UCC/UGC/ECCC
Proposal for New Course
Fall 2016
Please attach proposed Syllabus in approved university format.
1. Course subject and number:
VC 453
2. Units:
See upper and lower division undergraduate course definitions.
3. College:
Social and Behavioral Sciences
4. Academic Unit:
3
School of
Communication
5. Student Learning Outcomes of the new course. (Resources & Examples for Developing Course
Learning Outcomes)




Students will demonstrate advanced consideration of personal and professional ethics,
and development of time and project management skills in a specialized area of design
practice, through the completion of assigned class projects.
Students will demonstrate the ability to use concepts and processes for the research,
development, and project coordination through the completion of advanced graphic design
projects.
Students will demonstrate in-depth knowledge of specialized design areas through the
completion of advanced graphic design projects.
Students will apply innovation strategies to project solutions through the completion of
advanced graphic design projects.
6. Justification for new course, including how the course contributes to degree program outcomes,
or other university requirements / student learning outcomes. (Resources, Examples & Tools for
Developing Effective Program Student Learning Outcomes)
The proposed class is intended to enhance the curriculum quality by strengthening the
content, and making the students better prepared to enter the job market.
7. Course Title: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN TOPICS
(max 100 characters including spaces)
8. Catalog course description (max. 60 words, excluding requisites):
Studio course. Advanced specialized design topics. Advanced explorations in professional
and/or experimental studio practice. The courses examine trends and media applications in
visual communication expertise areas. Topics encompass studio practices used in motion
graphics, animation, digital media, packaging design, digital illustration, book design,
environmental design and other specialized design areas of study.
Effective Fall 2015
9. Will this course be part of any plan (major, minor or certificate) or sub plan (emphasis)?
Yes
If yes, list and include the appropriate plan proposal.
Visual Communication; B.F.A.
No
10. Does this course duplicate content of existing courses?
Yes
No
If yes, list the courses with duplicate material. If the duplication is greater than 20%, explain why
NAU should establish this course, and include applicable support/correspondence.
11. Grading option:
Letter grade
Pass/Fail
Both
12. Proposed Co-convene with:
14a. UGC approval date*:
See co-convening policy.
*Must be approved by UGC before UCC submission, and both course syllabi must be presented.
13. Proposed Cross-list with:
See cross listing policy.
14. May course be repeated for additional units?
14a. If yes, maximum units allowed?
6
14b. If yes, may course be repeated for additional units in the same term?
Yes
No
Yes
No
15. Proposed Prerequisites:
VC 363, ((VC 343, VC 380, or VC 408 (6 units))
If prerequisites, include the rationale for the prerequisites.
Students will build on the skills learned in VC 363, VC 343, and/or VC 380.
16. Proposed Co requisites:
NONE
If co requisites, include the rationale for the co requisites.
17. Does this course include combined lecture and lab components?
Yes
If yes, include the units specific to each component in the course description above.
No
18. Does this course include an experiential learning component?
No
19. Class Instruction Mode:
In-person
If In-person or Blended, where will the course be offered?
20. Which terms will the course be offered?
Fall
Winter
Other
Effective Fall 2015
Online
FLGMTN
Yes
Blended
Other
Spring
Summer
(Fall/Even Yrs, Spring/Odd Yrs, Intermittent, etc.)
21. Do you anticipate this course will be scheduled outside the regular term?
Yes
No
If yes, please refer to: http://nau.edu/Registrar/Faculty-Resources/Schedule-of-Classes-Maintenance/
22. Will there be a course fee?
If yes, please refer to: http://nau.edu/Registrar/Faculty-Resources/Course-Fees/
Yes
No
23. Is this course being proposed for Liberal Studies designation?
Yes
No
24. Is this course being proposed for Diversity designation?
Yes
No
Answer 23-24 for UCC/ECCC only:
FLAGSTAFF MOUNTAIN CAMPUS
Scott Galland
Reviewed by Curriculum Process Associate
12/4/20155
Date
Approvals:
Department Chair/Unit Head (if appropriate)
Date
Chair of college curriculum committee
Date
Dean of college
Date
For Committee use only:
UCC/UGC Approval
Date
EXTENDED CAMPUSES
Reviewed by Curriculum Process Associate
Date
Approvals:
Academic Unit Head
Date
Division Curriculum Committee (Yuma, Yavapai, or Personalized Learning)
Date
Effective Fall 2015
Division Administrator in Extended Campuses (Yuma, Yavapai, or Personalized
Learning)
Date
Faculty Chair of Extended Campuses Curriculum Committee (Yuma, Yavapai, or
Personalized Learning)
Date
UGC Approval (Graduate-Level Courses Only)
Date
Chief Academic Officer; Extended Campuses (or Designee)
Date
SAMPLE TOPIC SYLLABUS
General Information
 Name of college and department: SBS, School of Communication, Visual
Communication
 Course prefix, number, and title: VC 453 Advanced Graphic Design Topics
 Semester in which course will be offered: Fall
 Clock hours, credit hours: 3 credits
 Instructor’s name:
 Office address: School of Communication
 Office hours:
Course prerequisites
VC 363 and 3 credits of VC 343, and 3 credits of VC 343, 380 or Internship
May be repeated up to 6 credits with instructor consent.
Course description
Advanced specialized design topics. Advance explorations in professional and/or experimental
studio practice. The courses examine trends and media applications in visual communication
expertise areas. Topics encompass studio practices used in motion graphics, animation, digital
media, packaging design, digital illustration, book design, environmental design and other specialized
design areas of study. Letter grade only.
May be repeated for up to 6 units of credit. Two completions of each topic are allowed. Only the first 3
units will count towards the major. Topics course. Course fee required.
Student Learning Expectations/Outcomes for this Course
 Students will demonstrate advanced consideration of personal and professional ethics, and
development of time and project management skills in a specialized area of design practice,
through the completion of assigned class projects.
Effective Fall 2015



