DEPARTMENT OF FINE ARTartsweb.bham.ac.uk/ArtHistory/HANDBOOKS 2005-6... · Web viewLevel 1...

Departmentof

History of Art

Information for Single Honours, Major and Joint Honours Students

2005/2006

Contents

Introduction

The Department Academic Staff Support Staff

Facilities The Departmental Office Departmental Pigeonholes and Notice Boards Departmental Intranet and Student Email Addresses Other Important University Websites The Barber Institute of Fine Arts’ Collection The Barber Fine Art Library The Fine Art Slide Library and Its Usage The Fine Art Photograph Room

Things You Must Do In Week One New Students Continuing Students

Undergraduate Programmes’ Aims and Objectives

Undergraduate Programmes’ Structures Single Honours Major Joint Honours

Level 1 Objectives Academic Objectives Key Skills Miscellaneous Requirements and Advice

Level 1 Modules Approaches

o Content and Styleo Critical and Historical Perspectives

Periodisation and Period Issues Object and Medium

o Painting and Drawingo Other Arts


Level 2 Modules Survey Course Gallery Course Dissertation Preparation Course Optional Modules for Single Honours and Major Students

Students Studying Abroad in Year 3


Level 3 Modules Dissertation Special Subject

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Optional Modules for Single Honours and Major Students

Marking Scale

Degree Classification Profiling

Teaching and Learning Teaching Rooms Lectures Seminars Project and Group Work Study Trips

o Aims and Objectives of the Study Trip Abroado Assessment Relating to the Study Trip Abroad

Information Sources Training Study Skills Sessions Postgraduate Teaching Assistants

Assessment: Methods and Rationale Examinations Written Coursework Group and Project Assessment Oral Presentations

Students’ Responsibilities In general Course Attendance Submission of Written Work Plagiarism and Cheating in Examinations Word Length

Student Welfare Personal Tutor and Welfare Tutor Student Representatives, Student Committee and ‘Buddy’ System

Student Feedback Student Representatives Module Questionnaires and Programme Review

Careers Careers and Enquiries About Postgraduate Study Students Seeking References

Additional Opportunities for Students Professor Verdi’s ‘Bonus Sessions’ Barber Institute Education Department Young Barber Institute Student Participation in University and Barber Open Days Barber Institute Lectures and Postgraduate Seminars Student Prizes

Helpful Hints on Giving Oral Presentations with Slides Improving Your Learning and Technical Skills Oral Presentations

Helpful Hints on Writing Essays and on Study Skills Style Footnoting and Bibliography

Word Processing and Disk Management

Important Dates in the Student Calendar Freshers’ Tea MOMD Fair

o Points to Remembero Registering for an MOMD

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o Students Taking History of Art as an MOMD Study Trips

o National Galleryo Londono Liverpoolo Survey Course Study Trips Abroad

Timetable of Some Key Events Dates for the Handing in of Essays and Assignments

Additional School Information

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DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY OF ARTINFORMATION FOR SINGLE HONOURS MAJOR

AND JOINT HONOURS STUDENTS2005-2006

The Department of History of Art warmly welcomes all new students and welcomes back all old hands!

The purpose of this booklet is to inform you about the Department, its staff, resources, programmes, administrative procedures and course requirements. You will find it a useful reference as it gives detailed information about both academic and routine Departmental matters. It is most important that you take full note of this information and keep this booklet safely. Continuing students will also receive a copy of this handbook for reference.

If you have a question consult this booklet first before you ask a member of staff. Much of the information you will need is contained here.

Departmental Address:

Department of History of Art, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, The University of Birmingham,

Birmingham B15 2TS.

Tel: 0121 414 2218. Fax 0121 414 2727.

Email [email protected]. Website http://bham.ac.uk/historyofartHistory of Art Department Intranet

http://artsweb.bham.ac.uk/arthistory -username: arthistory (password available from the departmental office)

IMPORTANT:Throughout this document you will find year groups described in any one of the following interchangeable ways:

First years = Level 1, Level C, Year 1Second years = Level 2, Level I, Year 2Third Years = Level 2, Level H, Year 3, Final Year

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http://artsweb.bham.ac.uk/arthistory

http://bham.ac.uk/historyofart

mailto:[email protected]

THE DEPARTMENTThe Department falls within the School of Historical Studies, which is based in the Arts Building. The Department itself, however, is located in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, which is open Monday-Thursday 8.30-7.00 (vacations 9.00-5.00), Friday-Saturday 8.30-5.15 (vacations Friday 9.00-5.00).

Academic StaffDavid Hemsoll, Senior Lecturer and Head of Department (email: [email protected]).Office in basement.Specialist fields: 15th- and 16th-century art; Renaissance architecture.Transfer Officer.

Dr. Francesca Berry, Lecturer (email: [email protected])Office in Watson Building, room no. 114Specialist fields: French art, design and visual culture c. 1840-1940.Undergraduate Admissions Officer, Welfare Tutor. Staff-Student Liaison.

Dr. Richard Clay, Lecturer (email: [email protected])Office in basementSpecialist fields: 18th and early 19th-century French art; iconoclasm.Postgraduate Tutor.

Dr. Jutta Vinzent, Lecturer (email: [email protected])Office in basement.Specialist fields: 20th-century and contemporary art.Examinations Officer.

Professor Shearer West (email: [email protected])Office in Arts Building, room no. 352.Specialist fields: 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century European art.Professor West currently holds the office of Head of the School of Historical Studies.

Professor Richard Verdi, Director of Barber Institute.Office on ground floor.Specialist fields: 17th-century European painting; late 19th- and early 20th-century painting.

Dr. Paul Spencer-Longhurst, Senior Curator and Lecturer(email: [email protected]).Office on ground floorSpecialist fields: 18th- and early 19th-century British and French art.

Staff are always happy to see students about any concerns they have. However, as university academics are heavily involved with research, administration and professional activities, their schedules are very tight. Please respect this by making an appointment, seeing staff during office hours, or contacting them by email.

Mr. Hemsoll, Dr. Berry, Dr. Clay and Dr. Vinzent are available during their office hours (indicated on their doors) or by appointment. Professor West, Professor Verdi and Dr. Spencer-Longhurst are available by appointment.

Support StaffDeborah Clements, Departmental Secretary (email: [email protected]).Office in basement.

Mrs. Maria Daniel, Slide Librarian (email: [email protected]).Office in Slide Library, ground floor.

Mr. David Pulford, Learning Advisor (email: [email protected])Barber Music Library.

Jules Gray, Library Services Assistant Manager (email: [email protected])

Nick Cull and Tina Keevil, Information Assistants, Fine Art Library.

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FACILITIESThe Departmental OfficeOpen: Monday and Tuesday 9.30-3.00, Wednesday 9.30-1.30, Thursday 9.30-12.30.

Deborah Clements, the Departmental Secretary, deals with general enquiries and all matters of Departmental administration, and will take messages for members of academic staff in their absence. Deborah is always willing to help students with queries and problems.

The Departmental Pigeonholes & Notice BoardsThe pigeonholes are directly outside the Departmental Office and the noticeboards are situated outside the Fine Art library. These MUST be checked regularly as members of staff often communicate with students via their pigeonholes or noticeboards.

Departmental Intranet and Student email addressesThe Department operates and intranet system, where you will find termly information, such as Course Outlines, study trips as well as lists of forthcoming events.

The Departmental Intranet is accessed on http://artsweb.bham.ac.uk/arthistory. Username: arthistory (password available from Department office).

Other Important University Websiteshttp://www.ao.bham.ac.uk (for general University information from the Academic Office)http://www.historical.bham.ac.uk (for School of Historical Studies information)

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts CollectionOpen during term time: Monday-Thursday 8.30-7.00, Friday-Saturday 8.30-5.15, closed

on SundayOpen during vacations: Monday-Thursday 9.00-5.00, Friday-Saturday 9.00-5.00, closed on

Sunday

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts houses a remarkable and representative collection of post-medieval European art. All staff use the collection regularly in their teaching, and students have the opportunity to write essays or dissertations focusing on works in the collection. The collection will be introduced to students in the first weeks of teaching and students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with it as quickly as possible and to revisit the collection on a regular basis.

The Barber Fine Art LibraryOpen during term time: Monday-Thursday 9.00-7.00, Friday 9.00-5.15, Saturday 9.00-1.00Open during vacations: Monday-Friday 9.00-5.00

The Barber Fine Art Library is an extensive research library containing excellent holdings in most areas of art history with specialist collections of sales and exhibition catalogues and nineteenth-century books. The Library houses two collections: (1) the University collection of books and periodicals, the majority of which may be borrowed; (2) the Barber reference collection of books and periodicals, which may be consulted but not borrowed.

The main reading room houses the Barber reference collection of books and periodicals which may be consulted but not borrowed. The smaller reading room houses the loan collection of books and videos, and contains one networked PC and a Library Catalogue PC. Not all of the books are listed on the online catalogue; many books acquired before 1992 are only listed in the Card Catalogue.

