Skip to main content

Unit information: Prints in 2024/25

Please note: Programme and unit information may change as the relevant academic field develops. We may also make changes to the structure of programmes and assessments to improve the student experience.

Unit name Prints
Unit code HART30046
Credit points 20
Level of study H/6
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director Dr. Kelly
Open unit status Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)

None

Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)

None

Units you may not take alongside this one

None

School/department Department of History of Art (Historical Studies)
Faculty Faculty of Arts

Unit Information

Why is this unit important? 

This curatorial unit offers you the opportunity to work first-hand with objects and translate your knowledge into written and visual formats for public audiences. You will be taught in small-group settings that allow you to develop your knowledge and skills through object-based analysis, reading, and extensive discussion, exposing you to current debates curatorial practice and art history more broadly..

How does this unit fit into your programme of study? 

Curatorial units build on your previous knowledge by allowing you to focus on a thematic project. You will deploy your research skills; hone your critical skills, including visual analysis; develop greater confidence with primary sources and complex concepts to support your independent research; and learn to write for diverse audiences.

Your learning on this unit

An overview of content

The Department of History of Art at Bristol has a substantial collection of prints, ranging from the Renaissance to the present day and, in medium, from engravings to etchings and lithographs. The collection is a valuable aid to teaching and research, but only a fraction is ever on display. The unit will introduce students to the collection and will cover the history and techniques of print making. Students will gain first-hand experience of researching and writing about individual works. This unit will culminate in a scholarly exhibition of prints drawn from the collection in a selection curated and presented by the students themselves.

How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit

You will develop skills in independent object-based research methods and team-working skills, building confidence and competencies that will help you in the approach to the assessments and to future professional practice.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

1. analyse and evaluate a range of primary and secondary sources;

2. deploy skills in curatorial practice, including independent and collaborative research, exhibition making and cataloguing;

3. communicate understanding of selected materials in written, visual, and oral formats;

4. apply expert knowledge in the history and techniques of print making.

How you will learn

Classes will involve a combination of long- and short-form lectures, class discussion, investigative activities and practical activities, which include visual analysis. Students will be expected to engage with readings and participate on a weekly basis. This will be further supported with drop-in sessions and self-directed exercises with tutor and peer feedback

How you will be assessed

Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):

Project portfolio (80%) [ILOs 1-4]

Group presentation (20%) [ILOs 1-3]

When assessment does not go to plan

When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the format or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are confirmed by the School/Centre shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the year.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HART30046).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.

Feedback