Course Syllabus

Fall 2026 | HUM-2150-VO01 - Celtic Cultures: Myth, Music, and Memory

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Katherine Leach Thorpe
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Jennifer Gundy

General Education Requirements

Humanistic Perspectives

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

In this interdisciplinary course, students explore the rich tapestry of Celtic culture spanning Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and beyond through their shared mythology, folklore, music, art, and historical traditions. Students examine how common themes in Celtic legend and song reflect broader societal values and beliefs, and how these stories continue to influence contemporary cultural identity. Through readings, multimedia, and hands-on engagement with Celtic artistic expressions, learners gain insight into the diversity and unity of Celtic societies across time and geography.

Essential Objectives

1. Identify major themes in Celtic mythology, folklore, music, and visual arts, and examine how these reflect the historical and cultural circumstances of various Celtic societies, including Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man.
2. Critically analyze a broad selection of early and modern Celtic cultural expressions, including literature, oral traditions, music, and visual media, focusing on how they portray cultural identity, political change, religious belief, gender roles, and social transformation across different Celtic regions.
3. Define literary and artistic elements such as theme, character, symbolism, narrative structure, musical motifs, and visual style, and discuss how these are employed distinctively within Celtic cultural traditions.
4. Compare written and oral Celtic narratives to their adaptations in contemporary media, including film, music, and digital storytelling, examining how artistic interpretation and multimedia techniques influence the portrayal of Celtic history and identity.
5. Describe the revival and evolution of traditional Celtic music and art, and evaluate their roles in shaping modern cultural identity, community life, and artistic innovation within and beyond Celtic regions.
6. Discuss the role of Celtic literature, folklore, music, and visual culture in shaping global perceptions of “Celticness,” and critically assess what cultural understanding is gained or lost in the international transmission and adaptation of Celtic traditions.
7. Explore the intersection of Celtic pagan traditions with Christianity as it took hold in the region and how religious movements, including neopaganism, have adapted Celtic pagan traditions to reflect their own values.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

Textbook Information will be posted here by May 18.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/student-support/accessibility-services/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.