Members of library staff are always happy to help you find material, and David Pulford will be offering library tours and induction sessions in the Autumn Term.

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http://www.historical.bham.ac.uk/

http://www.ao.bham.ac.uk/

http://artsweb.bham.ac.uk/arthistory

Photocopy facilities are available with a variety of different value cards available to suit various needs.

The Barber Fine Art Library is part of Information Services: for more information about the full range of facilities and support offered by Information Services see http://www.is.bham.ac.uk

The Fine Art Slide Library and Its UsageOpen during term time: Monday to Thursday, 9.00-5.00

The Slide Librarian, Maria Daniel, will show new students the Slide Room in week 5 of term as part of their library induction. It is important that you attend this session in order to learn how to use the facilities in the appropriate way.

The slide collection is for study and reference only. It is important that standard procedures are followed by everyone; failure to do so results in lost slides, which is disruptive to both students and staff alike. The most important rule is that slides may ONLY be taken from the slide library for use in seminars.

The Slide Library is presently being also equipped with IT facilities for creating a database of digitized images. This will begin being used for certain areas of teaching from September 2005

The Fine Art Photograph RoomThe Photograph Room (frequently used for seminar teaching) houses an extensive collection of black and white photographs and can be opened on request. A key to the Photograph Room is kept by the Slide Librarian, Maria Daniel.

THINGS YOU MUST DO IN WEEK ONE:New StudentsYou MUST supply Deborah with your telephone contact details and a contact address immediately.

You MUST also obtain an email address as soon as possible, and give it to Deborah. Those wanting a University email address should apply to Information Services in the main library. If you change your email address (or any other contact details) at any point in the year, you MUST inform Deborah of the changes immediately.

You MUST begin to check your email on a regular basis and continue to do so throughout the academic year. A large amount of the Department’s communication with students is now conducted by email and it is your responsibility to remain abreast of such communications.

Continuing Students You MUST supply Deborah with any change of email address or any change of residential address and/or phone numbers.

You MUST begin to check your email on a regular basis and continue to do so throughout the academic year. A large amount of the Department’s communication with students is now conducted by email and it is your responsibility to remain abreast of such communications.

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UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMME AIMS AND OBJECTIVESThe Department offers the History of Art as a Single Honours, a Major and a Joint Honours programme. These provide a curriculum that gives students a graduated introduction to the subject, with increasing specialisation and at increasing depth. The programmes are designed to introduce students to the aims and methods of the art historian; to encourage them to understand developments in the visual arts in a wider cultural and historical context; and to equip them with sufficient specialised knowledge in selected areas of the history of art to pursue postgraduate study in the discipline if desired. Oral presentation is strongly stressed, and students are encouraged to develop self-discipline, analytical and research skills, critical thinking, and clarity of expression through essays, project work and dissertations. The Department emphasises contact with works of art seen in the original and offers an introduction to the practical and theoretical issues involved in working in an art gallery. As the employment records of our graduates demonstrate, our undergraduate programmes help students to develop transferable skills that are important to employers in many of the economy’s sectors.

The Department places great emphasis on the ethos of academic research. Members of staff often teach subjects that are closely related to particular areas of their research interest. Students are encouraged at all stages of their programmes to explore and develop their own particular fields of interest and to use their initiative in the preparation of class presentations or in the writing of essays.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMME STRUCTURESSingle Honours (120 credits per year)Year one: Approaches a and b (40 credits)

Object and Medium a and b (40 credits)Periods and Periodisation a and b (20 credits)Module taken in another department (20 credits)

Year two: Survey Course (40 credits; choice of two periods each year)Gallery Course (20 credits)Dissertation Preparation (20 credits)Optional module (20 credits; titles to be made available later in year)Another Optional module (20 credits) OR a module taken in another department (20 credits)

Year three: Special Subject (40 credits; choice of three subjects each year)Long Dissertation of 12,000 words (40 credits)Optional module (20 credits; titles to be made available later in year)Another Optional module (20 credits) OR a module taken in another department (20 credits)

Major (80 credits per year)Year one: Not available in Year one.

Year two: Survey Course (40 credits; choice of two periods each year). Gallery Course (20 credits) Dissertation Preparation (20 credits)

Year three: Special Subject (40 credits; choice of three subjects each year).Long Dissertation of 12,000 words (40 credits)

Joint Honours (60 credits per year)Year one: Approaches a and b (40 credits)

Periods and Periodisation (20 credits)

Year two: Survey Course (40 credits; choice of two periods each year). Either Gallery Course (20 credits)

Or Optional module (20 credits; titles to be made available later in year).

Year abroad for students combining History of Art with a modern language

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Year three/four: Special Subject (40 credits; choice of three subjects each year).Short Dissertation of 8,000 words (20 credits)

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LEVEL 1 PROGRAMME OBJECTIVESThe first year is a foundation year, which allows students to find their feet, but moves them quickly to a deeper understanding of object-based analysis and the methodological tools, and vocabularies, used by art historians.

Academic objectivesBy the end of the first year, students should have obtained an understanding of the diversity of approaches, style, subject matter and iconography, and a sense of period and chronology through the study of European art history from the fifteenth to the twentieth centuries.

Key skills : Writing: Students should have acquired the ability to structure an essay using appropriate specialist terminology and object analysis as well as a correct academic apparatus.

Oral: All students will have had the opportunity to express themselves through a formal seminar presentation.

IT: Students should have a clear understanding of how to use some library search engines to support their work.

Group: Students will have had the opportunity to work in small, informal groups and to develop skills of discussion and cooperation.

Students are required to attend in full all lectures, seminars and classes relating to the their degree programmes. Students who miss 3 lectures, seminars, or classes from a module without offering acceptable proof of mitigating circumstance will be given 1 week to write an additional 2,000 word essay. Failure to do so will result in the Department debarring you from the module.

Students are required to attend seminars when they are supposed to be giving a presentation. Students who fail to give their presentation without offering acceptable proof of mitigating circumstances will be expected to arrange another time when they will give the presentation and write an additional 2,000 word essay. Failure to do so will result in the Department debarring you from the module.

Students are required to attend Study Trips in the autumn and spring terms.

Students are required to attend David Pulford’s ‘Information Source Training’ sessions in Week 6 or the first term (location to be announced). These sessions constitute invaluable introductions to the impressive range of electronic and non-electronic resources that are available to undergraduate art historians (for example, on-line journals).

Students are strongly advised to attend Richard Clay’s ‘Study Skills’ classes that are held during week 6 in Term 1 and Term 2. These sessions help to improve note taking, critical reading, presentation skills, essay writing and, therefore, marks.

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LEVEL 1 MODULESARTH/10 18570 Approaches, 40 credits Coordinator: David Hemsoll

a. Content and Style, term 1.

Description: This term provides a thorough grounding in the styles and subjects of art, drawing on material from the fifteenth to the twentieth century.

Objectives: By the end of the term, the student should be able to recognise the characteristic styles and subject matter of European art from the fifteenth to the twentieth centuries.

Delivery: 1 lecture (1 hour) and 1 seminar (1 hour) per week. This term will also include two study trips to London.

Assessment: 1 essay of 3,000 words

b. Critical and Historical Perspectives, term 2.

Description: This module provides a thorough grounding in the various approaches available to the art historian, drawing widely on examples from the fifteenth to the twentieth century.

Objectives: The student should learn to read art historical texts more critically; to place works of art from different periods in appropriate historical and cultural contexts; to acquire an understanding of the variety of approaches available to the art historian.

Delivery: 1 lecture (1 hour) and 1 seminar (1 hour) per week. This module will also include a study trip to London.

Assessment: 1 essay of 3,000 words and 1 x 3 hour written examination that is conducted during term 3 and covers ‘Approaches’ a+b

ARTH/10 18567 and 10 18629 Periodisation and Period Issues, 20 credits, terms 1 and 2Coordinator: David Hemsoll

Description: The course critically addresses the notion of artistic and cultural ‘periods’ and provides a greater historical understanding of two specific periods and their place within art history as a whole.

Objectives: The student will have gained a broad knowledge of two particular periods of art history, such as the Renaissance or the Age of Modernism and will have become familiar with specific ideas associated with these periods found in important texts from or about these periods, and will be able to relate these ideas appropriately to particular works of art. The student will also have come to recognize the extent to which periods are cultural and historical constructions.

Delivery: 1 lecture (1 hour) or 1 seminar (1 hour) per week.

Assessment: 2 essays of 3,000 words each.

ARTH/10 18569 Object and Medium, 40 credits Coordinator: David Hemsoll

a. Painting and Drawing, term 1.Description: This term provides a grounding in the contents and layout of the Barber

Institute Galleries in order present the materials and techniques used for painting and drawing.

Objectives: To enable students to recognise the materials used in painting and drawing through direct observation and to understand the relationship of form to function.

Delivery: 1 x 2 hour seminar per week.

Assessment: 1 essay of 3,000 words

b. Other Arts, term 2.

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Description: This term provides detailed knowledge of the materials and techniques used for sculpture, printmaking and other visual media, as well as architecture. It will also utilise resources in Birmingham galleries and sites.

