Assess graduate students’ understanding of core semiotic principles in visual culture by testing definitions and application of Saussurean and Peircean frameworks. Expect concise explanations of key concepts (Saussure: signifier/signified, arbitrariness, langue/parole, paradigmatic/syntagmatic relations; Peirce: triadic sign, icon/index/symbol, interpretant), a short comparative analysis of how each model theorizes meaning-making, and a brief applied task analyzing a provided image (e.g., advertising, film still, or artwork) to identify sign types, codes, and cultural implications. Focus: conceptual clarity, comparative reasoning, and applied interpretation.