Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

History of Non-Western Art (Synchronous Remote)

ARTH 3750-31R

Course: ARTH 3750-31R
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ARTD
CRN: 32457

Course Description

A lecture course focusing on the history of non-Western art. Students will come to understand the history and modern-day significance of art from outside the Western tradition. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): ART 1010 or ARTH 2710 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: D- 

Required Texts

The text for this course is Michael Kampen-O’Riley’s Art Beyond the West, Pearson (Prentice Hall) Publishing. The book is now in its 3rd edition, but any edition is acceptable for this course.  (The ISBNs of the first (2001-2003) edition are ISBN-10: 013042255XISBN; and ISBN-13: 9780130422552.)

Learning Outcomes

The curriculum for art history and visual-art studies at SUU maintains objectives that teach students to engage with the discipline by using established research methods which help not only to develop a mastery of the required writing and presentation components of a given course, but also to build students’ command of their analytical, investigative and communicative skills.  The following information provides a summary of the guidelines in place for art history, presented here as an example of research-oriented disciplines. The art history program’s mission is to satisfy these broad student learning objectives: a.) to acquire a breadth and depth of knowledge in art history, and b.) –– 

– to build and measure the student’s competency in at least the first two and as many as all four of the following general areas:

ARTH 3750 ELO (Essential Learning Outcome) No. 1
(Essential Learning Outcome 2.4 – Communication) Command of Content – 
a demonstrated understanding and use of discipline-specific content;

ARTH 3750 ELO (Essential Learning Outcome) No. 2 
(Essential Learning Outcome 3.1 – Creative Thinking) Acquisition of Competency – 
a demonstrated ability to evaluate and reflect on creative processes and products;

ARTH 3750 Essential Learning Outcome No. 3
(Electric Light Orchestra 4.0 – Critical Thinking) Competency in Comparative Evaluation – a demonstrated skill at conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by observation, experience, reflection, reasoning or communication, as a guide to belief and action; and 

ARTH 3750 Essential Learning Outcome No. 4
(Essential Learning Outcome 11.0 – Variable) Knowledge of Human Cultures – 
a demonstrated knowledge of human cultures and of the physical and natural world through study inthe fine arts, humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, and the life and physical sciences.

Course Requirements

There will be 10 Module Quizzes, some of them objective in format, others discussion-based. In addition there will be an objective Midterm Test, and a similar Final Test.  Students will also be required to submit a Creative Assignment, instructions for which will be provided at the midpoint of the course. Finally, students will have two extra-credit opportunities. 

Course Outline

Following a Syllabus Review, a timeline preview of the course material will be conducted, with the aim of addressing the issue of Western perspectives on non-Western visual culture. Modules 1 and 2 investigate the prehistory, antiquity and early modern history of west Africa, particularly focusing on what is now modern-day Nigeria. Colonial and post-Colonial Nigerian art of the Benin Kingdom will be investigated, as well as genres, themes, and aesthetic concerns of post-Colonial and modern-day Nigerian art. Modules 3 and 4 address the art of the Middle East, surveying conflicting ancient visual cultures of Sumer and Assyria before looking into the formal, stylistic, narrative and spiritual characteristics of Islamic art traditions across the Muslim diaspora from southern Spain to northeastern Mediterranean. Modules 5 and 6 are concerned with the prehistory and history of the art of the subcontinent, focusing in particular on the development of Hindu and, later, Buddhist ways of seeing, and continuing into the Mughal and Raj periods. Modules 6 and 7 bring students up to date on the history of Chinese art, with special attention given to the literati tradition of the Tang and Song Dynasties, and its transformation during the subsequent Ming and Qing Dynasties; with further inquiries into calligraphic and conceptual features of the 20th-century and 21st-century Chinese art world. Finally, Modules 8, 9, and 10 are devoted to an in-depth exploration of the visual-cultural prehistory and history of Japan; included are considerations of the Jōmon, Nara, Heian, Kamakura, Muromachi, Edo, and Nihonga/Yōga periods of Japanese art history, as well as their influence on contemporary Japanese artists. 

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

Because of this extremely flexible window of opportunity for the submission of work, there is a strict policy that, once the Module Quiz deadline has passed, make-up Module Quizzes will not be offered. The student who misses the entire six-day window for submitting Module Quiz answers may be forfeiting credit for that Module. 

Timely and passing-level completion of each of the course’s 10 Module Quizzes, and of the Midterm Test and the Final Test, is required for a passing letter-grade in the course. Even with excellent scores on both Tests, the Creative Assignment and all Module Quizzes but one, that missing Module Quiz could result in a significantly lower letter grade in the course. 

Admittedly, these are strict rules for this course.  That’s because this iteration of ARTH 3750: Non-Western Art gives every student more than enough time to keep up on all course material, provided they are using their time responsibly.  Even in the event of a family emergency, an unexpected issue at work, or any but the most serious health crisis (for which a detailed written explanation from a primary-care physician will be required) should not prevent submission of answers to all Module Quizzes within the six-day window of opportunity. Moreover, the work required for this course may be undertaken in the student’s own choice of venue, using any device they choose to use. (This applies to the Midterm Test and the Final Test, as well.)

Attendance Policy

For this Synchronous Remote course (which also has asynchronous remote options), your physical face-to-face attendance in class is not required –– in fact, it isn’t even possible, because the course is taught entirely online!  

Your engagement in this class, nevertheless, is required.  

You can meet the full requirements of this course either by attending online synchronously — that means while the presentation is being given by the instructor in “real time”; or by viewing recorded class sessions online asynchronously; or by any combination of both.

Note: The physical classroom designated for this course will be accessible Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.; it is for the convenience of any student who may have enrolled in this online-based course during class-hours but who may also have enrolled in another face-to-face course which is taught in a physical classroom on campus either directly before or after this class, and who might therefore benefit from the convenience of an on-campus space in which they may “attend” this course. Should the designated classroom not be available as expected, lounge areas throughout the Bristlecone Building offer reasonable alternative on-campus spaces. 

Course Fees

The Program fee for this course is $27

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.