1. This Report presents the findings of an assessment in October 1997 of the quality of education in the history of art and architecture provided by the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London.
2. The Courtauld Institute of Art was founded as a Senate Institute of the University of London in 1931 to 'provide instruction in the history of art and to promote research, especially by training and assisting students'. It is presently located within Somerset House in the Strand in central London.
3. At the time of the assessment visit, there were 265 full-time equivalent (FTE) students in the Institute, 115 of whom were undergraduates and 150 postgraduates. There were 27 FTE staff.
4. The following provision forms the basis of the assessment:
Aims
The Courtauld Institute aims to provide an education which:
1. Enables students to study the range of western art and architecture from different times and places and to make choices which allow a varied and progressive knowledge and understanding of its history, encountering a variety of learning experiences with teachers who are actively engaged in research.
2. Sets out the nature of art history and its methodologies, both past and present, and is in contact with the international community of scholars.
3. Makes available ancillary tools (including image collections) and disciplines (including the history and conservation of physical materials and the history of dress), and encourages study of objects both in the Institute's Gallery and in London as well as first-hand contact with objects in their places of production and display.
4. Enables students to acquire the subject-specific skills and critical independence required for a career in the arts.
5. Develops transferable skills such as working effectively in small groups, sharing and evaluating knowledge and ideas, carrying out specified projects, and developing and presenting individual proposals within specified time limits.
Objectives
On the completion of their programmes, undergraduates will have:
1. Achieved close and direct study of works of western art and architecture and the ability to interpret them conceptually in historical terms, with a knowledge of historical outlines and with more specialist contact with chosen areas and subjects.
2. Acquired the competence to find and read texts critically, both in English and in at least one European language.
3. Shown independent judgement and proficiency in handling and evaluating evidence and arguments.
4. Demonstrated ability to present and communicate information and arguments clearly and effectively in writing and orally, within deadlines, and so be fitted for a variety of occupations, including careers in the arts.
On the completion of their programmes:
5. PG Diploma graduates will have knowledge of the historical outlines of western art and have engaged with chosen areas and have acquired a general understanding of the nature of art historical literature and methodologies.
6. PG Diploma in Conservation graduates will have a training in the principles and practices of conservation and be equipped to enter professional employment.
7. MA graduates will have completed a specialist training and have engaged with a substantial research project and be equipped to enter employment as art historians; those passing at the highest level will be able to proceed to advanced research without further training in fundamental art historical skills and methods.
6. The graded profile in paragraph 7 indicates the
extent to which the student learning experience and
achievement demonstrate that the aims and objectives
set by the subject provider are being met. The tests
and the criteria applied by the reviewers are these:
Aspects of provision
1. Curriculum Design, Content and Organisation
2. Teaching, Learning and Assessment
3. Student Progression and Achievement
4. Student Support and Guidance
5. Learning Resources
6. Quality Management and Enhancement.
Tests to be applied
To what extent do the student learning experience and
student achievement, within this aspect of provision,
contribute to meeting the objectives set by the subject
provider?
Do the objectives set, and the level of attainment of
those objectives, allow the aims set by the subject
provider to be met?
Scale points
1 The aims and/or objectives set by the subject provider are not met; there are major shortcomings that must be rectified.
2 This aspect makes an acceptable contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives, but significant improvement could be made. The aims set by the subject provider are broadly met.
3 This aspect makes a substantial contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives; however, there is scope for improvement. The aims set by the subject provider are substantially met.
4 This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
7. The grades awarded as a result of the assessment are:
8. The quality of education in the history of art, architecture and design at the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London is approved.
10. The undergraduate curriculum encourages the study of a range of periods, with distinctive methodologies and approaches, while insisting on high quality of individual inquiry and independence of viewpoint. Survey courses, available to all students, are a particularly valuable element in the curriculum. These courses are pitched at a level which is comprehensible to beginners in the subject, but also sufficiently analytical and speculative to be used with benefit by PGDip students and others. First-year students, therefore, benefit from the interventions of more experienced undergraduates and postgraduates.
11. A great deal of effort has gone into the first-year survey course, and lectures are very well attended and highly regarded by students. The form of many of the first-year essays involves going to look at works of art in London collections, and this 'hands-on' approach is developed in the two topic courses which students take in the first year. The objective of introducing students to works of art as primary sources is therefore being met.
