We offer a 15 credit-hour Book Arts Certificate designed for scholars and professionals in other disciplines. It offers an overview of the book arts as a basis for the integration of material book studies into outside research or creative specializations. As a complement to a primary field of study or professional practice, the certificate provides the expertise necessary to produce and critically examine creative book work within a historical context and contemporary framework.
The overarching goal of the Book Arts Certificate is to prepare students to integrate history, materials and technologies of the book arts into their research and/or professional programmatic objectives. Students completing the certificate will have obtained a historical, conceptual, and functional understanding of professional best practices of the three major studio areas that make up the book arts (papermaking, letterpress printing, and bookbinding), and an understanding of the historic relevance of book arts within the broader context of art and craft.
Curriculum (15 hours):
9 hours of required studio core course work:
BA 530 Binding 1
BA 520 Printing 1
BA 541 Hand Papermaking
3 hours of required non-studio course work (choose from):
CIS 655 Book as Artifact
CIS 653 Descriptive Bibliography
CIS 658 Literary Small Press
CIS 656 Electronic and Contemporary Publishing
CIS654 Print Culture and Society
3 hours of elective course work (choose from)
BA 531 Binding 2
BA 521 Printing 2
BA 534 Box Making
CIS 655 Book as Artifact
CIS 653 Descriptive Bibliography
CIS 658 Literary Small Press
CIS 656 Electronic and Contemporary Publishing
CIS654 Print Culture and Society
Completion Requirements
Certificate students will be required to build a portfolio of coursework as a capstone project they will submit in their final semester of enrollment. Examples of this coursework 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.