Whether you are curious about studying the arts, need to fulfill Areas of Knowledge General Education requirements, or looking to further your education, these carefully selected courses are sure to transform and inspire you. Most of the courses listed below are open to all students and do not require prerequisites or previous experience.
Summer Courses
ART H 204: Impressionism and Post-Impressionism (Art History and Visual Culture)
Artists in the later 19th century created a radical style that came to be known as Impressionism. Post-Impressionism responded to the earlier style, with bolder colors and less naturalism. Meets I&S, VLPA Requirements Credits: 5
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ART H 212: Chinese Art and Visual Culture
Highlights of Chinese visual arts from Neolithic to present. Studies jade, bronze, lacquer, silk, Buddhist sculpture, ceramics, calligraphy, painting, architecture, film, installation arts. Meets I&S, VLPA Requirements Credits: 5
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ART H 270: Art/Identity/Politics: Issues of Representation in Contemporary Art
This class explores the representation of women and race in Western culture, LGBTQ+ arts, African American art and artists, contemporary American Indian arts, and The Culture Wars. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 5
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ART H 309: Vanguard Painting: Cézanne, Picasso, Mondrian (Topics in Art History)
It is exciting to see how Cézanne’s elimination of traditional perspective and even the notion of light shining in the imaginary space of painting emboldened Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondrian to push… Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 5
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ART H 311: Arts of Imperial China
Painting was important in 4th–17th century China. Topics include political forces, regional geography, social structure, gender, traditional philosophies, and religious/spiritual influences. Meets I&S, VLPA Requirements Credits: 5
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DESIGN 166: Design Foundations
Learn the basics of two- and three-dimensional design including composition, organization, problem solving, and much more. A rare opportunity to take this class during summer quarter. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 5
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DXARTS 200: Digital Art and New Media: History, Theory, and Practice
Explores creative, theoretical, & historical perspectives of New Media Art. Students cultivate their own artistic vision through video lectures, online discussions and creative assignments. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 5
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Jacob Lawrence Gallery Practicum: Curating Contemporary Art : ART 496A or ART History 498A
This practicum offers students professional experience learning and working in a major Seattle Gallery. Credits: 5
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MUSIC 161: American Musical Theater
Explore some of the greatest works of American Musical Theater in this course examining history and development of the form. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 5
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MUSIC 325: Music in Cinema
Dig into the role of music and sound design in cinematic storytelling in this survey of film soundtracks from the past one hundred years. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 5
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Music 390: Expressions of Social Justice in Choral Music
Explore the power of music to effect social change in this course taught by a noted UW choral composer specializing in works on socially relevant topics. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 3
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ART H 204A: The Two Michelangelos (Art History and Visual Culture)
Did you know there were two Michelangelos? Michelangelo Buonarroti and Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio, lived a century apart but both revolutionized art in ways still felt today. Meets I&S, VLPA Requirements Credits: 4
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ART H 204B: Arts of Japan (Art History and Visual Culture)
Explore the arts of Japan from prehistory to today with a focus on Buddhist art and architecture, sculpture, narrative handscrolls, ink painting, folding screens, and woodblock prints. Meets I&S, VLPA Requirements Credits: 5
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ART H 220: Survey of American Art
Traces how American art has shifted, expanded, and contracted in step with the transforming nation from around 1650 to the present. Meets I&S, VLPA Requirements Credits: 4
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DANCE 244 A: Hustle
Get your groove on! Learn the basics of the hustle- a partner disco dance from the 70s. Appreciate it's historical and cultural context and try out some new moves. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 2
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DANCE 244 C: Commercial Dance
Ready to star in a music video? This class will introduce you to all the basics of commercial dance style. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 3
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DESIGN 250: Visualizing Ideas (Graphic Design for Non-Designers)
Visual presentation matters. Get introduced to the basics of visual communication including the creative process, fundamentals of composition, typography, color theory, and image-making. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 3
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DRAMA 203: Resilience and The Creative Process
Resilience is the ability to overcome failure by learning from it and applying it to another effort. Here students identify obstacles to creativity and create strategies for overcoming them. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 5
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DRAMA 285/DXARTS 295B: Creativity as Research
Online course examines creative research in the arts and the natural overlap with research in other fields. Explores research through lens of digital art, dance, science and theater. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 5
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DRAMA 416: History of Style
Examines the specific cultural, socio-economic, and political functions of aesthetic objects that serve utilitarian purposes such as clothing, architecture, furniture and functional design. Meets VLPA Requirement Credits: 5
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MUSAP 389/589: Afro-Peruvian Music and Dance
Ethnomusicology Visiting Artist Miguel Ballumbrosio shares the rich cultural traditions of Afro-Peruvian music and dance through class rehearsals, individual lessons and final performance. Meets I&S, VLPA Requirements Credits: 2
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