menu Overview Objective Materials grading Exam ELI Policies and Procedures Beginning the Course
ENG 247: Survey of Popular Culture (3 Credits)
Overview

Analyzes familiar aspects of American culture, as seen through popular literature, with additional emphasis on television, film, and popular art. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the idea of critical analysis of texts, using popular culture artifacts as examples. Students will analyze and distinguish between structuralist and Marxist critical perspectives.

Prerequisite is ENG 112, ENG 125, or division approval.

Top  
Objectives
 

If you do well in this course, you will be able to:

  1. Identify various popular culture genres (film, television, etc., but also comedy, drama, science fiction, etc.)
  2. Analyze form within genres (e.g., the visual argument of a film, or the structure of a situation comedy)
  3. Identify and distinguish among "high," "mass," and "low" culture
  4. Identify and distinguish among various subcultures
  5. Identify and discuss major critical theories
  6. Apply major critical theories to contemporary American popular music, movies, and television shows
  7. Develop critical reading, writing, and thinking skills through the analysis of texts.
Top  
Materials
 

Top  
Grading
 

Possible Assignments Include: (Subject to change each semester. The actual assignments are available in the Syllabus in the Blackboard course site on the first day of classes.)

Assignment
Points
14 Discussion Forums
20 points
15 Blog Entries
10 points
6 Quizzes
5 points
Sub Culture Essay Outline
10 points
Sub Culture Essay (Midterm Exam)
20 points
Film Analysis Essay
20 points
Final Exam Outline
5 points
Final Exam
10 points
Total
100 points

Your final grade may be based on the following scale. Please note that you must also pass both of the exams in order to pass the course, regardless of your scores on the other assignments.

Grading Scale
A
90-100
B
80-89
C
70-79
D
60-69
F
Fewer than 59 points
Top  
Exams
 

There are 2 exams in this course.

Top  
ELI Policies and Procedures
 
Top  
Beginning the Course
 

Last Updated: July 20, 2012