Objectives: By the end of the term, the student should understand the techniques of sculpture, printmaking and other arts through inspecting works of art in the original. They should also understand the basic criteria of building design.

Delivery: 1 x 2 hour seminar per week. This term will also include a study trip to Liverpool or another city.

Assessment: 1 essay of 3,000 words and 1 x 3 hour written examination that is conducted during term 3 and covers ‘Object and Medium’ a+b.

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LEVEL 2 OBJECTIVESDuring the second year, students are expected to be able to participate more confidently in their modules and to demonstrate a greater independence in their approach to the subject. Oral presentations, discussions and group work thus take on a more prominent role.

Academic ObjectivesBy the end of the second year, students should have learned to apply the basic skills and knowledge acquired in Year 1 to the study of specific periods of art history. They should also look beyond the contents of galleries and collections to a theorised and deeper understanding of galleries and their functions. In addition, they should be able to relate the histories of art to their broader historical and cultural contexts.

Key SkillsWriting: Through negotiating their own essay topics, students will achieve a deeper understanding of the process of formulating and thinking through their written work. Students will learn to develop more analytical lines of argument in their writing. Students will be expected to use a larger number of sources than in their Year 1 essays.

Oral: Students will be expected to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of their presentations and through individual and group presentations gain greater focus, clarity and confidence in their oral delivery.

IT: Students gain a deeper knowledge of information search mechanisms as a preparation for writing assessed essays and for original research in their final year.

Group work: Team-work skills are developed and enhanced through the Gallery Course project. Students also learn to reflect on this experience of group work.



Students are also required to attend the Study Trip abroad, which takes place during the first week of the Easter Vacation. This trip is compulsory.

Students are required to attend David Pulford’s ‘Information Source Training’ sessions in week six of the autumn and spring terms (location to be announced). These sessions will extend your knowledge of the impressive range of electronic and non-electronic resources that are available to undergraduate art historians.

Students are welcome to attend Richard Clay’s ‘Study Skills’ classes that are held during week 6 in Term 1 and Term 2. These sessions help to improve note taking, critical reading, presentation skills, essay writing and, therefore, marks.

N.B. Members of staff return all marked coursework promptly in the second year, to give students the opportunity to learn from comments and feedback. Although we return this work with a provisional mark, the final mark is not confirmed until the Examiners’ meeting in June. Therefore, students should think of this mark as an indicator rather than binding.

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LEVEL 2 MODULESARTH/10 18581 Survey Course, 40 credits, terms 1 and 2Coordinators: David Hemsoll and Francesca Berry

Description: This module provides a survey of the art (and sometimes the architecture) of a particular period, with an emphasis placed on the art of a particular country or region (e.g. European art 1400-1500, European Art 1600-1700, European Art 1890-1940, Landmarks of Western Visual Culture 1930s to the Present). There is normally a choice of two different courses each year. The module culminates in a compulsory study trip abroad, of around a week’s duration, during the Easter Vacation.

Objectives: To apply the methodologies of history of art and skills of visual analysis acquired to the comprehensive study of a particular period.

Delivery: One lecture (1 hour) and one seminar (2 hours) per week.

Assessment: Two assessed essays of 4,000 words each. Students are also required to give one or more oral presentations each term, which will be evaluated but will not count towards their final mark.

ARTH/10 18567 and 10 18629 Gallery Course, 20 credits, terms 1 and 2Coordinator: Jutta Vinzent

Description: The module has two components: an introduction to galleries and a gallery project involving practical experience.

Objectives: To learn about the functions of galleries in both a theoretical and a practical sense, and to demonstrate that understanding through project work.

Delivery: One seminar (1 hour) per week.

Assessment: A group project oral presentation. In addition, each group also prepares a portfolio that is submitted on the day of their oral presentation and it evaluated but does not count towards their final mark. Students may also be required to give an oral presentation, which will be evaluated but will not count towards their final mark.

ARTH/09 17453 Dissertation Preparation, 20 credits, terms 1 and 2Coordinator: Richard Clay and David Hemsoll

Description: The module will help Single Honours and Major students to define and agree a provisional subject for their history of art Long Dissertation that will be assessed in their final year. It will also assist students in using appropriate search techniques and in refining their projects.

Objectives: To develop students’ skills in critically assessing art historical texts and situating them in relation to relevant literature.

Delivery: Three 1 hour seminars per term.

Assessment: A book review of 1,000 words (33% of the module’s mark) focusing on a single scholarly book. A bibliographical essay (67%) focusing on 4 or 5 scholarly texts, preferably a mixture of monographs, edited collections of essays, periodical articles, and/or catalogues.

Level 2 Optional Modules

For Single Honour and Major students, a list of additional optional modules available in the Department and School of Historical Studies is made available each year.

STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD IN YEAR 3For students studying abroad during year 3 (i.e. Joint Honours students combining History of Art with a modern language), the Department requires 60 credits work of written work for assessment.

There will be a meeting of students at the end of their second year to discuss the assessment. The objectives of this year are to foster independent learning, to enable students to deepen their understanding and visual knowledge by engaging with original works of art in another

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country and to develop (where possible) their exposure to other types of art historical teaching.

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LEVEL 3 OBJECTIVESThe final year encourages the greatest degree of student independence, intellectual sophistication and confidence in the use of art historical methods. All Single Honours, Major and Joint Honours students take a Special Subject and prepare and write a Dissertation.

Academic objectivesStudents should be able to challenge received views with appropriate evidence, demonstrate a deep understanding of art historical methods and be appropriately self-reflective. Through their Special Subject, students should acquire a probing and analytical approach to an area of staff research interest. Their Dissertation enables them to research and write an original piece of work that draws on art historical skills acquired in the earlier years of their programme.

Key Skills : Written: Students should have gained the ability to write clearly and critically, to argue their views forcefully and with appropriate use of both primary and secondary evidence.

Oral: Students are encouraged to present seminar papers from notes rather than full texts, to be more fluent in their style, and to be more interactive and discursive in both presentation and discussion.

IT and research skills: As part of their Dissertation work, students use many different types of search mechanisms, and employ different libraries, archives and other primary sources

Other: The Dissertation enables students to develop time-management skills, to learn to think ahead, plan a major project and revise their work. Supervision helps them acquire self-criticism and the ability to refine and develop their ideas.



Students are welcome to attend Richard Clay’s ‘Study Skills’ classes that are held during week 6 in Term 1 and Term 2. These sessions help to improve note taking, critical reading, presentation skills, essay writing and, therefore, marks.

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LEVEL 3 MODULESARTH/10 18563 Long Dissertation, 40 credits (12,000 words). 40 credits, terms 1 and 2ARTH/10 13568/9: Short Dissertation (8,000 words). 20 credits, terms 1 and 2

Students begin preparatory work on their Dissertations during the end of the second term of their Second Year. For all students this includes: (1) formal guidelines being made available; (2) a general meeting being held to discuss objectives; (3) students consulting about and submitting their choice of subject; (4) students being assigned supervisors and (5) being given extra guidance in IT skills. The subject of the Dissertation is normally a work of art or architecture in or near Birmingham or at a location easily accessible to the student. Students are expected to attend a specified number of meetings with their supervisor during the final year, and they are expected to submit a draft of the dissertation early in the second term. Students are required to submit their completed Dissertations (TWO copies) on a specified date in the second term. The final submission should be 12,000 words in length for the Long Dissertation and 8,000 words in length for the Short Dissertation and should be appropriately illustrated.

Special Subject: 40 credits, terms 1 and 2

Coordinator: Jutta Vinzent, Richard Verdi, and Richard ClayDescription: There is normally a choice of two or three Special Subjects each year. These

options focus in detail on a particular historical individual, period or theme. Students are required to choose their final-year Special Subject by the end of the second term of their Second Year.

Objectives: By the end of the module, the student should have a deep understanding of the art of a particular individual, specific period or specific theme; to take full advantage of the skills developed by students at previous stages of their study; and to develop their analytical abilities and specialist knowledge.

Delivery: Teaching is normally 3 hours per week, 1 lecture of 1 hour in duration and 1 seminar of 2 hours.

Assessment: The module generates two marks. The first is made up of a piece of written work (2,000 words) that is submitted at the start of term 3, requiring analysis of written source material, written examination (1½ hours) taken during term 3, inviting the candidate to comment on unseen images. The second mark derives from one written examination (3 hours), which is a formal essay and question paper also given in term 3. Students are also required to give oral presentations, which will be evaluated but will not count towards their final mark.

Optional Modules

For Single Honour and Major students, a list of additional optional modules available in the Department and School of Historical Studies is made available each year.

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MARKING SCALEThe Department assesses written work according to the following scale.

80+ Outstanding first. Outstanding work, which typically combines exceptional and sophisticated understanding and exhaustive research with cogent and detailed presentation and an exceptional originality of thought.

75-79 Good first. Excellent work which typically combines exceptional understanding and wide-ranging research with cogent presentation and a considerable originality of thought.

70-74 Clear first. Excellent work which typically demonstrates exceptional understanding and wide-ranging research together with cogent presentation and some originality of thought.