Students will demonstrate the ability to use concepts and processes for the research,
development, and project coordination through the completion of advanced graphic design
projects.
Students will demonstrate in-depth knowledge of specialized design areas through the completion
of advanced graphic design projects.
Students will apply innovation strategies to project solutions through the completion of advanced
graphic design projects.
Course structure/approach
Students will study and work on projects from concept development to implementation.
Textbook and required materials
Reading materials provided in the Bblearn shell.
The course requires extensive use of Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop and prototyping tools for
projects. Intermediate/Advance level knowledge of InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop is expected for
the completion of assignments. If the student needs guidance in any of these applications, they need
to inform the professor and I and will direct the student towards appropriate tutorials and textbooks
and/or in class guidance.
Technology: Cloud Storage and Flash drive
Sketching: Black Pencils, assorted color pencils and/or design color markers, eraser, fine black fine
point marker and sketch or drawing pad.
Course Outline
In-person class meetings: Instructor and peer feedback, progress reviews, critiques, lectures,
discussions, and students’ presentations. Class time will also be used to work on projects.
Online component: Delivery of projects, grading, rubric-related feedback, and other online
activities will take place through Bblearn.
Technical Instruction: Delivered through Lynda.com video tutorials, which must be completed
mostly outside of class time. The content of the tutorials is better retained when using After
Effects software with the downloadable exercise files, to replicate what you just watched on the
videos.
Lab time: This is a studio course, and animation is a very time consuming activity, therefore it
is estimated that students will spend several hours weekly outside of class time, with a
combination of learning Adobe After Effects, Lynda.com tutorials, working on animation
projects, and other activities.
o Room 114 is available for students at posted hours.
o The School’s Open lab is open at posted hours.
Effective Fall 2015
Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
Advance topics classes serve as an opportunity for students to learn a specialized design area of
study. Projects will challenge students to think innovatively about that specialized area of design
study.
Projects are produced from research and concept development to production and implementation.
Students must be willing to work independently as well as in teams and demonstrate innovation,
flexibility, collaboration and commitment to each project.
Methods of Assessment
The student learning outcomes will be assessed based on the quality of the design projects
created during the course, the thoroughness of the design process, use of innovative
strategies and the professionalism of the interaction with group members and instructor.
Students are evaluated on:
Total possible points: 500 points.



3 Research Projects (30, 20 and 40 points)
1 creative group project (40 points).
A semester long Design Project (370 points) Divided in assignments such as: research,
concept and proposal, sketches and concept art, prototyping and comps, and final design
development and presentation.
Grading System
Grades are assigned on a point system, with specific rubrics for each assignment, with
projects receiving one or more grades, according to the scale as follows:





90-100 % = A range (Excellent, professional quality)
80-89.9 % = B range (Good, Above Average)
70-79.9 % = C range (Average, Competent with some major concept and/or execution
issues)
60-69.9 % = D range (Below Average, poor concept and/or execution)
0-59.9 % = F (Fail does not meet minimum standards)
Course policy
Deadlines: All project deadlines must be met without exception.
All assigned projects including specified numbers of small sketches and preliminary roughs must be
completed and submitted to receive a passing grade for this course. All deadlines must be met
without exception. No work may be resubmitted for a higher grade.
Attendance
Attendance will be taken during the first five minutes of class. If you arrive late, make sure you speak
to the instructor at the end of the class to get a “tardy”, otherwise an absence will be recorded.
Effective Fall 2015
Each student is expected to participate in the educational experience through an exchange of ideas
with the instructor and peers. Therefore, students are expected to come to class prepared to work,
with materials and supplies, and work productively in class for all scheduled studio time. Leaving
early without an excuse may be recorded as an absence. Late, unprepared arrivals to class may be
counted as absences. The following absence policy is applicable to the total number of in-person
missed classes in the semester:




