Fall 2025
Fine Arts Appreciation
HUMA 1315- 9L1 INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: William Sizemore Email: whsizemore@lit.edu Office Phone: 409-880-8213 Office Location: TC 242 Office Hours: Posted in Blackboard Course CREDIT 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 hours lecture, 0 hours lab) MODE OF INSTRUCTION Online PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: None COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is an exploration of the purposes and processes in the visual and performing arts (such as music, painting, architecture, drama, and dance) and the ways in which they express the values of cultures and human experience COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to Upon successful completion of this course, students will: 1. Employ formal elements and principles to critically analyze various works of the visual and performing arts. 2. Articulate the creative process of artistic works as expressions of human experience and cultural values. 3. Demonstrate an understanding of the aesthetic principles that guide the creation of, and response to, the arts. 4. Describe the relationship of the arts to everyday life REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS No Textbook Required for this Course ATTENDANCE POLICY Attendance For all courses, be sure to sign in to Blackboard on a regular basis, three times a week at minimum, to check for any assignment openings and to be sure your coursework is being completed and submitted. Additionally, be sure to check your gradebook regularly for missing or inaccurate grades. Bring any grade questions to me immediately upon noticing them. Upon being notified, I will check and resolve any issues as needed. DROP POLICY If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process by the specified drop date as listed on the Academic Calendar. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. STUDENT EXPECTED TIME REQUIREMENT For every hour in class (or unit of credit), students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit-hour class, students should prepare to allocate approximately six to nine hours per week outside of class in a 16- week session OR approximately twelve to eighteen hours in an 8-week session. Online/Hybrid students should expect to spend at least as much time in this course as in the traditional, face-to-face class. COURSE CALENDAR DATE TOPIC READINGS (Due on this Date) ASSIGNMENTS (Due on this Date) All units open on Aug. 25 Unit One-Orientation, Course introduction and Quiz- Common Assignment Introduction See BB unit for assignment specifics Aug. 31 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Two- Understanding Aesthetics- Personal Creative Preferences See BB unit for assignment specifics Sep. 07 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Three- What are the Humanities, critiquing art, painting overview See BB unit for assignment specifics Sep. 14 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Four- Sculpture and Architecture NA Sep. 21 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Five- Personal Art Presentation See BB unit for assignment specifics Sep. 28 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Six- Literature and Television See BB unit for assignment specifics Oct. 05 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Seven- The basics of Film See BB unit for assignment specifics Oct. 12 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Eight- Film Project See BB unit for assignment specifics Oct. 19 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Nine- Art Project See BB unit for assignment specifics Oct. 26 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Ten- Generative AI Text See BB unit for assignment specifics Nov. 02 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Eleven- Generative AI Images See BB unit for assignment specifics Nov. 09 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Twelve- Stage/Film/LiteratureAdaptation See BB unit for assignment specifics Nov. 16 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Thirteen- Music See BB unit for assignment specifics Nov. 23 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Fourteen- Final Project- Graphic Design See BB unit for assignment specifics Nov. 30 All units open on Aug. 25 Unit Fifteen- Common Assignment Due See BB unit for assignment specifics Dec. 07 COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: • Daily Grades 15% • Tests/Projects 50% • Mid-Term Project 15% • Final Project 20% GRADING SCALE 90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C 60-69 D 0-59 F LIT does not use +/- grading scales ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Students found to be committing academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, or collusion) may receive disciplinary action. Students need to familiarize themselves with the institution’s Academic Dishonesty Policy available in the Student Catalog & Handbook at http://catalog.lit.edu/content.php?catoid=3&navoid=80#academic-dishonesty. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS The latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc. can be online at https://lit.edu/online-learning/online-learning-minimum-computer-requirements. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or WiFi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. DISABILITIES STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. LIT provides reasonable accommodations as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to students with a diagnosed disability. The Special Populations Office is located in the Eagles’ Nest Room 129 and helps foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff, as well as promoting awareness among all members of the Lamar Institute of Technology community. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator at (409)-951-5708 or email specialpopulations@lit.edu. You may also visit the online resource at Special Populations - Lamar Institute of Technology (lit.edu). STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENT It is the responsibility of all registered Lamar Institute of Technology students to access, read, understand and abide by all published policies, regulations, and procedures listed in the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook. The LIT Catalog and Student Handbook may be accessed at www.lit.edu. Please note that the online version of the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook supersedes all other versions of the same document. STARFISH LIT utilizes an early alert system called Starfish. Throughout the semester, you may receive emails from Starfish regarding your course grades, attendance, or academic performance. Faculty members record student attendance, raise flags and kudos to express concern or give praise, and you can make an appointment with faculty and staff all through the Starfish home page. You can also login to Blackboard or MyLIT and click on the Starfish link to view academic alerts and detailed information. It is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to these emails and information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES/INFORMATION Course Dates: Aug. 25- Dec. 10 Format: Face-to-Face Textbook: No textbook required (ignore any references in Blackboard). Some viewing/streaming materials may need to be located by students. