Outline

Overview

How museum collections and heritage places are managed and listed is a core function of cultural institutions. From global contexts, such as World Heritage, to national, regional and local museum collections and heritage lists, understanding how objects and places are documented, assessed, and registered is important for both museum and heritage practice. This unit introduces students to the theories and practices of collection and heritage management through current issues in the development, policy and maintenance of cultural collections and places.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	MHST6903
Academic unit	Art History
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	MUSM7031
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Alex Burchmore, alexander.burchmore@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Alex Burchmore, alexander.burchmore@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Essay n/a	45%	Formal exam period Due date: 05 Jun 2023 at 23:59	2500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Discussion Post n/a	10%	Ongoing	250 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Presentation n/a	10%	Ongoing	250 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Research Project n/a	35%	Week 04 Due date: 17 Mar 2023 at 23:59	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

n/a

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	Work of exceptional standard. Written work demonstrates initiative and ingenuity in research and reading; pointed and critical analysis of material; innovative interpretation of evidence, makes an insightful contribution to historical debate; engages with values, assumptions and contested meanings contained within original evidence, develops abstract or theoretical arguments on the strength of detailed research and interpretation. Properly documented; writing characterised by creativity, style, and precision
Distinction	75 - 84	Work of a superior standard. Written work demonstrates initiative in research and reading, complex understanding and original analysis of subject matter and its context, empirical and theoretical; makes a good attempt to ''''get behind'''' the evidence and engage with its underlying assumptions, takes an interrogative stance to historical argument and interpretation, shows critical understanding of the principles and values underlying the unit. Properly documented; writing characterised by style, clarity, and some creativity
Credit	65 - 74	Competent work, demonstrating a clear capacity to engage critically and creatively with the question, although further development is needed. Evidence of comprehensive reading and initiative in research, offering synthesis and critical evaluation of material on its own terms; takes a position in relation to various interpretations. In addition, it shows some extra spark of insight or analysis. Demonstrates good selection of evidence, coherent and sustainable argument, some evidence of independent thought, grasp of relevant museology or studies in cultural heritage.
Pass	50 - 64	Work of an acceptable standard. Written work meets basic requirements in terms of reading and research, demonstrates a reasonable understanding of subject matter, offers a summary of material relevant to the question, and has a logical and comprehensible structure with acceptable documentation of sources, but there may be gaps in any or all of these areas and some weaknesses in clarity and/or structure.
Fail	0 - 49	Work not of acceptable standard. Work may fail for any or all of the following reasons: unacceptable levels of paraphrasing; irrelevance of content; poor presentation, grammar or structure so sloppy it cannot be understood; submitted very late without extension.

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.

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.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Course Introduction	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 01	Further discussion of course topic schedule and assessments, followed by a class discussion of personal collecting interests and habits	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 02	Heritage Registers, Lists, and Charters	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 02	Group discussion of World Heritage List pros and cons, with reference to assigned reading, followed by group-based analysis of the Warragamba Dam redevelopment proposal and the impacts for local heritage values	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 03	Collections Management Policies	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 03	Group discussion of sustainable approaches to collections management, followed by group-based analysis of the Art Gallery of New South Wales' current collection management policy with reference to the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 04	Chau Chak Wing Museum: Collections Management Expert Talks	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 04	Chau Chak Wing Museum: Collections Management Expert Talks (continued)	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 05	Chau Chak Wing Museum: Object-based Learning	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 05	Chau Chak Wing Museum: Object-based Learning (continued)	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 06	Visitor Management and Heritage Interpretation	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 06	Group-based comparative analysis of the visitor management strategies adopted at Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park and the temple complex of Angkor, Cambodia, followed by a group-based exercise in planning a hypothetical renewal or reinterpretation project for a local heritage site	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 07	Storage Crisis and Deaccessioning	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 07	Group discussion of potential strategies that could be adopted to address the storage crisis facing so many museums around the world	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 08	Classification, Cataloguing, and Documentation	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 08	Group-based exercise in classification practice, using objects in the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 09	Assessing Cultural Heritage Significance	Field trip (3 hr)
Week 09	Group discussion of the concept of "significance", followed by group-based analysis of the Statement of Significance prepared for Science Road as a case-study in the application of such principles	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 10	Management and Conservation of Heritage Sites	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 10	Group discussion of key terms used in the Burra Charter, followed by a group-based analysis of the Statement of Significance prepared for the Quad, noting the main conservation issues identified	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 11	Assessing the Significance of Objects and Collections	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 11	Class discussion of personal collections and local heritage sites that hold social significance but that haven't yet been formally recognised as "significant" in an official sense	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 12	Heritage at Risk	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 12	Group-based analysis of the risks facing the Great Barrier Reef and the various stakeholders and competing values involved current debates about the future conservation of this site	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 13	Disaster Planning and Sustainability	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 13	Group-based analysis of a recent disaster and the impact of this event for a museum or heritage site, identifying whether staff at the impacted institution or site used a disaster plan and, if not, whether such a plan would have helped to reduce risk	Seminar (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.
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.

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 understanding of different structures of governance for the conservation, management and listing of museum collections and heritage places
LO2. build individual capacity in the documentation, assessment and registration of museum collections and objects, and heritage places
LO3. apply critical analysis to the principles, philosophies and practices of museum collection and heritage management globally, nationally and locally
LO4. undertake research relevant to the documentation, assessment and registration of collections and places

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.

Updated learning activities and assessments

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

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

MHST6903: Managing Collections and Heritage Sites

Semester 1, 2023 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect