Students build their knowledge of design discourse and professional design methodologies through a mix of readings, writings, lectures, and discussions. Students deepen their vocabulary for discussing, evaluating, and observing a broad range of design practices, such as branding, experience design, service design, information design, social design, and design for sustainability. Students respond each week to writings by contemporary and historic designers, critics, and theorists. This course prepares students for framing an independent degree project, supporting work that will take place during the spring semester. Discussion groups for allow students to develop writing skills and discuss topics in more depth.
This semester Senior Seminar will embark on a exploration of what motivates humans to design. Over the course of 12 weeks we will investigate the following 6 topics: writing, criticizing, mobilizing, connecting, interpreting and inventing. For each topic, a review of articles, videos, talks and images by a range of designers and thinkers will help frame your perspective on contemporary design practice. Additionally, 6 charette projects will hone critical thinking, writing and making skills to expand exploration of the topics. The charette projects give you the opportunity to respond to topics through a variety of visual media. This course aims to generate both visual and verbal content that students can build on in Senior degree projects.
Course Structure
Small Groups 1:00 to 2:45pm
Each week you will meet with a small group hosted by faculty and GTIs to discuss assigned readings and charette projects. Once during the semester, you and a partner will lead the small group in a lively discussion about the readings and topic.
All-class Meetings 3:00 to 3:45pm | Brown 320
Each week, there will be a group meeting to share work, re-cap conversations from small groups, ask questions and to introduce new topics.
Tools
Senior Seminar Website
- Daily class plan
- Announcements
- Assignments and Deadlines
- Links to Air folders for viewing readings, videos, discussion questions, creative prompts, etc.
- Links to Air folders for uploading your assignments
Air
- All files will be posted here.
- All assignments will be uploaded here.
- Link to Senior Seminar website
- Syllabus
Materials
There are no required text books or materials for this course. Students may need a computer, simple camera, basic drawing, cutting and/or making tools depending on how they approach the charette projects.
Assignments
33 possible points total
Participation - 15 points (1 for each week)
Senior Seminar is a class that thrives on participation! Each week you are expected to make comments, ask questions, contribute ideas and interact with your classmates in discussions, critiques and other activities to earn 1 point.
- 0 points will be earned if you are sleeping or using your phone or laptop in class while someone is talking.
- If you are absent on a week we are discussing readings, you may make up the participation point by writing a 200-word response to the questions posted by discussion leaders.
- If you are absent on a week we are reviewing charette projects or presentations, you may make up the point by commenting on 3 of your classmates’ projects in Air.
Co-lead small group discussion - 3 points
Once during the semester you and a partner will lead a 30-minute discussion of the readings and topic.
- 1 point for posting 3 engaging discussion questions by Sunday at 11:59pm before class
- 1 point for presenting in class a summary of the readings, theories and/or alternate viewpoints
- 1 point for leading in class a discussion and/or activity related to the topic
Charette projects - 12 points (2 for each project)
For each topic, you are required to create 2 responses to the project prompt. The prompt will outline the requirements for each project, which may include writing, drawing, photography, video and work in media of your choice.
- 1 point for each part of the charette project that meets the requirements (projects are in 2 parts)
Theory presentation - 3 points
On December 6th or 13th, you will give a short presentation on a theoretical concept. We will provide a list of possible topics or you may choose a topic that complements work on your senior project (with approval from faculty / GTIs). The presentation will the concept, discuss the concept in the context of society and culture, and show how it is applied in examples of design practice.
- 1 point for clearly defining the concept and context
- 1 point for applying the concept to one or more examples of design practice
- 1 point for organized presentation with an effective use of slides
Grading
Each activity in this course earns you points toward your final grade. There are 33 points possible. If you would like to know where you stand in the course at any time, please email your faculty or GTI. Additionally, you will be given a mid-term review with a summary of your points and attendance.
A = 30-33 points
A- = 28-29 points
B+ = 27 points
B = 26 points
B- = 25 points
C+ = 24 points
C= 23 points
C- = 22 points
D+ = 21 points
D= 17-20 points
F = 16 or lower points
Attendance
This class follows MICA’s attendance policy. Note that attendance for Small Groups and All-class Meetings are taken separately. You must attend both, each week to be marked as present for class. If you miss more than 3 classes, for any reason (including excused absences), you will fail the course. If you are absent, it is your responsibility for gathering any material and completing any in-class assignments missed. These rules are firm and are established to support your growth and learning.
- Attendance will be taken in-person in Small Groups and via QR code in the All-class Meetings
- If you arrive more than 10 minutes after the start of Small Group or All-class Meetings you will be marked late. 3 late arrivals = 1 absence
- If you are more than 30 minutes late to either the Small Groups or In-class meetings you will be marked absent for both.
- If you must miss class, email Sandra or Mark ahead of time to discuss an alternate due date for assignments.