65-69 High 2:1. Very good work falling just short of first class standard which combines, for example, good understanding and wide-ranging research with effective presentation and a considerable degree of critical acumen.

60-64 Low 2:1. Good work of above average standard which combines, for example, sound understanding and fairly wide-ranging research with clear presentation and some degree of critical acumen.

A 2:1 mark (60 or above) recognizes an underlying clarity of thought. To achieve a 2:1 mark a student must demonstrate an understanding of a topic to enable him/her to use appropriate factual information in a relevant way and to marshal an entire argument in a cogent manner.

55-59 High 2:2. Competent work falling just short of 2:1 standard which involves, for example, some good degree of understanding based on adequate research with a fairly well-organised presentation, but which tends to be derivative and factual rather than discriminating.

50-54 Low 2:2. Work of slightly below average standard which involves some understanding derived from basic research, but which may be marred by such problems as inaccuracy of fact, incoherence of presentation and fallibility of judgement.

45-49 High Third. Poor work falling below 2:2 standard which may indicate some awareness of the subject and may be based on some minimal research, but which is substantially characterised by such problems as inaccuracy of fact, incoherence of presentation and fallibility of judgement.

40-44 Low Third. Very poor work hardly meriting a pass which indicates only a barely minimal awareness of the subject and is based on only barely minimal research, and which is almost entirely characterised by such problems as inaccuracy of fact, incoherence of presentation and fallibility of judgement.

35-39 Compensatable fail. Work which falls below pass standard, which despite all its deficiencies reveals some traces of understanding and intellectual effort.

0-34 Uncompensatable fail. Work which reveals few or no traces of any redeeming features.

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DEGREE CLASSIFICATIONThe official University description of degree classification can be found on http://www.bham.ac.uk/policy/ugassessprot/ugcurrent/ugindex.htm

What follows is a guide rather than an official University document. It may contain simplifications or omissions and so is not to be regarded as authoritative or definitive.

Three-year degrees are awarded only if at least 320 credits have been accumulated, including at least 100 credits at Level 1/C, at least 100 credits at Level 2/I or above, and at least 100 credits at Level 3/H.

Degrees are classified on the basis of performance of both Level 2/I (i.e. second-year) work and Level 3/H (final-year) work. All marks from each level are averaged separately and then combined into a composite, weighted average, such that Level 3/H work is weighted at three times that of Level 2/I work. In other words, Level 3/H (final year) work counts for 75% of the Finals classification, and Level 2/I work counts for 25% of the Finals classification. This Level 2/I work, for most students, will be second-year work, the exception being for Joint Honours History of Art and languages, where it will be a combination of second-year work (12.5%) and year abroad work (12.5%).

The averaging process will automatically determine the degree classification when the composite, weighted average falls within the following ranges:

70 or above = First Class Over 60 but less than 66 = 2:1 ClassOver 50 but less than 57 = 2:2 ClassOver 40 but less than 47 = Third Class

N.B. 70, 60, 50, and 40 are the minimum rounded averages required for this procedure.

As long as no more than 60 units (see below) have been failed, averages near the top of a particular classification band will trigger a ‘profiling’ mechanism. Thus, averages in the mark range 66-69 will be considered for a First; averages in the range 57-59 will be considered for a 2:1; and averages in the mark range 47-49 will be considered for a 2:2.

N.B. To be eligible for consideration on profiling the average must be a minimum of 66, 57 or 47

Profiling

Profiling works by looking at individual marks and their weighting. Level 2/I marks normally receive the same weighting as their module credit weight (except with Joint Honours History of Art and languages, where they count for half their credit weight); Level 3/H (final year) marks receive three times the weighting of their module credit weight. For calculation purposes, this weighting is expressed in things called ‘units’, so that a 20-credit Level 2/I module normally counts as 20 units (although in Joint Honours History of Art and languages it counts as 10 units); and a 20-credit Level 3/H module counts as 60 units. The total of all Level 2/I and Level 3/H units is 480 units.

Averages in the mark range 66-69 being considered for a First: The candidate must have more than 240 units (i.e. 250 or more) with first-class marks (70+) and no fails; OR 240 units with first-class marks (70+) with at least 80 units in the 2:1 range (60-69) and no fails.

Averages in the range 57-59 being considered for a 2:1: The candidate must have more than 240 units (i.e. 250 or more) in the 2:1 range or better (60+) with no fails; OR more than 240 units (i.e. 250 or more) in the 2:1 range or better (60+) with fails compensated by an equal number of additional units in the 2:1 range or better (60+); OR 240 units in the 2:1 range or better (60+) with at least 40 units in the first-class range (70+) and no fails. In all cases, third-class marks (40-49) are irrelevant.

Averages in the mark range 47-49 being considered for a 2:2: The candidate must have more than 240 units (i.e. 250 or more) in the 2:2 range or better (50+) with no fails; OR more than 240 units (i.e. 250 or more) in the 2:2 range or better (50+) with fails compensated by an equal number of additional units in the 2:2 range or better (50+); OR 240 units in the 2:2 range or better (50+) with at least 40 units in the 2:1 range or better (60+) and no fails.

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http://www.bham.ac.uk/humanities/upg/profile75.htm

All degree classifications are calculated on this basis, although by different examination boards. Single Honours degrees and Majors in the History of Art with Minors in other subjects are classified by the History of Art Examinations Board. Joint Honours degrees, are classified by the Joint Honours board.

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TEACHING AND LEARNINGTeaching RoomsThe Barber Institute Lecture Theatre (often known as the Barber Lecture Theatre or BLT) is used for first year lectures. Seminars are usually held either in the Fine Art Photograph Room (often known as the Barber Photograph Room or BPR) or in Room G14 on the ground floor of the Arts Building. Please check your course outlines for specific information.

LecturesAll taught courses include some degree of lecturing, either formal or informal. Lectures normally last 50 minutes (i.e. 1 University ‘teaching hour’) and they start on the hour. Lectures are intended to provide a framework of themes and ideas for the seminars. Do not arrive late for lectures because you will disturb the concentration of your colleagues.

SeminarsSeminars take a number of forms. Seminars are devised to focus more specifically on works of art or related themes than the contextual lectures. Students’ oral presentations constitute a common element of many seminars. The Department believes that student oral presentations are an important part of student skills acquisition, as well as a useful way of engaging with objects and analysis. Academic staff will provide instruction and guidance about seminar presentation and will give both verbal and written feedback to students after they have given their presentations. Students are also encouraged to consult academic staff individually beforehand during their office hours or by appointment. See also ‘Notes on Oral Presentations’ below.

Seminars can also consist of discussion or other less formal interaction between staff and students. As such, it is important that you arrive at the seminar having done any set reading so that you can contribute to discussions in an informed way. If all students are prepared, and willing to contribute, seminars are an extremely effective form of group learning. Do not arrive late for seminars because you will disturb the concentration of your colleagues.

Project and Group WorkMost modules contain an element of group work, but teamwork skills are especially reinforced by the project assessment required in the Gallery Course.

Study TripsIn order to give students the opportunity to visit galleries and study objects at first-hand, the Department places a strong emphasis on study trips. The First Year includes compulsory study trips to London and elsewhere and the Second Year includes a compulsory study trip abroad of around a week’s duration in the Easter Vacation. The study trips are generously subsidized by the School of Historical Studies, although the second year study trip abroad will entail some expense in terms of subsistence and other daily costs.

In addition, some tutors arrange voluntary trips away with their groups. Some classes are also held in the Barber Institute galleries or in local museums.

Aims and Objectives of the Study Trip Abroad

By the end of the study trip, students should be able to:

Know how to carry out research on an artwork examined at first hand and how to incorporate such research into art historical writing.

Link theory with practice by relating knowledge derived from the Survey Course itself and specific reading for the trip.

Have gained knowledge of a particular city’s culture. This is particularly important for site-specific works such as architecture and public sculpture.

Develop good working relations amongst the students.

Assessment Relating to the Study Trip Abroad

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The second assignment of the Survey Course should be based, at least in part, on work carried out on the study trip. It must also be accompanied by a brief statement (of ca. 200 words), specifying the work that was undertaken on the trip (in preparation for the essay), including an evaluation of how useful this work proved to be. It is important for students to write these statements because they support the case for maintaining generous subsidies for the Study Trip from the School of Historical Studies.

Information Sources TrainingAt several points in the programme, students are given Information Sources Training to assist them with research and writing. In the first year, this takes the form of induction into the Slide Library, Fine Art Library and Information Services resources. Early in the second and just before the final year, more specialised training in web search engines is provided. These sessions are extremely valuable because they will familiarize you with a host of resources that will help to speed up your research and improve the diversity of quality sources that you use.

Study Skills SessionsRichard Clay will run a series of Study Skills sessions that students from all years are welcome to attend during week 6 of the first and second terms.

