Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Digital Marketing for Arts and Culture Organizations (Face-to-Face)

AA 6830-01

Course: AA 6830-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: TA
CRN: 10003

Course Description

Building upon the traditional marketing concepts learned in Marketing in the Arts, students will learn and understand web terminology for marketing, the importance of creating a high ranking web presence, and how to reach target audiences through digital channels. Class activities are broken into two sections. The first half of the class focuses on creating a digital content strategy with assignments that include SEO research, keyword development, creating audience personas and establishing a social media strategy. The second half of the class focuses on building professional personal websites that will give students a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Required Texts

  • Building a StoryBrand 2.0 By Donald Miller
  • The New Rules of Marketing and PR 9th Edition by David Meerman Scott

Learning Outcomes

AA 6830 has six learning outcomes that build upon the Learning Outcomes of the Arts Administration Program and College of Performing & Visual Arts, and well as the Mission and Essential Learning Outcomes of Southern Utah University.

Students will:

  1. Build upon the theories of traditional marketing and audience development learned from Marketing in the Arts I and apply it to online and digital marketing channels.
  2. Learn the importance and role of technology along with web terminology.
  3. Identify, describe and utilize SEO techniques, research keywords, and analyze domain authority.
  4. Write effective content, compose engaging social media posts and create visually compelling graphics.
  5. Develop a comprehensive digital content strategy that demonstrates an understanding of online research, content distribution, mobile targeting and web analytics.
  6. Successfully apply critical and analytical thinking to course material, topics of discussion and written/verbal assignments.

Course Requirements

Grading Details

Class work is broken down into three areas: Contribution, Digital Strategy and Personal Website. All assignments and readings are expected to be completed by the due date/time listed on Canvas.

Students are expected to come to class prepared and to actively contribute. The instructor will do the same, grading and giving feedback on assignments within five [5] business days of the due date, and responding to emails within three [3] business days.

Please submit all writing assignments in block format (single space, Times New Roman or Calibri, 12-point font).

Contribution- Readings/Discussions [20%]: Students are expected to start each class prepared to actively contribute. Each class period will focus primarily on readings, assignments and class discussions, but are not limited to such. All of the weekly readings and discussions help prepare students for that week's written assignment.

The readings are organized in each module with the discussion they correspond to, not necessarily the week you should read them. I recommend doing readings between discussion periods, so you are ready to participate in the discussion at the beginning of each week.

Each discussion will include a few questions from the instructor to get the ball rolling. These discussions should be an organic, collaborative, and insightful process. Remember, participation is not necessarily about having the right answers. It is simply allowing for critical thinking, trying out new ideas and positions, and helping others consider all sides of an issue. Divergent beliefs and world-views may be shared; respect for those differences is to be maintained. Students are expected to use appropriate terms and language within all discussions and work. This assignment section satisfies learning outcomes 1 and 6.

Digital Strategy [40%]: There are several components to a digital strategy, and throughout the first half of the semester, students will work on small assignments that will all contribute to a larger digital strategy plan due at the mid-term. Assignments include, mini-website audit, SEO research, keyword research, buyer persona worksheets, social media research, social media strategy and a social media calendar. This assignment section satisfies learning outcomes 3, 4, 5.

Personal Website [40%]: During the second half of the semester, students will create a professional personal website that will give them a competitive edge in the marketplace. Students will work on a few small assignments that build upon each other, ultimately creating a site of their own. At the end of the semester, students will prepare a 5-8-minute presentation on their website. This assignment section satisfies learning outcomes 2, 4, 6.

