Humanities

How do we analyze our daily journeys from home and back through architectural landscapes? In this course, students will explore fundamental design principles through the lens of media, film, and cinema. A uniquely modern art form showcasing design at every level on screen, cinematic sequences use the language of architecture to propel people through journeys of space and time. In class we will explore design and storytelling from the point of view of the audience and the creative, engaging in media and consumption from critical perspectives. For their final project, students will craft design projects articulating their own elemental language of architectural design.
 

Note: Students will be required to watch a variety of films in this course, including some films that are not rated and some that are rated R.

Students are passionate about social issues in their communities. But how can they get the word out and effect change? In this course, students will learn the tactics of persuasive communications necessary to advocate for causes they believe in. Students will practice these methods, from effective public speaking to strategic social media, to create effective communications. Seminar discussions will focus on contemporary issues of gender, politics, and advocacy work.

In this hands-on media production course, students create short documentaries, video portraits, and digital content for a real environmental advocacy group. Using smartphones and DaVinci Resolve, students learn the storytelling and technical skills to support one non-profit’s strategy for change. We will explore how media shapes awareness, policy, and action and how you can make work that matters.

Explore Louisiana’s role as a global leader in incarceration and its ongoing efforts in criminal justice reform. This class dives into the inequalities of the justice system, the fight for change, and the power of media in shaping perceptions about crime and punishment. Students will meet with formerly incarcerated activists, study the prison industrial complex, and learn media techniques to create impactful projects. Through hands-on collaboration, you’ll produce media pieces for Voice of the Experienced (VOTE), amplifying stories of reform and redemption. Join us to uncover the challenges and possibilities of building a fairer justice system!

Maps are where science meets art!  Maps are more than 2D representations of geography.  They can convey so much data without any words.  Historically, humans have created and used maps to convey information.  From ancient civilizations to modern times, maps can convey a wealth of knowledge.  Join the fun and truly learn the meaning of the old phrase - a picture is worth a thousand words!

For most of its history, podcasting was an audio-first and independent practice, accessible to anyone with a microphone, a computer, and an RSS feed. Podcasters in 2026 face a very different world, where mass audiences engage podcasts as a visual-first format and streaming giants like Spotify, YouTube, Apple, and Netflix dominate the scene. In this course, we take a critical look at podcasting's past to pursue answers about its future. What will the next 5 years hold for podcasters, the art of podcasting, and the podcasting industry? 

This is the Way. Science fiction enables us to study the contemporary political world from a distance -- to shed light on its problems and its weaknesses, and to be imaginative about alternatives, both hope-filled and deeply troubling. Through science fiction, we will consider ideas like power, authority, legitimacy, equality, and identity. Many of the readings, television shows, and movies we examine in this course will reflect upon the current political, social, cultural, and religious environment we reside in; whereas the technology may be from a distant future, the struggles the characters face all find their roots in our collective human existence.

Discover the untold stories of New Orleans through its cultural institutions! This class explores how museums and historic sites have both silenced and amplified Black voices, focusing on three impactful spaces: the TEP Center, the New Orleans African American Museum, and the Backstreet Cultural Museum. You’ll learn about their roles in addressing racism, celebrating Black traditions, and preserving African American history. With interactive class visits, an exciting field trip, and group projects, you’ll dive deep into the powerful narratives shaping New Orleans’ culture. Join us to uncover history, challenge perspectives, and create meaningful audio-visual projects!

Explore New Orleans through documentary film. Students will examine historic and contemporary documentaries that portray the city’s people, culture, crises, and change. We’ll consider how filmmakers’ backgrounds and motivations shape what we see and what’s left unsaid. Through screenings, discussions, and conversations with filmmakers, students will gain insight into the ongoing true story of New Orleans.

