Taught masters course modules

Critical Approaches to Art History and Visual Culture (30 credits) explores a range of theoretical issues relating to the study of art history and visual culture. Over the first semester you will be introduced to the diverse ways in which the history of art and visual culture has been and can be conceptualised.

The objective is to help you consider both the practical demands of research and the philosophical questions we need to address to undertake a historical analysis of images. In particular, the course is designed to foster critical thinking and to develop analytical skills.

The material we cover on this module is extensive and includes

• the contemporary debate between art history versus visual culture;
• ways of looking;
• the construction of the artist;
• histories of the image;
• the culture industry;
• and, issues raised by psychoanalytic and feminist criticism.

As such the readings and images under discussion are diverse, from Vasari to Amelia Jones, and from Bernini to Maurizio Cattalan.

The core course also offers the chance for you to meet and engage with students following the other MA pathways. Our weekly meetings provide an opportunity to share ideas and debate issues that arise from the reading and visual materials set by staff.

Moreover, classes are normally convened by staff working in pairs, which not only gives us all the chance to get to know each other in the first semester, but, just as importantly, makes you aware of staff research interests; knowing who best to consult is crucial as you develop ideas for your dissertation.

Among the academic-focused classes, there are also sessions devoted to research and presentation skills, designed to offer you practical support for your time at Nottingham as a postgraduate student.

Currently, the assessment for this core module consists of a short literature review, normally a review of one the class readings, and a 5,000-word essay.

This module offers a grounding in the key issues relating to both curatorial and critical practices in the visual arts. It enables students taking the MA pathway 'Modern Art, Criticism and Display' to undertake a case-study research project concerning the material related either to a current exhibition or new installation in a permanent collection.

A series of initial seminars will set out and critically explore influential criticial positions and curatorial strategies from distinct historical contexts, thereby offering a model for the way in which such issues might be best understood and applied to the students' own chosen project.

The module will be taught by two members of academic staff from distinct historical or geographical specialisms, thus providing vital contrast and range. Each contributing lecturer will offer one case study on criticism and one on display related to their research interests, with the expectation that one will focus primarily on contemporary art. There will also be supplementary visits to key exhibitions organised in the form of a study day.

The aim of the module is to enable the student to realise and develop their own critical perspectives on contemporary curatorial issues and practices through both primary research and an awareness of the critical context.

Moreover, with permission from the course director, you might also consider the option of taking one module outside of the Department in areas such as critical theory, American and Canadian studies (including film and television studies), English, geography, history, and classics.