Learning outcomes

Thinking and acting as a cultural critic, applying a reflective and critical approach to society through its past and present cultural and artistic output, is the main objective which students of the Master [120] in History of Art and Archaeology : General are called upon to achieve.

In this way, at the end of theirprogramme, students will have an active and integrated expert understanding of a corpus of disciplinary and multidisciplinary knowledge (awareness, terminology, issues, methods, conceptual frameworks) which is indispensable in order to be expert in the different fields of archaeology and the history of art. Students will be able to study and analyse a work or an object, a corpus, a site or a complex problem using archaeological and history of art methodologies, while at the same time improving their critical eye. Students can conduct original and individual research dealing with a significant and varied volume of data in accordance with a systematic and rigorous approach, demonstrating independence in managing a research project and an individual project, and more generally by keeping their knowledge updated.

In this way, the Department ARKE thereby wishes to train actors who are receptive to society and capable of understanding the cultural and socio-professional world and integrating into it with ease and efficiency.

On successful completion of this programme, each student is able to :

1. Think and act as a cultural critic: Apply a reflective and critical approach to society through its past and present cultural and artistic output.

1.1. Be an active citizen who is conscious of the global and socio-cultural issues at play in the examination of human output from the past and the present, by understanding their position in a complex socio-cultural and historical network ;
1.2. Encourage society to understand the importance of its material and audio output by making it aware of the conservation and development of its heritage, while being open to artistic manifestations of modern cultures ;
1.3. Demonstrate intellectual independence in reasoning, apply a critical eye to both material and intellectual output over a wide variety of collections (typological, chronological, geographical, etc.) ;
1.4. Think and act in a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary way by being open to other conceptual and methodological frameworks with a view not only to gathering knowledge but also to being able to form hypotheses themselves.

2. Mastery of knowledge: attain an active and integrated expert understanding of a select corpus of disciplinary and multidisciplinary knowledge (awareness, terminology, issues, methods, conceptual frameworks) which is indispensable in order to become an expert in the different fields of archaeology and the history of art.

2.1. Attain an expert grounding in every field of archaeology and the history of art ;
2.2. Attain specialist knowledge in even more specific fields ;
2.3. Articulate and challenge the theories of connected disciplines (history, literature, anthropology, geology, etc.) ;
2.4. Starting from the basis of the knowledge acquired, contribute to the development of new hypotheses in the fields of archaeology and the history of art and musicology, in connection with research.

3. Apply disciplinary methodologies: study and analyse a work or an object, a corpus, a site or a complex issue by calling upon archaeological and history of art methodologies and improving their critical eye.

3.1. Study a work or an object, a site, or a particular corpus using formal, technical, iconographical and iconological analysis methods employing different disciplinary approaches ;
3.2. Be capable of relocating the above in their historical and socio-cultural context and understanding the interactions and challenges affecting them ;
3.3. Reflect upon the contribution of new methods and develop these methods with a view to adapting them to various different situations.

4. Carry out research using a scientific approach: successfully complete an original, individual research assignment dealing with a significant and varied quantity of data, using a rigorous and systematic approach.

4.1. Develop and deal with specific issues surrounding a given subject. Demonstrate clear and structured reasoning by applying and, where necessary, adapting the conceptual frameworks provided ;
4.2. Carry out documentary research on a subject: collate a large quantity of data (secondary and primary sources) and select those that are most relevant ;
4.3. Analyse a significant quantity of data: describe, organise and summarise it in a systematic and rigorous manner. Criticise and challenge the documents ;
4.4. Examine the body of data in a relevant manner: apply disciplinary methodologies to it while also reviewing it using their own reflective and critical eye, developing a new, individual assignment relating to that issue ;
4.5. Communicate the results of their research in a scientific and pedagogic manner.

5. Independently manage their work and developmental path: demonstrate independence in managing a research project and an individual project, and more generally by keeping their knowledge updated.

5.1. Independently manage a research assignment using a scientific approach and transposing the knowledge and methodologies to new issues and multidisciplinary situations ;
5.2. Plan and manage their own paths, making individual choices relating to their training ;
5.3. Develop their intellectual curiosity: be interested in and open to developing perspectives and change, both as regards knowledge but also in relation to the methods for mediating that knowledge ;
5.4. Conduct theirown training: independently manage the acquisition and updating of their knowledge and know-how ;
5.5. Manage their time and plan the steps necessary in order to carry out a project.

6. Be receptive to the cultural and socio-professional world: understand the cultural and socio-professional worlds and integrate into them easily and efficiently.

6.1. Analyse, but also devise, organise and adapt different cultural devices and targeted communications for different audiences ;
6.2. Integrate smoothly into a socio-professional environment ;
6.3. Forge links and interact with actors in the worlds of culture and heritage ;
6.4. Collaborate efficiently within a team, adapting and negotiating ways of working.

7. If the Teaching Focus is chosen: call upon the competencies necessary to begin teaching effectively in upper secondary education, in the history of art and archaeology, and be able to progress there.

7.1. Take part in education, in partnership with different parties ;
7.2. Teach in authentic and varied situations ;
7.3. Reflect upon and progress through the usual stages of continuing development.

8. If the Professional Focus: Archaelogical theories, management and sciences is chosen: At the end of this professional focus course, which aims to place the history of art in the wider field of the history of images and their media, students will have acquired the historical knowledge relevant to how these images from the period between the Middle Ages and the twenty-first century were created and received. Students will also be capable of mastering the anthropological, sociological and philosophical methodologies relating to the relationships between the images and the art and the societies which created and used them. Finally, students will be aware of the relationships between the different media in order to better understand the challenges of non-aesthetic means of communication (political, religious...).


9. If the Professional Focus: The study of visual cultures and their iconography is chosen: At the end of this specialised course, which specifically develops the epistemological frameworks, management methods and the study of movable and immovable archaeological heritage by experts in the earth and life sciences, the student will have acquired theoretical, practical and technical knowledge relating to the analysis and interpretation of: - landscapes, the environment, including their anthropic exploitation (Geomorphology and Geoarchaeology, the exploitation, diffusion and transformation of raw materials (Archaeometry and Ceramology), - ancient societies through the understanding of individual and community characteristics and behaviour (Theory of Archaeology and Ethnoarchaeology, Physical Anthropology and Archaeoanthropology), - and relating to the global management of archaeological heritage.