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Statement Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) recognizes the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in many fields. Students are expected to use these tools ethically and responsibly. • Use of AI is at the instructor’s discretion. • All submitted work must be your own unless otherwise specified. • In this course, AI may be used only if credited. If you use AI (e.g., ChatGPT) to draft or brainstorm, you must: 1. Revise the draft into your own words. 2. Include a note in your submission stating which AI platform was used. • Journals and personal reflections must be student-written, not AI-generated. Instructor Contact • Email is the best way to reach me (response time: 24–48 business hours). • Always include your course and section number in the subject line. • Do not email assignments. All work must be submitted through Blackboard. • If you resubmit corrected work, email me which assignment you resubmitted. Technology & Document Creation • Reliable computer and internet access are required (phones/tablets often cause formatting issues). • Microsoft Office 365 is free to all students through MyLIT email. • Do not use Google Docs or cloud links; upload the actual file. • Verify formatting after upload. • Acceptable formats: o Writing: .doc or .docx only (MLA template provided in Orientation folder). o Images: .jpg, .png, .gif, .tif, .pdf (no .heic files). • MLA Style is required for all written work (except discussions/journals). Non-MLA or single-spaced work = maximum 50%. Discussion Boards • Each assignment requires one original post (meeting word count) plus at least two substantive peer replies. • Replies must be thoughtful (not just “I agree”). Minimum 10 words. • Posts without peer replies = 50% grade. • If posting early, return before the deadline to add replies. Grading Breakdown • Original post: 50% • Each peer reply (10+ words): 10% each • Example: 1 post + 2 replies = 70/100 Journals • Informal reflections, minimum 100 words (typed directly into Blackboard). • Do not attach documents or submit links. • Grading Scale: o 100 words = 70 o 200+ words = 100 (full scale available in Blackboard). • Depth of thought matters as much as length. Assignments & Submissions • All assignments must be uploaded to the correct Blackboard link. • Do not email assignments under any circumstances. • Assignments are open for the length of the entire semester. • Submit early to allow time for technical issues. • Regarding Dual Credit- assignments are submitted and due dates are determined based on the LIT academic calendar, not your school calendar. So, be aware that you might still have submissions due for this course even though you are in an “Off” period for your campus. • If you are going to be away or unavailable from the course for any reason (work, vacation, etc. You are still responsible for submitting assignments by the due dates. You can always submit early! Late Work & Resubmissions • Penalty: –10 points per calendar day late. • Timeline: Late work or resubmissions will not be graded right away. They will be graded within two weeks after the next unit closes. • No submissions accepted after the final course regular session due date (finals week dates do not count). • Do not resubmit graded work unless I give permission. If you do resubmit, email me the assignment title immediately (no email = no grade update). • Only documented Blackboard outages excuse late submissions. Completion & Due Dates • All units open on Day 1 but have individual due dates. • Follow Blackboard’s schedule/calendar carefully; misreading due dates does not excuse missed work. Art Projects • Unless otherwise specified, all art must be created by hand with traditional media (pencil, paint, etc.). • Each project must include: o At least four progress pictures (do not include picture of your materials). o A journal entry, if part of the assignment. o Possible discussion board critiques or artist statement. • Any work must be new, created for the assignment. • Do not submit lined paper drawings (automatic zero). • Projects are graded on effort, understanding of art elements & principles, and ability to explain your work—not on artistic mastery. • Flat, minimal-effort drawings will fail. Writing & Assessment • All formal writing (essays, responses, critiques, etc.): o Minimum of 3 paragraphs unless otherwise specified. o MLA Style required (template provided). o Academic voice; no second person (“you/your”). o No outside sources unless assignment requires it. • One-paragraph submissions = automatic 50%. • Assignments generally graded within two weeks of unit close. • Editing help available free via Tutor.com (Books & Tools panel in Blackboard). Quizzes, Tests, and Readings • Complete quizzes, tests, and readings by their unit deadlines. • Once a unit closes, those items are no longer available. • No individual extra credit. If any extra credit is offered, it will be announced to the entire class. Academic Integrity • Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated. • All papers checked with SafeAssign. Review reports and revise before submission. • Plagiarized work = 0 on the assignment and possible failure in the course. Final Project • The final project is required to pass this course. • It is research-based and may include multiple components. Follow instructions carefully. Incomplete Policy In addition to LIT’s policy, you must meet these conditions to qualify for an incomplete: 1. The official drop date has passed. 2. You have met participation/sign-in requirements. 3. You hold a passing grade at the time of request. 4. You provide medical documentation stating you cannot complete the course. 5. You agree to finish remaining work within the first month of your next long semester. Final Notes • Be respectful in discussions and critiques. Controversy is fine; hate speech and derogatory content are not. • All course materials, policies, and dates may be revised to address unforeseen circumstances.