
    This course is an introduction and examination of the collaborative process between the actor and director. Methods of study include lecture, discussion, assignments, and in-class acting exercises.

  • GAM 224 - Introduction to Game Design
    Students will learn about a game's "hook", its "high concept" and the crucial needs of marketing for a successful game design. Students will also learn to design a game's component pieces.

  • GPH 211 - Perceptual Principles for Digital Environments I
  • GPH 212 - Perceptual Principles for Digital Environments II
  • GPH 213 - Perceptual Principles for Digital Environments III
    These 3 foundational courses in computer animation take you through the process of creating 2-D and 3-D representations on the computer. The last course teaches you how to animate them!

  • ANI 101 - Animation for Non-Majors
    This course introduces a variety of basic animation techniques for cinema and gaming, such as hand-drawn, cutout, stop-motion and (very basic) 3D, with an emphasis on the use of computer technology.

  • ANI 206 - History of Animation
    History of Animation: This course is an introduction to the history and development of the field of animation.


Junior Experiential Learning Credit

Scientific Inquiry: Elective

Scientific Inquiry: Lab/Quantitative 

Scientific Inquiry: Quantitative

Self, Society, and the Modern World

  • DC 105 - Digital Media Literacies
    This course is designed to help students develop an informed, critical and practical understanding of new communication media, including ways to read, write and produce in a digital environment.

  • DC 235 Adaptation: The Cinematic Recrafting of Meaning
    This course explores contemporary cinematic adaptations of literature and how recent re-workings in film open viewers up to critical analysis of the cultural practices surrounding the promotion and reception of these narratives.

  • IT 201 - Introduction to Information Systems    
    This course examines how various types of computer-based information systems form a critical part of modern organizations, how they work, and how they impact workers, organizations and the economy.

  • IS 208 - IT, Economy and Society
    This course broadly surveys the history of IT applications and information systems from the historical perspective, and critically assesses the digital impact on industry, the economy, workers, citizens, social class and the future.

  • CSC 223 - The Impact of Computing Technology On Our Lives
    This course will introduce students to an overview of social analysis techniques and the theories of social change.
     

Understanding the Past: Intercontinental/Comparative 

Philosophical Inquiry:

  • CSC 208 - The Computer and Social Responsibility
    This course will research the impact technology has had in various areas of our lives, the new responsibilities technology presents, and our ability to deal with these changes in an ethical manner.
     

LS Course List: Sorted By Topic


The Internet and How It Works


The Computer and Society

  • IT 201 - Introduction to Information Systems
    This course examines how various types of computer-based information systems form a critical part of modern organizations, how they work, and how they impact workers, organizations and the economy.

  • IS 208 - IT, Economy and Society      
    This course broadly surveys the history of IT applications and information systems from the historical perspective, and critically assesses the digital impact on industry, the economy, workers, citizens, social class and the future.

  • CSC 223 - The Impact of Computing Technology On Our Lives : Self, Society, and the Modern World  
    This course will introduce students to an overview of social analysis techniques and the theories of social change.

  • CSC 208 - The Computer and Social Responsibility      
    This course will research the impact technology has had in various areas of our lives, the new responsibilities technology presents, and our ability to deal with these changes in an ethical manner.
     

Computer Graphics and Motion Technology

Data Analysis and Retrieval 

Codes, Ciphers and Computer Intelligence

Digital Cinema and Gaming   

  • DC 105 - Digital Media Literacies
    This course is designed to help students develop an informed, critical and practical understanding of new communication media, including ways to read, write and produce in a digital environment.
     
  • DC 125 - Digital Still Photography for Non-Majors      
    This course is an introduction to the history and aesthetics of still photography and to the concept of photography as a descriptive and interpretive artistic medium. Students studying photographs in this context will discover relationships between individual photographers choices and their own understanding of meaning. Students will learn the fundamental concepts necessary to shoot, edit, manipulate, and print digital still photographs.

  • GAM 206 - History of Games      
    This class will examine particular games and game genres in their historical context using a case study format.
     
  • DC 201 - Introduction to Screenwriting      
    This course focuses on narrative storytelling and encourages students to find their unique voices, while emphasizing the critical importance of working as part of a creative team.

  • DC 205 - Foundations of Cinema      
    Acquisition and computer representation of sound and image. Sound and video standards. Lossy and Lossless compression. Basic computer graphics and rendering. Distribution of digital information.

  • DC 233 - Cinema & Art
    This course will provide an overview of avant-garde film, video, animation and installation, and the relationship of these cinematic forms to Modern and Contempory art.
  • DC 235 - Adaptation: The Cinematic Recrafting of Meaning
    This course explores contemporary cinematic adaptations of literature and how recent re-workings in film open viewers up to critical analysis of the cultural practices surrounding the promotion and reception of these narratives.

  • DC 250 - Working with Actors 1      
    This course is an introduction and examination of the collaborative process between the actor and director. Methods of study include lecture, discussion, assignments, and in-class acting exercises. 

  • GAM 224 - Introduction to Game Design      
    Students will learn about a game's "hook", its "high concept" and the crucial needs of marketing for a successful game design. Students will also learn to design a game's component pieces.

  • ANI 101 - Animation for Non-Majors      
    Course introduces a variety of basic animation techniques for cinema and gaming, such as hand-drawn, cutout, stop-motion and (very basic) 3D, with an emphasis on the use of computer technology. 

  • ANI 206 - History of Animation      
    History of Animation: This course is an introduction to the history and development of the field of animation.
CDM Liberal Studies Courses: 

Rule 1:
A CDM student can take any CDM course approved for liberal studies credit and use it to satisfy a domain of the liberal studies program (LSP) provided:

The course is NOT required as part of the student’s major.

Examples:

  • A CGMT student cannot use GPH 211 to satisfy the  arts and literature requirement of LSP, as GPH 211 is required by all CGMT tracks.
  • An ECT major CAN take GPH 211 to satisfy the arts and literature requirement of the LSP

The course qualifies for a liberal studies program domain that is required by the student’s major.

Examples: 

  • A CS student CAN take GPH 259 to satisfy the Scientific Inquiry (SI)-Quantitative-Lab requirement of LSP because the course is not required by the CS major AND it counts for SI-Lab which is a required domain for CS students.
  • Any CTI student CANNOT take CSC 250 to satisfy SI because, although the course is not required by any of our programs, it qualifies for SI-quantitative (not Lab) which is NOT a required domain for CDM students.
     

Rule 2:
No double counting allowed for CDM classes by CDM students.

Examples:

  • A CS student takes GPH 211 for arts and literature LSP. Although GPH 211 is allowed as an elective even if it is not a 300 level course, the student CANNOT count the course both as satisfying an LSP domain AND as an elective for the CS program.
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