UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA DEPARTMENT OF ART HISTORY, VISUAL ARTS AND MUSICOLOGY POSTGRADUATE DEGREES IN ART HISTORY C O N T E N T S

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1 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA DEPARTMENT OF ART HISTORY, VISUAL ARTS AND MUSICOLOGY POSTGRADUATE DEGREES IN ART HISTORY C O N T E N T S HONOURS BACHELOR'S DEGREE Page 1. ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS 1 2. REALITIES OF POSTGRADUATE STUDY 2 3. NOTES ON THE APPROACH TO THE COURSE 2 4. CURRICULUM 3 5. EXAMINATIONS 6 6. ASSIGNMENTS 6 7. GENERAL 7 MASTER'S AND DOCTOR'S DEGREES 1. REGISTRATION PROCEDURE 8 2. CURRICULUM THE EXTENDED DISSERTATION/THESIS PROPOSAL THE MA DISSERTATION AND/OR DLitt et Phil THESIS REREGISTRATION ANNUAL SEMINAR 14 TEACHING STAFF 15

2 1 INFORMATION CONCERNING THE HONOURS BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN ART HISTORY Consult Part 1 of the Calendar regarding general rules for admission to postgraduate studies, documents which must accompany an application for admission, number of papers for which students must register, reregistration, duration of study, applications for cancellation, etc. Concurrent registration for an undergraduate course/module(s) for non-degree purposes Students may only, with permission of Senate, register for not more than one undergraduate course or the corresponding number of modules on the same level for non-degree purposes (NDP), concurrently with an Honours course, and provided that the NDP course/module(s) has a bearing on their Honours studies, or they submit a written justification which is acceptable to the University. Please note that students must apply before the closing date for registration for the undergraduate course/ module(s) for permission for concurrent registration. Offering of an honours module in another subject In the College of Human Sciences students may replace one of the modules of their Honours degree by an Honours paper in another subject if the departmental heads concerned are of the opinion that the students have sufficient background knowledge to be able to offer that module, and it is in the best interest of the students. 1. ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS A BA degree with Art History III, a BVA or BA(FA) degree with Art History IV.

3 2 Note: Normally, only those students who obtained 65% or more for Art History III passed not more than five years ago, are admitted to the course. Applications of students who obtained less than 65% and/or passed Art History III more than five years ago, will be individually considered by the Department. 2. REALITIES OF POSTGRADUATE STUDY Candidates who wish to register for the Honours course, should carefully assess their time available for study. Students who are unrealistic about the time factor and the nature of Honours study, may ultimately find themselves in the position of having to abandon the course or do less well than expected. It is important that students who are unfamiliar with the Unisa system, or have just left a university and started working, or have not studied for a few years, should be especially careful about the commitment they make. It is expected of Honours students to devote between ten and fifteen hours per week to their course. The minimum duration of the course is two years. 3. NOTES ON THE APPROACH TO THE COURSE While many approaches to the study of Art History may be valid, it is important that students who are registering with Unisa, understand the approach of the Department. Students who have studied at another university, must endeavour to familiarise themselves with the research methodology of this Department. This may entail considerable reading and research, in order to meet the specific requirements of the assignment. The course provides an opportunity for in-depth studies, chosen from various options offered by the Department.

4 3 Examinations are written for all the modules of units 1 and 2. The Research Article serves as an introduction to the kind of research required at MA level. The article thus requires independent work, such as research in archival sources and related literature, as well as the synthesis, collation and interpretation of research material, presented in an academically sound manner. Fieldwork may be required, especially for South African topics. In some cases a field of research from an area other than Southern Africa, may be selected. With regard to methodological skills, the emphasis at Honours level is on the following:! the ability to conduct research in a systematic and logical manner;! the ability to interpret critically, and relate the results of this research to specific problems;! the ability to debate controversial issues;! the ability to apply correct academic research methods, and! the ability to use the correct bibliographical method, as prescribed by the department. 4. CURRICULUM Entry requirements Total credits required Articulation possibilities BA or equivalent with Art History as major Minimum of 120 credits gained at Level 6 and a total of 360 credits at undergraduate level Honours BA after completing 120 credits

