Art Appreciation Syllabus for 2026-2027
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Instructor Information

Course Information

AI Statement

Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Gemini) to create a document is considered colluding. The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor.

Title IX and Sexual Misconduct Reporting

Amarillo College prohibits discrimination and harassment based on sex, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking, under Title IX and Texas Education Code §51.253–255. Faculty and staff are mandatory reporters and must share any related concerns with the Title IX Coordinator at titleix@actx.edu. Reports and additional information are available at https://www.actx.edu/hr/title-ixtitle-ix. Confidential counseling and advocacy services are available through the Counseling Center and Advocacy & Resource Center.

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Enrollment Center, Suite 700. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Statement on State-Authorized Courses at Amarillo College

For-credit academic and workforce education courses offered at Amarillo College are limited to the course options available in the statewide inventory for two-year public institutions. Courses in the state-authorized lower-division Academic Course Guide Manual and Workforce Education Course Manual have specific descriptions that prescribe course content and may include specific student learning outcomes. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) maintains and regularly updates these manuals. Amarillo College faculty and leaders ensure that these courses are aligned with THECB guidelines and evaluated based on student performance outcomes. Students enrolled in these courses are expected to engage with and learn course content. According to the AC Board of Regents Policy Manual, "faculty members are entitled to academic freedom in the conduct of research and teaching and are tasked with the associated responsibilities" (DGC). Students are entitled to academic freedom in the classroom, as well, and faculty "must not attempt to force on students a personal viewpoint and must at all times allow diversity of opinion" (Amarillo College Academic Affairs Manual).

Course

ARTS-1301-008 Art Appreciation

Prerequisites

Course Description

A general introduction to the visual arts designed to create an appreciation of the vocabulary, media, techniques and purposes of the creative process. Students will critically interpret and evaluate works of art within formal, cultural and historical contexts.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs 3 lec )

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

No textbook is required.

This course does not use a traditional textbook. Instead, students engage with curated reading materials provided directly within each unit. These include instructorcreated presentations, selected art websites, and supplemental video resources that support multiple lessons throughout the semester.

Supplies

Pens, pencils, notebook paper or notebook for note taking, access to a computer to complete online assignments and review class material.

Student Performance

ARTS 1301 Art Appreciation Course Description

A general introduction to the visual arts designed to create an appreciation of the vocabulary, media, techniques, and purposes of the creative process. Students will critically interpret and evaluate works of art within formal, cultural, and historical contexts.

Learning Outcomes (ACGM)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. Apply art terminology as it specifically relates to works of art.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of art elements and principles of design.
3. Differentiate between the processes and materials used in the production of various works of art.
4. Critically interpret and evaluate works of art.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of arts on culture.

Specific Course Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate effective communication, critical thinking, and teamwork skills.
2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship of the Visual Arts and Social Responsibility.
3. Students will understand the visual elements and principles.
4. Students will apply art terminology as it specifically relates to works of art.
5. Students will demonstrate knowledge of materials and techniques developed by artists over the centuries.
6. Students will understand the general characteristics of major art periods or styles.
7. Students will analyze works of art formally and conceptually.

Unit Summaries and Learning Goals

UNIT 1 — Introduction to the Course and the Value of Art

This unit introduces you to the course, your classmates, and the many ways art enriches everyday life. You’ll explore what art can be, how technology influences artistic expression, how art evokes mystery, and why art continues to hold value in society.

UNIT 2 — Understanding Art in a New Way

In this unit, you’ll learn how to analyze artwork using the elements and principles of art. You’ll explore the three major categories of art—representational, abstract, and nonobjective—and consider how form, cultural conventions, and iconography shape meaning and interpretation.

UNIT 3 — Line

This unit focuses on the expressive power of line. You’ll study early uses of line, varieties of line, and the differences between outline, contour line, implied line, and lines of sight. You’ll also explore how artists use analytical and expressive lines to communicate ideas.

UNIT 4 — Shape, Mass, Space, and Texture

In this unit, you’ll learn how artists use shape and mass, and how positive and negative space function in artwork. You’ll explore how three'dimensional space is represented on a flat surface through perspective, why modern artists challenge traditional spatial representation, and how actual and visual texture contribute to meaning.

UNIT 5 — Light and Color

This unit examines how artists use light and color to create space, mood, and meaning. You’ll study atmospheric perspective, value, chiaroscuro, sfumato, and tenebrism. You’ll also learn basic color vocabulary, explore color harmony, and consider how color functions symbolically and in representational painting.

UNIT 6 — The Principles of Design

In this unit, you’ll explore the principles that organize visual composition. You’ll learn about symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial balance; emphasis and focal point; scale and proportion; and the relationships among pattern, repetition, and rhythm. You’ll also examine how unity and variety function in traditional art and why postmodern artists often emphasize variety.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Accessing Blackboard

Students are responsible for accessing and navigating our AC Connect Blackboard course successfully. Our course content is delivered online through our AC Connect Blackboard course. There is a link to AC Connect at the top of the Amarillo College website — www.actx.edu. Click on the AC Connect link, and once you are on the AC Connect Portal page, click on the “Blackboard” link on the left-side menu. Log in to Blackboard using your ACNetID and password (this is the universal ID and password assigned to you by the college). If you are having trouble logging in to AC Connect and/or Blackboard, please try a different browser. Call AskAC at 806-371-5000 if you need login or password assistance. Once you are logged in to Blackboard, click on “Courses” on the left-side menu, and you will see a page with the AC Connect classes you are enrolled in. Search for our course and then click on our course link to access our AC Connect Blackboard course.

