This course is an introduction to contemporary visual culture and its historical roots. It will examine modern art movements and the impact of new technologies on art. Topics include international exhibitions, art and popular culture, and the relationship between images and words. Students will learn to identify artworks by style, artist, period and medium, and place them in social and historical context. Evaluation will be based on class participation, assignments, quizzes, a final exam, and a reaction paper about a cultural event. The course meets on Thursdays and includes lectures, activities, and assignments.

1. Art Appreciation
Summer Term 2023 • Professor Will Adams • wadams5@valenciacollege.edu
Thursdays 8-11:45 AM – East Campus, Building 1, Room 370
Course Description
This course serves as an introduction to contemporary visual culture, its current
controversies, and its historical roots. The avant-garde movements of the modern
period and the impact of new technologies and media will be examined within a rich
historical context. Topics will include international exhibitions, art and popular culture,
censorship, and the relation between words and images.
Course Objectives
§ Identify works of art by style, artist, period, and medium.
§ Place artworks within social and historical context.
§ Expand art vocabulary, including architectural terms.
§ Identify architectural elements in conjunction with specific cultural developments.
§ Compare and contrast various works of art.
§ Understand a historical timeline and its relationship to the art of the time.
Textbook Requirement
Mark Getlein’s Living with Art – Pages posted by instructor online each week.
Student Evaluation Formula
1. Attendance & Class Participation: 30%
§ Attendance is required.
§ Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class meeting, and count as
part of the attendance & class participation grade.
2. In-Class Assignments, Activities, Quizzes & Homework: 50%
§ Throughout the term, we will have various in-class assignments and activities.
§ Quizzes will be given to determine student retention of lecture or reading
material at the beginning of class most weeks.
§ Additionally, homework assignments will be assigned to deepen your
understanding of in-class discussions & lectures.

2. 3. Final Examination: 10%
§ One long-form examination will be administered.
§ The examination will be cumulative in its subject matter.
§ You will be given a study guide for the exam the week before.
4. Cultural Event with Written Evaluation: 10%
§ You will be required to attend one cultural event throughout the class’s duration.
§ Proof of attendance at said event must be furnished (i.e., ticket stub, program,
souvenir, etc.).
§ A two-page double-spaced “reaction” (i.e., non-research) paper is required. In
it, be sure to answer the following questions:
o What did I do?
o What did I think of it?
o What did I learn?
Grading Scale
100 – 90% = A
89 – 80% = B
79 – 70% = C
69 – 60% = D
59 – 0% = F
Weekly Course Schedule, Agenda & Outcomes
Week & Date Before Class In Class on Tuesday After Class
Week 1
June 22
Read: Pages 3
– 41, 317 -
339
Quiz: Week 1 Reading
Lecture: Connecting
with the Cosmos - Art of
the Stone Age
Activity: Cave painting
activity
Lecture: Classical Greek
Architecture
Lecture: “Architecture of
the Afterlife: Embalming
& Tombs in Ancient
Egypt”
Lecture: Classical Greek
Sculpture
Assignment: Classical
Greek Architecture
Homework: Due 11:59
PM EST on Sunday
***Cultural Event
Assignment Posted***

3. Week 2
June 29
Read: Pages
340-358
Quiz: Week 2 Reading
Lecture: Pompeii:
Roman Time Capsule
Lecture: Early Christian
& Byzantine Art
Lecture: Romanesque
Art & Architecture
Lecture: Gothic Art &
Architecture
Assignment: Stained
Glass Visual Lesson: Due
11:59 PM EST on
Sunday
Week 3
July 6
ALL ONLINE THIS WEEK – HOLIDAY
Read: Pages 363-383
Quiz: Week 3 Reading
Lecture: Fooling the Eye: Brunelleschi, Alberti & Linear Perspective
Lecture: The Noble Stillness: Baroque Still Life Painting
Assignment: Two-Point Perspective Drawing - Due 11:59 PM EST on
Sunday
Week 4
July 13
Read: 468 –
470 & 479 –
482
Quiz: Week 4 Reading
Lecture: The Art of
Romanticism
Lecture: The Art of
Impressionism
Lecture: The Wildness of
the Fauves
Assignment: Romantic
Hero Essay: Due by
11:59 PM EST on
Sunday
Week 5
July 20
Read: Pages
496 – 500 &
502-511
Quiz: Week 5 Reading
Lecture: The Scene
Inside: Jackson Pollock
& Abstract
Expressionism
Lecture: Pop! Goes the
World
Lecture: We Don’t Need
Another Hero: The Art
of Feminism
Assignment:
Endangered Species
Pop Art Image
Week 6
July 27
FINAL EXAMINATION: The exam will be administered on campus in
our regular classroom on Thursday, July 27th
at 8 AM ET

