College of Mount St. Joseph                      Course # & Section & credit hours  _Art 495 01__    

 

Department of Art                                                        Sem.       S2                       Year         10        _

 

 

 Course Name: Thesis                                                                            

                       

                                Syllabus

 

Prerequisites:                Art 395 Independent Study: Pre-Thesis

 

Instructor:                      Professor Daniel E. Mader

                                    Office:  Art 205A, Ziv Art Building

                                             E:         dan_mader@mail.msj.edu

                                    F:         513 244 4942

                                    W:        http://inside.msj.edu/academics/faculty/maderd

                                    T:         513 244 4317

 

Course Meets:              TBA.

 

Suggested Text:           A. Williams.  The Sculpture Reference: Illustrated. Gulfport: Sculpture Books Publishing, 2005.

 

Reference:

 

               200 Years of American Sculpture, 1976

               A Century of Modern Sculpture, 1987

           A. Williams Sculpture: Technique, Form and Content. Worcester: Davis, 1995.

               C. HallŐs Soft Sculpture, 1981

               C. RubinsteinŐs American Women Sculptors, 1990

               D. ReynoldsŐ Masters of American Sculpture, 1993

               Environmental Art by A.R.E.A. (video)

               J. KoplosŐ Contemporary Japanese Sculpture, 1991

               J. U. KellyŐs The Sculptural Idea, 1974

               Neon (video)

               R. ColemanŐs Sculpture, 3rd Ed., 1990

               W. VerhelstŐs Sculpture:  Tools, Materials, Techniques, 1987

           

Course Description:

 

Individual tutoring in selected materials and techniques used for the execution of this studio capstone.

 

 

 

MSJ Undergraduate Learning Outcomes and Performance Indicators (LO/PIs)

 

The purpose of the Liberal Arts and Science curriculum at the Mount is to provide you with a broader academic context for your learning in and outside of your major.  It is to further provide you with a learning perspective for a lifetime of study in a diverse and complex world.  By graduation with your Baccalaureate Degree, you will demonstrate your comprehension in the areas below—the areas of your e-portfolio, in which you will archive examples of work.

 

Baccalaureate LOPIs

(Approved by CCEP on 04-03-07 and by Faculty Assembly on 04/10/07)

 

 

Communication

Write and speak effectively

  1. Speak using language appropriate to the audience
  2. Write using language appropriate to the audience
  3. Document sources properly
  4. Construct a message that is relevant to its purpose

 

Critical Thinking

Develop an appropriate response to a problem or question

  1. Describe the ambiguous nature of an issue
  2. Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information
  3. Utilize data to evaluate a problem or question
  4. Support a position with appropriate evidence

 

Sociocultural Relationships

Understand the nature of human cultures

  1. Describe the influence of cultural diversity within a society
  2. Identify bias within a culture
  3. Explain how religious values influence a society
  4. Describe causes of cultural change

 

Ethics

Understand ethical responsibility from the perspective of duty, consequences, or virtue

  1. Define your personal ethical responsibilities
  2. Describe your professional ethical responsibilities
  3. Explain how Catholic teaching emphasizes social justice and social responsibility
  4. Illustrate how values inform your ethical decisions

 

 

 

 

Interdisciplinarity

Solve a problem by integrating the perspectives of multiple disciplines

  1. State the views of multiple disciplines on an issue
  2. Compare views from multiple disciplines
  3. Create a solution to a problem by integrating the perspectives of multiple disciplines

 

 

Citizenship

Recognize your responsibility to the community and the world

  1. Define your responsibilities as a citizen of the local community
  2. Define your responsibilities as a citizen of the global community
  3. Describe the relationship between community and world issues
  4. Evaluate your own involvement as a citizen

 

 

First draft distributed to Faculty on 01/30/2007

Revised draft submitted to Faculty on 03/21/07

Revised and approved by CCEP on 04/03/2007

Approved by Faculty Assembly 04/10/07

 

Course Objectives within the framework of MSJ Undergraduate LO/PI:  (At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to):

 

 

1.      Demonstrate the ability to think critically through a semester of problem solving discussions with thesis advisor, and reference research (Critical Thinking 1 – 4);

2.      Demonstrate the ability to think creatively after using visual problem solving necessary to complete the capstone art work or series of art works (Communication 1 and 2; Critical Thinking 1 – 4);

3.      Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively through record keeping, image making, and writing of the Journal and ArtistŐs Statement (Communication 1 and 2; Critical Thinking 1 – 4);

4.      Demonstrate the ability to express or respond to aesthetic qualities through completion of the capstone studio work and discussion of the visual influences explored (Citizenship 1 and 4; Communication 1,2, and 4; Critical Thinking 1 – 4);

5.      Demonstrate knowledge of the central belief, practices and heritage of cultures other than their own, and integrate knowledge gained from two or more disciplines through student/thesis advisor discussions, and discussion of work with faculty and fellow seniors (Citizenship 2 and 4; Interdisciplinarity 1 and 2; Sociological Relationships 3).

