Curricular Connections
Connecting NC State courses with the arts
Curricular Connections Guide
Our Curricular Connections Guide highlights meaningful, logical links between the substance of academic courses and the content of our events.
We’ve made it easy for you to connect the academic courses you teach with events offered through NC State’s art programs, including performances, art exhibitions, music concerts, art making workshops, and theatre productions. Browse the arts programs and corresponding thematic and course connections below.
How to Engage
There are numerous ways you and your students can engage the arts and Arts NC State, including:
- Attending a performance
- Participating in pre or post-concert discussions
- Scheduling in-class workshops with arts faculty or visiting artists
- Using a performance to enhance your classroom discussion
Testimonial
NC State LIVE
NC State LIVE consistently brings some of the most artistically and socially impactful performers of our time to our campus. From captivating global music to award-winning modern dance, attending one of LIVE’s concerts promises to broaden your students’ worldviews and perspectives.
Connections in anthropology, Africana Studies, climate science, environmental science, music history, global music, indigenous studies, women’s and gender studies, community-based art practices and more.
Past class connection examples
- HON 293: Honors Special Topics, Interdisciplinary: Music Beyond Binaries
- IS 200: Introduction to International Studies
- IS 250: Globalizing North Carolina
- IS 393: Theories of Globalization
- MUS 200 Understanding Music: Global Perspectives
- WLSP 212: Spanish: Language, Technology, Culture
- WLSP 332: Spanish Oral and Written Expression II
University Theatre
University Theatre is NC State’s open access theatre company, serving the entire student body. Under the direction of a full-time professional staff, we produce five major shows each season.
University Theatre offers a blend of volunteer student productions and academic theatre training. Productions are open to all NC State students, regardless of major or whether or not they are enrolled in theatre courses.
Connections in literature, contemporary history, political & moral philosophy, race relations in America and more.
Past thematic and class connection examples
“Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play” by Anne Washburn is a compelling and thought-provoking work presented in 2024 that examines the intersection of popular culture, storytelling, and societal collapse. The play’s structure and themes offer rich connections to a variety of college courses.
- Theater Studies: For students in theater or dramatic arts programs, “Mr. Burns” provides an interesting case study in post-apocalyptic drama and the evolution of narrative forms. The play’s unique structure, with its first act set immediately after a catastrophic event and subsequent acts exploring how the story of “The Simpsons” transforms over time, challenges conventional storytelling and staging techniques.
- Literature and Drama: In literature or drama courses, “Mr. Burns” can be analyzed for its exploration of memory, myth, and the power of storytelling. The play’s use of a popular television show as a cultural touchstone allows for discussions on how narratives evolve and are preserved through different lenses over time.
- Cultural Studies: For students studying cultural studies, the play offers a lens through which to examine the role of pop culture in shaping collective memory and identity. The way “The Simpsons” is reinterpreted in a post-apocalyptic world provides insight into how culture is transmitted and transformed across generations.
- Media Studies: In media studies courses, “Mr. Burns” can be used to explore the impact of media on society and how media artifacts (like television shows) can become significant cultural symbols. The play’s depiction of how “The Simpsons” becomes a mythologized narrative reflects on media’s role in shaping collective consciousness.
- Sociology: For sociology students, the play can be a springboard for discussing societal collapse and the role of communal narratives in rebuilding social structures. It raises questions about what stories and cultural references people cling to in times of crisis and how they contribute to social cohesion and identity.
- Performance Studies: In performance studies, “Mr. Burns” offers an opportunity to examine how performance and audience engagement evolve in response to different contexts. The play’s blend of theatrical elements with a meta-theatrical exploration of performance as a means of cultural preservation can be an intriguing topic.
- Environmental Studies: For students focused on environmental studies or climate change, the play’s setting in a post-apocalyptic world can be analyzed for its commentary on environmental catastrophe and its effects on human culture and behavior.
- Specific Course Connections
- AEC 400: Applied Ecology
- ARS 354: The Arts and the Sacred
- CE 373: Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering
- COM 257: Media History and Theory
- COM 436: Environmental Communication
- HI 305: Frauds and Mysteries of the Past
- THE 103: Introduction to Theatre
- THE 203: Theory and Practice of Acting
Gregg Museum of Art & Design
Gregg Museum of Art & Design at NC State University sparks creativity and encourages exploration through engaging exhibitions, relevant programming, and thought-provoking educational experiences.
Connections in anthropology, pop culture, design, history, creative writing, physics, religion, sociology and more.
Past thematic and class connection examples
BABENGA – The Sacred Forest
May 15, 2024-January 11, 2025
Cameroonian artist Jean Michel Dissake creates sculptures from found and recycled materials, blending natural elements like wood, vines, and palm fronds with man-made items such as computer boards and car parts. His work, influenced by his cultural heritage and nine years living in the Mungo River forest, explores themes of ecology, spirituality, unity, and harmony with nature. BABENGA – The Sacred Forest is co-curated by Raleigh artist Marriott Sheldon and former Gregg Museum director Roger Manley. Dissake was also invited to showcase his work at this year’s Venice Biennale, the world’s leading art expo.
