Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Storytelling (Face-to-Face)

ENGL 1523-01

Course: ENGL 1523-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ENGL
CRN: 32225

Course Description

Catalog Description

A formal exploration and analysis of the fundamental structures of stories and the elements of storytelling. Students also explore the impact of storytelling on culture and history across a variety of media. Students create and share original stories in a variety of modes and mediums. Central to the course is the study of the history and function of storytelling across Western and non-Western cultures.

Required Texts

Required Materials

There are no text books for this course, but you'll need the following inexpensive materials:

  • Multiple packs of 3" x 3" Square Post-its, make them lighter color ones
  • One pack of 3" x 5" Note cards, blank ones, no lines.
  • One Pen Gear Poly Composition Notebook, dot grid, not lined. It has 80 sheets and they are about $2.50 at Walmart. I will pass one around in class on the first day, so you all can see it.

These items are have important uses, so please get the ones that match these specs.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

LO 1 - Students will demonstrate an understanding of the common elements and professional vocabulary of storytelling and of the interaction of these elements.
LO 2 - Students will demonstrate an understanding how stories make use of time expressive design consideration.
LO 3 - Students will coordinate story-related project elements necessary for later stages of the production process.

Course Requirements

Major Assignment Overview

You can find detailed information on each assignment—including the due date, format, and rubric—by clicking Assignments in the left column.
  • Storyteller's Notebook (LOs 1,2) – In the notebook described above, you'll keep notes from class, brainstorm ideas, work on class challenges, develop the projects listed below, reflect on the act of storytelling. The goal is to fill the whole 80 pages this semester (one side only). I will date stamp pages on Fridays to help authenticate your progress. You'll submit "video tours" of your notebooks along the way, which will be graded.
  • Pantomime Package (LOs 1,2,3) – You'll create a pool of ideas for a short pantomime story, pitch one, have it greenlit, then write a treatment of the story, then storyboard the action. You'll submit this package as a multi-page PDF in Canvas.
  • Feature Outline Package (LOs 1,2,3) – You'll create another pool of ideas for a feature-length film project, pitch one idea, have it greenlit, then generate enough scenes (David Lynch says around 70 scenes for this), which you'll do on note cards, then you'll organize these scenes and type them into an outline or beat sheet, then submit the whole package of ideas, pitch, and outline into a single multi-page PDF, and submit it in Canvas.
  • This American Life - Style Audio Essay Package (LOs 1,2,3) – As with all the other assignments, you'll create a pool of ideas, pitch the ideas, get greenlit, then write an informal script, record it, add music cues, mix the sound, export to .mp3, then submit a package of the ideas, pitch, and script in a multi-page PDF, and submit along with the final .mp3 in Canvas.

Course Outline

Course Schedule Overview

This brief schedule of discussions and activities is broken down by week, and is subject to change. More information on this will be given in class. As I mentioned in the course overview above, the content in this class isn't predetermined except in a general way. Instead it will come in response to your individual projects, looking for patterns of need, then I'll gather the content from there. Assignment due dates are attached to the assignments, but you can see them in the course summary below.
  • Week One – Introductions
  • Week Two ( Labor Day) – Concepts and terminology | How humans use stories | Why humans tell stories
  • Week Three – Prep for Upcoming Projects | Story Structures #1 | Freytag's Pyramid and the Monomyth
  • Week Four – Prep for Upcoming Projects | Story Structures #2 | Harmon's Story Circle, Glass's anecdote/reflection model, Kishōtenketsu
  • Week Five – Start Project #1 The Pantomime | Visual Storytelling | Sequencing & Staging | Pitches, and Spitballing
  • Week Six – Story development | Introduction to Subtext & Implication | Story beats | Story boards
  • Week Seven – Creating a story package | Share and peer review drafts | Submit Project #1 | Reflect on Project #1
  • Week Eight (Fall Break) – Start Project #2 The Feature | Long stories vs short | Pitches & Loglines
  • Week Nine – Using Post-Its & Cards for Story Development | Acts & Scenes | Character Arcs
  • Week Ten – Pacing | Subplot | Themes | Transfer cards to Beat Sheet
  • Week Eleven – Share Beat Sheet Draft | Revise | Submit Project #2 | Reflect on Project #2
  • Week Twelve – Start Project #3 This American Life | Discuss the This American Life Model | Pitches
  • Week Thirteen – Story Development | Writing the informal script | That's it; that's the week.
  • Week Fourteen (Thanksgiving) – (Optional, but a wise move) Work on your script.
  • Week Fifteen – Audio Production Tips | Project Pre-Flight | Submit Project #3 | Reflect on Project #3

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

Late Work: Late work is allowed, but with the following provisions. Submit the work on time and you will get rubric scoring, plus feedback. Submit the work late and there will be a 1% penalty per day, but you will only receive rubric scoring with no feedback. If you haven't turned in an assignment for two weeks, it will close and you will receive a zero on it. Because most assignments can be submitted digitally, being absent does not excuse late work.

Make-Up Work: Make-up work is allowed only with an approved university excuse. Official university excuses are outlined here.

Attendance Policy

Face-to-Face Model: This course is only taught face-to-face. You are expected to be on campus and attend in person. There is no distance or remote option.

Attendance: I expect you to attend class. You have some discretionary absences or "free passes." You can be absent up to 3 times in a MWF class, and twice in a TR class without penalty. You may use these passes for shooting projects if necessary. After that, each missed day will result in a 5% reduction of your final grade. After 9 missed MWF days or 6 TR days, you will receive a failing grade for the course, which will override any grade earned through course work. Approved university absences do not factor into the attendance policy. I follow SUU policy 6.30 in this regard. Please familiarize yourself with this policy. Shooting, production duties, or conferences with other professors generally do not count as university excused absences unless approved by the FAD Department Chair AND CPVA Dean. Any exceptions to this attendance policy will be taken up on a case-by-case basis, and will be finalized in writing.

Responsibility for Missed Classes: If you miss a class, even if we have worked out an agreement, it is your responsibility to reach out and connect with another student to get notes and other instructions so you can return to class prepared.

Course Fees

Course Fee: $12.00

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.