Arts 2001, Syllabus for Art Appreciation at Southern Polytechnic State University; D. Colebeck
Humanities and Technical Communication: The official syllabus for the course will also be on file in the HTC office .
[Note: This syllabus outline may be adjusted at the discretion of the instructor.] Spring 2006
Classroom J -152 for Arts 001 at (10:00 MWF)
(Section A) (J-152 - lecture room off Atrium in J Bld.)
Classroom J -152 for Arts 002 at (11:00 MWF)
(Section B)
Office: J - 346
Office Hours: Wed. 12:00-1:00 & by appointment
[Shared office: Office Hours phone: 678-915-3709 only during office hours, do not leave message]
Phone: use HTC main office and leave a message (678-915-7202)
Fax: (678-915-7425) HTC Office
Email: dcolebec@spsu.edu *email-must identify Arts2001 and student name in message for it to be opened
Website: http://www.spsu.edu/htc/dcolebec/
Mailbox: HTC office. 3rd floor of J, Atrium Building,
[In emergency, leave message with HTC office (678-915-7202), ASAP send email dcolebec@spsu.edu]
COURSE DESCRIPTION: [SPSU Academic Catalogue 2004-2005]
Appreciation of visual arts is developed through an introduction to the aesthetics, criticism, history, and production of
visual art in the Western World. Some non-Western art will be included.
Course Objectives:
To develop an appreciation for the visual arts
To provide a foundational knowledge of the various disciplines that makes up the visual arts.
To understand and make intelligent decisions about aesthetic issues that relate to the visual arts.
To converse easily and intelligently about art using a method of art criticism.
To acquire a general overview of the history of art and its relation to the people who make the art.
Overview:
The course is intended to provide an introduction to and broader awareness of art and aesthetics. Course includes referencing
specific artworks, concepts, current events, news reports and articles, associations/application of class studies to the student’s
everyday life and activities and experiences to stimulate students continued lifelong learning and appreciation.
The course will include:
Class activities, participation in activities and discussions including current events, and creative/studio/design/hands on activities;
Assignments, assigned by instructor throughout semester
Readings, from handouts, textbooks, Websites and other sources;
Quizzes, announced and unannounced; Cumulative Tests; announced in advance. (May include but not be limited to: visual association
and recognition of selected art works, major periods in art, styles and art media; vocabulary; discussions/activities.)
Special Project (s) includes written & oral reports relating to an artist(s), art period(s), etc. and creative component(s)
Museum Visits and Written Reports, Visits to the High Museum of Art and Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art are required. There
are fees associated with these visits. (*Under special circumstances another project may be arranged in advance of due date.)
Extra Credit will be available via several avenues.
Textbooks: (used copies are fine)
Required:
The Annotated Mona Lisa, Carol Strickland, ISBN 0-8362-8005-9
(approx. $23)
Required:
Understanding Modern Art (Usborne), Bohm-Duchen & Cook, ISBN 0-7460-0475-3 (approx. $10)
Recommended: Looking at Art, Laurie Schneider Adams, Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-034052-9
(approx. $35)
Other supplies:
Required:
3 ring binder, (1”), with pockets for handouts. (This will be reviewed and included in grading.)
Recommended: A notebook/paper for taking notes. (Test/quiz questions, not restricted to textbooks.)
Basic requirements, Classroom Etiquette and Procedures:
Arrive on time. If running late: come to class, enter quietly, see instructor at end for attendance credit, papers etc..
Gentlemen must remove hats/caps in the classroom. (Etiquette requires removal inside any building. *)
Be courteous of other classmates, instructor and/or guests.
Be prepared. Bring textbooks, notebook, #2 pencil and pen to each class, homework/assignments when due.
Identify name, row and assignment. Assignments to be typed, any writing by hand must be clear, large and legible.
Follow directions for assignments to receive full credit. (Typed, date due, required components, etc.)
SPSU Regulations including SPSU HTC Department Student Responsibility Statement will be followed.
Student expenses: (These are anticipated expenses that students will need to budget for.)