A session on ‘Critical Listening’ will be held at 11.00-13.00 on 31 October in Muirhead Tower Lecture Room 3

A session on ‘Critical Reading’ will be held at 11.00-13.00 on 2 November in Art Lecture Room 2

A session on ‘Critical Writing’ will be held at 11.00-13.00 on 13 February in Muirhead Lecture Room 4

A session on ‘Critical Presentations’ will be held at 11.00-13.00 on 15 February in Arts Lecture Room 4

The sessions are informal and many students have commented on how useful they are in improving the quality of written work and presentations. As such, attendance is very strongly recommended.

Postgraduate Teaching AssistantsFor many modules, tutors will be assisted by postgraduate students in the Department. This is of benefit to both the undergraduates and the postgraduates, who gain valuable experience in teaching this way. Teaching assistants are trained and mentored by full-time academic staff.

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ASSESSMENT: METHODS AND RATIONALEThe Department adopts a combination of assessment methods, comprising coursework, oral presentation, tests, group project work and written examinations. Some of this assessment is intended for diagnostic and developmental purposes; other assessments count towards students’ final degree result.

As students usually have many queries and concerns about assessment, we thought it would be helpful to outline our strategy below:

ExaminationsThe Department feels strongly that examinations are an appropriate mode of assessment for an Arts based degree like ours because:

it is important for students to be able to assimilate and absorb factual information and have the analytical skills to employ their knowledge in an effective way under timed conditions

given our aim to develop students’ visual understanding, we feel that students must be able to discuss previously unseen images intelligently and perceptively. This skill is particularly essential for students who hope to have a career in museums and galleries

For modules taught in the department, examinations are confined to the first and final years. The first year is a qualifying year, i.e. it must be completed in order for an undergraduate to continue their programme of study. The first year exams are considered important because they help to ensure that students have sufficient knowledge and aptitude in the history of art, as well as the visual skills required to respond to questions under timed conditions.

In the final year, examinations are essential to show evidence not only of skills and knowledge obtained during that year, but of the students’ overall attainment in history of art, including a high level of visual and analytical ability; a capacity to deal intelligently with primary and secondary sources; and a subtle understanding of historical and contextual issues.

Written CourseworkWritten coursework is employed as an assessment method in all three years of the programmes, but it is particularly emphasised in the second year.

In the first year, coursework essays are designed to help students learn to write about works of art, using appropriate vocabulary. The second year is an exploratory and developmental year, and it is particularly important in allowing students the space to improve their analytical and research skills. We therefore enable students to undertake a range of written assignments and do not have written examinations in the second year. Final year written work is concentrated on the Dissertation (see below).

Group and Project AssessmentTeam work and independent project work are two key elements for both art historical training, in art history careers, and in the kinds of careers that our graduates tend to take up in the wider economy. Therefore, we have integrated an element of group assessment into our second year Gallery Course.

In the final year, students research and write a Dissertation that represents a culmination of their degree and enables a demonstration of a wide range of the academic and key skills acquired on the programme.

Oral PresentationsWe provide students with written and verbal feedback and a mark on all their oral presentations. However, we do not include these assessments in our calculation of the final degree. Some students feel that this should form part of their degree assessment. However, the Department considers oral presentation a key developmental element of its programme, which allows students to experiment and refine their skills without the constraining pressure

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of degree assessment. This has resulted in steady development of student oral skills and a willingness to experiment. It has helped students cultivate a sense of self-discipline and responsibility and a willingness to try out ideas and take risks. It has been of enormous benefit to our students in the job market when they have completed their degrees.

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STUDENTS’ RESPONSIBILITIESIn General

It is very important that, as an undergraduate, you take responsibility for your own learning. That means that it is up to you to organize your time properly so that you can prepare for classes and submit high quality work for assessment. The less you regard your tutors as spoon-feeding teachers and the more you see them as people who support and enable a process of learning for which you are responsible, the better you will prepare yourself for the world of work in which motivated and well-organised ‘self-starters’ are highly valued.

Course Attendance Students must attend in full all lectures, seminars and classes relating to the their degree programmes. Students who miss 3 lectures, seminars, or classes from a module without offering acceptable proof of mitigating circumstance will be given 1 week to write an additional 2,000 word essay. Failure to do so will result in the Department debarring you from the module.

Students must attend seminars when they are supposed to be giving a presentation. Students who fail to give their presentation without offering acceptable proof of mitigating circumstances will be expected to arrange another time when they will give the presentation and write an additional 2,000 word essay. Failure to do so will result in the Department debarring you from the module.

Students must attend Study Trips in the autumn and spring terms.

If you foresee missing a lecture, seminar or class for whatever reason, you must inform the appropriate tutor or the Departmental Office by email or by telephone.

If there are medical reasons for your absence from classes for more than five days, an official form must be obtained from the Departmental Office and completed. If the absence exceeds 10 days, then a note must be obtained from your doctor and sent directly to the Departmental Office. See Appendix for further details

If students repeatedly infringe on their responsibilities over attendance, the following disciplinary procedure will be activated: Students will be sent a warning letter by their course tutor, and the personal tutor

will be informed. They will have an interview with the course tutor and/or personal tutor to discuss the problem.

If the infringement continues, the student will receive a warning letter from the Head of Department and have an interview with them.

If they continue to infringe regulations, the Department will debarr them from the module. This may result, in some cases, in them being forced to withdraw from the History of Art programme, and perhaps even the University.

Submission of Written Work

Essays can ONLY be handed in by depositing them in the post box outside the Departmental Office

Two copies of all essays must be submitted, including Final Year dissertations. When essays are due, students should fill in an ‘essay submission form’ (copies are in the folder on top of the postbox outside the Departmental Office). They must sign the form and post both the form and the two copies of their essay in the box. The copies of the essay will then be date stamped by the Secretary.

Assessed essays are marked anonymously. To facilitate this please do not write you names on the actual essay, but instead always write your student registration number on the front page. The declaration of authorship forms will be removed from the essays prior to marking. Similar procedures are followed for Dissertations.

Written work required of particular courses must be submitted at the specified times to the Departmental Office. Students with just cause who wish to hand in work late must obtain written permission in advance from their tutor or the Head of Department. They must fill in the relevant ‘late submission’ section on the forms available on the postbox underneath the student pigeonholes. Otherwise, work submitted beyond set deadlines will incur penalties as follows:

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a deduction of 5 percentage points for the first day

a deduction of 5 further percentage point for each succeeding weekday down to a mark of 0%.

Plagiarism and Cheating in ExaminationsPlagiarism is a form of cheating in which the student tries to pass off someone else’s work as his or her own. When it occurs it is usually found in dissertations or assessed essays. Typically, substantial passages are ‘lifted’ verbatim from a particular source without proper attribution having been made. To avoid suspicion of plagiarism, students should make appropriate use of references and footnotes. If you are in any doubt as to what this requirement entails you should consult your tutor or another relevant member of the academic staff. The University takes a very serious view of this particular kind of dishonesty. The School’s policy on Plagiarism is set out more fully in the Appendix at the end of this handbook.

Direct cheating in examinations, by introducing notes or cribs, by copying from the work of others or in other ways, is usually easy to detect and the University takes an equally serious view of it.

Word LengthWord lengths for assessed essays and dissertations are set to require students to write fully but also concisely, and to encourage them to understand that the length of written work is not a sign of its quality. It is for this reason that penalties are incurred for written work that is more than 15% over the stated word length.

Students are required to register the word length of assessed work on their essay submission and Dissertation submission forms.

‘No Teaching’ Week

Please remember that the ‘no teaching’ week is set aside for training sessions and induction classes and for time for reading, and so it is not a half-term holiday. The training sessions are very important (see the timetable of such events towards the end of the handbook) and you should make the most of them.

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STUDENT WELFAREPersonal Tutor and Welfare TutorYou will be allocated a Personal Tutor, who will look after your welfare and discuss academic and career objectives with you. Personal Tutors normally take charge of a whole year group. In 2005/2006, personal tutors are as follows:

First Year students: David HemsollSecond Year students: Richard ClayFinal Year students: Jutta Vinzent

During each of the first two terms you must meet with your Personal Tutor, who keeps a record of your course attendance and marks in your individual files, for your termly Progress Review Tutorial. Personal Tutors will leave a list of times on the notice board. All students are also invited to attend a final meeting at the end of the Summer Term to discuss their end-of-year marks. In all Progress Review Tutorials, you will also be asked to complete a review form, which records information about your work and progress. Tutorials also enable students to consider academic goals and problems. You can also discuss with your Personal Tutor any problems which might arise from your course or personal difficulties which are affecting your work. Remember, if you are experiencing problems, we are here to help and support you – keep us informed.

Students with academic, financial or personal difficulties should discuss these matters in the first instance with their Personal Tutors. Students may also consult with the Departmental Welfare Tutor (Francesca Berry), and the Student Support and Counselling Service. Students considering changing their degree programme should discuss this matter with their Personal Tutor or the Departmental Transfer Officer, David Hemsoll, at the earliest possible opportunity.

Student Representatives, Student Committee and “Buddy” SystemAll three year-groups of students have their student representatives. These are elected, or reconfirmed, at the start of the academic year. Student representatives attend official termly staff student committee meetings to discuss any matters that have arisen. They are also invited to attend the termly Departmental meetings.