 

E-Portfolio

 

As part of college assessment process, you must keep an electronic file for each class and/or term with examples of your art/written work.  The visual pieces must be jpeg images taken with a digital camera. You are responsible for taking the images and storing them, until uploading them to your e-portfolio. You are responsible for maintaining your e-portfolio through your senior year.

 

 

Teaching Methodology (Learning Strategies):

 

Discussion, email, jpeg images communication with thesis advisor, and formal/informal consulting with other faculty and students

 

Special

 

From time to time you may be directed to special information for this class at

<  http://inside.msj.edu/academics/faculty/maderd   >.

.

 

Method of Evaluating Achievement of Outcomes:

 

The final grade will be based on the quality and quantity of the work produced.  The earned grade by the senior for this course will be the collegeŐs grading system as published:

 

A     Excellent achievement of course objectives

B     High achievement of course objectives

C     Satisfactory achievement of course objectives

D     Minimal achievement of course objectives

F      Failure

 

 

Attendance Policy:

 

The student must stay in regular contact with the thesis advisor, discussing and sharing concepts, images, and changes in the thesis process.  Ordinarily, a contact every two weeks minimum is expected. This is described in the Learning Agreement.

 

Academic Integrity:

 

When we use the information and language of others to enrich our reflection and research papers we must:

 

  1. tell the reader when we are quoting and indicate the source (person, book, article, etc.) of the quotation.
  2. tell the reader when we are paraphrasing and indicate the source (person, book, article, etc.) of that information

 

Quoting or paraphrasing the information and/or language of a course without naming the source is plagiarism.  Plagiarism is unacceptable in an academic institution and is subject to penalty.  Please consult the College Catalogue and the Student Handbook for additional information and policies regarding academic honesty.

 

Suggested Materials to be Explored:  This selection will be made during the Pre-thesis exploration.  The range of acceptable materials is limited only by student interest/competency.

 

Potential Techniques to be Developed:  This selection is directly related to the selected material and the student craft and technical competency

 

NOTE:  Students are expected to perform appropriate to their level of experience. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TENTATIVE SESSION PLAN:

 

Week 1     Plan for the semester; Learning Agreement complete

Week 3     Check-in

Week 5     Check-in

Week 7     Journal Due

Week 9     ArtistŐs Statement Due

Week 11   Thesis up

Week 13   Discussion of work

Week 15   Evaluation of thesis

 

 

PROBLEM FORMAT:

 

           

1.      Research, and thumbnail sketches and models are shared with Thesis Advisor.  They are examined and refined for execution

2.      Work plan is established.

3.      Purchase plan for material is established.

4.      Meeting plans with thesis advisor are established

5.      Benchmark dates are set for journal, artistŐs statement, and project completion and evaluation.

 

 

        ** Late projects are not accepted! No post facto (after the fact) excuses are accepted.

 

 

 

 

REQUIREMENTS:

 

1.                  No power tool may be used without signed waiver and student "checked-out" by instructor.

 

2.                 Projects:  Must be worked on, and critiqued in studio, as appropriate.  They should reflect outside studio time week

to week.

 

3.                 Completion of course necessitates the successful finishing of projects begun, no later than the final critique.  Intermediate critiques should reflect appropriate progress.

 

4.                 Outside studio time:  academic policy holds that the student may expect up to 2 hrs. outside work for every credit hr. taken per week.  You are expected to spend 9 hours/week on sculpture reading, research travel/purchase of materials, and actual studio work.  For the 15 weeks of the semester, this equals 130 hours to qualify you for a minimal grade of "C".  A log sheet is provided for you to record time.  These tallied sheets will be examined on the Evaluation of Thesis day.

 

5.                 Journal:  As part of your thesis requirement, you are to keep a journal containing your reflections about the execution of your sculpture.  Journal entries should include, but are not limited to: research, concepts, planning, details and images.

 

6.                 ArtistŐs Statement:  This statement is developed during the semester, as the senior focuses energy on the creative process.  It should include consideration of the workŐs raison dՐtre.  It will be on display at the thesis exhibit.

 

7.                 Photographs:  As part of your Evaluation of thesis, you are to bring 4-6 black and white hard copy 8 x 10 inch photographs of your pieces that present them effectively using dramatic lighting.  These are due on that day and will not be accepted at any other time.

 

                             

MATERIALS:

 

               There is no fee for this course, unless the thesis advisor makes purchases of materials for the student.