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This module will examine issues in aesthetics and art theory. Students will engage with questions concerned with the definition of art, the nature of aesthetic experience and value judgements.

Students will be required to find ways to make and articulate value judgements about a broad range of visual media. They will be required to consider a variety of theories about the nature, value and purpose of art, examine a range of critical approaches and methodologies concerned with the interpretation of art. Issues for debate will include: the relationships of high, mass and popular culture; the relationships of maker/producer to viewer/consumer and the related issues of intention, expression, skill and commerce; the problems of evaluation, relativism, taste and originality.

Students will be encouraged to begin to develop their ideas for dissertation proposals.

A student passing this module should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of a range of theories concerned with the meaning and value of art works
2. Demonstrate the ability to apply skills of critical analysis in the construction of a reasoned argument about aesthetic values
3. Demonstrate the ability to articulate an informed critical position in relation to contemporary debates about the meaning and value of art works
4. Demonstrate the ability to develop research strategies to underpin dissertation work at Level 6

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.