NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Course title: Film Appreciation
Course prefix, number, and section number: DRAM 2366 0311
Semester/Year of course: FALL 2024
Semester start and end dates: Aug 26 – Dec 14, 2024
Modality (Face to face/Synchronous or Asynchronous online/Hybrid): Asynchronous Online
Class meeting location, days, and times: N/A
Lab meeting location, days, and times: N/A
Semester credit hours: 3
Course Description: An introductory course in motion pictures which surveys the film industry as a business, a means of communication, but most importantly as an art form. The course places an emphasis on the analysis of the visual and aural aspects of selected motion pictures, the dramatic aspects of narrative films, and the historical growth and sociological effect of film as an art.
Course prerequisites: None
Required course materials: Looking at Movies 7th Edition; All films listed in Canvas course
Name of instructor: Melissa Embrey
Office location: CPA 2012
Telephone number: (940)668-3311
Email address: membrey@nctc.edu
Office hours for students: M-F 10:00a - 12:00p
SYLLABUS CHANGE DISCLAIMER
The faculty member reserves the right to make changes to this published syllabus if it is in the best interest of the educational development of this class. Any such changes will be announced as soon as possible in person and/or writing.
SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
List of graded assignments: 44
Final grade scale: 1,120
Late work policy: Email any late work requests. Judged on a case by case basis.
SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.
COURSE POLICIES
Academic Integrity Policy: Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion. Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty. See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”.
Consequences for academic dishonesty may include:
- A GRADE OF “0” FOR THE ASSIGNMENT
- REMOVAL FROM THE COURSE
Artificial Intelligence Policy: See College’s general Policy on AI for written work or exams. AI generated imagery is only allowed on assignments after 2 initial design sketches or drafts have been submitted. AI imagery should only be used to enhance color, texture or shape of initial designs and drafts.
Attendance Policy: Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam. Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)
Withdrawal Policy: A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form.
Last day to withdraw from the course with a “W” is: November 4, 2024
Student Learning Outcomes: Analyze film through written response;
Demonstrate a basic knowledge of film history, form and genre; Describe the collaborative nature of cinema and the many jobs required to develop a motion picture; Discuss/Describe the relationship of cinema to society as it relates to his/her/their perspective.
Core Objectives: Critical Thinking, Communication, Social Responsibility
COLLEGE POLICIES
ADA STATEMENT
NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations. See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.
AI STATEMENT
Absent a clear statement from a course instructor, use of or consultation with generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other similar technologies shall be treated analogously to assistance from another person, agency, or entity. In particular, using generative AI tools to substantially complete an assignment or exam is not permitted. Students should acknowledge the use of generative AI (other than incidental use) and default to disclosing such assistance when in doubt.
When students use generative AI to replace the rigorous demands of personal engagement with their coursework, it runs counter to the educational mission of the college and undermines the heart of education itself. Artificial Intelligence, large language models, and other such technologies hold promise for deploying knowledge in service to others and accelerating the discovery of new knowledge. However, such technology poses new challenges to pedagogy and to integrity. Within the context of the teaching mission of the college and consistent with the Student Code of Conduct, the authority to define the appropriate use, study, and deployment of these technologies rests with the faculty.
Individual course instructors, in coordination with their divisions, set policies regulating the use of generative AI tools in their courses, including allowing or disallowing some or all uses of such tools. Course instructors will set such policies in their course syllabi and clearly communicate such policies to students. Students who are unsure of policies regarding generative AI tools are encouraged to ask their instructors for clarification.
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.
STUDENT SERVICES
NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students. See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS
The student should contact the instructor to deal with any questions, concerns, or complaints specific to the class. If the student and faculty are not able to resolve the issue, the student may contact the chair or coordinator of the division. If the student remains unsatisfied, the student may proceed to contact the instructional dean.
Name of Chair/Coordinator: Dr. Thomas Singletary, Chair, Visual & Performing Arts
Office location: 2010 Performing Arts Center (Gainesville Campus)
Telephone number: (940) 668-3385
E-mail address: tsingletary@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean: Crystal Wright, Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Office location: FSB Exchange, Denton, room 204
Telephone number: 940-380-2504.
E-mail address: cwright@nctc.edu