Fine Arts Appreciation

Class

Understanding purposes and processes in the visual, musical, and theatrical arts, including evaluation of selected works. NOTE: This course may fulfill the requirement for the Creative Arts component area of the Core Curriculum but not the Language, Philosophy and Culture component area requirement. Three hours lecture per week.

Course Length
16, 8, 5, and 3 week term offerings
Format for Delivery
F-2-F, Hybrid, and Online
Course Learning Objectives
  1. Employ formal elements and principles to critically analyze various works of the visual and performing arts.
  2. Articulate the creative process of artistic works as expressions of human experience and cultural values.
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of the aesthetic principles that guide the creation of, and response to, the arts.
  4. Describe the relationship of the arts to everyday life.
Student Learning Outcomes

 

 

Required Textbooks

Culture & Values: A Survey of the Humanities 8th Edition, Cunningham, Reich, Fichner-Rathus. This volume is available electronically and in print. It can be purchased or rented at our college bookstore, online through the publisher, or through another textbook retailer.

NOTE: Select sections of this course are piloting Open Educational Resources (OER) and instructor-provided texts. The instructor will identify the required learning materials for these sections. 

ISBN-13
9781133945338
ISBN-10
1133945333
Evaluation Standards

The final course grade will be calculated based upon a minimum of two exams, three essay assignments, and topical quizzes. Actual course assignments are detailed in the course outline for each section offered.

A = 90 - 100%
B = 80 - 89%
C = 70 - 79%
D = 60 - 69%

Absences

 Attendance Policy: There is a consistent correlation between class attendance and participation and student success. Students must attend and participate in all classes. For online sections, participation is demonstrated through student activity in the class each week of the term. There are no extra credit assignments to substitute for the assignments and quizzes. Class attendance records will be kept. Excessive absences/non-participation/failure to submit required assignments will be reported to the Student Services Office, and the student will receive an early warning notification. Students are required to attend all student presentations, whether presenting or observing presentations. Students must inform the instructor of their absence from a scheduled presentation session or an exam. Please send the instructor an email before the event and be prepared to present a note of excuse from an authorized Weatherford College employee if the absence was due to a college-related activity or a medical professional in the case of illness.

Instructional Methods

Lecture, discussion, and student-driven experiential learning exercises.

Course Level
Freshman
Required Institutional Core Learning Outcomes

Communications

Critical Thinking

Teamwork

Social Responsibility

Disabilities

ADA Statement:

Any student with a documented disability (e.g. learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) may contact the Office on the Weatherford College Weatherford Campus to request reasonable accommodations. Phone: 817-598-6350 Office Location: Office Number 118 in the Student Services Building, upper floor. Physical Address: Weatherford College 225 College Park Drive Weatherford, TX.

Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity is fundamental to the educational mission of Weatherford College, and the College expects its students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials including unauthorized use of Generative AI. Departments may adopt discipline specific guidelines on Generative AI usage approved by the instructional dean. Any student who is demonstrated to have engaged in any of these activities will be subject t

Course AI Policy: This policy governs the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in our classroom. These tools include, but are not limited to, text generators (e.g., ChatGPT), image creators (e.g., DALL-E, Midjourney), grammar-checking tools (e.g., Grammarly), and other AI-assisted software. This policy aims to promote responsible and ethical use of AI while maintaining academic integrity and fostering genuine learning.

Acceptable Use: In this course, AI tools may be used for the following purposes:

    • Brainstorming ideas, questions, or outlines

    • Checking for grammar, spelling, or formatting errors

    • Summarizing key themes and arguments in classroom resources

    • Exploring different perspectives on a topic

    • AI use is prohibited for:

    • Completing entire assignments without substantial original input

    • Generating direct content to submit for assignments and discussion forums

AI and Academic Integrity:

    • Attribution: All use of AI tools must be clearly disclosed. If used in an individual assignment, include a reference at the end of the assignment/post that provides the following details:

    • The specific AI tool(s) used

    • The prompt(s) provided to the AI

    • Which sections or ideas were AI-assisted

    • Citation format: When citing AI tools, use the following format: [AI Tool Name]. (YYYY, Month DD of query). "Text of your query." Generated by [Company Name]. [URL]

    • Originality: All assignments must represent your thinking, analysis, and writing. AI can provide inspiration or assistance; the bulk of the work should be your original contribution. While you may use grammar-checking tools like Grammarly for basic proofreading, be cautious with advanced AI-powered features. Any extensive rewriting or idea generation using these tools must be disclosed and cannot replace your own original work. Properly citing AI-generated content in your submission is not inherently a violation of Academic Integrity. However, submitting work that consists primarily or entirely of AI-generated content, even if cited, may fail to meet assignment requirements. This could result in a lower grade or no credit, as the work may not demonstrate your own understanding and skills.

    • Plagiarism: Using AI-generated content without proper attribution constitutes plagiarism. Be aware that AI models are trained on existing data and may reproduce copyrighted material.

    • Fact-checking: Students are responsible for verifying the accuracy of any AI-generated information. Cross-check claims with reliable sources before including them in your work.

    • Grading: Assignments will be evaluated primarily on the quality of your original thinking, analysis, and writing. Overreliance on AI or failure to properly attribute AI contributions will negatively impact your grades.

    • Detection: AI detectors may be used to identify AI-generated content, including Turnitin’s AI detector. Transparency about AI use is crucial to maintaining trust and academic integrity.

Consequences: Violations of this policy will be addressed according to the Academic Integrity Policy. Depending on the severity and frequency of the violation, consequences may range from a warning to a failing grade on the assignment or in the course.
 By participating in this course, you agree to abide by this AI Use Policy. Please consult me before proceeding if you have any questions or concerns about using AI tools for a specific assignment.

o immediate disciplinary action in accordance with institutional procedures.

Hope Statement

Any student who faces challenges securing basic resources such as food, clothing, or housing and believes this may affect their performance in their course of study is urged to contact the Director of Student Resources, Dr. Deborah Cregger, for support at (817) 598-6444. Her office is on the first floor of Student Services. If the student prefers, they may contact their instructor, who can reach out on their behalf. Weatherford College also provides the Coyote Pantry. The Pantry maintains boxed and canned foods for students in need. The location of the Coyote Pantry is two blocks west of the Weatherford campus at the Baptist Student Ministry (118 E. Park Ave., Weatherford). Pantry hours are Mon-Thurs. 8:30 am-4:30 pm and Fri. 8.30 am-12:00 pm (817-599-6586).

Student Intellectual Property Rights

 Students retain all rights to work created as part of instruction or using College District technology resources.

Contact Hours
48
SCH Hours
3
Revised
Spring 2025
Last Modified
December 11, 2025