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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2023/2024

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Edinburgh College of Art : History of Art

Undergraduate Course: History of Art 2B From Modernism and the Avant-Gardes to Postmodernism and Globalisation (HIAR08028)

Course Outline
SchoolEdinburgh College of Art CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryChallenge your assumptions with the radical new conceptions of art that are current in the world today!

History of Art 2B builds on History of Art 1A, 1B and 2A in providing an introduction to Art History at university level. Continuing the chronological approach, this course examines aspects of the visual arts from c.1900 to the present day.
Course description The course looks at major, predominantly Western, avant-garde movements, from Dada and Surrealism to the break-up of styles and unitary movements that characterise artistic production and display from the 1960s onwards. It concludes with the effects of globalisation and radical new conceptions of art that are current in today's world. Course content also addresses cross-cutting themes and issues, from feminism, economics, display, the environment and aesthetic awareness that are all core to the study of art history in the 21st century.

All our teaching considers the visual arts as a part of a wider culture. Students begin the course with very different levels of knowledge, and our intention is that, by the end, all will have acquired an overview of certain specific areas in the history of art, and an understanding of the crucial issues raised by the subject and of the methods used to deal with them. You will also have a command of the appropriate specialised vocabulary. You are expected to read widely from the bibliographies provided in order to extend and deepen your knowledge of the topics addressed in lectures.

The course is taught by means of three hour-long lectures per week for 11 weeks of the semester, plus one small group tutorial per week. In the lectures you will learn about the key works and ideas that underpin this period in the history of art. Lectures are supported by readings and activities on the course website. In the tutorials you will put the ideas and skills you have seen in the lectures into practice. Some of the tutorials will take place in Edinburgh's museums and galleries. You will be assessed by means of one essay and one end-of-course examination.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Students MUST NOT also be taking Critical and Cultural Theories of Contemporary Art (ARTX08087)
Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2023/24, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  218
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 33, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 9, Online Activities 5, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1, Summative Assessment Hours 3, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 145 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 50 %, Coursework 50 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Formative Assessment
The formative assessment is a 500-word essay plan, to be submitted prior to submission of the essay, usually between weeks 4 and 6.

Summative Assessment
The summative assessment consists of one research essay to be submitted before the examination period (50%), as well as performance on a final exam (50%).
Component 1: A 2,000-word essay that focuses on one of the themes presented during the course and incorporates primary and/or secondary sources. This submission is due during the second half of the semester, prior to the examination period, usually between weeks 7 and 10.
Component 2: A final 24 hour online exam.
Feedback Formative feedback:
You will receive formative feedback from your tutor and peers in tutorials. You will also receive individual formative feedback from your tutor on your essay plan.

Summative feedback:
You will receive detailed written feedback on your coursework essay from your tutor.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)3-hour online exam3:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of art history in the period 1900 to the present.
  2. Articulate knowledge and understanding of the broader contextual, social and political dimensions of art in the period.
  3. Analyse a range of visual and textual sources.
  4. Critically evaluate different arguments and interpretations relating to art of the period.
  5. Employ academic conventions (such as references, bibliography, and image captions) accurately and appropriately in written work.
Reading List
These are suggested introductory/overview texts. More detailed and specific readings are provided for each lecture.
Steve Edwards and Paul Wood, Art and Visual Culture 1850 - 2012: Modernity to Globalisation (London: Tate & Yale UP, 2012)
Hal Foster et al., Art Since 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism and Postmodernism (London: Thames and Hudson, 2004)
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills generic cognitive skills:
- skills of analysis, synthesis and summary
- critical judgement: awareness of the difference between alternative arguments and approaches
- problem-solving: the ability to apply knowledge and experience and address problems

communication, numeracy and IT skills:
- the ability to locate and record information relevant to a given task using standard ICT applications
- the ability to convey complex information to a range of audiences and for a range of purposes

autonomy, accountability and working with others:
- open-mindedness: the ability to be receptive to unfamiliar artefacts, issues and ideas
- awareness of own and others' roles, responsibilities and contributions when carrying out and evaluating tasks
- time management, working to deadlines and following instructions
Keywordsavant-gardes,Dada,Surrealism,contemporary,abstract,performance,postmodernism
Contacts
Course organiserDr Ian Rothwell
Tel:
Email:
Course secretaryMiss Hannah Morrison
Tel: (0131 6)51 5763
Email:
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