5 4 Creditbearing units 1. *Six modules HONARM-9 Research methodology HONAMG-N Monographs HONAAP-6 Art and power HONAMM-U Memory HONAFA-X Figurative Art HONAGI-C Gender and identity 2. One level 4 Part History module 72 credits 12 credits ARH411-R Contemporary international art 3. Research article 36 credits HONARP-C Research proposal (12) HONARA-S Research article (24) *ABBREVIATED SYLLABI 4.1 Unit 1: Six modules Research methodology (HONARM-9) Purpose: to guide students in understanding selected research methodologies and approaches to the interpretation of works of art. Emphasis will be placed on art in its social context. Monograph (HONAMG-N) Purpose: to guide students in researching the parallels between the lives and works of artists and the way in which art historians interpret this relationship. Art and power (HONAAP-6) Purpose: to guide students in understanding how power structures of various kinds in society influenced artists to respond to themes of loss, death and dying, suffering and violence.

6 5 Memory (HONAMM-U) Purpose: to guide students in understanding the canons and conventions in art theory and practice. Figurative Art (HONAFA-X) Purpose: to guide students in researching the resurgence of the figurative tradition in recent art expression. Gender and identity (HONAGI-C) Purpose: to guide students in researching the relevancy of gender and identity in selected areas of visual culture. PLUS 4.2 Unit 2: Contemporary international art (ARH411-R) Purpose: to guide students to understand and analyse contemporary discourse around visual culture in the international context, but with sharp focus on controversies and deliberations of the last thirty years. Debates on the relationship between art and the community or the public, categorisations and definitions of art and critical methodologies are scrutinised. PLUS

7 6 4.3 Unit 3: Research article Purpose: to guide students in the writing of a research article. Students are required to submit a research proposal (HONARP-C) on a specific topic of their choice, subject to the approval of the course coordinatior. The article (HONARA-S) should not exceed 30 pages. 5. GUIDELINES ON THE EXAMINATION (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) The duration of the examination of each of the modules of unit 1 is 2 hours. The duration of the examination of unit 2 is 3 hours. Examinations in the modules of unit 1 takes place in January/February. Examination in the module of unit 2 take place in October/November. The Research Article must be submitted before or concurrently with the final examination, i.e. the last module(s). The article should be + 30 pages in length, excluding notes, and must be typed in double spacing. The article carries 3 times the weight of an examination module. In order to pass, a minimum of 50% must be obtained in each module and the article. 6. ASSIGNMENTS The required number of assignments will be specified in the tutorial matter.

8 7 7. GENERAL Registered students will receive study material containing the syllabus and range of topics for the current year from the Department. Students must inform the departmental secretary (in writing) of their choice of modules. All general enquiries regarding study material, course content, assignments, etc, should be directed to: Art History Honours Coordinator Department of Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology University of South Africa PO Box 392 UNISA 0003 Enquiries regarding admission requirements, registration, fees, etc, should be directed to: The Registrar (Academic) University of South Africa PO Box 392 UNISA 0003

9 8 SOME GUIDELINES CONCERNING ADMISSION TO THE STUDIES FOR THE MA DEGREE IN ART HISTORY (These guidelines also apply to the DLitt et Phil degree in Art History.) 1. REGISTRATION PROCEDURE 1.1 To qualify for registration for the MA degree in Art History, a candidate must hold an Honours BA degree in Art History and must have obtained an average of at least 65% (the Head of the Department reserves the right to make exceptions to this rule). 1.2 Application for registration When a prospective student applies for registration or expresses an interest in the MA or DLitt et Phil degree in Art History, the student receives an information brochure, as well as an application form issued by the Department of Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology The candidate will be requested to complete the departmental application form, which will contain the following information: (a) (b) (c) (d) Personal details. Academic history and qualifications. A preliminary title for the dissertation/thesis. A typed three-paged preliminary dissertation proposal in which a brief outline is given of the research area; research methods; a preliminary bibliography The completed application form must be submitted to the Coordinator of the Postgraduate Degrees who will present it to the Postgraduate Degrees Committee, who might accept, reject or