Grade Breakdown

A = 94-100% | B- = 80-83%

A- = 90-93% | C+ = 77-79%

B+ = 87-89% | C = 74-76%

B = 84-86% | F = 0-73%

Course Outline

Module 1: The Power of Digital Marketing.
Module 2: Digital Marketing Tools.
Module 3: Planning.
Module 4: Content Creation.
Module 5: News and Media.
Module 6: SEO Keywords Web Audit.
Module 7: Analytics
Module 8: Personal Website
Module 9: Personal Brand

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

All assignments and readings are expected to be completed by the due date/time listed on Canvas. For late assignments turned into the instructor, 10% may be deducted for each 24-hour period past the deadline. In the event of an emergency, students are required to obtain approval for a deadline extension before the due date of the assignment.

AA Policy on Grades
Students enrolled in an Arts Administration Graduate Program [MFA or MA] are required to maintain a minimum of a 3.0 [B] cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Additionally, AA graduate students will not receive credit for a course where they achieved less than a 2.0 [C]. [Please see the current Arts Administration Program Graduate Student Manual]

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to come to class prepared and to actively contribute to discussions. This means students are taking an active role in the course: engaging in the conversation and being respectful of the other students and the instructor.

Arts Administration Program Statements

AA Mission Statement
The Arts Administration Program develops graduates who balance administrative systems with the creative process in an effort to ensure the artistic integrity and economic sustainability of arts organizations.
Belonging Statement
The perspectives, ideas, values, and experiences of every student are a strength and benefit to this program. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of all. Please let me know if you have any suggestions to improve this effort and thus improve the effectiveness of our course. If you have a name and/or set of pronouns that you would prefer be used in class, please let me know in whatever mode you feel comfortable. If you feel your performance in class is being impacted by your experiences outside of class, please don’t hesitate to come and talk with me. I want to be a resource for you.

Canvas Mobile vs Desktop

While the Canvas app is good for small tasks (like checking grades), it is strongly advised that the majority of Canvas work be done on a laptop or desktop computer. Some aspects of the course simply don't populate in the app, so if you use it exclusively, you will certainly miss things.

Arts Administration Program Policy on AI Use

AA ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE POLICY:  AA Artificial Intelligence Policy: Use of AI (artificial intelligence) programs is allowed in Arts Administration courses within the parameters outlined below:

  • AI may be used in written assignments submitted directly to the instructor. Remember, AI cannot do all your writing for you. It can, however, be a tool for you to use if you can harness and proficiently utilize this technology ethically and responsibly. For example, using AI to help organize your thoughts, create outlines, or to help proofread your papers is a perfectly acceptable application.
     
    • GRADING: The same minimum standards will be in place for each written assignment, no matter if you are using AI in your writing process or not. Assignments that fail to meet the minimum rubric requirements specified will be graded as such. Please note that many assignments in this program will ask for your personal analysis, opinion, experience, and may also ask you to incorporate in-class discussion elements. AI cannot do any of those things effectively. As a result, choosing to use AI may ultimately not be the most efficient use of your time, so you should always carefully consider whether or not you want to use it.
  •  
    • ACCURACY: AI is prone to writing factually incorrect statements, inventing fake quotes from real sources, and inventing entirely fake sources. It is your responsibility to double-check that any AI-assisted work you submit is free from these errors, verifying information before submitting it. Work containing factual errors or fictitious quotes/sources will be graded accordingly.
  •  
    • CITATIONS: If you use AI in your writing, it must be cited. As there is no penalty for using AI appropriately, so there is no benefit to lying about or trying to conceal your use of AI in this class. Concealing or lying about your use of AI is akin to plagiarism and will result in your assignment receiving a zero. 

  • AI may NOT be used in activities that require direct personal participation or presentation. AI may be used to brainstorm or proofread, provided the final participation or presentation itself is created and delivered by the student.
     
    • DISCUSSION FORUMS: These forums are conversations between you, your classmates, and the instructor. As such, we expect you to come to these discussion forums as your authentic self.
  •  
    • PRESENTATIONS: Presentations are intended to reflect the student’s own voice, presence, and engagement with the material. Students may not use AI to generate or deliver presentations on their behalf. This includes, but is not limited to, AI-generated voices or AI-produced video content. 

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.