12. The first-year undergraduate courses help to equalise the skills of the students, whose previous experience does not typically include a GCE A-Level in art history. Supporting this skills base are two further courses, on Methodology and on Works of Art as Physical Objects. The knowledge and insights gained in the first year help students to select their subsequent courses, which progress towards increasingly specialised study culminating in a self-selected long essay in the third year. Although some students criticised the range of course choice, the assessors feel that the offering is sufficiently varied and has the advantage of exploiting the research interests of staff.
13. Since 1995, students have been required to include in their profile courses from each of the four main chronological periods studied. This rule, coupled with the fact that students agree to be allocated to second or third-choice courses, enables an efficient use of staff, and encourages breadth. There does not seem to have been a deleterious impact on the level of specialisation in third-year work.
14. The MA in the History of Art offers good specialist training. To an extent, the curriculum is responsive to demand; this has led to a numerical imbalance, with nearly half the students opting for the modern period. The Courtauld Institute is flexible enough in its staffing policies to be able to accommodate this imbalance. Considerable effort has gone into extending the taught components over two terms. The quality achieved in most dissertations shows that a good grounding in research skills has been achieved.
15. The Postgraduate Diploma in the History of Art meets a number of diverse functions, from being a second-chance opportunity to operating as a conversion course for graduates. Between a quarter and a third of PGDip students progress to the MA. The apparent anomaly of re-using first-year undergraduate survey lectures and second-year subject courses in a postgraduate diploma is justified by the high quality of the undergraduate provision, which is up to date and challenging. In addition, there are separate discussion and seminar classes and separate methodology courses for the postgraduate students. The three-year Postgraduate Diplomas in Conservation provide excellent expert preparation for professional practice.
16. This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Curriculum Design, Content and Organisation:
Grade 4.
18. The quality of teaching observed was high. A representative range of 19 classes was observed, including lectures, seminars, practical workshops and classes held in galleries and museums. Of these sessions, 74 per cent were grade 4, 21 per cent were grade 3 and 5 per cent were grade 2. There were no grade 1 classes.
19. The lecturers are enthusiastic and stimulating, and their active research interests inform and enhance the teaching. Most sessions observed were well planned and objectives were clearly defined and understood by the students. Additional positive features were the appropriate use of preparatory work, useful handouts, and the imaginative use of case studies and resources to contextualise material. Students were articulate, displaying confidence, independence and motivation. Where appropriate, there was strong and effective student participation in sessions. In less successful sessions, although the quality of delivery remained high, the students were less engaged and unsure of the learning objectives.
20. A variety of teaching patterns are used, with an emphasis on small-group teaching. In the BA programme, this policy has a limiting effect on flexibility and choice available to students. But they are aware of this and express a preference for working in small groups to an increase in specialist choices.
21. The nature of teaching is appropriately geared to each phase, with a high percentage of lectures in the early stages of all the programmes. The multidisciplinary nature of the Postgraduate Diplomas in Conservation courses requires students to acquire a wide range of knowledge and skills relating to conservation practices. The teaching provides for the diverse student profile, with optional courses in arts and sciences in the first year. Students are required to develop practical skills, critical evaluation and judgement in both preventive and interventive conservation treatment; this results in an emphasis on practical work, under supervision, which increases as the courses progress.
22. In all programmes, students are expected to demonstrate increasing independence, critical evaluation of source material, and written and oral communication skills. Observations of students' work and their participation in taught seminars confirm that this is being achieved. The self-assessment's claim that 'learning is enhanced through the progressive encouragement of individual student initiative and enterprise' is therefore well substantiated.
23. The student workload is demanding. There is a considerable requirement for essay writing in the art history programmes, and for oral presentations in all programmes; this supports the development of transferable skills. The workload is clearly outlined in course handbooks, as are assignment submission dates. This encourages and supports the objective for students to demonstrate the 'ability to present and communicate information and arguments clearly and effectively in writing and orally, within deadlines, and so be fitted for a variety of occupations, including careers in the arts'.
24. A variety of assessment approaches are used, including self-assessment. Assessments are matched to levels and to the aims and objectives of each programme area. They encourage the acquisition of subject-specific skills, including visual analysis.
25. Regular and constructive feedback is recognised and valued by students as a strong support to their learning and progression. However, there are no explicit or written criteria for the assessment and grading of students' work. Students are not therefore able to understand clearly and consistently what level of achievement they have attained in their written work, nor what they have to do to improve performance where this is necessary.