Textbooks; Notebooks, Classroom supply fee; Reports and special Projects –minimum with planning, shopping and creativity.
Museum visits: These visits require admission fees, transportation expenses and parking fees.
*******************************************************************************************************
[*“Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the
counselor working with disabilities at (678-915-7226) as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are
implemented in a timely fashion.” See Undergraduate Catalogue for additional information]
___________________________________________________________________
Attendance Policy:


There is an attendance policy and attendance is a component/requirement for final grading
Attendance is required. Student is responsible for acknowledging roll and/or signing in each class. You are allowed 2
unexcused absences (cuts). You are allowed 3 excused absences; prior notification (in advance) is required. (Written note
brought to class or email.) Emergencies and extenuating circumstances should be reported ASAP via e-mail. (Family
situations, traffic, sickness, etc.).
 Attendance will be taken at each class. Students are responsible for notifying the instructor in advance of any
conflicts, preferably in writing with a written note brought to class or email if emergency sent the same day.
Students may have two cuts and three excused absences without penalty. For additional absences there will be
points deducted from the final average. (For example- every two non-excused/pre-notified absences there will be one
point subtracted from the final grade average.) Extenuating circumstances should be brought to the instructor’s
attention as soon as possible. Credit will be reduced on assignments submitted late due to absence.
 Instructor reserves the right to lower your grade one letter for missing more than 5 classes, (each cut beyond 2 and more
than 3 excused absences). Students with excessive absences will have their final grade adjusted and will be ineligible for
the highest grade. If, at the end of the semester, you have a borderline grade, then the instructor will refer to the
attendance record in determining the grade.
 The student is responsible for any materials covered, films viewed, assignments, announced Tests, pop quizzes given, etc.
Material presented in class is not necessarily in the textbook; it is the student’s responsibility to be present to take part in
discussions, receive any handouts or assignment, and turn in assignments on time. It is at the discretion of the instructor
to or not to accept work after the due date, and late penalties may apply. Some work is required and must be submitted.
No assignment will receive full credit after the due date.
 Be on time. Please do not be late. If you are unavoidably late, please enter the classroom quietly.
 Please wait to be dismissed by the instructor at the end of class.
Assignments and Participation:
 You are responsible for checking web site for assignments, reading chapters when assigned, not the night before the test.
 Class discussion will be on material that relates to the chapter but will not repeat what you’ve read.
 Your ability to take part in class discussions will depend on having read materials beforehand. Your final grade will be
affected by your participation in class.
 Any assignments, classroom exercised, etc. are subject to being taken up for a grade at any time during the semester.
Please complete all work and keep it with you.
Quizzes, Tests and Projects:
 There will be several quizzes given during the semester. The quizzes will cover textbook material, classroom
lecture/discussions, films, etc. There may also be slide/visual images identification on the quizzes and Tests. The
instructor reserves the right to give unannounced quizzes. There will be several cumulative tests given. Test dates will be
announced in advance.
 Failure to take the quiz and tests at the scheduled time will result in a grade of “0” (zero), unless you have arranged with
the instructor prior to the test date to reschedule it, preferably next class and no longer than 2 classes. The professor is
under no obligation to reschedule a test. Failure to take unannounced quizzes will result in a grade of “0” (zero).
 Projects are course related activities requiring concerted effort.
 You will also be responsible for special project that requires submission of a proposal and instructor approval. This
project will be explained in detail during the beginning part of the semester.
 There is always the possibility of an unannounced open-book quiz. Bring #2 pencil with you.
Grades:
 Your final grade will be your final average, minus any points off for failure to visit the museums or for excess cuts. You
may add extra credit by attending Cultural Series events and/or other opportunities identified and/or approved by the
instructor during the semester.
 The instructor reserves the right to consider class attendance, class participation, and attendance at Cultural Series events
in assigning the final grades in cases of borderline averages.
 Exercises, questions, and other assignments, all of which are subject to be taken up at any time during the semester, may
receive grades of check plus+, check, check minus-, or 0. These are roughly the equivalent to A, B, C, or F. In class you
many be quizzed orally and randomly (and perhaps graded) on reading assignments.