10 9 question the proposal If the preliminary proposal is accepted, the candidate will be advised to proceed with registration If the preliminary proposal is rejected, or questioned, the Postgraduate Degrees Committee may recommend one of the following: (a) (b) (c) A change of research topic and the submission of a new dissertation/thesis proposal. The submission of an essay of academic standard as prerequisite for a revised or changed dissertation/thesis proposal. The registration, for non-degree purposes, for one or more Honours modules or a Art History III or IV modules. 1.3 Supervision Once the Postgraduate Degrees Committee has approved the preliminary proposal and has recommended registration, a supervisor and joint supervisor are appointed. The terms promoter and joint promoter are used for a doctoral thesis Candidates residing in South Africa, are expected to meet their supervisors/promoters at least twice every year to discuss their work The supervisors/promoters will henceforth be responsible for the guidance of the candidate's research. They will discuss the preliminary research proposal with the candidate and give guidance as to: (a) A detailed research proposal of approximately words, and the exact wording of the title of the dissertation/ thesis, which should reflect the specific choices made by the

11 10 candidate. (See Guidelines for The Extended Dissertation/Thesis Proposal under point 3.) (b) NB: A time-table and work schedule for the year, ensuring that by the end of the first year of study a candidate will have submitted a detailed research proposal, as well as the draft of at least the Introduction and/or Chapter 1 of the dissertation/thesis, that is, + one-third of the dissertation or thesis. Registration for the second year of study will only be recommended if a candidate has fulfilled the above obligations. 2. CURRICULUM The curriculum comprises a dissertation on an approved topic. The degree will be awarded with distinction if 75% is obtained. 3. THE EXTENDED DISSERTATION/THESIS PROPOSAL The dissertation/thesis proposal should include the following: 3.1 A clear definition of the premise of research (approximately 200 words). 3.2 Substantiation of the choice of research to be undertaken. This involves a brief literature study on the area of research, commenting on the relevance of publications for the research to be undertaken and emphasising also existing gaps in the literature, which might be filled by the candidate's proposed research (approximately words). 3.3 A clear explanation of the proposed research methods to be used for this particular research, should be given (approximately 500 words).

12 An exposition of the contents of the dissertation/thesis should be given. Under each heading (ie Preface; Introduction; Chapters, etc) an indication should be given of the concepts, ideas and problems the candidate intends dealing with, and of the hypothesis that the candidate intends working towards. Where possible, the artworks which are to be discussed, should also be mentioned (approximately words). 3.5 Finally, a preliminary bibliography on the research topic should be included. This bibliography should not be an arbitrary one, but should reflect the research the candidate has already undertaken and on which points of the dissertation/thesis proposal have been based. The importance of articles in art historical periodicals is stressed here. A subject librarian at the Unisa library (Mrs M Tucker) has been appointed to help the candidates to make effective use of the library and to help them to obtain particular literature for their research project. NB: Although careful consideration of the title and the proposal is given at this point, both the title and the nature of the contents could be changed or redefined at a later stage. The dissertation/thesis should not become a mere mechanical expansion of the proposal. The latter should, however, be seen as an important document in the initial stages of the research and should serve to organise ideas and to determine an area of interest. The length of the various sections of the dissertation/ thesis proposal may also differ, depending on the nature of the research project.