Journey across the history of the Deep South to uncover the under told stories of women who transformed the Civil Rights Movement. From the young girls integrating New Orleans schools to the Freedom Riders and Mississippi Delta organizers that birthed the Blues, this course spotlights the courage and creativity behind America’s long march to freedom. Through oral histories, music, and reflective projects, students will explore how women have built community power, led strategic resistance, and shaped the nation’s struggle for equality. Discover history through the voices that made change possible and examine how their lessons continue to resonate today.

New Orleans is among the most musically and culturally significant cities in the world. This course examines how the city’s history—shaped by colonialism, enslavement, and musical/cultural resistance within it—has contributed to the city’s imaginings, both local and global. Students will apply ideas from music studies, cultural studies, Black studies, and anthropology to the expressive practices of brass bands, bounce artists, and Black masking Indians, among others.

How do television, film, and new media technologies reflect and shape public opinion and policy around reproductive issues? This course focuses on relationships among reproductive health, popular media, social media, public policy, and movements for reproductive rights and justice in the United States. By analyzing a range of today’s media – from Jane the Virgin and Teen Mom to sex ed and fertility apps – students will gain an understanding of key issues within reproductive health and politics, including the effects of social inequalities on reproductive freedom and outcomes, while practicing important academic skills to increase college readiness.

In this course, students work with experienced faculty to learn techniques for music and audio production using Digital Audio Workstation software like Ableton, Logic, and Reaper. Students engage in critical listening and work on daily creative projects, culminating in a concert of student work at the end of the week. Topics and techniques covered in the class include Sound Synthesis, Sample Manipulation, Songwriting and Arranging, Mixing and Mastering.

Spend the week diving into the history, mechanics, and ethics of visual journalism with hands-on time dedicated to making a cohesive, sequenced photo story with an award-winning National Geographic photographer. Emphasis will be placed on developing story, strengthening technical ability, and learning how to develop specialized skills like intimate portraiture and compelling narrative. No specialized equipment required — smartphone cameras welcome and encouraged.

Ever wonder how your favorite songs are made? This course explores how technology has transformed music creation across history and cultures, from early recording innovations to today's digital production techniques. You'll gain hands-on experience with professional music production tools, learning MIDI composition, audio recording, sampling, and sound synthesis through daily creative projects. The course culminates in an original composition project where you'll apply these skills to create and present your own finished piece. Whether you're interested in songwriting, electronic music, hip-hop production, or experimental sound design, you'll develop your creative and technical skills with our experienced instructors. No prior musical experience is required. Bring your curiosity and a passion for sound!

This course examines some of the pivotal roles that Louisiana women have played in shaping the political, cultural, environmental, and labor movements in the region since the beginning of the 20th century. Students will learn about how race, class, geography, and cultural identity have shaped women’s strategies for activism in the state and how those strategies have resulted in meaningful change within the region. Participants will also have the opportunity to see first-hand how these stories have been preserved through art, music, oral histories, and the written word right here on Tulane’s campus in the Newcomb Institute’s Special Collections. By the end of the week students will get to flex their own creative muscles and create a zine or poster of a Louisiana activist that has inspired them from the past or the present.

This course explores how women have represented themselves across centuries — from early autobiographies and diaries to memoirs, hybrid essays, and digital storytelling. Students will read excerpts from women writers across time and create their own life-writing pieces. Together, we’ll ask: How do we find our voices? How do stories shape identity? What does it mean to share our lives in public — in person and online? Students will explore how women tell their stories, from diaries and oral histories to social media and zines. Students will study voices from the Newcomb Archives, listen to oral histories and podcasts, analyze digital storytelling, and create their own collaborative zine or digital project that connects past and present women’s experiences and reflects on how they document and share their own lives.

We are all experiencing constant changes in algorithms while trying to maintain our own personal rhythms, and trying to stay authentic in an increasingly artificial era. What if rather than trying to keep up, you slowed down and reflected and explored your ideas and opinions more, before posting? This class will focus on various ways to develop and tell your personal story, from writing and photography, to theatre and visual art, using various forms of expression that can serve as a support system to your digital storytelling. Through a variety of individual assignments and collaborative opportunities, you will learn new ways to use your own voice.