Best USC Electives This Spring
10 2-UNIT COURSES TO ADD FOR SPRING 2017
By Grace Carballo ‘17
< CHECK OUT THE SPRING 2020 EDITION >
If you’re anything like me, you are pretty pumped to have access to the Spring 2017 schedule of courses. There’s just so much potential and so many courses to choose from; my roommate and I were literally counting down the days before its release two weeks ago. Even if you’re not quite on our level of excitement, I want to make sure you’re aware of the amazing 2-unit courses available to you, regardless of your major.
The COURSES OF INTEREST page conveniently details courses chosen by the designated departments for students who are not majoring in that particular subject but who might find them enjoyable and beneficial. Nothing like being well-rounded and multi-interested, am I right?
I chose the 10 that I consider most interesting to highlight in this post. But I strongly encourage you to look at the many options from USC Iovine and Young Academy, the School of Architecture, Roski School of Art and Design, the School of the Cinematic Arts, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, School of Dramatic Arts, and Thornton School of Music. It’s very possible you and I have different interests and that is valid and important and makes the world go round.
GRACE’S TOP TEN 2-UNIT COURSES
10) THTR 122 Improvisation and Theatre Games
Description: Individual and group exercises to free the actor physically and emotionally and to stimulate creativity, imagination, and self-expression.
I took an improv course, through the cinema school, originally under the impression it was a writing course. It was terrifying but I’m so glad I did it because I got to know some wonderful people in the class and I now feel far more prepared for public speaking situations. Whatever your major or career aspirations may be, it is important to be able to think on your toes; improv can help you develop these skills. Now whenever I have to deliver a prepared speech, it feels significantly easier since I’ve experienced the challenges of coming up with things off the top of my head.
9) MUJZ 150 Beginning Jazz Improvisation
Description: Development of beginning improvisational skills including underlying principles of theory, harmony, jazz ear training, and jazz style.
Another sort of improvisation, jazz is such a cool genre. That sort of creativity and adaptability and listening technique are all kinds of useful. Plus, this course is for beginners so you will be amongst people with similar skill levels and interests.
8) CTPR 422 Makeup for Motion Pictures (2 units)
Description: Lecture-laboratory in makeup relating it to mood of the story and emulsion of the camera stock. An introduction to the craft of makeup for film, TV, and other media. Students learn through lectures, demos, and hands-on workshops the different kinds of makeup styles and procedures, including the study of glamour, old age, gore, fantasy, and prosthetic techniques.
Makeup artists are truly talented, bringing the content creators’ visions of the characters to life. Think of how much you could up your Halloween costume game after studying gore makeup. You could even pull some Master of Disguise level shape-shifting if you get the prosthetic techniques down well enough.
Description : Most students take this class because it takes them from zero knowledge of DHTML or web publishing to a fully functioning web site. This course includes a comprehensive overview of all aspects of web publishing, from graphic production to page layout to conventions and standards.
I’m seriously considering pulling some strings so I can take this course next semester because if there’s one thing I learned from participating in USC Own It, it’s that I need to be leaning in to the tech industry. If you have ever wanted to build a website but didn’t know where to start, this course might be for you, as well. And if you have the time and units, there’s a whole minor you can add if this course really captivates you.
6) MPGU 126 Easy Fingerstyle Beatles
Description: Techniques of classical guitar applied to the study of five to eight Beatles songs, from “Hey Jude” to “Blackbird.” No guitar or music background required.
If you’ve always wanted to know how to play some of your favorite Beatles tunes, this is the class for you. Picture yourself strumming and strolling along a beach somewhere, spreading joy and good vibes to all around. This course could be a great starting point for that scenario I just painted for you. And, like it says, you don’t even need background experience.
5) ARCH 421 Digital Architectural Photography
Description: Perceiving and documenting the built environment through the perspective and frame of the digital camera. Mastering the basic principles of the digital image through an understanding of frame, light, exposure, color correction, and printing output.
L.A.’s skyline gets dissed more often than not but there is actually a lot of cool architecture in this city, despite earthquake building codes, etc. This course sounds to me like meta-art because it’s art (photography) portraying art (architecture) and that is definitely up my alley. Also I feel like the projects associated with this course would lead to some amazing adventures and explorations.
4) MUJZ 218a Afro-Latin Percussion Instruments
Description: Instruction in the performance of percussion instruments associated with African, South American, and Caribbean music traditions, with special emphasis on adaptation to jazz music.
This is something I know so very little about and that is exactly what drew me to it. Back in my glory days (circa 2005) I dabbled in percussion but I never got beyond the basic snare drum stage of my career. Have spent the past two semesters enjoying South American and Caribbean music during my time abroad, I think learning these unique styles of percussion makes for such an interesting area of study.
Description: Development of musical and lyrical skills, composing, listening, analysis, and critiques of popular original music.
A friend of mine took this course and I first found out it existed when he posted his finished song on Facebook. And it was really good! Maybe you have a lot you need to express and don’t have the outlet to do so. Maybe you have a hidden talent and haven’t had the opportunity to unleash it. Maybe you want to emulate your favorite singer/songwriter. There are a lot of reasons worth looking into this course.
2) CTPR 423 Introduction to Special Effects in Cinema
Description: Introductory workshop in the aesthetics and practices of special effects, embracing both the classical and contemporary modes. The class focuses on techniques, cost, and operational characteristics. Great for aspiring production managers, directors, and camera and effects specialists, the class is conducted in a workshop environment where students experience the complexities involved with techniques in use industry-wide.
There is nothing like watching an old action or sci-fi movie and seeing how far we’ve come in terms of special effects. If any part of you wants to play a role in that aspect of the film industry, this course is ideal for you. And even if you just have a healthy curiosity about how it all works, that’s good, too. I recently walked past a tour going through the film school and overhead the guide say (I’m always eavesdropping, it’s my fatal flaw) that USC School of Cinematic Arts is the only place in the country (possibly world?) where you can make a movie from start to finish in one building. We have all of those awesome resources at your fingertips! Why not take advantage?
1) CTAN 470 Documentary Animation Production
Description: Examination of the history, techniques, and methods of documentary animation production. Collaboration on a short film project.
Lastly, I have chosen this documentary animation production course because at first glance I thought an animated documentary was an oxymoron and then I thought about it a little more and realized that is a great medium for a documentary when you think about it. Also I think it is pretty cool that you walk away from this course having collaborate on a short film project. If I was you I’d probably screen that short film at every future family gathering until someone told me not to because that, my friends, is truly something to be proud of.
I hope you feel inspired by these 10 amazing courses I have hand-picked to share with you, our beloved readers. I hope you fall in love with learning again and again as you scroll through the Spring 2017 course calendar.
If, for whatever reason, you still haven’t found the 2-unit course you are looking for, don’t fret! Check out the Spring 2017 courses offered by the Kaufman School of Dance, Occupational Science and Therapy (I’ve heard good things about OT-310), or one of the many 1 or 2 unit Physical Education Department courses. And, like I said, you can’t go wrong with a closer look at the COURSES OF INTEREST page, from which 9 of these 10 courses come from.
May your advisement meetings be productive and may your registration dates come quickly!
Fight on forever,
Grace Carballo ‘17
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