Students also elect a social committee. The committee may organize an annual party and/or outing and may stage other events.

Second Year students also oversee the Departmental “Buddy” system. This arranges the pairing of arriving first year students with second years, who will mentor the first year students and show them all the ropes. The Second Year students will also arrange for a first and second year get-together in the first week of the academic year.

STUDENT FEEDBACKStudent RepresentativesStudent representatives are invited to attend and participate in termly Staff/Student Committee Meetings and Departmental meetings. Student representatives are actively involved in curriculum discussion and have initiated many improvements and changes in the Department. The Guild of Students organises training courses for all students including ones for those who have been elected to represent their constituency in staff/student meetings.

Module Questionnaires and Programme ReviewStudents are asked to complete a questionnaire at the end of each module and another covering the whole of the year’s work. In addition, a formal module and programme review meeting is held in the Summer Term Departmental meeting. Students are able to raise issues of concern through their representatives in all Departmental meetings. We are always pleased to receive suggestions on how we can improve the content and running of the programmes.

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CAREERSCareers and Enquiries About Postgraduate StudyStudents are urged to make good use of the Student Careers Service to acquire information about arts careers. The Department runs a careers session every two years (the next in 2004-2005), in which former students and others employed in arts fields come to discuss their jobs. Students may also apply for one of the two Barber Institute Bursaries (to learn educational and curatorial aspects of gallery work after graduation); or for the Haywood Scholarship, given to an enrolled PhD student who also has minor teaching duties.

Students considering continuing their academic careers in the Department are encouraged to discuss proposals and funding with their Personal Tutor at the end of their second year or the very beginning of their final year. The Department runs an MA in the History of Art (including core course, special subject, research training and 10,000 word thesis), an M.Phil (B) in the History of Art (with core course, research training and a 20,000-word thesis). If you are interested in either of these, please contact Richard Clay.

We encourage all students to organize work experience during their time as undergraduates. This is particularly important if you aspire to a career in the galleries, museums or auction houses. Competition for such jobs is strong and, as the experiences of our graduates proves, having a good degree and work experience will considerably improve your job prospects.

Students Seeking ReferencesAcademic staff are always happy to provide references for students seeking employment. However, students must observe some rules:

Always ask your referee well in advance. If you wait until the last minute, we cannot guarantee that your reference will be done on time.

Provide full information about your prospective job and an up-to-date CV. Be aware that poor performance, lack of effort, punctuality or attendance may be

signaled in your reference.

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ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTSProfessor Richard Verdi’s ‘Bonus Sessions’Professor Verdi, the Director of the Barber Institute, has kindly agreed to run a series of 1-hour classes in the Barber gallery. These sessions will offer students the opportunity to benefit from Professor Verdi’s unparalleled knowledge of the collection and his valuable insights into object-orientated art historical research. Attendance at the classes will be voluntary and no assessed work will be involved. However, we urge you to make the most of Professor Verdi’s generous provision of these sessions. Dates to be announced

Barber Institute Education Department.Brian Scholes, The Barber Institute’s Education Officer, will be inviting students to meetings to learn more about the Education Programme offered to local schools and colleges. He is also looking to develop the Institute’s profile within the University. Students will thus have an exciting opportunity to participate in the programme and gain valuable work experience in this area. Each year two graduates are selected for the Barber Bursaries, a funded training programme in museum, curatorial and educational matters.

Young Barber Institute

Details about the YBI can be found on the last page of this handbook We very strongly recommend membership (it is great value for money!).

Student Participation in University and Barber Institute Open Days.From time to time, students are asked to show prospective applicants or other groups around the Department and the Galleries and to participate in various activities and Open Days organised by the Barber Institute and the Department. We enormously appreciate the excellent work that our students do on these occasions and urge participants to mention their efforts on their CV.

Barber Institute Lectures and Postgraduate SeminarsThe Barber Institute organises a programme of lectures, which are also open to the public, by academic staff and by external speakers is held throughout the year. All students are most welcome to attend.

The Department’s lecturers and postgraduate students also give regular presentations of their research, in a series of Research Seminars, which are open to all students. Distinguished speakers are also invited from other universities, and all students are warmly invited to attend. These events offer an excellent opportunity for you to familiarize yourself with the latest historical research (and you might be interested to know that wine is served to the audience!). Please check the notice board for details.

Student PrizesEach year, the student who wrote the best dissertation is awarded the Alumni Prize. Outstanding students may be also eligible for other prizes offered by the School of Historical Studies and the University.

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HELPFUL HINTS ON GIVING ORAL PRESENTATIONS WITH SLIDESImproving Your Learning and Technical SkillsThe Student Support and Counselling Services offers booklets and runs courses on study skills and effective learning. Students can ask their Personal Tutors for further details. The Faculty’s IT Support Unit runs Information Sources Training courses.

Oral PresentationsDuring each year of the history of art programmes, each student will be required to prepare and present one or more talks with slides to the rest of the group. These presentations will be of varying lengths. In week 6 First Year students will receive an induction into the use of the Slide Room and subsequently we will have a seminar to discuss your forthcoming presentations.

You may feel intimidated by the prospect of talking to a group of people about art history, especially if you have never done art history before. It is important for you to remember that your presentation is for the benefit of everyone and that any errors you might make are not the end of the world. This is intended to be a beneficial learning experience, not an ordeal. All students are encouraged to see their module tutors in advance during their office hours in order to discuss their presentations. Please take advantage of this.

For each presentation, we will give you specific instructions and bibliography. If you follow our suggestions, you should not go wrong. We also include below some further information about slide presentations and preparation.

Preparation

Preparation is essential to success. It may benefit you to observe the following pattern: (1) do some reading on the subject(2) while you are still formulating your ideas, make a list of slides/digital images you would like to use and check to see if they are in the Slide Room (consult the Slide Librarian for help if they are not). Do not assume the slides/digital images that you want will be available. Always check well in advance of your presentation.

You are welcome to have new slides/digital images made for your presentation, if you so wish. New slides, however, must be ordered by Thursdays, for delivery on the following Thursday. This means you must plan ahead.

(3) complete your reading(4) structure and write your talk with your images in mind, and make a separate slide list which indicates their order(5) ensure on the day of your presentation that your slides/digital images are in order and that you are familiar with the use of the projection equipment. Practice beforehand if you can.

To ensure a successful presentation

(1) Do not use too many slides/digital images. In some cases, your tutor can suggest an ideal number.(2) Don't try to include too much detailed information. A listening audience can only absorb a small amount.(3) Speak slowly and clearly so everyone can hear you. 110 words per minute is about the right speed.(4) If you read from a text, ensure that your text is written in a simple style (listening requires more concentration than reading). Be prepared to diverge from the text and 'talk to the pictures' if additional ideas occur to you during your presentation. If you are very confident, you may wish to give your talk from notes--which will make it more accessible. However, don't do this unless you have practised the talk several times. Waffling is not desirable. On the other hand, being able to speak from notes is a vital skill in many jobs and you should try to master it over the course of your time as an undergraduate.(5) As you are talking, be prepared for the tutor to interrupt to ask questions or to enable discussion.(6) You may wish to use handouts or refer to photographs in books; if so, have them ready when you need them so that you are not fumbling for them in the middle of your talk. Remember, handouts are particularly useful as study aids for your fellow students.Please note: you can photocopy 1 (i.e. one sheet of A4) handout for the group on the Departmental photocopying machine (apply to Deborah Clements) at the Department’s expense. Any other handouts you require must be done elsewhere at your own expense.

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(7) At the end of your presentation a summary of your main points would be helpful to other students. You may also wish to raise a series of questions or problems for consideration.

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HELPFUL HINTS ON WRITING ESSAYS AND ON STUDY SKILLSThere will be special seminars on essay writing and other study skills for first year students in both the first and second terms, which Second Year and Final Year students may also attend.

Tutors are always willing to give students guidance and advice about writing essays, but the ultimate responsibility for the content, presentation and argument of essays rests with the student. It is crucial that essays are the student’s own work and written in his or her own words. Quotations must be indicated clearly with quotation marks and footnotes and must be exact. Special care must be taken to avoid the use of unattributed quotations, as this could be construed as plagiarism. Plagiarism (unattributed copying from the work of others) is a form of cheating, which will seriously affect the grading of any essay, and may lead to further disciplinary action.

Always proofread your essays, as errors of fact, spelling and grammar can affect your grade.

