The Graduate Certificate in Book Arts prepares students to integrate history, materials and technologies of the book arts into their research and/or professional programmatic objectives. Students completing the certificate will obtain a historical, conceptual, and functional understanding of professional best practices, art processes of the three major studio areas that make up the book arts (papermaking, letterpress printing, and bookbinding), and an understanding of the significance of book arts within the broader context of art and craft.
The Book Arts Certificate is a general 15 credit hour program designed for scholars and professionals in other disciplines. It provides an overview of the book arts as a basis for the integration of material book studies into outside research or creative specializations. As a compliment to a primary field of study or professional practice, the certificate provides the expertise necessary to produce and critically examine creative bookwork within a historical context and contemporary framework.
Admission Criteria
A Bachelor’s degree, 3.0 GPA, and a statement of purpose is required. Students may apply to enroll directly or concurrently with another degree program. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and students may begin their study in the Fall or Spring terms. Use the special non-degree certification application.
Applications to the MFA Book Arts program will receive priority over applications to the certificate program and the numbers of students admitted to each program will be closely monitored to ensure that courses are not filled beyond the capacity of the facilities and faculty.
See the Admission Criteria section of this catalog for more information.
Curricular Requirements
Candidates for the Book Arts certificate must earn a minimum of 15 semester hours of credit, including at least 6 hours of studio courses and 9 hours of electives within the book arts program. All coursework must be completed with a grade average of "B" or better.
All certificate students must complete, as part of the 15 hours, the following required courses:
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Studio Core Course Work | 6 | |
| Select 2 | ||
| Mat & Tech of Bookbinding | ||
| Beyond Letterpress | ||
| The Whole Book | ||
| Elements of Letterpress | ||
| Elements of Bookbinding | ||
| Techniques of Hand Papermaking | ||
| Electives | 9 | |
| students cannot count double credit across core and electives | ||
| Mat & Tech of Bookbinding | ||
| Beyond Letterpress | ||
| Elements of Letterpress | ||
| Elements of Bookbinding | ||
| The Printed Book | ||
| Artist Books | ||
| Case Binding and Edition Work | ||
| Boxmaking | ||
| Techniques of Hand Papermaking | ||
| Contemporary Hand Papermaking | ||
| Workshops In Book Arts | ||
| Descriptive Bibliography | ||
| Print Culture and Society | ||
| Book Artifact Materiality Text | ||
| Electronic/Contemporary Pub. | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
All graduate coursework required for the proposed certificate is already offered through the existing ACHE approved M.F.A. Book Arts Program. Students who complete the certificate will be provided formal recognition of specialized knowledge in Book Studies. This recognition will communicate that these graduates have skills and academic preparation in the arts and technologies of the book.
Transfer Credit
Up to 3 hours of graduate course credit may be transferred from another accredited university or may be elected from the offerings of other departments with approval of program advisor.
More information about transfer requirements can the found from the Graduate School.
Comprehensive Examination/Capstone Requirements
All Book Arts certificate students will be required to build a portfolio of coursework, to be submitted in their final semester of enrollment. Coursework samples will be accompanied by a summation statement by the student about the portfolio and its relevance to their professional, academic, and/or creative goals. The portfolio will be reviewed and assessed by the book arts faculty in a one-on-one session with the student, and will be presented in a public showcase of student work. A passing vote will be required by the book arts faculty for the certificate to be conferred. Certificate portfolios reflect student learning in relation to the MFA Book Arts program learning outcomes (PLOs).
Programmatic Learning Outcomes (PLOs) for the Book Arts Certificate
1.) Students will demonstrate foundational book arts technical skills and the ability to think critically about their work.
2.) Students will demonstrate an understanding of the book as a cohesive object, and the ability to articulately describe the interrelationship between structure, material, and the conceptual framework.
3.) Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of the historical context of the book arts.
4.) Students will demonstrate an understanding of the relevance of the book art within contemporary art and craft, and a familiarity with active book arts institutions and contemporary book artists.
Time Limits For Degree Completion Requirements
Information about time limits is available here.
Academic Misconduct Information
Student academic misconduct is not permitted. In the event of perceived academic misconduct, the University Academic Misconduct Policy will be followed. More information is available here.
Withdrawal or Leave of Absence Information
Students who need to withdraw from a course, the university or take a leave of absence should contact their academic advisor and the SLIS director. Additional information is available on the Graduate School website related to withdrawals and leaves of absence.
Academic Grievances Information
Academic grievances are addressed according to the "University-Wide Academic Grievance Procedures" outlined in the University of Alabama Faculty Handbook.
Grades and Academic Standing
Student Progress Requirement
All graduate students must earn and maintain an overall graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better for all graduate courses undertaken at The University of Alabama. Grades below "C" count in computing the GPA but do not carry credit toward a degree. A graduate student with good academic standing whose GPA drops below 3.0 at any time after earning 12 semester hours will have earned Academic Warning.
Students who have earned academic warning or are in non-degree status may not hold graduate assistantships.
A student placed on Academic Warning has the next 12 hours of graduate work to raise the overall graduate GPA to 3.0 or better. The overall graduate GPA after the next 12 hours following academic warning must be at least 3.0 to avoid Academic Suspension (dismissal) from the Graduate School.
Note that academic dismissal from the department or Graduate School differs from dismissal for academic misconduct. Academic misconduct results in dismissal from the University. The Academic Misconduct policy may be found at the Provost's website.
Additional information about student progress and scholastic requirements is available on the Graduate School website.
Permission to Continue Admission
Under exceptional circumstances, a student may be admitted to the Book Arts Certificate program if they do not meet the GPA requirement for regular admission (GPA of 3.0). If such an applicant is admitted, they will need to obtain permission to continue in the program after the first 12 semester hours of graduate-level work have been completed. Permission to continue is earned by achieving a GPA of “B” or better (3.0) in the first 12 semester hours. If the 12 hours are completed in a term in which the total credits exceed 12, the evaluation is made on the basis of all graduate-level work completed at the end of that term of enrollment. Once a student has been given the permission to continue they will be evaluated by the same student progress guidelines as regular admission students.
Students admitted under permission to continue designation who do not meet the 3.0 requirement after their first 12 hours of graduate-level work will not receive permission to continue in their graduate program and will be dropped from the program.
Graduate School Deadlines Information
The University of Alabama Graduate School keeps a calendar of specific student deadlines available on the Graduate School website.