Students

AHIS3001 – Material Culture and Museum Studies

2022 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Kenneth Sheedy
ken.sheedy@mq.edu.au
Contact via contact teaching staff tab on iLearn
by appointment
Javier Alvarez-Mon
javier.alvarez-mon@mq.edu.au
by appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above or (20cp 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

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Rubrics and other guidance for the Assessments will be posted on our iLearn site and discussed in class. To complete the unit successfully you need a minimum mark of 50% overall, and all assessment tasks must be attempted. 

Marks awarded are as follows: F / FA: 0-49% P: 50-64% CR: 65-74% D: 75-84% HD: 85-100%

Late Assessment Submission Penalty: 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.   

This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON MARKS: Grading decisions for each assessment task will be moderated against the set criteria and standards before task results are released.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Media Presentation 20% No 26/9/2022
Research Essay 40% No 4/11/2022
Quiz 40% No Sundays 23:59, Weeks 2-7, 8-11

Media Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 16 hours
Due: 26/9/2022
Weighting: 20%

 

Students prepare a video on a selected topic for 'mini-conference' presentation.

 
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.
  • 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: 35 hours
Due: 4/11/2022
Weighting: 40%

 

Long essay (2000 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.

Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 12 hours
Due: Sundays 23:59, Weeks 2-7, 8-11
Weighting: 40%

 

Quiz on weekly lectures and set readings.

 
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

Required texts (available online through the Library):

The set texts for this unit are listed on the unit's Leganto site. The required readings will be listed on Leganto according to the week they are relevant.  

Supplemental readings:

We will also assign or recommend supplemental readings whenever we find an article or chapter that particularly supports what we are doing in the lecture and tutorial, or for the video presentation and the research essay. These may also be listed on Leganto or on special reading lists provided on the unit iLearn site.

NB: All set readings for class should be completed before the lecture, and must be completed before taking the quizzes and attending the tutorials.

UNIT WEBPAGE AND TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED This unit will use the iLearn system (https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/) to communicate with the students, so you will need access to a computer and a good internet connection. Basic computer and word-processing skills are also required.

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

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

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

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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.