Course Catalogue

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This course explores how art historians do art history. You will examine the key theories (ways of thinking) and methodologies (ways of researching) that have shaped the discipline of art history from its founding to the present day. By helping you learn how to identify the theories and methods of fellow art historians, and apply them to your own research, this course will prepare you for Senior Honours courses and the Dissertation.

1 x 1hr lecture; 1 x 1hr seminar per week over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into History of Art, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

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The standard assessments for this course:

■ Essay (3000 words) - 75%

■ Critical review of a source (1000 words) - 25%

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ There is no alternative to the essay, but a flexible deadline can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions).

■ There is no alternative to the critical review of a source, but a flexible deadline can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions).

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

This course aims to:

■ cultivate critical understanding of research methodologies to prepare students for Senior Honours courses and Dissertation through engagement with analytical approaches.

■ provide students the opportunity to study topics informed by staff research expertise, and which complement and support those studied in the Junior Honours

■ develop transferable skills including written/oral communication, critical argumentation, independent learning, information retrieval, concept formulation, and problem-solving.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Explain and compare key theories and methodologies of art history

■ Parse examples of art historical scholarship to analyse their underlying methodology

■ Apply relevant theories and methodologies to their own research projects

■ Debate the merits of current methodological developments in art history