SAMC 301 - Arts Entrepreneurship | 2025-2026

This interdisciplinary course is designed for early and mid-career artists interested in developing practical skills for effective and influential arts entrepreneurship. Students will expand their leadership, collaboration, and business skills by learning from industry professionals and exploring various topics such as project management, arts fundraising and grant writing, financial management, and ethical arts practices.

SAMC 112 - Interdisciplinary History of Western Arts | 2025-2026

A foundational interdisciplinary introduction to key historical developments in Western artistic practice and concepts from ancient times to present. Students critically engage artistic materials (paintings, music, theatrical scripts, etc) and writings of the various style periods, developing their ability to meaningfully experience, interpret, and articulate different approaches to the arts in relation to the changing ideas of Western culture.

SAMC 111 - Critical Issues in the Arts | 2025-2026

This foundational interdisciplinary course introduces the arts as a way of knowing, especially through some of the complex issues in the arts, such as: arts and interpretation, arts and technology, arts and justice, arts and gender, and arts and faith. Students will explore these issues through the engagement of representative works of both artists and scholars from varying viewpoints and historical periods. Students will be expected to participate fully in individual and collaborative research projects applying both developing skills and critical evaluation.

RELS 692 - Thesis II | 2025-2026

In Thesis II, which presupposes RELS 691, students work toward the completion of their thesis. Minimally, a first draft should be completed. No grade is assigned for RELS 692 until the thesis is finished, accepted, and successfully defended. If the thesis is not completed and defended in the spring semester or the following summer, the student is to continue in the program by registering for RELS 695.

RELS 691 - Thesis I | 2025-2026

In Thesis I, which presupposes RELS 690, the student, in frequent consultation with his/her advisor, selects a thesis topic and begins research. The completion of an annotated bibliography, a summary of relevant scholarly views, and original translation(s) of relevant primary texts are required.