Students

AHIS3001 – Material Culture and Museum Studies

2021 – Session 2, Special circumstances

Session 2 Learning and Teaching Update

The decision has been made to conduct study online for the remainder of Session 2 for all units WITHOUT mandatory on-campus learning activities. Exams for Session 2 will also be online where possible to do so.

This is due to the extension of the lockdown orders and to provide certainty around arrangements for the remainder of Session 2. We hope to return to campus beyond Session 2 as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Some classes/teaching activities cannot be moved online and must be taught on campus. You should already know if you are in one of these classes/teaching activities and your unit convenor will provide you with more information via iLearn. If you want to confirm, see the list of units with mandatory on-campus classes/teaching activities.

Visit the MQ COVID-19 information page for more detail.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Javier Alvarez-Mon
Kenneth Sheedy
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above or (10cp in AHIS or AHST units at 2000 level)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

An advanced level study of some of the most common categories of material in the ancient world, including metals, stones, clay, animal and plant based fibers, timber and ivory, and various genres of materials production such as architecture, ceramics, sculpture, weaponry and equestrian equipment, with particular emphasis on technology, manufacture, function, style, iconography, chronology and spatial distribution. Material will normally be drawn from a diverse range of cultures, with specific physical examples from the collections of the Museum of Ancient Cultures, and may vary from year to year. Relying on this background, and in parallel, students will also be introduced to the history of museums and museum collections, the illicit trade of antiquities, the manufacture of forgeries, the participation of public museums and private collectors and related repercussions for the reconstruction of the historical record.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

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

  • ULO1: Understand ancient materials and the cultural contexts in which they were used. To examine the origin of materials and how things were made.
  • ULO2: Evaluate methodological and ethical issues associated with the role of Museums in the collection and exhibition of artifacts
  • ULO3: Acquire skills necessary for research analysis and interpretations. Conducting independent research and synthesize acquired knowledge.
  • ULO4: Deliver a power point oral presentation paper ( a “Conference Paper”) and communicate effectively with teaching staff and peers though class presentation.

General Assessment Information

 "Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 10 marks out of 100 credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline." 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Class Presentation 20% No 9am-5pm/6 September/2021
Research Essay 50% No 23:59pm/5 November/2021
Weekly Quiz 30% No Ongoing

Class Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 9am-5pm/6 September/2021
Weighting: 20%

The student will prepare an oral Power Point presentation, 13-15 minutes long, introducing the Research Essay.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire skills necessary for research analysis and interpretations. Conducting independent research and synthesize acquired knowledge.
  • Deliver a power point oral presentation paper ( a “Conference Paper”) and communicate effectively with teaching staff and peers though class presentation.

Research Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 60 hours
Due: 23:59pm/5 November/2021
Weighting: 50%

Long essay (3000 words long)


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand ancient materials and the cultural contexts in which they were used. To examine the origin of materials and how things were made.
  • Evaluate methodological and ethical issues associated with the role of Museums in the collection and exhibition of artifacts
  • Acquire skills necessary for research analysis and interpretations. Conducting independent research and synthesize acquired knowledge.

Weekly Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 30%

 

Each weekly reading comes with questions that discussed in class during tutorials. Together with the information provided in the Lectures they form the material of the Weekly quiz.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand ancient materials and the cultural contexts in which they were used. To examine the origin of materials and how things were made.
  • Evaluate methodological and ethical issues associated with the role of Museums in the collection and exhibition of artifacts
  • Acquire skills necessary for research analysis and interpretations. Conducting independent research and synthesize acquired knowledge.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Weekly recorded lectures and videos delivered in iLearn; Tutorials delivered both on-campus (as per COVID restrictions) and on-line. All materials are made avalilable to students through iLearn 

Consultation Hours:

 “Contact by Appointment”.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.


Unit information based on version 2021.03 of the Handbook