- Environmental Studies / Ecology: Dissake’s focus on the balance between nature and technology speaks directly to courses in ecology, sustainability, and environmental ethics. His use of recycled materials emphasizes themes of conservation and resourcefulness, relevant to discussions on ecological resilience and human impact on the environment.
- Art and Art History: Courses in sculpture, installation art, and contemporary art would benefit from exploring Dissake’s blending of natural and industrial materials, as well as his aesthetic choices informed by his heritage. His participation in the Venice Biennale could lead to discussions about global art movements and the rise of African voices in international art.
- African Studies / Anthropology: Dissake’s cultural heritage and references to his Cameroonian village (Babenga) and local traditions provide rich material for courses focused on African studies, anthropology, and post-colonial studies, particularly in exploring how art can reflect and preserve cultural heritage.
- Religious Studies / Spirituality: The spiritual dimensions in Dissake’s work, such as themes of oneness with nature and ecological spirituality, would align with courses in religious studies, especially those examining indigenous spiritual practices, eco-spirituality, or the intersection of spirituality and environmentalism.
- Economics / Development Studies: Dissake’s background in economics and his shift to art might inspire discussions on the economics of art and the role of education and socioeconomic factors in artistic careers, especially in regions with emerging art markets.
- Sociology / Global Studies: Courses in sociology and global studies could analyze Dissake’s themes of unity and peace in the context of global social movements and environmental justice, as well as the role of art in advocating for social change on a global scale.
- Specific Course Connections
- ADN 111: Introduction to 2D Design
- ADN 386: Sculpture I
- AEC 400: Applied Ecology
- AFS 240: African Civilization
- AFS 342: Introduction to the African Diaspora
- AFS 444: African American and African Women Leaders
- ANT 252 Cultural Anthropology
- ANT 261 Technology in Society and Culture
- ANT 330 People and Cultures of Africa
- ARS 353: Arts and Cross-Cultural Contacts
- ARS 354: The Arts and the Sacred
- COM 230: Introduction to Communication Theory
- COM 327: Critical Analysis of Communication Media
- COM 417: Communication and Race
- COM 436: Environmental Communication
- COM 451: Visual Rhetoric
- ENG 340: Literature, Art, and Society
- HI 275: Introduction of History to South and East Africa
- HI 342: Global Environmental History
- PS 236: Issues in Global Politics
- REL 200: Intro to the Study of Religion
- REL 220: Religion in the Contemporary World
- REL 309: Religion and Society
- REL 380: Emotion and Religion
- SW 413: African American Families: History, Tradition, and Community
The Crafts Center
With a vision of providing more than just a slate of routine crafts classes and studio access, the Crafts Center strives to meet the personal and academic needs of NC State students. Ours is a community of like-minded students, an inviting place to gather, share and reflect on life in an atmosphere that is encouraging and inclusive. We offer:
Non-credit classes and workshops (including classes exclusively for NC State students)
Past thematic and class connection examples
Connections in art history, creative writing, engineering and more.
- Specific Course Connections
- ADN 273: Fibers Materials and Processes
- ADN 470: Fibers and Surface Design Studio
- ADN 386 Sculpture I
- Engineering Academic Affairs
Department of Performing Arts and Technology (Dance and Music)
The Department of Performing Arts and Technology presents dozens of concerts annually, providing various affordable opportunities for students, families and local concertgoers to experience incredible live performances.
Connections in anthropology, applied ecology, communication, history, urban ecology and more.
Past thematic and class connection examples
The Dance program’s Master Class series offers experiential and cultural learning via dance. Choose from a rich selection of dance forms and styles, including modern, Latin and hip-hop. Guest instructors are experts in their field and hail from all over the country.
African Dance Workshop with Nobuntu Tuesday, October 8, 2024
- Specific Course Connections
- AFS 240: African Civilization
- AFS 276: Intro to History of South and East Africa
- AFS 342: Introduction to the African Diaspora
- AFS 346: Black Popular Culture
- AFS 442: Issues in the African Diaspora
- ANT 252: Cultural Anthropology
- ARS 354: The Arts and the Sacred
What Faculty Say
“This [the CCG] is a great way to integrate the arts into academic work, to foster a well-rounded education where art appreciation and the development of an artistic sensibility have a place regardless of majors, and to increase students’ awareness that their education has meaningful applications beyond the classroom walls and the confines of their academic fields of study.”
Dr. Hélène Ducros
Lecturer, Interdisciplinary Studies
“Bringing students to the Gregg Museum has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my teaching career at NCSU. Invariably students who have been quiet in class seem to come out of their shells and find ways to engage with the Gregg’s amazing collection. Knowing that different students have different learning styles is quite different from seeing it in action before you as they open up and make connections that hadn’t been made before between theory and practice.”
Anna Bigelow
Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
Questions or Comments?
Arts NC State via email at artsncstate@ncsu.edu