ARTS107 The Arts and Culture

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, seminars, workshops, screening, visits.

The arts have traditionally been studied in isolation, with emphasis on the particular qualities of each and without reference to the similarities existing between the various art forms. This unit introduces students to the formal study of aesthetics in the context of a number of art forms with an emphasis on Music, Drama, and Visual Arts. This unit adopts an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the Arts. It examines the ways in which the arts use codes and symbolic structures as a means of communication and involves students in exercises in reading and using these codes. This unit also establishes a platform for considering topical and significant arts issues in contemporary Australian society.

 

ARTS109 2D Studies 1

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials, studio workshops, gallery visits.

This unit will introduce students to the fundamental relationships that exist between media areas such as drawing, print-media, painting, and photography. Emphasis will be on the development of a critical awareness of practice in these forms through the exploration of the content and the context of contemporary art. The acquisition of essential skills, knowledge and values pertaining to two dimensional studies will be enhanced by studies in art and design history and theory, undertaken concurrently with this unit.

 

ARTS110 3D/4D Object Design 1

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials, studio workshops, gallery visits.

This unit is designed to introduce students to a diverse range of approaches to 3D and 4D forms and object design, through the completion of a number of project-based exercises that will lay the foundation for further studies in these areas. Questions of intention and the conceptual framework in which works are conceived and produced will be addressed.

 

ARTS111 Graphic Design 1

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Computer laboratory classes, lectures, tutorials and small-group practice.

This unit introduces students to computers, including hardware, software and design applications as they are used in the graphics and media industry. The range of software programs applied to project-based exercises will include image manipulation, typography, photographic enhancement and desktop publishing applications. An understanding of the content and context of contemporary graphic design practice will be examined in relation to the exercises completed by the student, and will be enhanced by concurrent studies in art and design history and theory.

 

ARTS112 Art and Design History and Theory 1

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials and gallery visits and/or flexible delivery.

This unit examines art and design history and theory, commencing with the nineteenth century and concluding with World War II. It examines the production of art and design and theories and meanings within the context of society, politics, culture and religion. It investigates a variety of modes of visual representation ranging from Realism, Symbolism and Expressionism to early twentieth century avant-gardes such as Futurism, Dada and Surrealism. These will be considered within the context of industrialisation, technological transformations, colonisation and international conflicts.

 

ARTS113 2D Studies 2

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials, studio workshops, gallery visits.
This unit is designed to extend the development of concepts, processes and techniques as they relate to projects in two dimensional media areas such as drawing, painting, photography and print-media. It continues the focus of study upon production methods but with increased attention to the conceptual possibilities offered by these activities.

 

ARTS114 3D/4D Object Design 2

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials, studio workshops, gallery visits.

Students will further develop their knowledge of the processes and skills relevant to the production of selected 3D and 4D forms and object design. They will extend their experience and knowledge of research methods appropriate to the visual arts and will move towards individual concept formation. An understanding of contemporary practice, nationally and globally, will be a focus of the unit.

 

ARTS115 Graphic Design 2

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Computer laboratory classes, lectures, tutorials and small-group practice.

This unit extends the basic skills and understandings developed as a result of studies undertaken in Graphic Design 1. An investigation of graphic design practice and history, requiring students to extend their use of software applications and their research skills into contextualised issues in graphics and media design will be a focus of the content of the unit. Technical skills will be further developed in print media with an emphasis on preparing publications for printing.

 

ARTS116 Art and Design History and Theory 2

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials, museum and gallery visits and/or flexible delivery.

This unit examines the major forms of cultural production in art and design in relation to changing social, political, and economic contexts from the 1940s to the present. Students are introduced to a broad range of topics such as abstract expressionism, pop art, conceptual art, minimalism, performance art, land-site specific art, feminist art, installation, video and performance. Contemporary and current issues relating to studying the period are presented.

 

ARTS225 2D Studies 3

10 cp
Prerequisites 10 cp at 100-level 2D Studies units
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials, studio workshops, gallery visits.

This unit is designed to extend the development of concepts, processes and techniques as they relate to projects selected from two-dimensional media areas such as advanced drawing, painting, print-media and photomedia. It continues the focus upon production methods but with increased attention on the conceptual contexts that arise as a result of making artworks.

 

ARTS226 3D/4D Object Design 3

10 cp
Prerequisites 10 cp at 100-level 3D/4D Studies units
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials, studio workshops, gallery visits.

This studio-based unit will continue to build upon concepts, skills and knowledge about 3D, 4D and object design practice developed in previous units. Students will complete a series of project-based works such as site-specific, temporal, ephemeral or performance-based installations as well as works which explore concepts and skills related to object making. The relationship between their own work and current art practice should be evident in the works they make, and will be informed by the knowledge about art and design historical and theoretical contexts studied concurrently with this unit.

 

ARTS227 Graphic Design 3

10 cp
Prerequisites 10 cp at 100-level Graphic Design units
Teaching Organisation Computer laboratory classes, lectures, tutorials and small group practice.

This unit provides opportunities for students both to learn theoretical principles and to undertake projects in graphic design for the internet. Students will examine theoretical underpinnings of design briefs and proposals, and fulfil them in a way that shows an understanding of prevailing conventions. Practical skills in graphic design in web and 2D animation media will be taught and applied in a range of projects. Knowledge about the historical and theoretical contexts of art and design acquired in art history and theory units that are components of this course will be applied to the students’ emerging practice.

