VA517 Art and Popular Culture
VA517 Art and Popular Culture
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Oct 10, 2025
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Visual Arts and Visual Communications Design
Roman Sulejmanpašić
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
"• Understand the historical and cultural evolution of popular culture and its relationship to art. • Critically analyze key texts, artifacts, and visual media from both artistic and popular cultural perspectives. • Identify the social, political, and economic forces that influence the production and reception of both art and popular culture. • Apply theoretical frameworks and critical methodologies to the analysis of art in relation to mass culture. • Explore the intersection of technology, identity, and cultural production in contemporary popular culture."
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Cultural Theory and Popular Culture by John Storey
Additional Literature
Ways of Seeing by John Berger Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. NormanTeaching Methods
Ways of Seeing by John Berger Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to the course and polycies | Lecture |
| 2 | Introduction to Art and Popular Culture | Cultural Theory and Popular Culture by John Storey |
| 3 | Historical Perspectives on Popular Culture and Art | The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman |
| 4 | Visual Art and the Media | Cultural Theory and Popular Culture by John Storey |
| 5 | Music and Art: A Symbiotic Relationship | Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon |
| 6 | Film and Media in Popular Culture | The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman |
| 7 | Fashion and Identity | Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon |
| 8 | MIDTERM SUBMISSION | Exam submission |
| 9 | Digital Art and Social Media | Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon |
| 10 | Technology and the Democratization of Art | The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman |
| 11 | Art, Popular Culture, and Politics | Cultural Theory and Popular Culture by John Storey |
| 12 | Globalization and Popular Culture | Cultural Theory and Popular Culture by John Storey |
| 13 | Art, Politics, and Activism | The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman |
| 14 | The Future of Art and Popular Culture | Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon |
| 15 | Final Project Presentations | Exam submission |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA517.1 | Course | Tuesday 17:00 - 19:50 | B F1.24 (MAC Studio) | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 13:00 - 16:00 | B F2.23 | |
| Thursday | 10:00 - 13:00 | B F2.23 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Project
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 4 5
Assignments
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 4 5
Midterm Project
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3 4 5
Student Disseminations and Reviews
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
15 hours ⏳ (15 week × 1 h)
Midterm Project
45 hours ⏳ (3 week × 15 h)
Assignments
30 hours ⏳ (15 week × 2 h)
Final Project Preparation
30 hours ⏳ (3 week × 10 h)
Lab
30 hours ⏳ (15 week × 2 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [VA517] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Oct 10, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| VA517 | Art and Popular Culture | 3 | 0 | 6 | Tuesday 17:00-20:00 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Roman Sulejmanpašić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 13:00-16:00 Thursday: 10:00-13:00 |
|||||||
| rsulejmanpasic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | None | Assistant E-mail | ||||||||
| Course Objectives | "• Understand the historical and cultural evolution of popular culture and its relationship to art. • Critically analyze key texts, artifacts, and visual media from both artistic and popular cultural perspectives. • Identify the social, political, and economic forces that influence the production and reception of both art and popular culture. • Apply theoretical frameworks and critical methodologies to the analysis of art in relation to mass culture. • Explore the intersection of technology, identity, and cultural production in contemporary popular culture." |
|||||||||
| Textbook | Cultural Theory and Popular Culture by John Storey | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Ways of Seeing by John Berger Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction to the course and polycies | Lecture | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Introduction to Art and Popular Culture | Cultural Theory and Popular Culture by John Storey | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Historical Perspectives on Popular Culture and Art | The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Visual Art and the Media | Cultural Theory and Popular Culture by John Storey | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Music and Art: A Symbiotic Relationship | Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Film and Media in Popular Culture | The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Fashion and Identity | Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MIDTERM SUBMISSION | Exam submission | ||||||||
| Week 9 | Digital Art and Social Media | Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Technology and the Democratization of Art | The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Art, Popular Culture, and Politics | Cultural Theory and Popular Culture by John Storey | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Globalization and Popular Culture | Cultural Theory and Popular Culture by John Storey | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Art, Politics, and Activism | The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman | ||||||||
| Week 14 | The Future of Art and Popular Culture | Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Final Project Presentations | Exam submission | ||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Project | 1 | 30 | 1,2,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Assignments | 3 | 40 | 2,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Midterm Project | 1 | 20 | 3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Student Disseminations and Reviews | 3 | 10 | 2, 3, 5, | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 1 | 15 | 15 | Midterm Project | 15 | 3 | 45 | |||
| Assignments | 2 | 15 | 30 | Final Project Preparation | 10 | 3 | 30 | |||
| Lab | 2 | 15 | 30 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 23/10/2025 | |||||||||