ARHT3680: Semester 1, 2026

Units ARHT3680 Semester 1 2026 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

ARHT3680: A Material World: Cultures of Design

Semester 1, 2026 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Design shapes how we live in the world. From dressing our bodies, to inhabiting carefully composed interiors, and encountering innovative objects, the limits of our understanding are frequently materially determined. In this unit, students will engage with design histories - both past and present - to understand how design forms our experience of the world. Close studies will be made of key objects, designers, and materials, building a fluency with design from a variety of cultures and movements. The unit will be delivered through object-based learning, providing students with an opportunity to connect with professional and real-world contexts as they explore design cultures.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Art History
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 2000 level in Art History
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Mark De Vitis, mark.devitis@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Contribution	Participation Students will make connections across course materials, and connect with one another's research projects through discussion, comments and feedback.	10%	Ongoing	Continuous	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Reseach plan Students will plan their research project according to the template provided and provide feedback.	15%	Week 04 Due date: 22 Mar 2026 at 23:59	750	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Research analysis	Research Essay Research Essay	45%	Week 08 Due date: 26 Apr 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 13 May 2026	2500	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Interactive oral	Research discussion Object-focused Q&A discussion of the work students have undertaken for their research projects. Students will sign up for a session in either Week 12 (Weds. 20th May) or Week 13 (Weds. 27th May).	30%	Week 13 Due date: 27 May 2026 at 02:00 Closing date: 12 Jun 2026	1250	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Students will work on a single research project across the unit, delivering distinct aspects of their project for individual assessment. Students are able to determine their own research interests with the support of teaching staff across the weeks, with workshops regularly built in to classes to help students grow as researchers.

Assessment criteria

Full details of assessment criteria, special con. + simple extensions and late penalties are available on CANVAS

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:

A standard penalty of 5% per day for late work applied. Special Consideration is available for all assessments in this unit. Simple extensions are available for the research essay only, as the presentations are scheduled at particular times.

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	Welcome: Approaching Material Culture	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Orienting Yourself to Things: Theorising Objects in the World	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Theorising Things: Researching Objects	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	We're happy little Vegemites’: National Objects	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Is there such a thing as an Australian object?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	Ngubadi Warura: Stringing it All Together (Australian Indigenous Material Cultures)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Stringing Workshop with Dr. Shannon Foster	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	The Secret Life of Domestic Interiors	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Personal History: Professor Sarah Malakoff	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	Research Project Consultations	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Research Project Consultations	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Cabinets of Wonder: An Early Modern View of Objects	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	The Impact of Royal Gardens: Then and Now	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	Victorian Paraphernalia: The Age of Objects	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	The Gilded Age Interior	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Colonialism in the Caribbean: Empires of things	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Conchology: The Cultural Life of Shells	Workshop (1 hr)
Week 10	Material Culture in the Museum	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Curator Q&A: Building Worlds of Objects	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Objects in the Age of Global and Digital Cultures	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	From the Billy Bookcase to Celebrity Stuff: Going Global	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Our Cabinet of Curiosity: Student-led Research Discussion	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Our Cabinet of Curiosity: Student-led Research Discussion	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Our Cabinet of Curiosity: Student-led Research Discussion	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Our Cabinet of Curiosity: Student-led Research Discussion	Lecture (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

As per the Resolutions of the Faculty: Students are required to attend 90% of timetabled classes: https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/arts_PG/rules/faculty_resolutions.shtml

As the course does not require students to undertake weekly readings at home for the weekly classes, students will attend the full three hour class each week, while observing the Faculty resolutions listed above.

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

There is no required weekly reading for this course. Any texts listed for each week will be introduced and discussed in class by the teaching team; students may choose to read them in advance, but this is optional. In place of set homework, the course requires students to attend the full three hours of class each week as their primary commitment to study in the unit.

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. Demonstrate a critical command of the core body of knowledge concerning material culture and design studies
LO2. Analyse and reflect critically upon relevant scholarship and communicate this to others.
LO3. Undertake a close critical reading of a variety of design objects in alignment with current sector practices.
LO4. Effectively communicate research-based thinking in written work or oral presentations, for different audiences.
LO5. Demonstrate independence and initiative; integrity and maturity; the capacity to evaluate the work of others, including peers; and a considerable degree of autonomy to manage group and individual projects.

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.

This unit allows student to pursue a single research project across all assessments, with distinct outputs, based on student feedback that indicates an interest in deep, self-directed research.

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

Please make the unit of study coordinator aware of any requirements for site visits at the beginning of semester via email

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

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

Site visit guidelines

Disclaimer

On this page

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