Understanding Textiles: Technology (HISTART5070)

Year 1: Semester 2

The course aims to give students an understanding of the processes involved in forming yarns and fabrics from fibres, including spinning, weaving and non-woven techniques, and of the main historic decorative and construction techniques. As a result students should be able to identify techniques found in historic and modern textiles, understand how they influence the deterioration of textiles and be able to document and record the techniques used.

Convenor: Frances Lennard

Work Placement (HISTART5072)

Semester 2

Valuable work experience in a museum, gallery or other cultural institution is provided through the Work Placement. The Department has developed close links with a number of institutions, giving students the chance to engage in a project-based work placement, where they can explore a possible future career, while meeting professional practitioners and developing skills and experience. A work placement might also provide the opportunity to develop a research subject for a dissertation.

A project is drawn up between the host institution, the student and the programme convenor. Projects may involve archival, curatorial or related work. Considerable emphasis will be placed on practical skills.

Convenor: Liz Hancock

Independent Study (HISTART5037)

Semester 2

The aim of this course is to make an extensive independent study of a particular subject area through the study of texts/ objects and assess their value to the establishment of particular theories or issues. It is anticipated that the choice of subject area will be linked to the individual student’s special interests.

The work on the elective project will be based on a series of guided reading with regular supervisory meetings / tutorials/ visits. These will support the development of literature review skills and the ability to summarise issues and approaches relating to a relatively broad field of study.

The approval process involves the student submitting a proposal (400 words with an indication of initial bibliography), which is then defined and approved through discussion between the student and tutor. The acceptance of a proposal will be at the discretion of the tutor and programme director.

Preventive Conservation (HISTART5049)

Year 1: Semester 2

This course provides information and practical experience of the agents and processes of the physical, chemical and biological deterioration of textiles and the preventive conservation strategies devised for these artefacts.  This knowledge will help students to identify how and why textiles deteriorate, and to contribute to decisions regarding the selection, implementation and evaluation of appropriate preventive measures.

Convenor: Frances Lennard

2D Digitisation (ARTMED5002)

Semester 2

Tutor: Dr Ian Anderson, Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute (HATII)

The availability of high-quality digital content is central to research and teaching developments in the arts and humanities. Archivists, curators and librarians are among the many groups that are heavily involved in creating digital resources from analogue collections. Skills in understanding the principles and best practice in the digitisation of primary textual and image resources have even broader value in the cultural and heritage sector. Students will examine the advantages of developing digital collections in the arts and humanities and issues involved in creating, curating, and managing access to such collections. For their project students will apply the practical skills they acquire to the digitisation of an analogue collection (print, image e.g. photographic or slide, music, manuscripts, or map). The focus will be on working with primary source material not otherwise available in digital form.

Hunterian Exhibition Development (HISTART5096P)

Semester 2

Taught by staff from The Hunterian, this course offers students an insight into professional museum practice, including collections management, front-of-house, administration, museum education and communications and marketing, but with a special focus on exhibition development. Students undertake a variety of practical orientated exercises and are assessed by a diary and portfolio.

Timetable Information: The course comprises 20 two hour sessions split between 10 two-hour classes and 10 two-hour supported drop-in sessions.

Convenors: Ian Anderson and Ruth Fletcher