 

ARTS228 Art and Design History and Theory 3

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials, gallery and museum visits and/or flexible delivery.

This unit aims to critique concepts of the past, such as the Western canon and its theorising by art writers. The unit interrogates historiography of art and design to increase student awareness of the past and its histories. Agencies such as art writers, museums, collectors and art academies, theorists and viewers are examined to find meaning behind the longevity of value and quality. Fields such as Marxism, psychology, mythology and semiology are used to inform investigations. The unit increases the breadth of art historical knowledge and art histories as well as the broader domain of visual culture through case studies. The spiritual and religious function evident in material culture will be examined in the course of this investigation.

 

ARTS231 Art and Design History and Theory 4

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials and/or flexible delivery.

This unit aims to extend students’ understanding of the practical value of historical scholarship in the visual domain. Object and systems designs and their historical and cultural contexts are examined to show the reification of industrial or technological concepts and discoveries. Investigation of the relationships between forms of visual culture provides a forum for discourse analysis. It is expected that materials and ideas in this unit will increase students’ capacity to apply knowledge to their own visual practice.

 

ARTS232 Volunteer Experience

0 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Students undertake a period of voluntary service with a community organisation.

Australian Catholic University endeavours to develop students who are able to exercise moral and professional autonomy in a pluralistic society. The Mission Statement identifies the University as having a commitment to serving the common good with a fundamental concern for justice and equity, and for the dignity of all human beings. Recommendation 17 of the Implementation Plan for the Strategic Plan 1999 - 2008supports the development of student awareness of social responsibility to the wider community. Graduates should be persons whose moral development is mature and who are professionally competent, and able to make significant contributions to the profession and the wider community. The Volunteer Experience unit enables students to contribute to community service in tangible ways that may enable ethical, spiritual and personal development.

 

ARTS234 3D/4D Object Design 1

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials, studio workshops, gallery visits.
This unit is designed to introduce students to a diverse range of approaches to 3D and 4D forms and object design, through the completion of a number of project-based exercises that will lay the foundation for further studies in these areas. Questions of intention and the conceptual framework in which works are conceived and produced will be addressed.

 

ARTS235 Art and Design History and Theory 1

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials and gallery visits and/or flexible delivery.

This unit examines art and design history and theory, commencing with the nineteenth century and concluding with World War II. It examines the production of art and design and theories and meanings within the context of society, politics, culture and religion. It investigates a variety of modes of visual representation ranging from Realism, Symbolism and Expressionism to early twentieth century avant-gardes such as Futurism, Dada and Surrealism. These will be considered within the context of industrialisation, technological transformations, colonisation and international conflicts.

 

ARTS236 3D/4D Object Design 2

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials, studio workshops, gallery visits.

Students will further develop their knowledge of the processes and skills relevant to the production of selected 3D and 4D forms and object design. They will extend their experience and knowledge of research methods appropriate to the visual arts and will move towards individual concept formation. An understanding of contemporary practice, nationally and globally, will be a focus of the unit.

 

ARTS237 Art and Design History and Theory 2

10 cp
Prerequisites Nil
Teaching Organisation Lectures, tutorials, museum and gallery visits and/or flexible delivery.

This unit examines the major forms of cultural production in art and design in relation to changing social, political, and economic contexts from the 1940s to the present. Students are introduced to a broad range of topics such as abstract expressionism, pop art, conceptual art, minimalism, performance art, land-site specific art, feminist art, installation, video and performance. Contemporary and current issues relating to studying the period are presented.

 

ARTS238 2D Studies 4

10 cp
Prerequisites 10 cp at 100-level 2D Studies units
Teaching Organisation 3 hours per week for 12 weeks or equivalent, with the periods divided appropriately between lectures, tutorials, studio workshops and gallery visits.

This unit is designed to extend the students’ skills and techniques of 2D studies including painting, drawing, printmaking and photography and to broaden the conceptual and critical framework in which artworks are conceived. Emphasis will be placed on the interdisciplinary approach to facilitate cross-media study as well as exploring the values of contemporary art practice.

 

ARTS239 3D/4D Studies 4

10 cp
Prerequisites 10 cp at 100-level 3D/4D Studies units
Teaching Organisation 3 hours per week for 12 weeks or equivalent, with the periods divided appropriately between lectures, tutorials, studio workshops and gallery visits.

This unit is designed to extend students’ enquiry into 3D and 4D forms and object design. Students will work on studio-based projects leading to more individual approaches to art making in order to accommodate a more personal creative direction. Continuing analyses and critical evaluation of the works will be addressed in relation to contemporary art practice.

 

ARTS240 Graphic Design 4

10 cp
Prerequisites 10 cp at 100-level Graphic Design units
Teaching Organisation 3 hours per week for 12 weeks or equivalent, with the periods divided appropriately between lectures, discussions, both individual and group, student research, on site investigations.

This unit provides opportunities for students to both develop skills and to undertake projects in graphic design for the internet, advanced 2D animation and 3D animation. Practical skills in graphic design in web, 2D animation and 3D animation media will be taught and applied according to design briefs that show an understanding of contemporary design trends. Current practice and application of digital media will be investigated in relation to the historical and theoretical contexts of art and design acquired in art history and theory units that are components of this course.