Spring 2025 Course Syllabus
Course: COMM-2366 (Section: 71, CRN: 10448)
Film Appreciation 		LSCPA Logo Image
Instructor Information
Instructor Danielle Nicholson
Email nicholsondm@lamarpa.edu
Phone (409) 681-4312
Office Press Building - Room: 105C
Office Hours
Mondays, 12:45 pm - 2:45 pm
Tuesdays, 9:30 - 11 am; 12:15 - 12:45 pm
Wednesdays, 12:45 pm - 2:45 pm
Thursdays, 9:30 - 11 am; 12:15 - 12:45 pm
Fridays, 12:45 pm - 2:45 pm
Additional Contact Information You may call or text my cell phone, however please note that you will need to leave a voicemail: (682) 556-1050.
Course Information
Description Survey and analyze cinema including history, film techniques, production procedures, selected motion pictures, and cinema�s impact on and reflection of society. (Cross- listed as DRAM 2366).
Required Textbooks Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

Film Appreciation: American Cinema American Culture, 5th Ed, McGraw Hill, 2017 
Additional Materials/Resources

Students will be asked to watch films and/or short videos each week. Most films can be found on popular streaming services (linked in Blackboard) or through the campus library databases.
Corequisites/Prerequisites None
Learning Outcomes
  • Analyze film through written response.
  • Demonstrate a basic knowledge of film history, form, and genre.
  • Describe the collaborative nature of cinema and the many jobs required to develop a motion picture.
  • Discuss/Describe the relationship of cinema to society as it relates to his/her perspective
Core Objectives
  • Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and/or visual communication.
  • Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions.
Lecture Topics Outline
  • Welcome and syllabus overview
  • History of Cinema
  • What makes a movie?
  • Film Form, Content, and Genres
  • Film Narrative 
  • Cinematography and Art Direction 
  • Today’s Film
  • Genre Study
Major Assignments Schedule
  • Week 1

    • Introductions
    • Welcome survey (required)
    • Course expectations, syllabus, and major assignment discussion
  • Week 2 Introduction to Film. What is it, its history, early cinema. 
  • Week 3 Film Narrative; Mise-en-scene, Cinematography, Art Direction
  • Week 4 Classical Hollywood Cinema
  • Week 5

    • Genres of Film: Introduction
    • Genres of Film: Silent Films, Musicals
  • Week 6 Genres of Film: Comedy, Westerns; War and Cinema
  • Week 7 Midterm exam (Due by midnight March 8)
  • Week 8 Genres of Film: Film Noir, Drama, and Arthouse
  • Week 9 Genres of Film: Post World War II, Post Cold War 
  • Week 10 Genres of Film: Horror and Science Fiction. 
  • Week 11 Film in the 21st Century
  • Week 12 Film Today and the Role of Social Media 
  • Week 13 Final Exam - Review Week 
  • Week 14 - Final Exam (Due by midnight April 30)
Final Exam Date April 27, 2025 - 12:00 AM   Through  April 30, 2025 - 11:59 AM
Grading Scale

100-90 points = A

80-89 points = B 

70-79 points = C 

60-69 points = D 

Below 59 points = F 
Determination of
Final Grade
  • Your final grade consists of weekly quizzes and assignments, a midterm exam, and a final exam.

    • Weekly Quiz or Assignment = 25% 
    • Weekly Discussion Board Post = 10%
    • Mid-Term Exam = 25%
    • Final Exam = 40%
  • Students may monitor their grades in Blackboard.
Course Policies
Instructor Policies
  • Late work is not acceptable and is allowed only with instructor approval. Approval will be on a *very limited* case-by-case basis. 
  • Academic dishonesty will result in a zero on any assignment (first offense); a second offense will result in failure of the class. This includes unauthorized use of AI tools. 
  • Exam retakes or late submissions are not acceptable; extenuating circumstances will be evaluated on a *very limited* case-by-case basis. If you encounter a technical issue while taking an exam that prohibits you from taking or finishing the exam, you must contact me before the due date. Extensions in this situation are not guaranteed, and will be evaluated on a *very limited* case-by-case basis. 
  • The best way to contact me is by sending me an email at nicholsondm@lamarpa.edu. You may also call or text my cell phone, (682) 556-1050, but note that you must leave a voicemail and I will get back to you. 
  • The weekly quizzes or assignments are due by midnight on Saturday each week in Blackboard. If you experience a technical difficulty it is your responsibility to ensure your weekly assignment is submitted by the due date; no extensions will be allowed.
  • Office hours are below. If you would like to meet with me, please schedule a time in advance so that we can both be prepared as needed.

    • Mondays, 12:45 pm - 2:45 pm
    • Tuesdays, 9:30 - 11 am; 12:15 - 12:45 pm
    • Wednesdays, 12:45 pm - 2:45 pm
    • Thursdays, 9:30 - 11 am; 12:15 - 12:45 pm
    • Fridays, 12:45 pm - 2:45 pm
  • Additional times are available by appointment. You may email, text, or call me to make an appointment. 
  • I highly recommend you to contact me and share your thoughts and ideas about your projects and what you are learning in class. If you foresee any barriers to completing your assignments, please raise these concerns early with me so that we can find a suitable solution if possible.
Attendance Policy To be successful in this course, students must not only attend, but also participate and complete all assignments to receive credit. The weekly quizzes, discussion questions, mid-term, and final exam are all based on what is discussed in class and the weekly readings/videos.
Additional Information This course requires approximately three hours of effort each week, and perhaps more if preparing for an exam (most of the three hours is watching the film, followed by the reading). Each week, students are asked to complete a reading assignment, watch a film, and take a quiz or other homework assignment. If you have trouble finding a quiet place to study at home, The Lamar State College - Port Arthur Gates Memorial Library is open weekdays after school until 7:30 pm.
Institutional Policies
MyLSCPA Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.
Academic Honesty Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
ADA Considerations The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Room 117, in the Student Sucess Center. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
COVID 19 Information The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition directly to their local health department. Students should also contact their course faculty to report their quarantine status. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings when directly exposed to COVID 19 in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website.
Facility Policies No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
HB 2504 This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.
Title IX and Sexual Misconduct LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.
Clery Act Crime Reporting For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.
Grievance / Complaint / Concern If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.
Department Information
Business and Industrial Technology
Chair:Dr. Blas Canedo Gonzalez
Email:canedoba@lamarpa.edu
Phone:(409) 984-6547