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Unit of study_

ARHT1001: Style and Substance: Introducing Art History

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Taking a diverse, global view of art making from the Ancient to the Modern world, ARHT1001 will introduce students to key philosophical and methodological approaches in the field of Art History. As our experiences are increasingly mediated through a variety of visual platforms, this course will help students develop critical perspectives on visual communication. The development of professional skill sets will be a key focus. As such, the course serves as an essential introduction to Art History for those considering a career in the arts, education, or the museum and design sectors.

Unit details and rules

Unit code ARHT1001
Academic unit Art History
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Mark De Vitis, mark.devitis@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Mark De Vitis, mark.devitis@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Tama Woodbury, tama.woodbury@sydney.edu.au
Alanna Irwin, alanna.irwin@sydney.edu.au
Ekaterina Heath, ekaterina.abramova@sydney.edu.au
Stuart Cottle, stuart.cottle@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Participation Tutorial participation
Full details and resources provided on CANVAS
10% - Weekly, in tutorial classes
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO6 LO4
Assignment Research essay
Full details and resources provided on CANVAS
40% -
Due date: 09 Jun 2020 at 23:59
1750 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7
Assignment Object analysis
Full details and resources provided on CANVAS
20% Week -05 1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment Research essay plan
Full details and resources provided on CANVAS
10% Week 09
Due date: 28 Apr 2020 at 23:59
750 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO7 LO6 LO4
Assignment Comparative analysis
Full details and resources provided on CANVAS
20% Week 13 1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

 

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Monday Lecture: Welcome and introduction to approaches Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Tuesday Lecture: The Origins of Art Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Week 02 Monday Lecture: Visual Analysis (Key Skills in Art History) Lecture (1 hr) LO2
Tuesday Lecture: Approaching the mysterious ancient city of Teotihuacan Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Welcome to tutorials: thinking visually Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 03 Monday Lecture: (Style) The Classical Mode Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO5
Tuesday Lecture: (Style) Classicism and the legacy of style Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3
Skill Building: Producing Visual Analysis (the Classical style) Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 04 Monday Lecture: (Style) The Art of Renaissance Italy - The Classical reborn? Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO5
Tuesday Lecture: Art in Renaissance Italy and the Revolution of Perspective Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Skill Building: Examining the Art of Renaissance Italy - Unpacking the ways we see Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 05 Monday Lecture: Oil Paint and the Northern Renaissance (Substance) Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Tuesday Lecture: China's White Gold - Porcelain and Art's Function (Substance) Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Writing an Object Analysis (Skills in Art History) Tutorial (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 06 Monday Lecture: Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo - Defining the 'High' Renaissance Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Tuesday Lecture: Mannerism - Challenging Art History's Master Narratives Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Critical Understanding of the Histories of the Renaissance Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 07 Monday Lecture: (Skill Building) - Preparing for the Art Gallery of New South Wales Workshops Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO6 LO7
Tuesday Lecture: Lecture will not be held and is replaced by AGNSW workshops Lecture (1 hr) LO7
Tutorials will not be held at usual times, instead, students will attend AGNSW workshops Tutorial (1 hr) LO4 LO6 LO7
Week 08 Monday Lecture: Icons and Iconoclasm Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Tuesday Lecture: Icons and Iconoclasm Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Skills in Art History: Comparative Analysis Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO6
Week 09 Monday Lecture: Issues in Art History - Women and Art Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Tuesday Lecture: Issues in Art History - Women and Art Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Art history debates: Women in Art Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4
Week 10 Monday Lecture: Understanding the Art Museum Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO7
Tuesday Lecture: An Art Museum Roundtable Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO7
Art History Debates: The Problem of the Art Museum Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO4 LO7
Week 11 Monday Lecture: Approaching the Visual in Indigenous Cultures of Australia Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Tuesday Lecture: Indigenous Australian Arts Roundtable Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5 LO7
Art History Debates: Appropriation and Indigenous Visual Cultures Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Week 12 Monday Lecture: Art and Technology - A Rococo Case Study Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Tuesday Lecture: Art and Technology - A Rococo Case Study Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Art History Debates: New Ways of Seeing - Art in a Digital Age Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3
Week 13 Monday Lecture: Skills in Art History - Nailing Analysis Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Tuesday Lecture: Skills in Art History - Writing Hacks Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO4 LO6
The Comparative Analysis Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO6

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.

  • Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.

  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All required reading in this unit of study is available as course notes, printed as a paper reader. The course reader is to be purcahsed by all students. Readers include weekly tutorials exercises and notes, and resources to support students through assessment tasks. 

Reader's are typically available in the first week of classes. As tutrials commence in Week 2, there are no required readings in Week 1.

To purchase the reader, visit: https://www.publishpartner.com.au/ and click 'Course Notes Online'. Follow the prompts to make your purchase.

You can have your reader posted to you or collect it on campus from the USYD Copy Centre, which is loacted beneath the Uni Sports and Acquatic Centre (85 Darlington Road).

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. develop an understanding of key practices and methods of the discipline of art history
  • LO2. develop skills of visual literacy - the ability to analyse a work of visual art
  • LO3. develop new skills of critical thinking, problem solving and information literacy
  • LO4. develop academic and professional writing and communication skills
  • LO5. learn about the traditions of a wide variety of cultural groups
  • LO6. build confidence and resilience working with others and on self-managed projects
  • LO7. engage with leading organisations beyond the university and learn about their professional practices.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Feedback from students has allowed for more effective consultations regarding assessment tasks - particularly through the further development of workshops held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales

Additional costs

Students are required to purchase course notes. If this presents any concerns, please contact Dr. Mark De Vitis (unit coordinator)

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.