Book Arts Courses

BA
101
Hours
3
Introduction to Book Arts Studio Practices

This course provides students with a comprehensive introduction to book arts studio practices. Students will learn the safe and proper operation of common equipment in hand papermills, letterpress printshops, and binderies. Through hands-on experiences, readings, discussions, and assignments, students will gain the knowledge and skills needed to begin to undertake the creation of their own handmade books, exploring the rich history and techniques of book arts. This course is suitable for students with no prior experience in book arts.

Experiential Learning
BA
205
Hours
3
Introduction to Book Arts

This course will primarily focus on the history and appreciation of Book Arts traditions and contemporary practices, emphasizing the book as a form of cultural expression. Students will also receive exposure to hands-on technical instruction to understand the evolution of hand-bookmaking practices. Traditional papermaking, letterpress printing, and book binding techniques will be examined in relation to historic book production, modern hand-bookmaking practices, and artistic expression.

Fine Arts
BA
206
Hours
3
Typography

This course is an introduction to the history and practice of typography. This course will cover the development and use of typographic design including a global view of the origins of writing systems, the expansion of the written word into print, and the development and refinement of typographic design.

Fine Arts
BA
301
Hours
3
Introduction to Hand Papermaking

This hands-on studio course is an introduction to the fundamental processes and history of the ancient craft of hand papermaking. Students will learn the step-by-step process to produce contemporary Western and traditional Japanese handmade papers, including pulp preparation, sheet formation, pressing, and drying. By the conclusion of this course, students will develop refined, technical skills and acquire knowledge of the professional methods necessary to produce high-quality handmade paper to suit a variety of practical or creative uses.

Prerequisite(s): BA 101 OR BA 205 OR instructor permission
Experiential Learning
BA
302
Hours
3
Introduction to Letterpress Printing

This course is an introduction to techniques, history, and practice of letterpress printing. This course will cover traditional practices such as setting type by hand and press operation and will also introduce image-making techniques using relief printmaking processes.

Prerequisite(s): BA 101 OR BA 205 OR instructor permission
BA
303
Hours
3
Introduction to Box Making

This course provides hands-on experience on the fundamentals of box making as a component of the book arts. Equipment use, material properties, and the development of strong foundational hand skills will be emphasized. Structural concerns and aesthetic issues will be critically examined within the context of end use.

Prerequisite(s): BA 101 or BA 205 or Instructor Permission
BA
401
Hours
3
Materials & Techniques of Bookbinding

This course is an introduction to the fundamental materials and techniques of traditional bookbinding, with an emphasis on equipment, material properties, and the development of strong foundational hand skills. Through readings and hands-on assignments, students will gain an understanding of the properties inherent in common bookbinding materials and how to use them for high quality work. Several book structures, decorative paper, and fabric techniques will be covered. In addition to the development of good hand skills and proper use of materials, students will look at aesthetic issues concerning book construction.

Prerequisite(s): BA 101 OR BA 205 OR instructor permission
Experiential Learning
BA
402
Hours
3
Beyond Letterpress: Print processes for Book Arts

This course will serve as an introduction to the theories, conceptual concerns, and processes used in contemporary printmaking. Students will gain hands-on experience with processes that are pervasive in twenty-first century print media and book objects, including screenprinting, relief printing using laser cutters, and the creation of cast multiples. The goal is to develop knowledge of analog printmaking methods that still permeate visual culture through the production of fine art objects, books, clothing, and advertisements to name a few.

Prerequisite(s): BA 101 OR BA 205 OR instructor permission
Experiential Learning
BA
404
Hours
3
Art and Culture of Zines

A zine is a low-cost, self-published work intended for quick dissemination within a community. Zines have been produced for many reasons, including sharing particular knowledge, the preservation of minority and marginalized interests, and the expression of personal narratives. This course introduces the history, culture, and practice of zine production. A variety of zine structures and techniques will be covered. Readings will position the zine in the larger context of self-publishing as community action.

Prerequisite(s): BA 101 or BA 205 or instructor permission
BA
410
Hours
3
The Whole Book: An Introduction to Letterpress and Bookbinding

This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of bookbinding and letterpress printing, with an emphasis on the unique conceptual and narrative potentials of the book form. Content generation and design will be explored alongside instruction about studio equipment, studio practice, and the fundamental techniques and materials used in hand book work. Through readings and studio assignments, students will learn about type setting, registration, imposition, and press operation. A variety of book structures that support the creation of artist books will be explored.

Prerequisite(s): BA 101 OR BA 205 OR instructor permission
BA
415
Hours
3
Collaborative Book Production

The focus of this course is the design and production of an artist book in a small edition. Students and the instructor will work together to determine the themes, structure, text, and imagery for the book. Production labor of the book, including preparation of materials, printing, and bookbinding, will be shared by all students. Because of the highly collaborative nature of the course, projects will vary significantly from semester to semester.

Prerequisite(s): BA 101 and BA 410
Experiential Learning

Information Sciences Courses

IS
101
Hours
3
Introduction to Informatics

Introduction to technology and infrastructure management, and information science foundations.

IS
201
Hours
3
Fundamentals of Information Literacy in Society

A basic introduction to information consumption in contemporary society focusing on the skills necessary to effectively locate, critically evaluate, and ethically use information.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
IS
204
Hours
3
Navigating Social Media

The term "social media" has been applied to Web-based platforms that facilitate communication, collaboration, and network/community-building. This course explores the benefits of social media through the concepts of informatics. Integrated features such as profile, personalization, feed, third-party integration, and linked data are examined in their relationship to information discoverability.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
IS
210
Hours
3
Scripting Languages for Informatics

Introduction to scripting languages for relational systems.

Prerequisite(s) with concurrency: IS 101
IS
220
Hours
3
Organizing Systems, Structures, and Retrieval

Introduction to foundational concepts and core techniques in the organization of information, information systems, and information retrieval.

Prerequisite(s) with concurrency: IS 101
IS
260
Hours
3
Database Design and Modeling for Informatics

Examines key skill areas in the design, modeling, development and administration of various databases, including relational databases.

Prerequisite(s) with concurrency: IS 101 and IS 210
IS
290
Hours
3
Special Topics

Reading and discussion in areas of significance in informatics. Variable topics.

Special Topics Course
IS
310
Hours
3
Human-Centered Design

Explores theories, skills and techniques in Human-Computer Interaction promoting User Experience/Universal Design, and Human-Centered Design.

Prerequisite(s) with concurrency: IS 101
IS
350
Hours
3
User Needs and Assessment

Examines information behavior and information needs, and explores methods for individual and group information needs assessment.

Prerequisite(s): IS 101
Prerequisite(s) with concurrency: IS 101
IS
401
Hours
3
Informatics Futures

Critically examines emerging technologies and ethical applications of informatics.

Prerequisite(s): IS 101
Prerequisite(s) with concurrency: IS 350
Experiential Learning
IS
490
Hours
3
Advanced Special Topics

Advanced reading, research and discussion in areas of significance in informatics. Variable Topics.

Prerequisite(s): IS 101
Special Topics Course
IS
495
Hours
3
Informatics Capstone

Provides a capstone, project-based experiential learning experience in the field.

Prerequisite(s): IS 101
Prerequisite(s) with concurrency: IS 350
Experiential Learning
IS
496
Hours
1-3
Field Experience in Informatics

Supervised field experience in informatics. Must meet unit requirements for eligibility to be approved for this course.

Prerequisite(s): IS 310
Experiential Learning
IS
498
Hours
1-3
Independent Study

Provides the opportunity for an independent project or research under the supervision of an appropriate faculty member.