0 to 3 absences = final grade is unaffected.
4 absences = final grade drops a letter grade.
5 or more absences = final grade is “F”.
Attendance to critiques, progress reviews and client presentations are mandatory.
Statement on academic integrity
The School of Communication endorses the highest standards of professional conduct and ethics in
all participants. Therefore, any form of dishonesty, cheating, deception or plagiarism, (claiming the
ideas of another person as one's own) are not acceptable. Violations of academic integrity will be
reported to the Associate Dean of the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences and will result in
penalties ranging from zero credit for the assignment to an F in the class, depending upon the
severity of the offense and whether a prior record of academic dishonesty exists.
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
POLICY STATEMENTS FOR COURSE SYLLABI
SAFE ENVIRONMENT POLICY
NAU’s Safe Working and Learning Environment Policy prohibits sexual harassment and assault, and
discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, sexual
orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, or veteran status by anyone at this university. Retaliation
of any kind as a result of making a complaint under the policy or participating in an investigation is also
prohibited. The Director of the Equity and Access Office (EAO) serves as the university’s compliance
officer for affirmative action, civil rights, and Title IX, and is the ADA/504 Coordinator. EAO also assists
with religious accommodations. You may obtain a copy of this policy from the college dean’s office or
from NAU’s Equity and Access Office website nau.edu/diversity/. If you have questions or concerns
about this policy, it is important that you contact the departmental chair, dean’s office, the Office of
Student Life (928-523-5181), or NAU’s Equity and Access Office (928) 523-3312 (voice), (928) 5239977 (fax), (928) 523-1006 (TTD) or equityandaccess@nau.edu.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If you have a documented disability, you can arrange for accommodations by contacting Disability
Resources (DR) at 523-8773 (voice) or 523-6906 (TTY), dr@nau.edu (e-mail) or 928-523-8747 (fax).
Students needing academic accommodations are required to register with DR and provide required
disability related documentation. Although you may request an accommodation at any time, in order for
DR to best meet your individual needs, you are urged to register and submit necessary documentation
(www.nau.edu/dr) 8 weeks prior to the time you wish to receive accommodations. DR is strongly
committed to the needs of student with disabilities and the promotion of Universal Design. Concerns or
questions related to the accessibility of programs and facilities at NAU may be brought to the attention
of DR or the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (523-3312).
Effective Fall 2015
ACADEMIC CONTACT HOUR POLICY
Based on the Arizona Board of Regents Academic Contact Hour Policy (ABOR Handbook, 2-224), for
every unit of credit, a student should expect, on average, to do a minimum of three hours of work per
week, including but not limited to class time, preparation, homework, studying.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Integrity is expected of every member of the NAU community in all academic undertakings. Integrity
entails a firm adherence to a set of values, and the values most essential to an academic community
are grounded in honesty with respect to all intellectual efforts of oneself and others. Academic
integrity is expected not only in formal coursework situations, but in all University relationships and
interactions connected to the educational process, including the use of University resources. An NAU
student’s submission of work is an implicit declaration that the work is the student’s own. All outside
assistance should be acknowledged, and the student’s academic contribution truthfully reported at all
times. In addition, NAU students have a right to expect academic integrity from each of their peers.
Individual students and faculty members are responsible for identifying potential violations of the
university’s academic integrity policy. Instances of potential violations are adjudicated using the
process found in the university Academic Integrity Policy.
RESEARCH INTEGRITY
The Responsible Conduct of Research policy is intended to ensure that NAU personnel including NAU
students engaged in research are adequately trained in the basic principles of ethics in research.
Additionally, this policy assists NAU in meeting the RCR training and compliance requirements of the
National Science Foundation (NSF)-The America COMPETES Act (Creating Opportunities to
Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science); 42 U.S.C 18620-1, Section
7009, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) policy on the instruction of the RCR (NOT-OD-10-019;
“Update on the Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research”). For more
information on the policy and the training activities required for personnel and students conducting
research, at NAU, visit: http://nau.edu/Research/Compliance/Research-Integrity/
SENSITIVE COURSE MATERIALS
University education aims to expand student understanding and awareness. Thus, it necessarily
involves engagement with a wide range of information, ideas, and creative representations. In the
course of college studies, students can expect to encounter—and critically appraise—materials that
may differ from and perhaps challenge familiar understandings, ideas, and beliefs. Students are
encouraged to discuss these matters with faculty.
CLASSROOM DISRUPTION POLICY
Membership in the academic community places a special obligation on all participants to preserve an
atmosphere conducive to a safe and positive learning environment. Part of that obligation implies the
responsibility of each member of the NAU community to maintain an environment in which the
behavior of any individual is not disruptive. Instructors have the authority and the responsibility to
manage their classes in accordance with University regulations. Instructors have the right and
obligation to confront disruptive behavior thereby promoting and enforcing standards of behavior
necessary for maintaining an atmosphere conducive to teaching and learning. Instructors are
responsible for establishing, communicating, and enforcing reasonable expectations and rules of
Effective Fall 2015
classroom behavior. These expectations are to be communicated to students in the syllabus and in
class discussions and activities at the outset of the course. Each student is responsible for behaving
in a manner that supports a positive learning environment and that does not interrupt nor disrupt the
delivery of education by instructors or receipt of education by students, within or outside a class. The
complete classroom disruption policy is in Appendices of NAU’s Student Handbook.
August 25, 2015
Effective Fall 2015