ARHT3678: Semester 2, 2025

Units ARHT3678 Semester 2 2025 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

ARHT3678: Text, Image, Sound: Islamic Book Arts

Semester 2, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This unit provides a thematic study of historical and contemporary book arts in the Islamic world, drawing on the art of painting and calligraphy as well as key texts to engage with the foundational interrelations between text, image, orality and other forms of sensory experience. Starting with early Qurans, we move to pre-modern illustrated manuscripts, and modern and contemporary works of art inspired by manuscript cultures, exploring histories of authorship, portraiture, patronage, workshop practices, audience and perception, as well as the collecting and display of manuscripts in museums. Several site visits to Sydneys various collections offer opportunities for object-based learning.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Art History
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 2000 level in Art History or 6 credit points at 2000 level in Art History and CASF1001 and CASF1002
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Peyvand Firouzeh, peyvand.firouzeh@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 1 September 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written work	Research Project Object based research essay. Compulsory workshop w11/12	40%	Formal exam period Due date: 17 Nov 2025 at 23:59	2000 words (including footnotes)	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Building your Research Bibliography Building a bibliography for your project, and writing short annotations.	15%	Week 05 Due date: 01 Sep 2025 at 23:59	~ 1000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Curatorial Lab Object based project in groups of 3-4. Compulsory workshops in weeks 6-7.	35%	Week 09 Due date: 08 Oct 2025 at 13:00	10-15 mins presentation (~1500 words)	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Contribution	Class participation Participation in class discussions	10%	Weekly	short oral discussion	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

See Guide to grades on the Current students website for a description of grade ranges.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Written assignments submitted late without permission (see Special Considerations: http://sydney.edu.au/students/special-consideration-and-arrangements.html) will incur a late penalty equal to 5% of the maximum awardable mark per day. These deductions will continue for 10 calendar days or until a solution for the assignment is released or marked assignments are returned to other students. At that point the mark awarded will be zero. For example, on an assignment given a mark of 70/100, the penalty would be 5 marks if submitted up to 24 hours late, resulting in a final mark of 65/100. If the assignment is submitted 6 days late, the penalty would be 30 marks and the final mark would be 40/100. If the assignment is more than 10 days late, the final mark will be zero.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introducing Islamic Arts of the Book	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Persianate Painting and the Canon of Islamic Art	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Assignment workshop: Research Project, choosing your topics, and building a bibliography	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	The Qur’an, Oral Traditions, and Beginnings of Islamic Arts of the Book	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Assignment workshop: Curatorial Lab	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	Collection Visit: Rare Books and Special Collections, Fisher Library	Field trip (2 hr)
Week 04	Annotating your bibliography	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	The Evolution of Calligraphic Scripts	Online class (1 hr)
Week 05	Collection Visit: Art Gallery of NSW	Field trip (2 hr)
Week 06	Text, Image and Performance	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Assignment workshop: Curatorial Lab	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Illustrated Histories: Politics and Genealogies	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Assignment workshop: Curatorial Lab	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	Epic Painting and the Art of Recitation	Online class (1 hr)
Week 08	Collection Visit: Art Gallery of NSW	Field trip (2 hr)
Week 09	Curatorial Lab Presentations and Discussion	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Curatorial Lab Presentations and Discussion	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	The Workshop, Collecting Practices, and Transregional Manuscripts	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Assignment Workshop: Research Essay Outline	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Portraits and Signatures	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Assignment Workshop: Research Essay drop in	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	A Sensorial Approach to Book Arts	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Assignment Workshop: Research Essay drop in	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Past, Present, and Future of Manuscript Cultures in the Islamic World	Online class (1 hr)
Week 13	Past, Present, and Future of Manuscript Cultures in the Islamic World	Lecture (2 hr)

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. In case of clashes or any concerns about attendance please get in touch with your unit coordinator as soon as possible.
Lecture recording: Most lectures 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 readings for this unit can be accessed through “Reading List”, available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes

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.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

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

LO1. By the end of this unit the student will be able to identify and analyse manuscripts and other works-on-paper from Islamic world.
LO2. By the end of this unit the student will be able to identify the common relationships between contemporary, modern and pre-modern works of art from the Islamic world and parse out historical inspirations in contemporary works of art.
LO3. By the end of this unit the student will be able to apply skills of observation and analysis of visual materials, extending and amplifying their critical practice.
LO4. By the end of this unit the student will be able to exhibit skills and abilities in presenting visual material through critical argument in extended written and oral presentations.
LO5. By the end of this unit the student will be able to assume responsibility for their own research methods and encounter the full spectrum of methods of research and scholarship.
LO6. By the end of this unit the student will be able to engage with peers during the preparation of tutorials, group discussions and oral presentations.
LO7. By the end of this unit the student will have encountered and engaged with a variety of traditions of book-making and will have explored the critical debates that relate these different traditions to broader, global histories of the book.

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
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

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

In response to student feedback the assessments for this unit have been adjusted in weighting and streamlined for better time management.

Additional information

For more information about this unit please refer to the unit’s Canvase site.

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.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links