Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Senior Seminar - Specific Area of Study (Face-to-Face)

ART 4990-03

Course: ART 4990-03
Credits: 4
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ARTD
CRN: 32297

Course Description

Advanced supervised work in one of the following areas as approved by the instructor: art education, design, graphic design, ceramics, sculpture, illustration, painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, museum studies, and experimental media. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Repeatable for Add’l Credit? Yes - Total Credits: 9 

When enrolled with Jason Walker:
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is an independent study. It is your responsibility to come into the studio to complete your work. There is no official meeting time. It is designed as a way for a student who has a very demanding academic load the ability to continue to build their skills, work on a specific technique and/or idea, and have access to the ceramic studio and participate in the ceramics area community with a minimum of credit hours.

Required Texts

No text required as each independent study may involve a different set of ideas or methodologies. 

Learning Outcomes

OBJECTIVES: This class emphasizes clay as a creative art material. Students learning outcomes are:

1. Students will demonstrate their own artistic vision and methodology through a highly focused course of study.

2. Students will practice integrative, critical and creative thinking skills by articulating their intentions and ideas in critiques and written form with their artist statement.

3. They will demonstrate their understanding of the creative process and how to apply it to future bodies of work.


Course Requirements

REQUIRED TOOL AND MATERIALS:

Resource Materials (recommended textbooks and journals)
 
Functional Pottery, by Robin Hopper

The Complete Guide to Mid-Range Glazes: Glazing and Firing at Cones 4-7, by John Brit

The Ceramics Bile Revised Edition, by Louisa Taylor

The Essential Guide to Moldmaking and Slipcasting, by Andrew Martin

Mold Making for Ceramics, by Donald E. FrithP
 
Extra / Ordinary: Craft and Contemporary Art, Edited by Maris Elena Buszek
 
Ceramic Journals:
 
CERAMIC REVIEW
CERAMICS ART AND PERCEPTION
CERAMICS MONTHLY
CERAMICS TECHNICAL
NEW CERAMICS
 
Sketchbook and a drawing implement. Always bring these to class.

Clay. Clay is available in the ceramic studio, but you must acquire a receipt from the cashier’s office in the student center. The price is listed on the board in the studio. You may expect to use at minimum two bags of clay. Your course fees cover the cost of glaze, slips, firing and studio tools and upkeep.

Basic ceramic tool kit found at the SUU Bookstore or online.

Items not available in the basic kit that you will need include:

A dust mask with cartridges (mandatory)

A serrated rib

Various watercolor or Chinese calligraphy paint brushes

A small plastic container with a lid, such as a recycled yogurt or ice cream container.

A large container for throwing (such as a one-gallon bucket).

A small towel.

An apron (if you do not want to get clay on your clothes)

Various carving tools

An x-acto Knife

Recommended supplementary tools: Surform tool, small carving tools. Online sources to order tools are: Mudtools, Tacoma Clay Art Center, Georgie’s Ceramic Supply. There are many.


Course Outline

PROJECTS: You are responsible for designing your own course work. You must submit a proposal of the content and a calendar of due dates of completion of each project. Your proposal must be approved by the instructor. You will be required to meet with the instructor at the beginning of the semester to have your proposal approved. A calendar has been attached to the home page for you to fill out with your proposal. You will be required to participate in the end of semester final with the Advanced courses.


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

This is an independent study, so the only due dates are at mid-term critique and the final exam. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate with the instructor if they are having issues completing their proposal. 

Attendance Policy

This is an independent study. There is no designated meeting time. There is not an attendance policy for this course.

Course Fees

ART courses have a $19.00 per credit fee

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.