POSTGRADUATE PROSPECTUS

58ART AND ARCHAEOLOGYDIPLOMA IN ASIAN ART(SUBJECT TO APPROVAL)DURATIONOne year – full-time (PGDip),or three months (Certificate)START OF PROGRAMMEJanuary intake (PGDip), or modular (Certificate)ENTRY REQUIREMENTSNormally BA degree or equivalent. Otherqualifications (e.g., published work, relevantprofessional experience) may be acceptable.Non-standard applications are considered ontheir merits, and applicants may be asked tosubmit written work for appraisal and/or attendan interview. No knowledge of the arts of Asianecessary, but serious interest in the area desirable.This new programme offers a unique opportunityto study the arts of Asia. Within a sound academicframework it combines a concentrated survey ofAsian Art with object-based teaching. Lecturesare given by leading experts on China, Indiaand South East Asia, Japan and Korea and theIslamic world, and students are able to handlethe reserved collections and have direct access tomuseum curators of the Victoria and Albert andthe British Museum.The lecture programme is supported by fieldtrips to other museums, galleries and privatecollections. The diploma will train museumcurators or serious collectors. It will preparestudents for work in a variety of professions inthe art and the museum world and provides apathway to the Masters degree for those withno former background in the subject.Students can choose one or more in combinationof the four three-month modules on offer annually,which are listed below. Those who successfullycomplete a single module will be awarded acertificate. Students who successfully complete threemodules will be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma.The four courses offered are:• Arts of China: January – March 2008• Arts of Japan and Korea: April – July 2008• Arts of the Islamic world: April – July 2008• Arts of India: September – December 2008Further details from Dr Heather Elgood(asianart@soas.ac.uk)AIMS• To develop a sound visual method for analysingand documenting works of art;• To develop visual skills through the directexamination of objects;• To develop research skills using primary andsecondary sources;• To develop writing and communicationskills: to formulate and structure an academicviewpoint and to use visual analysis to supportand document this argument;• To develop in students an understanding ofcertain museum skills such as the cataloguingof objects; the selection of objects for anexhibition, and putting material objects intheir cultural context.STRUCTUREIssues and themes dealt with in weekly lecturesare developed further through frequent visits tomuseum collections, revision sessions and seminars.Lectures are given by museum curators, universitylecturers and international experts and are(generally from 10:00 to 15:30) on three and a halfdays a week. The weekly review sessions with coursetutors involve revision, slide tests and seminars.Students have regular access to the handling ofthe reserve collections at the British Museum,Victoria and Albert museum and guided visitsto other museums. Field trips and formal andinformal tutorials are also part of the programme.Heavenly tea time – detail from a Chinese porcelain vase