Additional Information for Students Considering [ GEN2000 | Film and Multiculturalism ]
This page has been created to provide students who are considering Film and Multiculturalism (GEN2000) as one of their General Education electives with more information about the course and its requirements.
This course is an online course, so all the information about the course is available in the BlackBoard system. Many of the course activities, such as the quizzes are adminstered through the BlackBoard system as well.
Up front, students should be aware of the following aspects of this course:
Deadlines: Deadlines for assignments are absolute. Students must submit assignments on time in order to receive marks for their work.
Homework: Students should plan to spend a minimum of 1 (one) hour per week on their homework for this class.
Assignments: There is 1 (one) assignment per week in this course and occasionally 2 (two) per week.
In addition, to make an informed decision about whether or not to sign up for this course, students should also consider the following things:
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1. Course Description
This course aims to enhance the learner’s inter-cultural understanding by studying films that explore universal human issues. Students will watch a selection of films in which each will address a particular facet of the twentieth-century phenomenon we call multiculturalism (or cultural diversity). Some films will celebrate the triumphs and joys of our increasingly multicultural world; however, others will deal with the darker, uglier side of human co-existence. Issues such as racism and discrimination will be addressed directly rather than ignored. Learners will be required to question their initial emotional reactions to the films and encouraged to arrive at a reasoned critical evaluation of each work. Course work will include such activities as quizzes, synopses, a position paper and an elective film proposal, synopsis and review.
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2. Course Evaluation
| Four quizzes; one on each course film
(each worth 5%) |
20% |
| Four Synopses; one on each course film
(each worth 5%) |
20% |
| Four Reviews; one on each course film
(each worth 5%) |
20% |
| A final project which will include the following: |
| A proposal providing a reasoned justification for the choice of film for the final project |
10% |
| A synopsis of the film chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor |
10% |
| A detailed review of the film which demonstrates all the Course Learning Requirements, Embedded Knowledge, and Course Skills listed on page two. |
20% |
| Total |
100% |
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3. Course Resources
The resources for this course consist of a required text and five (5) films.
The required text is the following:
Roberts, Graham and Heather Wallis. Introducing Film. New York: Oxford UP, 2001.
The book is available in the College bookstore.
The films that are to be viewed throughout the course are the following:
- Crash. (USA) 2004. Director, Paul Haggis.
- Monsoon Wedding. (India) 2002. Director, Mira Nair.
- Atanarjuat. (Canada) 2000. Director, Zacharias Kunuk.
- Schindler's List. (USA) 1993. Director, Steven Spielberg.
- A final film to be chosen by the student according to course requirements.
Students are not expected to buy the movies; however, the movies are required viewing for the course, so students will have to ensure that they obtain copies of the movies in time to complete required assignments. An inability to "find" the movie will not be accepted as a valid reason for submitting late assignments.
Copies of the first four movies will be available in the Learning Resource Centre for use in the Centre. In addition, the Rogers Video at College Square is aware of our course and is prepared for enquiries pertaining to the availability of the films. Finally, many of your local video stores carry some or all of the movies listed above.
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4. General Information
- Students considering this course as their General Education Elective should be aware of the following things:
- The course is divided into 5 units and each unit is 3 weeks long.
- Students are responsible for viewing the movies. Inability to obtain a copy of the movie is not an acceptable excuse for missing assignments.
- Copies of the movies are available in the Learning Resource Centre, but they must be viewed in the centre.
- While the professors are always available for consultation, there are readings that the students are expected to complete on a regular basis.
- Assignments are submitted at regular intervals and will not be accepted after the due date.
- Guidelines for assignment submission are provided from the beginning of the course, and students are expected to follow those guidelines.
- There is no excuse for plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. Rules pertaining to academic discipline are strictly enforced in this course.
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