Check Your AC Email

Students are responsible for checking their AC email. Once the course begins, I will email you all information on getting started in the course. It is very important that you check your AC email frequently, as that is the main way I communicate with you.

Keep Up with the Course Calendar

Students are responsible for checking the course calendar every week. When you access the course, check the course calendar for coursework deadlines each week; read all information pertaining to unit assignments, exams, and the Team Project; participate in assigned discussions; and complete all coursework on time to ensure success in the course.

Student Questions

Students are responsible for contacting the instructor with any questions or concerns about the course. Students are encouraged to ask questions or request feedback. The instructor’s response time is usually within 24 hours on weekdays, and the instructor checks the course for email at least once on weekends and holidays. Remember, the instructor is not a mind reader, and communication is very important for success in the course!

Student Conduct

Students are responsible for appropriate conduct in the course. Students are identified in course logins, coursework accessed, coursework submissions, exams, and emails submitted to the instructor. All course activity can be identified and accessed by the instructor and AC Connect administrators. You are expected to refrain from any obscene or threatening dialogue in assignment discussions, assignments, projects, and any correspondence with the instructor or other students in the class. If a student violates this expectation, it will result in a grade of “0” for that discussion, assignment, or project, will influence your grade, and can result in disciplinary action from the college. The instructor reserves the right to delete any student post in an assignment discussion. Students are expected to report any inappropriate behavior in the course to the instructor immediately. Any violation of the appropriate conduct listed above will be noted by the instructor and considered in your grade, as well as possibly lead to disciplinary action or expulsion from the course.

Plagiarism

The student understands that plagiarism will not be tolerated in this class. Plagiarism is defined by the Amarillo College Student Handbook as: “...the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own written work.” This also includes copying Internet or written sources in any course assignment discussions or projects without citing the source, as well as copying another student’s work for this course. If a student is found plagiarizing any material in the course, it will result in a grade of “0” for that assignment discussion or project and can result in disciplinary action and expulsion from the course.

Course Content

Students understand that in the study of art styles and art history, there may occasionally be a tasteful representation of a nude (such as in Greek Classical Art) and agree to handle that content in a mature and responsible way.

Technical Help

Students are responsible for seeking technical help from the instructor and from the student help resources listed below. You can also call AskAC with general questions about technical support at 806-371-5000.

Technical Requirements

Students are responsible for having the minimum computer requirements. Students must have regular access to a computer with the following:

Current or recent version of Windows or Mac operating system.

File types I can accept (I have a PC): doc, docx, txt, pdf, rtf — files that will open on a PC. My PC cannot open .pages files.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) capable of supplying at least 56k connection speed.

Email account — specifically, checking your AC email frequently, as this is how I will often communicate with you.

Supported web browsers: Firefox, Google Chrome (Firefox works the best).

Browser settings for your AC Connect course: Make sure that JavaScript is enabled in your browser. Make sure that you allow pop-up windows in your browser for your AC Connect course. If your browser warns you that there is a pop-up window anywhere in our AC Connect course, choose “allow.”

Screen resolution of at least 800 x 600.

Students are responsible for downloading plug-ins as needed and having access to a computer that can view all materials in our AC Connect course. Students may be required to get the following plug-ins (free versions and all are safe):

YouTube Access

Access to YouTube videos is required. Students are responsible for obtaining access to YouTube videos that the instructor specifically links to on the YouTube website. The instructor is not responsible for the content of YouTube videos that are not specifically linked from the course. Links to YouTube videos are constantly changing, so the instructor needs to be informed of any broken links to YouTube videos that are specifically linked from the course.

No Textbook

You do not have a textbook for this course. Students are responsible for reading and reviewing all information and resource materials (including YouTube videos) in each unit assignment and unit folder.

Grading Criteria

Possible Points

The final grade is based on a total of 100 possible points that the student can earn through completing assignments, midterm and final exam, a Team Project, as well as other grade considerations mentioned below.
90 - 100 points = A
80 - 89 points = B
70 - 79 points = C
60 - 69 points = D
0 - 59 points = F

Midterm Exam

Worth up to 10 points. A Midterm Exam is required for the course and is given approximately halfway through the course. The exam consists of multiple-choice art vocabulary questions covered in unit assignments. The Midterm Exam Review is available in the Midterm Exam folder when the course begins. Exams must be taken during the designated. Exams may be made up at the discretion of the instructor if the student makes arrangements with the instructor.

Final Exam

Worth up to 10 points. A Final Exam Review is required for the course and is given near the end of the course. The exam consists of multiple-choice art vocabulary questions covered in unit assignments. The Final Exam Review is available in the Final Exam folder when the course begins. Exams must be taken during the designated time. Exams may be made up at the discretion of the instructor if the student makes arrangements with the instructor.