4. Late Work Policy
§ Extenuating circumstances such as religious observances, jury duty, participation in
extracurricular activities in which students are official representatives of the college,
and active military obligations are recognized as excused absences; however, you
must notify me two weeks in advance, so we can determine how to best help you
move forward based on how long you will be absent from the course.
§ If you are unable to participate in the course for other reasons, e.g., illness, family
emergency, etc., please communicate with me as soon as possible in order to
create a plan to complete any missed assignments so that your learning can
progress in your course. In the case of a prolonged online absence of one week or
more, continuation in the course will be determined on a case-by-case basis
through discussion."
§ For more information, please refer to the following policies:
o Office of Veteran Affairs/POLICY: 6Hx28: 4-07
https://valenciacollege.edu/students/veterans-affairs/Links to an external site.
o Academic Progress, Course Attendance and Withdrawals/POLICY: 6Hx28:8-
03.(https://valenciacollege.edu/about/general-
counsel/policy/documents/volume4/4-07-academic-progress-course-
attendance-and-grades-and-withdrawals.pdfLinks to an external site.
§ The final exam must be taken on the date published for final exams.
Extra Credit Policy
! Extra credit may be earned by writing more than the required number of pages for
any written assignment. Extra credit for additional written content will be given up
to 15% of the assignment’s total point value (i.e., 15 points for a 100-point
assignment).
! No other extra credit opportunities will be available.
Attendance Policy
Please review the attendance policy from the Valencia College catalog:
(https://catalog.valenciacollege.edu/academicpoliciesprocedures/classattendance/

5. Written Work Guidelines
! All typed, submitted work should be set in Arial 12-point font, with double spacing
and standard 1” page margins.
! Additionally, each written assignment should begin with the following header,
placed at the top, left side of the first page:
Your First & Last Name
Intro to Humanities
Prof. Will Adams
Assignment Due Date (MM/DD/YYYY)
! Minimum page totals for any written assignment require that the written page be
filled in its entirety to count as one page.
! In other words, if a written assignment requires 2 pages, but the student only writes
1.5, the student will not earn all possible points for the assignment.
Class Conduct
Valencia is dedicated not only to the advancement of knowledge and learning but also
to the development of responsible personal and social conduct. As a registered
student, you assume the responsibility for conducting yourself in a manner that
contributes positively to Valencia’s learning community and that does not impair,
interfere with, or obstruct the orderly conduct, processes, and functions of the college
as described in the Student Code of Conduct, which can be reviewed at
https://catalog.valenciacollege.edu/academicpoliciesprocedures/studentcodeofconduc
t/Links to an external site.
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism is intellectual theft and will not be tolerated. Presentation of the ideas and
words of others as if they are your own work constitutes plagiarism. Direct use of
another author’s words or ideas, as well as paraphrasing must be cited. Plagiarism in
any work will result in a grade of zero for that assignment. Please review the College’s
policy regarding academic honesty here.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a
notification to the instructor (NTI form) from the OSD and discuss specific needs with
the professor, preferably during the first two weeks of class. OSD determines

6. accommodations based on appropriate documentation of
disabilities. https://valenciacollege.edu/students/office-for-students-with-disabilities/
Communication Policy
The most efficient method for contacting me and receiving prompt replies is by email
on Canvas. On our class Canvas page, under the Communications tab, you will find
“Messages.” I check this several times each day, so please make this your first choice
(my response time is within twenty-four hours). However, if Canvas is having technical
difficulties, you should email me at wadams5@valenciacollege.edu.
Statement of Support for Students with Food/Housing
Needs
Any student who has difficulty accessing sufficient food to eat, or who lacks a safe and
stable place to live and believes this may affect his or her performance in the course, is
urged to meet with a Counselor in the Advising Center for information about resources
that may be available from the college or
community. http://net4.valenciacollege.edu/forms/advising-counseling/contact.cfm
Mental Health & Well-Being
Valencia College strives to ensure all our students have a rewarding and successful
college experience. To that purpose, Valencia students can get immediate help with
issues dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties, substance abuse,
time management as well as relationship problems dealing with school, home or work.
BayCare Behavioral Health Student Assistance Program (SAP) services are free to all
Valencia students and available 24 hours a day by calling (800) 878-5470. If needed, the
counselor may refer the student to appropriate resources or to speak face-to-face with a
licensed counselor.
https://catalog.valenciacollege.edu/studentservices/baycarestudentassistanceservices/
Links to Important College Resources
§ College Catalogue: https://valenciacollege.edu/students/catalog/
§ Policy Manual: https://valenciacollege.edu/about/general-counsel/policy/
§ Student Handbook: https://valenciacollege.edu/students/student-
services/documents/student-handbook.pdf

7. § Free Microsoft Office: https://valenciacollege.edu/employees/office-of-information-
technology/network-and-info-security-services/office-365.php
§ Course Support: https://valenciacollege.edu/students/learning-
support/online/index.php
Disclaimer
This outline may be altered, at the instructor’s discretion, during the term. It is the
responsibility of the student to make any adjustments as announced.