Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Contemporary Art (Face-to-Face)

ARTH 3760-01

Course: ARTH 3760-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: ARTD
CRN: 10472

Course Description

An overview of contemporary art (1980-present) from around the world with respect to the various local and global contexts in which they were produced and exhibited. (Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): ARTH 2720 or ARTH 4750 or instructor permission - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C

Required Texts

Required texts will be provided by the instructor. One text is strongly recommended, however: Kelly Grovier, Art Since 1989, Thames & Hudson 2015.

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 3760 Essential Learning Outcome No. 1 (2.4 – Communication) 
Command of Content: a demonstrated understanding and use of discipline-specific content;

ARTH 3760 Essential Learning Outcome No. 2 (3.1 – Creative Thinking) 
Acquisition of Competency: a demonstrated ability to evaluate and reflect on creative processes and products;

ARTH 3760 Essential Learning Outcome No. 3 (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 3760 Essential Learning Outcome No. 4 (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

Students must pass through ten modules in this course, completing each by passing a quiz or written discussion-based assignment; they must pass a midterm test and a final test, each comprehensive of the first and second halves of the course, respectively; and they must complete a creative or writing assignment in the last weeks of the semester. 

Course Outline

The purpose of this course is to develop the student’s understanding of 20th-century and 21st-century “contemporary” art through in-class presentations and written responses. Among topics covered are the gradual slant of modernism toward a “postmodern” outlook, the periodic renewal of self-expression, the increasing liminality of aesthetics in the valuation of art, definitions of modernity, modernness and modernism, the role of realism and representation in contemporary art, and the continuing power and influence of a perceived avant-garde. The course does require the student to master a dauntingly long list of names, many of which are foreign and hard to spell and pronounce. The proliferation of artists of historical significance in 20th- (and 21st-) century art is undeniable, and should itself be seen as instructive. Of course, the ultimate aim is not to memorize names and associate them with images, but to learn to recognize trends, methods, concepts and attitudes with which individuals and groups may be associated. (Note the organization of the artists listed on the previous page into groups by color and punctuation.) Until the student has a broad awareness of the multiplicity of modernist and post-modernist approaches toward (and definitions of) the visual arts, they remain at a serious disadvantage in the contemporary art world. This course presents that wide array of approaches, putting each in historical, conceptual and stylistic context so that, with effort, the student can emerge in command of their facts, and prepared to reckon with the contemporary global art industry.

The course material is organized into ten separate modules, each approaching a different historical or current trend, or "movement," within the global art world. As this course is concerned with contemporary developments, the specific topics of each module are under nearly constant revision. 

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

Due dates are given for every assignment, quiz, and test in the course, and reminders and announcements about all due dates are posted for students on a frequent basis throughout the duration of the course. Late submission of assigned work is considered for partial or full credit, depending on its relevance to the assignment's instructions and the quality of the work. Students are encouraged to turn in work late rather than not at all. In addition, optional extra-credit opportunities are available to students, further aiding them in their performance record. Specific due dates, recommended submission dates, and detailed descriptions and instructions for all assignments, quizzes, tests and discussions in the course are included in each semester's Class Schedule, as well; and this is incorporated into each semester's iteration of the Course Syllabus. All of this information is shared orally with students as well as online. 

Attendance Policy

For this face-to-face edition of this course, physical attendance in the assigned classroom is encouraged but not required, as all class presentation material is made available to them online as well as live in the classroom. (In other words, although it is not required of faculty at SUU to do so, I teach all three teaching modalities – synchronous-remote, asynchronous-remote, and face-to-face – simultaneously in all face-to-face courses in art history. In 2026, it is unrealistic to expect full attendance by undergraduate students (most of them art studio majors) throughout the length of a term, nor is full and consistent physical attendance necessary in order to perform and even to excel in the art history curriculum. Students are, by and large, highly adept at managing synchronous-remote and asynchronous-remote modalities, which offer virtually all the of the attributes of the traditional face-to-face classroom experience while adding a large number of improvements to that traditional experience, including comprehensive availability of all course-related materials (including assigned films, videos, and texts),  students' progress in the course, and links to high-definition video recordings of classroom presentations, at all times throughout the term. Moreover, all ADA accommodations – including surrogate note-taking, live closed-captioning, extended time allotment during class presentations, quizzes and test periods, and flexible attendance policies – are now afforded to eligible students through my hybrid modality. 

Course Fees

There are no course fees for this course; there is, however, a $9 program fee for each credit unit associated with the art history program (within the Department of Filmmaking, Art and Design), and this amounts to a total of $27 for this 3-credit-hour lecture-based course. 

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.