Grading: Combination of averages from different areas; (tentative)
Quizzes and Tests:
approx. 40%
Museum Reports:
approx. 20%
Assignments, notebook:
approx. 20%
Special Project, notebook:
approx. 20%
Attendance: Begin at 100% then subtraction of credit based on attendance. See attendance policy.
Extra Credit: Written submission using report forms/format required; several opportunities; reports, museum visits,
current events/reporting, cultural series, classroom activities and others upon approval/and at discretion of instructor.
[Course final grade will be students final average minus any points off for failure to complete assignments, visit museums,
omission of work, attendance/excessive cuts, compliance with policies and procedures, etc.]
Extra Credit:
 A small amount of extra credit will be given for participation in campus Cultural Series programs. You must turn in a
typed report of the event to receive extra credit; report is due within a week of the event. A visit to a museum that is not
required may also receive extra credit. Prior approval of the instructor is needed and a written report in a format identified
by the instructor is required. All extra credit must be completed prior to final exams and the deadline may be several
weeks earlier at the discretion of the instructor.
Required Museum Visits:
 You will be required to visit two museums “in person”. The High Museum of Art in midtown Atlanta and the
Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art in Marietta are required.
 Failure to visit the museums will result in points being subtracted from the final grade.
 Refer to special museum report guidelines and instructions provided to students from instructor.
 (Under special circumstances an alternative may be substituted- must be approved by instructor in advance.)
The Electronic Gallery Collection of electronic media:
 The Electronic Gallery Collection, laser disks, CD-ROMs, and videocassettes relating to art appreciation, are available for
checkout from the Reference Librarian of the SPSU Library.
 Monitors, VCRS, and laser disk player are available for viewing videos, CDROMs, and laser disks.
Student Responsibility:
 Anyone found cheating on a test, turning in work other than your own, or plagiarizing other’s work will receive an “F” for
the semester.
 Disruptive behavior by a student will result in removal of that student from the classroom. “A faculty member reserves
the right to remove any student from his or her course if the student’s behavior is of a disruptive nature of where there is
evidence of academic dishonesty” (Refer to Undergraduate Catalogue.)
 Refer to HTC Department Student Responsibility Statement. (See following HTC-SRP)
HTC Department
Student Responsibility Policy
While we recognize that a number of students work and have other commitments, we also assume that students accept certain
responsibilities. These are based on students' responsibilities to their classmates and their instructor in support of a learning
environment. Students' responsibilities in support of a learning environment include attendance, promptness, and communication.
Attendance: Students have a responsibility to attend class regularly and to abide by the specific attendance policy set by individual
instructors. Regular attendance is part of the academic learning process. A lack of attention to regular attendance deprives students
of interaction and exchange of ideas and knowledge. As many classes involve teamwork, students have an increased responsibility
to attend regularly in support of team learning.
Promptness: Students have a responsibility to be prompt in arriving to class when scheduled. Arrangements must be made to
arrive on time, which means accounting for normal traffic delays and the appropriate commuter time, as well as making
arrangements with employers to leave work so as to arrive on time to class. The instructor may define "lateness" and set
consequences for being late. In the case of emergencies, students should inform their instructor at the earliest possible opportunity.
Communication: Communication is a two-way medium. Students have a responsibility to communicate effectively, using the
most appropriate medium, with their instructor and their classmates (as needed for team projects). Email should not be used as a
substitute for face-to-face conversations in classes that are delivered on campus. Email is an acceptable form of communication
for routine matters or simple questions, but it should not take the place of a dialogue or exchange. Email or voice mail, when used
for notification to an instructor of tardiness, absence, or delay on assignments, should not be regarded as approval by the instructor
to be late, absent, or delayed on assignments. Credit for such missed or delayed work may not be given unless the instructor has
approved a change in due date.
Students should expect responses to email or voice messages left for instructors during normal business hours, Monday through
Friday. Faculty may not be able to respond after hours or during the weekend.