26. Although staff claim to share a common understanding of assessment criteria, it is not clear to the assessors how this is communicated to students in a sufficiently consistent and equitable fashion. Students expressed some concern to the assessors that feedback was not always comprehensive and clear and that they would benefit from more regular written feedback with a clearly delineated grading profile. This concern was also expressed by a sizeable proportion of the 1997 finalists in feedback to staff. Opportunities to reinforce and acknowledge the development of recognised common skills may therefore be missed.
27. This aspect makes a substantial contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives; however, there is scope for improvement. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Teaching, Learning and Assessment:
Grade 3.
29. Only a minority of students entering the undergraduate course have GCE A-Levels in art history, and many of the international students have come through very different undergraduate programmes. Despite this diversity, the students' learning experience enables the majority of them to acquire a very high level of art historical knowledge and skills. The emphasis on small-group teaching allows staff to work closely with individual students.
30. From the work seen by the assessors, it is clear that students' proficiency in presentation skills, writing skills and skills of visual analysis is excellent. External examiners give consistently high praise for the students' work and attainment. Their comments, with which the assessors fully agree, praise the ability of students to deal with a broad range of art historical methods and suggest that at MA level students often produce work worthy of publication.
31. The quality of the student intake is matched by the Institute's high retention rates, and good levels of progression and completion. Some 95 per cent of students complete the course, and those who leave do so for personal reasons rather than dissatisfaction with the course or inability to progress. Many students remain at the Courtauld Institute to take more than one degree. Between a third and a half of the postgraduate diploma students who complete the degree at a pass of 60 per cent or better continue to the MA, and high-quality MA students progress to a PhD.
32. Figures for the past three years of the undergraduate degree show that 80.4 per cent of students achieved a First or Upper Second class degree; 18.7 per cent achieved Lower Seconds, and only 0.9 per cent received Thirds. The proportion of Upper Second class degrees has steadily increased to 78.9 per cent in 1996-97. Students on the Postgraduate Diploma and MA course in the history of art have achieved at least an 85 per cent pass rate, while the Postgraduate Diplomas in Conservation have a 100 per cent pass rate.
33. Progression to both employment and further study is good. First-destination indicate that two-thirds of the 1995 graduates either went on to further study or employment, while 64 per cent of the MA students went on to further study, training or employment. The Postgraduate Diplomas in Conservation show a particularly strong progression to internship or employment.
34. This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Student Progression and Achievement:
Grade 4.
36. Students are provided with detailed published information at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. The undergraduate handbook, for example, provides a wide range of information for new students on matters as diverse as general aims and objectives of the undergraduate degree, information from the academic office, course outlines, assessment deadlines, academic support and staff contact details. Arrangements for induction week in the first term are particularly full and helpful, and undergraduates much appreciate this early experience.
37. The staff handbook is also very clear about staff responsibilities to both undergraduate and postgraduate students on matters such as marking assignments, arrangements for oral presentations, writing student progress reports, and regulations concerning student attendance. Staff have posted office hours (on average two hours a week) in addition to appointments to see personal tutees.
38. Academic and pastoral support is provided at undergraduate level through a personal tutor system, which is well organised and effectively delivered. Each student is allocated a personal tutor at the beginning of the first year and s/he retains this role throughout the three years of the undergraduate degree. Personal tutors are required to see tutees twice a term; the tutors receive a copy of a progress report written by course leaders for every course taken by the student. Such reports are discussed with students by both the course tutor and the personal tutor, or at least by one of them. Some students reported that they consulted certain course tutors more than their personal tutor. Small teaching groups ensure that at both undergraduate and postgraduate level there is every opportunity for students to seek regular personal and academic advice from course leaders.
39. Central services such as accommodation, welfare and careers also provide detailed documentation for all students. For example, the London University Careers Office liaises closely with the Institute and provides a year-on-year programme of career talks on-site, as well as publishing valuable booklets on subjects such as the preparation of CVs and appropriate interview techniques.
40. The Institute follows the University of London's procedures for students with disabilities: ramps and lifts are available in several parts of the buildings, but it is recognised that an historic listed building cannot be fully provided with such facilities. The Institute's teaching and support staff make every effort to accommodate special needs students, for example by carefully locating teaching sessions and providing special help in the library.