13 The finalised title, as well as the extended proposal for the dissertation/thesis, must be submitted to the supervisor/promoter before the end of the first year of registration. This is the minimum requirement for reregistration, which will only be recommended if this requirement has been fulfilled. 4. THE MA DISSERTATION AND/OR DLitt et Phil THESIS 4.1 Six-monthly progress reports should be submitted to the supervisor/promoter at the end of May and November each year. 4.2 Candidates are reminded to follow exactly the Reference techniques recommended by the Department. A brochure containing the Departmental Reference techniques will be issued to them on registration. Make sure, from the outset, that all bibliographical data, quotations and the empirical data concerning artworks, are absolutely correct. It is not the supervisor's/ promoter's duty to check these, but it must be remembered that all the examiners will eventually scrutinise these details carefully. NB: It is essential here to point out that in MA/DLitt et Phil research candidates' intellectual independence is assessed and their research methods tested. For this reason, the nature of supervision differs from guidance given at undergraduate level. Candidates are expected to be self-motivated and to take the initiative in the research. Language, lay-out (the structuring of the research material), as well as the efficient use of the library and archives, are their responsibility. Supervision at this level involves guidance in the form of critical discussions of problematic issues, questioning of concepts or ideas, as well as suggestions and comments concerning source material.

14 For the final presentation of the dissertation/thesis, please consult the brochure General Information: Studies for Master's and Doctor's Degrees. Every dissertation/thesis for the MA/DLitt et Phil degree in Art History should be illustrated with black-and-white or colour photographs where necessary. 5. REREGISTRATION Recommendation for reregistration depends every year, on the amount, but above all, on the quality of the work submitted. Recommendation for reregistration will be made after consultation with the supervisor/promoter and the Postgraduate Degrees Committee. NB: Reregistration will, however, only be considered, if a candidate has fulfilled the obligations outlined below: 5.1 Reregistration for the second year of study will be recommended if a candidate has submitted a fully acceptable proposal ( words) for his/her research, as well as a draft of his/her Introduction and/or Chapter 1, that is, + one-third of the dissertation or thesis. 5.2 Reregistration for the third year of study will be recommended if a candidate has completed his/her Introduction, the first two chapters, as well as a draft of the third chapter, that is, + two-thirds of the dissertation or thesis. 5.3 Reregistration for the final year of MA studies will be approved if the candidate has completed at least three chapters of his/her dissertation and has submitted a draft of all other chapters, that is, a draft of the full dissertation.

15 Only in exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to students for reregistration for a further year of study. 5.5 DLitt et Phil students will be granted permission to reregister for a fifth year of study if they have completed at least four chapters and have submitted a draft of all remaining chapters, that is, of the complete thesis. 5.6 Only in exceptional cases will permission be granted for reregistration for a further year of study. The University reserves the right to refuse reregistration for the degree if the progress of candidates is unsatisfactory. 6. ANNUAL SEMINAR A seminar for Honours, MA, MVA and DLitt et Phil candidates is held annually at Unisa in Pretoria. With the exception of Honours students not doing research articles, all candidates are expected to prepare 20 to 30 minute papers on aspects of their research. MVA candidates are expected also to discuss their practical work. With the exception of overseas students all are expected to attend. Overseas students must, however, submit written papers to their respective supervisors or promoters.

16 15 TEACHING STAFF Dr E L Basson Mr F J Eksteen Ms A Krajewska Ms G Miller Dr F J Potgieter Ms W Ross Mr J P van der Watt Dr B M R van Haute BA(Hons), MA (UP), DLitt et Phil (Unisa) BA(FA), MA(FA) (UP) Dip in Interior Design (Pta Tech), BA(FA) (Unisa), MA(FA) (UP) BA(FA), HEd (PU vir CHO), MA(FA) (UP) BA(FA), HEd (UCT), MA(FA) (Unisa), DPhil (Stellenbosch) MA(FA) (Unisa) MA(FA) (Unisa), TED(Art) Licenciaat in Kunsgeskiedenis en Oudheidkunde (Rijksuniversiteit van Gent), DLitt et Phil (Unisa) For further information please contact the coordinator of postgraduate degrees, Dr Frikkie Potgieter, at: Tel: (012) Fax: (012) potgifj@unisa.ac.za UNISA