Team Project

Worth up to 20 points. The Team Project is due near the end of the course. Information and guidelines for the Team Project will be available in our AC Connect course later in the semester. The Team Project must follow the Team Project guidelines provided in the course.

Unit Discussion Assignments 

Worth 10 points each. There are 6 reading and writing unit assignment discussions that will be assigned through the course. Total possible points for all the discussion assignments are 60 points.

Extra Credit

No extra credit will be given in the course.

Very Important – AC Census Report deadline 

It is important that you submit your first Unit 1 assignment on time. Your active status in the course depends on your submission of your first assignment by the due date and before the AC Census Date for this course (see the syllabus calendar below for the AC Census Date). If you do not submit your first Unit 1 assignment by the due date (at least a partial assignment), I will report you as inactive in the course and Amarillo College will automatically drop you from the course.

AC Connect Course Grade book

Your course grades in our course are accessed through the “Gradebook” link on the top course menu in our AC Connect Blackboard course as well as other access points within AC Connect. Your individual course points earned for discussion assignments, exams, and the Team Project will appear in your gradebook as well as a running grade percentage for the course.

Due Dates and Submission of Course Work 

You will complete your course work through our AC Connect Blackboard course. Students are responsible for checking their AC Connect Course Calendar in the course each week for specific course due dates (dates are subject to change). Students are responsible for submitting required work in unit discussions, submitting a required Team Project with their assigned Team Project group, and taking the course exams required exams in our AC Connect course by the due dates. Assignment discussion forums and exams are locked (and unavailable) after the due date. Please contact the instructor if you are having trouble keeping up in the course due to personal issues, a medical or family emergency, problems understanding course work, or experiencing technical difficulties in the course.

Coursework Submissions

Your course work (unit assignments, exams, and team project) is submitted through our AC Connect Blackboard course.

Your course work (including unit assignments, exams, and the Team Project) are not available to you until the “available” date on the course calendar and your syllabus calendar. 

Unit assignment discussion forums for each assignment and exams close and are not available after the due dates. I do not reopen unit assignment discussion forums after the due date, but if you want to email me unit work after the due date, you can email/message it to me.

Unit assignments are available after they are assigned and then they remain available so that if you want to make up missing assignments after the due date, you can complete your assignment and email/message it to me after the due date.

Missing Exams

If you miss an exam, you can request a make up exam, but you have to contact me.

Required File Formats for Course Work: 

Students are responsible for saving text files that they submit as an attachment in our AC Connect course in the following file types: doc, docx, txt, pdf, rtf. I can’t open .pages files, so don’t use this file type for course work. This allows anyone to open the file without having a specific text editing program.

Backing up Course Work 

Students are responsible for saving backup copies of their unit assignments, the term project, and any email communication in AC Connect on their own computer hard drive - this ensures a backup copy of all student work in the course in case of a technical malfunction in our AC Connect Blackboard course.

Grading Time

It may take me up to one week after the due date to grade submitted coursework. The student is responsible for checking his/her online grade book (“My Grades” on the Course menu) in AC Connect to make sure that grades for coursework have been posted after one week following the due date and contacting the instructor about any questions regarding grades.

Withdrawal from the course

The student is responsible for submitting the withdrawal request form with the required signatures before the Last Day to Withdraw if the need arises. See the Amarillo College master calendar on the AC website and our course calendar for the date of the Last Day to Withdraw from a course. The college will not allow students to withdraw from a course after the withdrawal deadline.

Attendance

This course is an online course, which means that instruction is delivered over the Internet through our AC Connect Blackboard course. (Note: This course does not require students to come to an Amarillo College campus for any portion of the course.) Students are expected to access our Blackboard course several times a week to complete and submit required coursework and keep up with due dates posted in the Course Calendar and the Course Syllabus. When you access the course: check the course calendar for coursework deadlines each week; read all information pertaining to unit assignments, exams, and the Team Project; participate in unit assignment discussion forums each week and the Team Project discussion forum when assigned; and complete and submit all coursework on time to ensure success in the course.

Calendar

Additional Information

Student Help Resources

Center for Teaching and Learning Student and Faculty Help Center - www.actx.edu/ctl/helpcenter

Center For Teaching and Learning - www.actx.edu/ctl/

Blackboard Student Help Page - www.actx.edu/ctl/blackboard-student-help

AskAC - www.actx.edu/contact-us/

Academic Success Center - www.actx.edu/successcenters/index.php

Advocacy and Resource Center - www.actx.edu/arc/index.php

Career & Employment Services - www.actx.edu/career/

Advising Home Page - www.actx.edu/advising/

Blackboard 101

Blackboard 101: Blackboard 101 is an optional self-paced Blackboard tutorial course to help familiarize students with the workings and mechanics of Blackboard Ultra. See The Blackboard Student Help Page - www.actx.edu/ctl/blackboard-student-help .

Copyright Notice 

Students must be aware and responsible for the Copyright Notice for the course: The materials on this course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for the purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

The course syllabus and the course supply list are subject to change as needed.