Course Catalogue

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This course analyses the distinctive approaches of some of the major recent and contemporary writers associated with key methodologies of art history (e.g. T.J. Clark; G. Pollock; R. Krauss); you will explore approaches to the writing of art history which may relate to wider philosophical/artistic/historical trends or theories (Feminism; Gender theory; issues of class and Marxist theory etc.)

1 x 1hr lecture; 1 x 1hr seminar per week over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus. This is one of the Honours options in History of Art and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into History of Art, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

None

None

Examination (120 minutes duration) - 50%

Essay (2,500 - 3,000 words) - 50%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course will provide the opportunity to:

■ contribute to acquisition of a range of subject-specific knowledge and intellectual

■ offer a range of distinctive and stimulating opportunities for study of topics informed by staff research expertise, and which complement and support those studied in the Junior Honours

■ cultivate awareness of the factors involved in the selection or creation of an appropriate methodology/methodologies when undertaking art historical research, and, through this, to help prepare students for the Senior Honours dissertation and subject option courses;

■ further the development of advanced 'key skills' that may be an advantage in a variety of employment or in further study; these include skills in written communication and the written and oral presentation of reasoned critical arguments; independent learning; information retrieval; formulating concepts and hypotheses; and problem solving.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ identify and characterise the distinctive approaches of some of the major recent and contemporary writers associated with key methodologies of art history (e.g. T.J. Clark; G. Pollock; R. Krauss);

■ appreciate ways in which approaches to the writing of art history may relate to wider philosophical/artistic/historical trends or theories (Feminism; Gender theory; issues of class and Marxist theory etc.);

■ recognise some of the key assumptions which inform recent/contemporary writing of art history;

■ characterise and comment critically, both in written essay form, and in oral discussion in seminars, on a range of leading recent/contemporary approaches to the practice of art history.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.