Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Graphic Design in Society

ART 4290-01

Course: ART 4290-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ARTD
CRN: 31728

Course Description

This course in graphic design is an upper-division special topics class aimed at exploring the relationship between design and its societal impacts. Through lectures, research, readings, and hands-on projects, students will examine how design shapes and reflects societal values, behaviors, and norms, and how they can leverage their knowledge of graphic design to communicate. Students will connect a variety of projects to historical methods and campaigns while learning about tools for research, ideation, and communication. (As Needed) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): ART 3210 and ART 3230 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C Repeatable for Add’l Credit? Yes - Total Credits: 12 Registration Restriction(s): Art Foundation Review required

Required Texts

Endless Letterpress (Video)
Grey City (Kanopy Video)
Applications and innovations in typeface design for North American Indigenous languages (JULIA SCHILLO AND MARK TURIN)
Art-Zines–The Self-Publishing Revolution: The Zineopolis Art-Zine Collection (Jackie Batey)
Chapter from "Letterpress Revolution" by Kathy E Ferguson

Learning Outcomes


This course will build on visual communication and problem-solving skills developed in introductory design classes. Layout, composition, and typography skills will be engaged in a variety of contexts. In this course, students should:


  • Develop critical thinking skills to analyze the societal implications of design
  • Foster creativity and innovation in designing solutions that address societal challenges.
  • Explore a variety of methods of design as communication
  • Utilize the design process as well as concepts learned in 2D and GD1 to create a campaign for a cause
  • Cultivate ethical awareness and responsibility in the practice of design.
  • Learn to communicate theoretical concepts visually
  • Learn to think iteratively and to move through the design process
  • Practice basic print and production problem solving
  • Employ strict attention to detail through careful observation

Course Requirements

Classes will consist of lectures, studio time, field trips, and critiques. There will be readings, lectures, and videos for you to complete outside of class time in order for us to discuss in-class. Attendance, participation, progress through the process, craft, and utilizing of concepts discussed in class play a role in project grades and final grades.

General Grading Rubric
A work:
- Attended and participated in class
- Showed carefully thought-through proof of concept and ideation
- Improved work and integrated feedback throughout the design process
- Showed impeccable craft (no torn edges, excess glue, left-over crop marks)
- Followed submission guidelines
- Treated studio and classmates with respect
- Showed thoughtful treatment of type and image
B work:
- Attended class and participated some
- Some proof of concept and ideation
- Improved work and integrated feedback somewhat throughout the design process
- Showed good craft (no torn edges, excess glue, left-over crop marks)
- Followed submission guidelines
- Treated studio and classmates with respect
- Showed thoughtful treatment of type and image
C work:
- Missed class and/or did not participate much if at all
- Some proof of concept and ideation
- Did not integrate feedback or did not improve work much throughout the design process
- Showed issues with craft
- Did not follow submission guidelines
- Little thought to treatment of type and image
D and below:
- Did not come to class, did not participate
- No proof of concept or ideation
- Did not integrate feedback or improve throughout the design process
- Big craft issues
- Did not follow submission guidelines
- Little to no thought of treatment of type

Course Outline

Project 1:  
- alternative methods of communication
- multipage design
- historical zines 


Exercise
- use of letterpress
- color mixing and layering
- quick design
- typography and communication

Project 2: 
    - working in groups
- pitching, designing pitch deck
- presentation
- understanding of wayfinding design


Project 3: 
- writing 
- campaign design analysis
- messaging/communication


Reading Responses


Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work


Work must be turned in on time so it can be critiqued by the class. Anticipate technical problems and factor in extra troubleshooting time. Do not wait until the last minute to prepare/print your projects. Do not arrive late to critiques — you will be counted absent and your work will not be critiqued. Not being prepared for a working critique will count as a missed critique. Your work must be complete and ready to share with the class. 


I will accept projects up to one week late for partial credit. In-progress work must be submitted on time. 

Attendance Policy


As this is a studio class, attendance is taken seriously. You can miss 3 classes without it automatically affecting your grade. 


Departmental policy
is that you cannot pass a class with a grade higher than a C- if you are absent for 1/4 of the class meetings.


Attendance will also be taken into account when it comes to project grades and your final class grade. If you aren't coming to class you will miss a lot of the content and the opportunity to receive feedback on your work. If you miss a full class critique, you will lose points for that project.  If you are sick, do not come to class. Please reach out to me if you are having trouble with long-term or recurring illness. 


Come to class on time so that you don't miss things. I start on time and always start with housekeeping/information/lectures. If you miss that, it's up to you to find that info. Four lates equate to one absence, and if you leave class a half hour early I will also mark you late. 

Course Fees

$19 per credit hour

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.