Art 207 Undergraduate Research Assistantship in Art and Design

Art 507 Undergraduate Research Assistantship in Art and Design

Credits: 1-3, Hours/week: ~9 per credit

Spring 2018, F 9:00am-1:00pm, Room: KSE B81

Professor: Yevgeniya Kaganovich

Office: Art 358

Office Hours: by appointments

e-mail:

Course Description:

The Undergraduate Research Assistantship in Art and Design course is designed to provide a student with the opportunity to work collaboratively with an Art and Design faculty member on a specific and sustained research project. The particular terms of this mentor/mentee teaching arrangement are determined in prior consultation with the faculty member and the student at the beginning of the semester or beginning of a project.

Credit:Variable credit: 1-3 credits, students make take up to6 credits under this course number.

Prereqs: Admis to First Year Prog or Art Design,& cons instr.

Course Objectives and Guidelines:

The Undergraduate Research Assistantship in Artand Design course provides the student with hands–on research opportunities outside the typical parameters of the general curriculum within the Department of Art and Design. This course promotes an ongoing apprenticeship or learning model in which the student acquires new skills or deepens existing skills through their experience with the stages inherent to research that may include initial planning through a sustained project. The student will acquire knowledge of the successive processes of directed creative research and the requisite conceptual and technical skills required.

These experiences may include, but are not limited to the:

  • initial research and ongoing ideation for a specific project
  • insight into the stages of complex and sustained studio or creative research as it develops
  • acquisition of new knowledge and skills within a specific artistic or theoretical practice
  • expanded expertise with media, materials and methods
  • practical experience with the methods of production including acquiring new technical or technological skills
  • applied written and verbal communication skills needed to execute a well constructed project
  • orchestrating such activities as archiving, data gathering, shipping, installation, etc. related to a rigorous studio practice
  • active participation in planning and conducting research
  • practical application of experience to contemporary practices within the profession
  • generation and expansion of conceptual and critical thinking skills
  • appreciation of the responsibilities and flexibility inherent to collaboration
  • sustained engagement with a long term project

Outside Work:

The specific timing and number of hours of this course are determined by the student and sponsoring faculty at the beginning of the semester. The number of hours will be determined depending on the number of credits taken and the nature of the research project. Generally, for every one credit earned, a student will work three hours a week. Therefore, a 3-credit course requires nine hours of work per week.

Textbook: Readings will be determined and assigned to augment research projects as needed.

Grades will be based on:

  • the successful completion of the research project parameters determined between the student and the professor at the beginning of the project or semester.
  • consistent punctual attendance and participation
  • quality of engagement with the research project and its requirements
  • completion of the necessary tasks inherent in the project
  • use of contact hours or project duties and any required outside reading, research or assignments.
  • participation in final projects which may include written support material or journals, a tandem project, participation in the yearly UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium
  • effort, contributions, progress and growth evidenced over the semester

The faculty member and student will prepare a written agreement at the beginning of the semester outlining expectations of the course, number of hours of work expected of the student, and how the course grade will be established within the parameters of the research project. The final grade for each semester will be based upon successful completion of all assignments.

Course Schedule:

The faculty member and student will agree upon a course schedule at the beginning of the research assistantship.

UWM Published grade System:

A 4.00 Excellent / A-3.67
B+ 3.33 / B 3.00 Good / B-2.67
C+ 2.33 / C 2.00 Average / C-1.67
D+ 1.33 / D 1.00 Poor / D-0.67
F 0.00 Fail

This course will utilize the plus/minus grading system.

Time Investment and UWM Credit Hour Policy

D2L Site: for help: Bolton Hall 225 ( or 229-4040).

Email Policy

You must check your UWM e-mail account as well as the course D2L site on regular basis. Over the course of the semester many crucial communications will be sent out via the course D2L site, which go directly to your UWM e-mail account. E-mails should be composed letters in which you address the person to whom you are writing, state your questions and concerns and finish the letter with your full name. E-mail is not to be used a public forum. General questions of course content and policy should be directed directly to the instructor during Office Hours. E-mails that do not follow these basic guidelines will not be responded to. Please allow 2 business days for the instructor to respond to your e-mail.

What is copyright?

Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to use their materials. You must get permission to use copyrighted original works of authorship if you plan to make your project available to the public in any way. For more on gaining permission see:

Student Health Resources from Norris Health Center:

The UWM Norris Health Center (NHC) is available to students and focuses on providing primary medical and nursing care, mental health services and preventive care. Unfortunately, illness, injuries or other problems may not always occur during the hours when the Norris Health Center is open, Monday - Thursday 8 AM to 4:45 PM; Friday 9:00 AM - 4:45 PM. Nor does NHS cover the cost of services provided outside their facilities. It is strongly recommended that all students have health insurance that includes emergency room and hospitalization coverage. The UWM Student Association Student a Student Health Insurance Plan which covers most major medical illnesses or injuries. The University does not provide blanket medical coverage to students. Students are strongly encouraged to secure their own health insurance, either through their parents, the Student Health Insurance Plan or some other program.

Risk Management Information for Students

Students with Disabilities

If you need special accommodations in order to meet any of the requirements of this course, please contact me as soon as possible. Please provide a copy of You Verified Individual Services and Accommodations (VISA) to indicate the accommodations you may need in this class. If a student you’d like to requests accommodations but do no have a VISA, please contact the Student Accessibility Center (SAC.)Reasons you may need to work with the SAC include but are not limited to: depression, anxiety, learning challenges, physical challenges, etc. If you will need accommodations in order to meet any of the requirements of this course, please contact me as well as the Student Accessibility Center a.s.a.p. They will create a plan and give you support, but these services will be most helpful if configured in the first couple of weeks of the semester. Please note that it will be the student’s responsibility to provide the SAC and Instructors with proper documentation. Students are also responsible for the timely arrangement of SAC quiz/test administration, usually 1-2 weeks ahead of scheduled in-class exam time.

Religious Observances

Students will be allowed to complete examinations or other requirements that are missed because of a religious observance.

Students Called to Active Military Duty

Incompletes A notation of "incomplete" may be given in lieu of a final grade to a student who has carried a subject successfully until the end of a semester but who, because of illness or other unusual and substantiated cause beyond the student's control, has been unable to take or complete the final examination or to complete some limited amount of term work. An incomplete is not given unless you prove to the instructor that you were prevented from completing course requirements for just cause as indicated above.

Discriminatory Conduct (such as sexual harassment) Discriminatory conduct will not be tolerated by the University. It poisons the work and learning environment of the University and threatens the careers, educational experience, and well-being of students, faculty, and staff.

Academic Misconduct The university has a responsibility to promote academic honesty and integrity and to develop procedures to deal effectively with instances of academic dishonesty. Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for the appropriate citation of sources, and for respect of others' academic endeavors. Cheating on exams or plagiarism are violations of the academic honor code and carry severe sanctions, including failing a course or even suspension or dismissal from the University.

Complaint Procedures Students may direct complaints to the head of the academic unit or department in which the complaint occurs. If the complaint allegedly violates a specific university policy, it may be directed to the head of the department or academic unit in which the complaint occurred or to the appropriate university office responsible for enforcing the policy.

Grade Appeal Procedures A student may appeal a grade on the grounds that it is based on a capricious or arbitrary decision of the course instructor. Such an appeal shall follow the established procedures adopted by the department, college, or school in which the course resides or in the case of graduate students, the Graduate School. These procedures are available in writing from the Chair of the Department of Art and Design.

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