FA2HA3: History of Art 3

Module code: FA2HA3

Module provider: Art; School of Arts and Communication Design

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Alun Rowlands, email: a.rowlands@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Writing Art History actively examines the different ways in which works of art and exhibitions have been written about and discussed. It explores different forms of art writing from criticism and visual analysis to interpretation and digital culture.  It considers how the discipline of Art History shapes and is shaped by diverse forms of texts and voices.  

This module is designed to develop your research and communication skills with an awareness of the scope of writing within art and art history. The module supports your capacities to reflect critically on the circumstances that inform art writing and to think through how different types of writing serve different purposes. Each seminar examines relevant models of art writing that occupy appropriate forms and positions within diverse contexts. You are asked to produce short writing assignments modelled in real-world contexts, shared, and discussed in session. These assignments are collated as a Writing Journal that evidences the development of your skills and knowledge of debates in art and history of art.  

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Learn through research and enquiry with intercultural competence and global outlook
2. Engage with and analyse art writing forms for different contexts, incorporating a bibliography and appendices where necessary
3. Demonstrate a competence to articulate argument and write in a range of voices via an assessed journal
4. Collaborate effectively through peer-review and group critique

Module content

This module is designed to develop writing skills and awareness of the scope of writing within art and art history. The seminars focus on the range of writing that constitutes the current debates and discourses in art. It will look at writing from art historical, critical theory and artists own words to expand expectations of what approaches are useful in developing diverse perspectives and original texts. The aim of the module is to build confidence in writing. This is achieved through frequent writing assignments modelled on real-world museum and gallery formats. The assessment via a writing journal will evidence your ability to assemble critical materials, show an understanding of the debates and organise a sustained cogent argument in response to the artworks and exhibitions encountered. 

The module is excellent training for professional practice such as group work, communication and presentation skills, organisation and management skills. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This seminar module will be an active writing course, using an ongoing series of exercises and assignments to stretch your critical writing skills. The module is discussion-oriented through seminars and writing workshops that support your understanding of writing in art and art history. Sessions involve close reading of assigned texts, in which emphasis will be placed on how the class as individuals and as a group read and interpret. Analysis of reading and written form, thoughtful engagement with ideas and responses, and informed participation are essential. Slow looking, witnessing, and encountering artworks as they are staged in museums, galleries and online are intrinsic to the module. Role playing debates, criticism and review, object-based analysis, visual reading, research, and interpretation are introduced, developed, and applied across the module. Regular writing practice through exercises and assignments that focus on your emerging written voices and critical perspectives. Assignments model formats used in the museum (interpretation, museum guides, wall texts and labels) and artist writings (manifestos, interviews, catalogue essays). In each assignment, students will be asked to focus on the underpinning relationship between form and content. 

Collaborative working is encouraged through group feedback sessions. Alongside collaborative working individual students can with support from staff opt out of group working sessions and instead follow a path tailored to their particular learning needs. 

Assessment points, briefs and deadlines are introduced at the start of the module. 

Study hours

At least 36 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

• In class feedback and feedforward in response to writing assignments 
• Formative submission of Writing Journal comprised of written assignments (Turnitin) 
• Turnitin written feedback and feedforward 
• Peer Review of Writing Journal 
• Feedback and Feedforward Tutorials 

Reassessment

Additional costs