Style, Footnoting and BibliographyAlthough the most important issue to remember is consistency in style and citation, the Department has decided to give you guidance based on the style sheet used for publishing in Art History, the journal of the British Association of Art Historians - internationally refereed and peer-reviewed (very useful to read, too! – it is in the departmental library). We advise you to follow these rules and emulate these examples, which are slightly amended to your needs in essays and dissertation:

1. Length and formatFor length, go to the module or dissertation guidanceInclude illustrations (at least of those images which you have discussed in detail); please supply photocopies of illustrations including captionsDouble spaced Times New Roman 12 pt throughout

Beginning:The title page should indicate the student’s ID number (except for dissertations, which need to be submitted under your name) and possibly the title of the module for which the assignment has been submitted (dissertations have a special title page – please refer to your separate guidance sheet for BA dissertations)

Indicate word count (including both the text and the notes) Please use generous margins: at least 2.5 cm on each side

Endnotes or footnotes (endnotes to begin on a new page):Endnotes or footnotes should allow the reader to be able to trace the source of the information used, or they should be discursive – adding important information which is tangential to the main text. Endnotes and footnotes should be numbered consecutively in the essay. Footnotes are included at the bottom of the page. Endnotes appear at the end of the essay and begin on a new page. For the citation of the source, see below under ‘references’ in the style guidance. Use EITHER footnotes OR endnotes, never use a mixture of both. The Department prefers footnotes

BibliographiesIf not stated otherwise by your tutor, all essays and your dissertation need to have a bibliography. This should include all the work you have used in your essay, arranged in alphabetical order, with the author’s last name first (e.g. Smith, John). N.B. this is different from citing in footnotes!. If you cite more than about five titles, you need to have two lists:

1. ‘Sources and unpublished material’ and 2. ‘Secondary literature’.

Under each list, you need to arrange the titles of the books, essays and material used in your essay/dissertation in alphabetical order. In some cases, you might find it difficult to decide which title goes in the first or the second list. Do not worry too much; just think how you have used the book/article/material in your essay/dissertation. A guideline is also the publication date of the title; usually books published before the 1980s are used as sources. Obviously, anything unpublished needs to be added there (remember, websites count as publications).

2. Style GuidanceStudents should be consistent in format and style when referencing.

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References (i.e. in footnotes or endnotes):

Books: Cite full name of author/editor (not initials if possible), book title in italics, place of publication but not publisher, date of publication, volume number, page reference but do not use ‘p.’ or ‘pp.’ for specific page references.

Examples:Michael Baxandall, The Limewood Sculptors of Renaissance Germany, New Haven and London, 1980, 20–21William Vaughan and Helen Weston, eds, David’s The Death of Marat, Cambridge, 2000, 6–8

Note that the painting title here is not in italics, because painting titles are italicised in normal text.

Exhibition catalogues: These should be referred to as a book, but, after the title, include exhibition catalogue and the location and date of the exhibition.

Examples:Paul Spencer-Longhurst, The Blue Bower: Rossetti in the 1860s, exhibition catalogue, Birmingham, Barber Institute of Fine Arts and Williamstown, Ma., Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute, London, 2000Jennifer Powell and Jutta Vinzent, Art and Migration. Art Works by Refugee Artists from Nazi Germany in Britain, exhibition catalogue, Birmingham, Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham, 2005

Essays in edited books: Full name of author of the article, ‘article title in single quotes’, full name of editor(s), book title in italics, place of publication but not publisher, date of publication, title of series and vol. number if necessary in brackets, page reference but do not use ‘p’ or ‘pp’.

Examples: David Hemsoll, ‘A question of language. Michelangelo, Raphael and the art of architectural imitation’, L. Golden (ed.), Raising the Eyebrow. John Onians and World Art Studies, Oxford, 2001, 123-31Jutta Vinzent, ‘Muteness as Utterance of a Forced Reality: Jack Bilbo’s Modern Art Gallery (1941-1948)’, Shulamith Behr and Marian Malet (eds), Arts in Exile in Britain 1933-1945. Politics and Cultural Identity, Amsterdam and Atlanta, 2005 (Yearbook of the Research Centre for German and Austrian Exile Studies, 6), 301-37

Articles in journals: Full name of author, ‘article title in single quotes’, Journal title in italics, vol. number (in arabic figures), year, specific page reference (but not using ‘p.’ or ‘pp.’)

Examples: Shearer West, ‘Thomas Lawrence’s “half-history” portraits and the politics of theatre’, Art History, 14: 2, 1991, 225-49Richard Clay, ‘Violating the sacred: theft and “iconoclasm” in late eighteenth-century Paris’, Oxford Art Journal, 26:2, 2003, 1-23.

Please note that the comma in UK style comes after the quotation mark, not before it as in US style.

Manuscript sources (including dissertations): Full name of the author, title (not single quotes, because it is unpublished), unpublished typescript/handwriting, possibly length of manuscript, place of deposit/archive (or in the case of a dissertation the university where it was submitted) and reference number (if known). If you know a date, give it as well.

Examples:Anonymous, Joseph Flatter. Anti Nazi Cartoons of the Second World War, unpublished typescript, 2 pages, Imperial War Museum, LondonMerry Kerr Woodeson, Jack Bilbo and the Modern Art Gallery. A Wartime Adventure in Art, unpublished typescript, 32 pages, private archive of Merry Kerr Woodeson, LondonAnne Béchard-Léauté, The Contribution of Emigré Art Historians to the British Art World after 1933, unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Cambridge, 1999

Videos, taped interviews, CDs:

Published: Follow the rules applied to book publications adding information about the kind of source after the title.

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Examples:

Guy Brett (and others), Mona Hatoum, video (26 minutes), England, 2001Charlotte Blofeld, A History of Britain, CD, BBC, 2000

Unpublished: Follow the rules applied to unpublished material, adding information about the kind of source after the title.

Example: Dr. Richard Clay, Interview with Mr. David Hemsoll on Iconoclasm, unpublished tape cassette, 25 minutes, private archive of Dr. Jutta Vinzent, Birmingham, 2005

Websites: Follow the rules applied to book publications and add the website and possibly the date of access. We urge you to be particularly critical in your use of websites. Although there are some very scholarly sites out there, many websites are not reliable scholarly sources. Unlike the vast majority of periodicals and books in the University libraries, most websites have not been refereed (i.e. had their content vetted by other academics prior to publication)

Examples:Robert Burstow, The Royal Festival Hall. Skylon and Sculptures on the South Bank for the Festival of Britain, www.packer34.freeserve.co.uk/symbols, accessed 20 November 2003Anonymous, Agreement Between the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, 12 July 1941, www.yale.edu/lawewb/avalon/wwii/brsov41, accessed 3 December 2003

First and subsequent citations: first citation should provide full reference as given above; subsequent citations should use a short abbreviation. Thus repeat shortened title of reference even if it appears consecutively, for example, Pointon, Hanging the Head, 34; West, ‘Lawrence’s “half-history”’, 240; Lomas in Vaughan and Weston, Marat, 156.

The Latin abbreviations ibid., op. cit, or loc. cit. (always in italics) can be used for a successive citation.

For example:12. Marcia Pointon, History of Art. A Student’s Handbook, London 1996, 5.13. Ibid., 25.

UK English spelling and punctuation conventions should be followed in the text and notes. Foreign language citations should be given in translation in the main text, with the original appearing in full in an accompanying endnote. MS Word enables spelling language to be specified.

Please avoid turns of phrase that are not acceptable (such as masculine forms as universals); please also avoid acronyms.

Please avoid personal pronouns, we, our, us and you

A person’s full name should be given on first appearance in the text no matter how famous, for example, William Gunn or Henry Moore, and not Gunn or Moore until second mention.

Paragraphs should be indented or otherwise clearly marked by leaving an empty line in between paragraphs.

Page numbering: all pages, including captions, notes, etc., should be numbered in the lower right-hand corner. Pages should be numbered consecutively throughout the text, not by individual sections.

Quotations should be set in single inverted commas if brief, and indented if longer than four lines. No quotation marks in indented quotations. Spellings within quotations should be as per original. Usually all lines of poetry are indented. Double quotation marks should be reserved for quotation within quotation. Words added by authors in quotations should go in square brackets.Quotation marks should follow full stop if quotation is full sentence (or contains full sentence) or finite clause, but should precede full stop if phrase.Where there is consistent reference in the article to one text, page reference in parenthesis should follow quotation mark and precede full stop if quotation is phrase; if clause, full stop then quotation mark then page reference.

Hyphenation: compound adjectives and adverbs (eighteenth-century art)

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http://www.yale.edu/lawewb/avalon/wwii/brsov41

http://www.packer34.freeserve.co.uk/symbols

Breaks in the text should be indicated by a line break, and subheadings should be in bold

Numbers: Spell out numerals up to a hundred, then use figures: ‘in her twenties’ not ‘in her 20s’. Thousands with comma, e.g.£4,000.

Be specific about dates so that ‘either 1839 or 1840’ should be written 1839/40 whereas ‘from 1839 to 1840’ should be 1839- 40. Never write ‘between 1835-40; this should be ‘between 1835 and 1840’.1930s not ’30s or Thirties – and certainly not 1930’s which is wrong! 1830s and 1840s, not 1830s and ‘40s.

