Collection Management

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

140 hours

Admission to the Master of Art Curatorship program (038AB)

Major in art history or a cognate discipline, or other background as deemed appropriate after individual student discussion with the Subject Coordinator.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject will introduce students to the theory and practice of collection management as applied to collections of visual cultural material, with emphasis on works of art. This can range from wider debates regarding significance, ‘canons’ of art history and the impact of new technologies to specific skills associated with accessioning and de-accessioning, cataloguing systems, and collection policies. The subject will be taught in collaboration with the staff of the University of Melbourne’s Ian Potter Museum of Art.

Students who complete this subject will:

• have an understanding of the key issues in current debates regarding collection management and collection development; the ethical issues raised by de-accessioning; collections and sustainability;
• have an understanding of knowledge and skills relating to collection management practices, ranging from accessioning and de-accessioning works of art to provenance surveys, etc;
• have an understanding of knowledge and skills relating to cataloguing, significance assessments and other collection management tools;
• gain an understanding of the types of institutions and organisations that acquire collections of art and visual culture and their varying requirements.

• 1,500 word acquisition report due mid-semester (25%)
• 1,500 cataloguing exercise due late in semester (25%)
• 2,000 word essay due in Examination period (50%)

Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject.

A subject reader will be available.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject will:

• be able to research through the competent use of the library and other information sources, and be able to define areas of inquiry and methods of research in the preparation of essays;
• be able to conceptualise theoretical problems, form judgments and arguments and communicate critically, creatively and theoretically through essay writing, tutorial discussion and presentations;
• be able to communicate knowledge intelligibly and economically through essay writing and tutorial discussion;
• be able to manage and organise workloads for recommended reading, the completion of essays and assignments and examination revision;
• be able to participate in team work through involvement in syndicate groups and group discussions.