FA1HA1: History of Art 1

Module code: FA1HA1

Module provider: Art; School of Arts and Communication Design

Credits: 20

Level: 4

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Ms Kelly Lloyd , email: k.e.lloyd@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

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

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 29 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

In this module you will be introduced to the diversity of practices and theories that constitute the field of global art and its historicization. 

Its starting points will be artists and artworks, as well as a variety of perspectives, theories and accounts as well as their social, geo-political and aesthetic factors. You will explore the ways and narratives in which a wide range of art practices were shaped and in return shaped their historical contexts, giving you a historical basis for current dialogues around equality, diversity and inclusion. 

Interactive lectures and seminars will enable you to research and evaluate primary and secondary sources and will introduce you to the processes and methods of visual analysis of artworks and their sites of production and dissemination. 

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Research the diversity of practices and theories that constitute the field of global art and its histories. 
2. Analyse primary and secondary sources and evaluate them in relation to visual analysis of artworks. 
3. Argue their own critical position informed by interpretation of research and analysis. 
4. Format a written work acknowledging its content, with awareness of conventions of academic writing, including referencing and bibliography. 

Module content

This introductory module encourages students to build up knowledge of art practices and to develop an understanding of the relationships that exist between artworks, their sites, materials, processes, ideas and intentions of production, as well as the geo-political, social and intellectual contexts of their dissemination and reception.  

The module introduces themes, methods and approaches prevalent within the study of art. Through the course of the module students are made aware of the ongoing debates and disputes that underpin the continuous process that is the historicisation of art. The module aims to provide students with a thorough grounding in and working knowledge of key practices and theories which might include Romanticism, Surrealism, Dada, Modernism, and Post Modernism. The module enables students to develop further awareness of global art and discourses of equality and diversity which should be of use in other areas of the course.  

The module also encourages students to develop appropriate research and analysis skills including the use of both physical and digital resources.   

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module is delivered through a series of lectures using a number of key artworks and texts to examine their use in relation to the construction of narratives contributing to global art discourses. 

Interactive seminars and a Writing Workshop allow students to shape responses and develop critical analytic thinking and evaluation of sources, artworks and their relevance. 

Assessment points and volume are evenly distributed and introduced at the beginning of the module. 

Two Formative Assessments (Reflective Essays and Short Critical Essay) are marked by the course convenor, while the Summative Assessment (Critical Essay) is marked both by an Assessment team including the module convenor.

Study hours

At least 29 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

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

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

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

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

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

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

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

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

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Level 3 (i.e. foundation modules for Part 0) and Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

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

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

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

Formative assessment

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

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

This module has two Formative Assessments. Formative Assessment 1 consists of 200 word reflections on lectures in Weeks 2, 3, and 4. Formative Assessment 2 consists of a 600 word Critical Essay, briefly structuring an argument with use of primary and secondary sources, and appropriate referencing.

Reassessment

Additional costs