41. This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Student Support and Guidance:
Grade 4.
43. Students greatly appreciate the regular use of external resources to contextualise works of art, and visits to collections in London are an integral part of the curriculum. Course handbooks give valuable information about relevant external resources available to students for independent research. Students following conservation courses make visits to conservation departments in London and abroad, and have access to additional specialised equipment in external conservation departments to support their research. The Institute provides some funding for art history students towards travel and photographic costs. Staff are successful in maintaining an impressive level of external funding to support students studying the conservation of wall paintings, in particular for the necessary fieldwork these students must undertake.
44. There is a wealth of on-site library resources. In addition to the Book Library, there are the Witt and the Conway Libraries with their extensive image collections, the well-stocked slide library and the specialised libraries in the conservation departments. Students have borrowing rights to all London University Libraries, and course handbooks give helpful information on additional library resources in London, which students are encouraged to use. All new acquisitions to the Book Library have been added to an on-line catalogue and there are plans to extend this facility for the whole collection. There is pressure on the book-loan collection, which staff are addressing by the purchase of additional multiple copies of texts where appropriate and by making greater use of short loans. There are limited possibilities for expansion, but the present provision for 75 readers will be expanded to 84 by Christmas 1997 and by a further 12 seats by Easter 1998. Particular features of the Book Library are the collection of rare and antique books, and the designated area for laptop computer users.
45. Information technology (IT) provision is limited. There is one small computer room for student use, located next to the Computer Support Centre. The Computer Support Centre offers a basic instruction session to students, and general advice and help. Further facilities and more advanced training are available to students at King's College London nearby. Access to the Internet is also limited, but there are plans to increase this with additional Internet cabling. Students on the conservation programmes have additional computer facilities, which include developing research programmes and databases.
46. Somerset House is an historic building, and its conversion for the Institute required that architectural features be retained. Teaching accommodation is good. In addition to the main lecture theatre and seminar rooms, staff use their offices for small-group teaching where their own collections of books and catalogues are valuable assets to the classes. All teaching rooms are well equipped and there is good technical support provided by staff from the slide library. Specialised accommodation is provided for the practical conservation work, including well-designed and equipped conservation studios and excellent facilities for the technical examination of art works.
47. This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Learning Resources:
Grade 4.
49. The course review of the undergraduate programme and the MA options in Dress and in Museum Studies show procedures that are clear, self-critical, subject to external scrutiny and that involve open and wide-ranging debate among the staff. The function of the Academic Teaching and Planning Committee has evolved in response to these changes, with quality assurance taking a more prominent role and the Committee functioning as a course validator, as well as a forum for discussion of staffing, planning and institutional procedural matters. A rigorous system of response to student questionnaires has been initiated, which shows that staff endeavour to identify student concerns and act on them whenever possible.
50. The examination 'mini-boards' designated to oversee examination practices within individual sections of the curriculum are carefully monitored by two internal assessors, who ensure parity of practice in examination procedure across the Institute. The views of external examiners are taken into account and acted upon through discussion at Academic Planning and Teaching Committees of Academic Board meetings.
51. In achieving its goal of matching the research strengths of staff with their teaching, the Courtauld Institute enhances quality through its careful attention to staffing matters. It does this in particular by the provision of regular staff study leave, the attention paid to policies intended to enhance staff research opportunities, and the recruitment of high-quality lecturers, assistant lecturers and teaching assistants who concentrate on their areas of expertise.
52. Funding is made available to full-time staff for research purposes and conference attendance, as well as for staff development courses designed to enhance the quality of their teaching. A mentoring system with clear guidelines is in operation for new teaching staff at all levels, and a staff handbook gives clear and detailed guidelines about the management of courses, delivery of teaching, administrative structures, and support and welfare services.
53. Staff needs are identified through appraisal, which works on two levels as staff are appraised both within their section and by the Director of the Institute. An informal system of peer review, as well as team teaching, ensures sharing of best practice among staff.
54. The assessors found the self-assessment document to be a helpful document in describing the work of the Courtauld Institute and it provided a clear agenda for the visit.
55. This aspect makes a full contribution to the attainment of the stated objectives. The aims set by the subject provider are met.
Quality Assurance and Enhancement:
Grade 4.
57. The positive features of the education in the history of art and architecture in relation to the aspects of provision include the following: