AH 211--Course Syllabus

History of Art (2H)

AH 211--Four Quarter Hours

Rachael Crouch
Seigfred 438
Ohio University-- Athens Campus
(740) 593-0441
crouch@ohio.edu

Please refer to the complete final course syllabus available on the course Website once the course begins.

Course
Description

Survey of Western painting, sculpture, and architecture from prehistoric through early Christian. Students advised but not required to enroll in 211, 212, and 213 in sequence. No credit to those with credit for CA 211.

Prerequisites

Not IART 211.

Methods of Course Instruction

This course will be conducted entirely through Blackboard.

Course Objectives	This course is a survey of a selection of art objects produced during a period of approximately 32,000 years, beginning with the Stone Age and ending with the fall of the Roman Empire. Among the works we will study are two- and three-dimensional objects in a variety of media, as well as architectural forms and structures erected by ancient civilizations. Many, if not most of the objects we will encounter this quarter are not clearly definable as works of art in the traditional sense; a more appropriate term for such material is “visual culture,” the significance of which is not limited to the period during it was produced. Our approach to the visual forms included in this survey will take into account the cultural, historical, political, religious, and social forces that influence artistic production. As we will see, contextual knowledge of art objects can provide valuable insights into the cultures and time periods with which they are associated, as well as our own.

Course Objectives

This course is a survey of a selection of art objects produced during a period of approximately 32,000 years, beginning with the Stone Age and ending with the fall of the Roman Empire. Among the works we will study are two- and three-dimensional objects in a variety of media, as well as architectural forms and structures erected by ancient civilizations. Many, if not most of the objects we will encounter this quarter are not clearly definable as works of art in the traditional sense; a more appropriate term for such material is “visual culture,” the significance of which is not limited to the period during it was produced. Our approach to the visual forms included in this survey will take into account the cultural, historical, political, religious, and social forces that influence artistic production. As we will see, contextual knowledge of art objects can provide valuable insights into the cultures and time periods with which they are associated, as well as our own.

General Course Requirements	Homepage, introduction, and response to two classmates’ introductions: This is not graded, but failure to do this will result in the final grade being lowered by half a letter grade. Five quizzes (20-30 points each): These will be multiple-choice, and will be over the textbook reading assigned for that week. Quizzes will be taken on Blackboard, and will be timed at 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the number of questions. Once a quiz is opened, it must be completed during that session—you will not be able to save your answers and go back to it later. (Hence, you will need to have completed the reading assignment before you begin, because you won’t have a lot of time to flip through the book to find the correct answers.) Four reading responses (25 points each): These are not really “responses” in the conventional sense. Rather, you will be provided with a series of study questions to go with the outside readings assigned for each week, which you will be required to answer in short-essay format. These are to be submitted twice on Blackboard: from the Assignments page and posted on the Discussion Board. Additionally, you must comment on two of your classmates’ responses. Failure to submit using both these methods will result in a 5-point deduction; failure to post comments on the Discussion Board will also result in a 5-point deduction. Two exams (100 points each): These will be taken on Blackboard, and will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions and one 50-point essay. The multiple-choice questions will be taken directly from the quizzes; the essay question will deal with the outside readings. The multiple-choice portion will be timed at 60 minutes, and you must complete it once you open it. The essay portion will not be timed, so you can save your work and go back to it later, as long as it is completed and submitted by the end of the designated exam period. The exam periods are listed in the schedule, which will be posted in Course Documents.

General Course Requirements

Homepage, introduction, and response to two classmates’ introductions: This is not graded, but failure to do this will result in the final grade being lowered by half a letter grade.
Five quizzes (20-30 points each): These will be multiple-choice, and will be over the textbook reading assigned for that week. Quizzes will be taken on Blackboard, and will be timed at 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the number of questions. Once a quiz is opened, it must be completed during that session—you will not be able to save your answers and go back to it later. (Hence, you will need to have completed the reading assignment before you begin, because you won’t have a lot of time to flip through the book to find the correct answers.)
Four reading responses (25 points each): These are not really “responses” in the conventional sense. Rather, you will be provided with a series of study questions to go with the outside readings assigned for each week, which you will be required to answer in short-essay format. These are to be submitted twice on Blackboard: from the Assignments page and posted on the Discussion Board. Additionally, you must comment on two of your classmates’ responses. Failure to submit using both these methods will result in a 5-point deduction; failure to post comments on the Discussion Board will also result in a 5-point deduction.
Two exams (100 points each): These will be taken on Blackboard, and will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions and one 50-point essay. The multiple-choice questions will be taken directly from the quizzes; the essay question will deal with the outside readings. The multiple-choice portion will be timed at 60 minutes, and you must complete it once you open it. The essay portion will not be timed, so you can save your work and go back to it later, as long as it is completed and submitted by the end of the designated exam period. The exam periods are listed in the schedule, which will be posted in Course Documents.

Materials

Required

Text(s)

Text(s): Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective (12th ed.) is the only book required for this course. If purchased new, the book is packaged with supplemental materials, which are useful, but not necessary.

Additional or Optional Materials
You will also have four outside reading assignments, which will consist of short scholarly articles or essays. These will be posted on Blackboard for you to download and print.

Note: The books for the course are in stock at College Bookstore, (740) 594-3505. Click here for online ordering.

Alternative source where materials should be obtained: You can purchase it at a discount online at http://ouart.thomsonsites.com.

Exams
Requirements

2 exams - No proctoring required

How are exams to be taken: Online, through Blackboard

Dates of Exams

Exam 1: July 7-9
Exam 2: July 23-25

Call the Ohio University Online Staff at 1-888-551-6446 if you have questions about this course or the enrollment process.

Call the education counselors in Lifelong and Distance Learning at (740) 593-2910 for information about online degree opportunities from Ohio University.