- You may still earn a point for Participation if you are absent (see Assignments section above).
- If you are struggling to keep up with the work, email Sandra or Mark to help you create a manageable work plan.
Schedule
1 — August 30: Intro to class / Writing
2 — Sept 6: Writing
3 — Sept 13: Writing / Criticizing
4 — Sept 20: Criticizing
5 — Sept 27: Criticizing / Mobilizing
6 — Oct 4: Mobilizing
7 — Oct 11: Mobilizing / Connecting
Oct 18 Fall Break
8 — Oct 25: Connecting
9 — Nov 1: Connecting / Interpreting
10 — Nov 8: Interpreting
11 — Nov 15: Interpreting / Inventing
12 — Nov 22: Inventing
13 — Nov 29: Inventing / assign presentations
14 — Dec 6: presentations
15 — Dec 13: presentations
Academic Policies
Academic Disability Accommodations (ADA)
MICA makes reasonable academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. All academic accommodations must be approved through the Learning Resource Center (LRC). Students requesting accommodation should schedule an appointment at the LRC (call 410-225-2416 or e-mail LRC@mica.edu), located in Bunting 110. It is the student’s responsibility to make an accommodation request in a timely manner. Academic accommodations are not retroactive.
Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)
Students are responsible to follow health and safety guidelines relevant to their individual activities, processes, and to review MICA’s Emergency Operations Plan and attend EHS training. Students are required to purchase personal protection equipment (PPE) appropriate for their major or class. Those students who do not have the proper personal protection equipment will not be permitted to attend class until safe measures and personal protection are in place.
Plagiarism
Each discipline within the arts has specific and appropriate means for students to cite or acknowledge sources and the ideas and material of others used in their own work. Students have the responsibility to become familiar with such processes and to carefully follow their use in developing original work.
Policy
MICA will not tolerate plagiarism, which is defined as claiming authorship of, or using someone else’s ideas or work without proper acknowledgement. Without proper attribution, a student may NOT replicate another’s work, paraphrase another’s ideas, or appropriate images in a manner that violates the specific rules against plagiarism in the student’s department. In addition, students may not submit the same work for credit in more than one course without the explicit approval of all of the instructors of the courses involved.
Consequences
When an instructor has evidence that a student has plagiarized work submitted for course credit, the instructor will confront the student and impose penalties that may include failing the course. In the case of a serious violation or repeated infractions from the same student, the instructor will report the infractions to the department chair or program director. Depending on the circumstances of the case, the department chair or program director may then report the student to the appropriate dean or provost, who may choose to impose further penalties, including expulsion.
Appeal Process
Students who are penalized by an instructor or department for committing plagiarism have the right to appeal the charge and penalties that ensue. Within three weeks of institutional action, the student must submit a letter of appeal to the department chairperson or program director, or relevant dean or provost related to the course for which actions were taken. The academic officer will assign three members of the relevant department/division to serve on a review panel. The panel will meet with the student and the instructor of record and will review all relevant and available materials. The panel will determine whether or not to confirm the charge and penalties. The findings of the panel are final. The panel will notify the instructor, the chairperson, division, the student, and the Office of Academic Affairs of their findings and any recommendations for change in penalties.
Title IX Notification
Maryland Institute College of Art seeks to provide an educational environment based on mutual respect that is free from discrimination and harassment. Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender (which includes sexual orientation and gender identity/expression) is a civil rights offense subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, color, religion, age, status as a person with a disability, veteran’s status, or genetic information. If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you are encouraged to report it through the Incident Report Form. The MICA Incident Reporting Flowchart indicates the process by which reports are addressed.
Students requiring academic adjustments due to an incident involving sexual harassment or discrimination should contact Student Affairs at 410-225-2422 or Human Resources at 410-225-2363. Keeping with institutional commitments to equity and to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and guidance from the Office for Civil Rights, faculty and staff members are required to report disclosures of gender based discrimination made to them by students. However, nothing in this policy shall abridge academic freedom or MICA’s educational mission. Prohibitions against discrimination and discriminatory harassment do not extend to actions, statements, or written materials that are relevant and appropriately related to course subject matter or academic discussion.
Students with Extended Illness or Absence
In the case of extended illness or other absences that may keep the student from attending a class for more than three meetings, undergraduate students must contact the Student Development Specialist in the Division of Student Affairs or have an official disability accommodation letter issued by the Learning Resource Center that specifically addresses class absences. For students who have not been approved for academic disability accommodations, the Student Development Specialist will work with the student to determine the cause and appropriateness of the absences and subsequently notify instructors as necessary.
Graduate students must contact the instructor, director, and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. Students in professional studies programs must contact the Associate Dean for Open Studies. The appropriate administrator will facilitate a conversation with relevant faculty to determine whether the student can achieve satisfactory academic progress, which is ultimately at the sole discretion of the faculty member.
