HHP Place-Based Classes

Take a class featuring Hartford’s Heritage or jump fully in with an immersion course.

📍symbol = Immersion Courses (on-site at partner locations).

Watch a trailer for the Immersion Course “ENG22: Twain + Stowe” here.

Subject Areas

ARC 102: Architecture of the World

3 creditsIra Hessmer
☑ Fall ☐ Winter ☐ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

Students visit the Old State House to see physical examples of the Greek, Roman, and Neo-Classical architecture related to their readings and classwork on Thomas Jefferson and his contribution to architecture. Students take a walking tour of Main Street to learn about structures form different eras from Art Deco, including Capital’s building on 960 Main Street and the building across the street, to Gothic, such as Christ’s Cathedral across the street from the college. Students sketch several buildings in Hartford in their sketchbooks for the class and visit the Wadsworth Athenaeum to see the furniture of Frank Lloyd Wright and modernist paintings in the Avery Memorial wing, tying into their studies of modern architectural movements of the 20th century.

ARC 205: Architectural Designing I

3 creditsIra Hessmer
☑ Fall ☐ Winter ☐ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

Architectural Design I students complete a special project based on their study of Hartford. For example, in the Small Theaters as Precedents for a Theater Design project, students are given the task to design a theoretical small scale performance theater for Capital Community College. They study the physical layout of downtown Hartford and tour relevant sites, such as Hartford Stage and TheaterWorks. They also attend relevant events such as plays or attend lectures at places like the Old State House when relevant to the project.

ART 200: History of American Art📍

3 creditsAngela Parker
☐ Fall ☐ Winter ☑ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

With the Wadsworth Athenaeum and the Amistad Center for Art & Culture as a resource, this course guides students through major movements in American art history and visual culture with an emphasis on several special exhibitions, featuring contemporary work by artists of African descent. While identifying relationships and themes shared between a range of aesthetic traditions across the 19th and 20th centuries, students will also consider the evolving role of museums in American culture.

BIO 111: Introduction to Nutrition

3 creditsCarmen Yiamouyiannis
☑ Fall ☐ Winter ☐ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

Introductory course, including nutritional requirements of the body, nutrient interrelationships, major nutritional problems. Representatives from Knox (formerly, Knox Parks Foundation) speak to the class about the mission of Knox and urban gardening. They talk about community gardens available in Hartford and the resources that are offered: seeds, soil, garden tips, water, equipment. They also talk about the benefits of community gardening, including eating nutritious food, education, an opportunity to make money at farmers markets, and socialization. The class might tour or have an assignment requiring students to visit a community garden or farmer’s market. Through this project, the class develops an understanding of the role of nutrients and energy balance on the well-being of the human body.

BMK 201: Principles of Marketing

3 creditsNancy LaGuardia
☑ Fall ☐ Winter ☐ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

An introductory study of how organizations market their products and services. In support of the module on advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and personal selling, students learn from marketing experts at non-profits such as the Hartford Stage and the Mark Twain House. The speakers focus on budgeting, target market, social media, creating posters/flyers, special promotions, and free advertising. Through this, students gain contextualized knowledge of difficult marketing concepts when they actually hear how the marketing is implemented in a non-profit here in Hartford. Students are encouraged to see a play or visit the museum before they create a marketing plan, and from this, students consider how to transfer this knowledge to the marketing of other products.

ENG 102: Literature and Composition

3 creditsDaniela Ragusa
☑ Fall ☑ Winter ☑ Spring ☑ Summer
contact: [email protected]

Study of literature and the writing process necessary for responding critically to reading in written compositions. Students study three genres of writing: fiction, poetry, and drama. In most sections of English 102 (excluding online sections), students attend live theater performances in Hartford in order to experience the genre of drama as it was meant to be experienced: live on stage. Students may see a play in conjunction with the One Play program, a partnership between Capital and the Hartford Stage that offers low-priced tickets and on-campus events such as the popular Meet the Actors session, or they may see a play at TheaterWorks as part of the course. Some sections of English 102 include opportunities to read works by Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, or Wallace Stevens and visit the Hartford homes of these authors.

ENG 200: Advanced Composition

3 creditsDaniela Ragusa
☐ Fall ☐ Winter ☑ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

Students conduct Field Research and engage in Ethnographic Writing by exploring various subcultures, interviewing appropriate informants, and observing and participating in pertinent activities related to the people, places and things associated with their chosen subculture. This course grounds student ethnographic research in the city of Hartford. Place-based activities include an interactive tour of downtown Hartford, where students learn about changes in the city’s layout over time and significant historical sites; an exploration of Hartford’s Ancient Burying Ground that links critical readings on cemeteries as multipurpose field sites with discoveries in the oldest cemetery in Hartford; and a visit the Connecticut Historical Society to view home and family artifacts in multiple realms, including needlework and functional and decorative fabrics, that makes connections with course readings.

