AMS 121 - Popular Culture in America

3 credit hours - Three hours weekly; one term.
This course meets the Arts & Humanities General Education Requirement.  This course meets the Social and Behavioral Sciences General Education Requirement.

Examine American beliefs, values, and attitudes as they are reflected in such institutions and leisure pursuits as motion pictures, television, radio, music, sports, politics, and lifestyles.

Note: Typically offered at MC and OL; all terms.

Course Outcomes:
1. Apply critical thinking skills to analyze the culture industries.

2. Contrast the ability of traditional “high” culture vs. popular culture to introduce outsider voices into mainstream American culture.

3. Evaluate several perspectives on popular culture and identity formation, including race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, and globalization.

4. Analyze local popular culture phenomena by applying seminal popular culture studies theories.

5. Evaluate the impact of media ownership upon the popular culture that we consume.