Twentieth-century movement not 20th-century movement – i.e. spell out in the twenty-first century, in the nineteenth century – no hyphen when not used adjectivallyMid-1950s and in the mid-sixteenth century, but late 1940s and early 1730s and late eighteenth-century cabinet

c. 1850 – circa abbreviated to c, so full stop, then space date1914–18 war, 1939–45 war, not Great War or the Second World War

Punctuation: for parenthetical dashes please use spaced en rules ( – ). Use spaced ellipses ( … ) for omissions in quotations.No full stop in BBC, MP, UK, USA, RA, Washington DC, PhD, BA

Contractions: (ending in last letter of full word) with no full stop but abbreviations with full stop – so Ltd, co., etc., ed., eds, vol., vols, edn, exhib. cat. Except in measurements where abbreviated measurements have no full stop: so ‘cm’ not ‘cm.’, ‘in’ not ‘in.’

Use metric measurements but miles can be used instead of kilometres. Use figures in all measurements, space between figure and unit of measurement: 6 miles, 15 m, 146 cm. Dimensions with spaces so 14 x 45 cm. Areas in sq. m. Height before width.

Dates should be expressed ‘15 November 2001’. Please remember to have ‘seventeenth-century Britain’ but ‘the seventeenth century’.

Do not use dates as adjectives: thus ‘the discovery of 1724’ but not ‘the 1724 discovery’ or ‘1724 publication’.

Fifth Avenue, 56th Street for US address, but rue, boulevard, place lower case for French, although Place de la Concorde upper case, etc; use schafes S in German where appropriate.

Non-English words and phrases in common English usage should be in Roman (for example, cliché or oeuvre – but if in doubt, check in dictionary. Non-common words and phrases such as mise-en-scène should be in italics.

Avoid using italics for emphasis, since the structure of the sentence should be sufficient to convey this. Use italics for titles of books, newspapers, picture titles, exhibition titles but poems and essays in single quotes.

WORD PROCESSING AND DISK MANAGEMENTAll students are required to word process their written work. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the Arts IT Support Unit training courses and the University’s computer clusters to help with this. Students should organise themselves so that they arrange to type their work in good time. No extensions will be granted to allow for typing, printing or computer failure. As computers and printers often fail at unexpected moments, it is essential that your written work is prepared in good time. Also, always ensure you have a hard copy and floppy disk backup of all the work you do. Work lost on computer is a common problem with students.

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IMPORTANT DATES IN THE STUDENT YEAR

Freshers’ Tea4.00pm on Wednesday 21 September 2005 in Barber Institute of Fine Art Library

MOMD Fair10.00-3.30pm in Avon Room

Points to remember Modules outside the main discipline (MOMD) or Ancillary subjects have to be chosen

by all Single Honours students except Final Years where it is an option to do so. All Freshers will be given a booklet for their MOMD choice at the History of Art

Freshers tea. Continuing Students will have to collect one from the Departmental office.

Registering for an MOMD Freshers have to attend the MOMD on Thursday 22 September in the Avon Room and

Lounge (University Centre) from 10.00am to 3.30pm. Continuing Students must register their MOMD choice in the relevant department (eg.

French) and then let Deborah Clements know immediately

Students taking a History of Art MOMD Members of Staff from History of Art will be attending the MOMD fair on Thursday 22

September in the Avon Room and Lounge (University Centre) from 10.00am to 3.30pm, to register Freshers from other departments who wish to take one of our MOMD courses.

Study TripsNational Gallery – Going to the PicturesThursday 27 October 2005 (compulsory for all First Year Students). Leave the Barber at 8:30 a.m.

London - venue to be confirmed Saturday 12 November 2005 (compulsory for all First Year Students)

Liverpool - venue to be confirmedWednesday 22 February 2006 (Compulsory for all Single Honours First Year Students, but JH Students are welcome to attend and will take preference on spare places on the coach.)

Second Year Study Trip for ALL Survey Course studentsGroup 1 – David Hemsoll – Belgium. Depart London 23 March 2006. Return 28 March 2006Group 2- Francesca Berry – Paris. Department London 23 March 2006. Return 28 March 2006

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TIMETABLE OF SOME KEY EVENTSWeek 5 and Week 6 of Term 1 (w/c 24 October and w/c 31 October 2005)

Week 6 of Term 2 (w/c 13 February 2006)

Week 5 (Term 1)

Monday 24 October First Year Compulsory Progress Review with David Hemsoll (times to be arranged). First Year Approaches Lecture will be cancelled

Tuesday 25 October1.00-2.00pm First Year Joint Honours Students Fine Art Library (David

Pulford) and Slide Library Induction (Maria Daniel)Wednesday 26 October11.00-12.00 noon First Year Single Honours Students Fine Art Library (David

Pulford) and Slide Library Induction (Maria Daniel)

Thursday 27 October9.00-10.00am Ancillary (MOMD) Students Fine Art Library (David Pulford) and

Slide Library Induction (Maria Daniel)Thursday 27 OctoberAll Day

First Year Compulsory National Gallery Trip(Leave Barber Institute at 8.30am)

Week 6 (Term 1) NO TEACHING WEEK

Monday 31 October10.00-11.00am

11.00-1.00pm

Second Year Information Source Training – Option 2 – Fran Berry’s Group (David Pulford)

Study Skills Class 1 (Richard Clay)Tuesday 1 November9.00-10.00am

1.00-2.00pm

Second Year Information Source Training – Option 1 – David Hemsoll’s Group (David Pulford)

First Year Information Source Training Group A (David Pulford)

Wednesday 2 November11.00-1.00pm Study Skills Class 2 (Richard Clay)Thursday 3 November10.00-12.00 noon2.00-3.00pm

Final Year Dissertation MeetingFirst Year Information Source Training Group B (David Pulford)

Week 6 (Term 2) NO TEACHING WEEK

Monday 13 February10.00-11.00am

11.00-1.00pm

Second Year IT Training – Option 2 – Fran Berry’s Group (David Pulford)

Study Skills Class 3 (Richard Clay)Tuesday 14 February9.00-10.00am Second Year IT Training – Option 1 – David Hemsoll’s Group (David

Pulford)Wednesday 15 February11.00-1.00pm Study Skills Class 4 (Richard Clay)Thursday 16 February10.00-12.00 noon Second Year Dissertation and Special Subject Meeting

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DATES FOR THE HANDING IN OF ESSAYS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Level 1 Approaches Essay 1 Friday 9 December 2005Approaches Essay 2 Friday 24 March 2006

Object & Medium Essay 1 Monday 7 November 2005Object & Medium Essay 2 Monday 20 February 2006

Periodisation Essay 1 Friday 13 January 2006Periodisation Essay 2 Friday 28 April 2006

Art and Contexts1: Content & Style (Slide Test) Thursday 8 December 2005

Level 2 Arts & Contexts Level 2 Essay 1 Friday 10 December 2005Arts & Contexts Level 2 Essay 2 Thursday 24t March 2006

Survey Course/Period Outline Essay 1 Friday13 January 2006

Survey Course/Period Outline Essay 2 Friday 28 April 2006

Portraiture Essay 1 Friday 9 December 2005

Portraiture Essay 2 Friday 24 March 2006

Long Dissertation Preparation Bibliography Friday 9 December 2005

Long Dissertation Preparation Essay Friday 24tMarch 2006

Year Abroad Academic Dossier and Essay Friday 19 May 2006

Level 3Special Subject short essay Friday 28 April 2006

Dissertation Drafts Monday 20 February 2006

Dissertations (Long and Short) Thursday 23 March 2006

ALL ESSAYS MUST BE HANDED IN BY 5.00PM ON THE DESIGNATED DAY TOGETHER WITH A DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP FORM AND POSTED IN THE ESSAY

BOX OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENTAL OFFICE.

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Join the YBIMix with the VIPs at exclusive private views!

Enjoy free entry to selected major exhibitions!

Hear specially arranged gallery talks from exhibition curators!

Attend many gallery events for free, city wide!

Volunteer in education and marketing work at the Barber!

Train to lead tours as a volunteer gallery guide!

Find out about a career in galleries in our careers day!

Dancer the night away at the YBI Summer Soirée!

Meet new friends who’re interested in art!

Take part in the life of the Barber Institute, the Good Britain Guide’s Art Gallery of the Year!

YBI (Young Barber Institute) is a new organisation set up by the Barber, with the full endorsement of the University’s Department of History of Art, for people who love art.

YBI is for History of Art undergraduates and postgraduates, students and staff from other subjects or areas, and anyone else who cares about art.

While you’re at the University of Birmingham, we want you to get the most out of the visual arts in the Heart of England.

YBI will give you a better view of the region’s galleries and exhibitions, help your art history, improve your social life, offer you work experience in galleries, and could even influence your career choice.

YBIYour Best Interest

YBI membership is currently £10 per year. In future years, the subscription will rise. Using the coupon below, you can join for one year – or for the duration of your degree course (including four-year, year-abroad courses) for a one-off fee of £25. Cheques should be made payable to ‘University of Birmingham’ and sent to: Andrew Davies, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TS.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………Yes Please! I’d like to join YBI.I enclose a cheque for £10 (one year’s membership)/£25 (three years’ membership)*Name:………………………………….Course/Yr…/.……………………………………………Address:……………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Mobile number…………………………… E-mail address…..…………………………………(* Delete as applicable)

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