ENG 220: Studies in American Literature📍

3 creditsJeff Partridge
☐ Fall ☐ Winter ☑ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

English 220 focuses on the lives and selected works of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain. The course is taught on site at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center and the Mark Twain House & Museum, located in Hartford’s west end. Students read and discuss works by two of American Literature’s most influential authors, learn from staff experts at the Stowe and Twain Museums, access archives and library materials unique to these national landmark museums, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the houses, archives, and exhibits.

ENG 222: Twain and Stowe

3 creditsJeff Partridge
☐ Fall ☐ Winter ☑ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

Study of selected readings in American Literature from the Civil War period to the contemporary period. As a Hartford Heritage Course, ENG 222 makes use of resources in our city that help to illuminate our study of American literature, including the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, Mark Twain House and Museum, Old State House, Wallace Stevens Walk, Connecticut Historical Society, and Wadsworth Atheneum.

ESL 023: Reading & Writing II

3 creditsCarl Guerriere
☑ Fall ☐ Winter ☑ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

A high-beginning/low-intermediate course for non-native speakers of English who need to develop their reading, writing, and oral/aural communication skills. The course introduces students to American History, particularly the Victorian Era, the Industrial Revolution, the Civil War, and slavery in order to build a background for reading the authors’ biographies. Who was Harriet Beecher Stowe? Who was Mark Twain? Students visit the authors’ homes and learn about social justice and the power of the written word. To experience the power of writing first-hand, students will write letters to leaders to bring about change for immigrants and ELL (English Language Learner) students.

ESL 027: Oral Communication II

3 creditsCarl Guerriere
☑ Fall ☐ Winter ☑ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

A high-beginning/low-intermediate course for non-native speakers of English who need to develop their reading, writing, and oral/aural communication skills. The course introduces students to American History, particularly the Victorian Era, the Industrial Revolution, the Civil War, and slavery in order to build a background for reading the authors’ biographies. Who was Harriet Beecher Stowe? Who was Mark Twain? Students visit the authors’ homes and learn about social justice and the power of the written word. To experience the power of writing first-hand, students will write letters to leaders to bring about change for immigrants and ELL (English Language Learner) students.

HIS 202: U.S. History II

3 creditsMarcus Lawson
☑ Fall ☐ Winter ☑ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

Institutions and forces at work in the United States since the Civil War, with emphasis on the historical background of contemporary political, social, and economic problems. In this section of HIS 202, students visit the Wadsworth Auerbach Library to facilitate the completion of their research project on Samuel Colt. The research assignment has an abstract, outline, annotated bibliography, and associated participatory, writing assignments that require a student to delve into the history of Colt. The widow of Samuel Colt, Elizabeth Jarvis Colt, left parts of her and her husband’s estate to the Wadsworth. She also donated proceeds that resulted in a wing of the Wadsworth to be constructed. The head librarian at the Auerbach Library introduces students to a variety of Colt artifacts and orientates them to the library for their independent research.

IDS 250: Liberal Arts Capstone

3 creditsJeff Partridge
☑ Fall ☐ Winter ☑ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

This capstone section is themed “Immigration: Hartford and the Nation.” Using Hartford as a case study, this course investigates U.S. immigration-its history, laws, impact and trends. With the help of guest professors who are experts in their fields, visits to Hartford museums and other institutions, and readings that provide a multidisciplinary perspective, we will examine immigration through the lenses of such academic disciplines as History, Literature, Math/Statistics, Music, Religious Studies, Film, Health Sciences, and Philosophy.

MUS 225: Arts & Entertainment Management📍

3 creditsJoshua Hummel
☐ Fall ☐ Winter ☑ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

Taught by professionals at The Bushnell, this course provides practical and current instruction in how to successfully manage an arts and entertainment organization.

POL 111: American Government📍

3 creditsHamish Lutris
☐ Fall ☐ Winter ☑ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

Taught by Hamish Lutris, this course is set in Connecticut’s first seat of government to study the major aspects of US government including the Constitution, Congress, presidency, and political parties.

THR 101: Introduction to Theater

3 creditsJulia Rosenblatt
☑ Fall ☑ Winter ☐ Spring ☑ Summer
contact: [email protected]

This course will cover readings within the context of several theatrical traditions, an introduction to theatre practice and performance techniques, and will showcase class work. Viewing of live theater in Hartford is an integral component of THR 101.

THR 110: Acting I

3 creditsJulia Rosenblatt
☑ Fall ☑ Winter ☐ Spring ☑ Summer
contact: [email protected]

As a first step in acting, students will focus on developing the fundamental tools of a an actor, including the development of imagination; creative interpretation; characterization; script analysis; improvisation; voice and movement. Viewing of live theater in Hartford is an integral component of THR 110.

THR 127: Contemporary Theater Production📍

3 creditsJulia Rosenblatt
☐ Fall ☐ Winter ☑ Spring ☐ Summer
contact: [email protected]

Taught by theater educators from Hartford Stage, this course makes live theater performances in Hartford you textbook as you study contemporary theater production in a structured environment with input from production teams at various theaters.

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