AHT3440 History and theory of photography, film and video
Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture
AHT3440 History and theory of photography, film and video is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, offered in 2025 in Semester 2 at Caulfield. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 2
- Caulfield
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before AHT3440
Corequisites
Pass these before, or take them in the same semester.
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After AHT3440
No unit lists AHT3440 as a prerequisite in the 2025 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prohibitions: CLS2440, CLS3440, TAD2440, TAD3440, VSA2440, VSA3440.
Completion of at least 12 credit points at first year level in Art History and Theory (or Theory of Art and Design, or Visual Culture), or approval from Chief Examiner.
Equivalent units
The same content under another code. Only one of them counts.
Overview
This unit surveys the history of photography, film and video from the mid-19th century until today. It introduces important theories of how photography, film and video function socially and artistically, and considers how they relate to one other. It examines how the use and understanding of photography, film and video have differed over time and between cultures, and concludes with a detailed examination of their role in the digital era.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Caulfield | On campus |
Assessment
- Weekly critical responsesWritten15%
- Critical analysisWritten30%
- Final research essayWritten55%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Demonstrate your knowledge of key developments in the history of photography, film and video;
- 2
Explain how photography, film and video have influenced society since the 19th century;
- 3
Provide examples of how photography, film and video have been used and understood in different ways over time and across cultures;
- 4
Demonstrate a critical understanding of key theories relating to photography, film and video;
- 5
Critically interpret a broad range of photographs, films and videos.
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials24 hours
- Seminars12 hours
- Teaching approachResearch activities
- Teaching approachOnline learning
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachPeer assisted learning
- Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning
12 hours per week including 3 contact hours plus 9 hours of independent study.
Where it fits
AHT3440 is part of 1 area of study in the 2025 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Luke Smythe
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Luke Smythe
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for AHT3440?
None, but you must take OHS1000 before or alongside it.
When is AHT3440 offered?
In 2025, AHT3440 runs in Semester 2 at Caulfield.
Does AHT3440 have an exam?
No. AHT3440 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include AHT3440?
AHT3440 is part of Art history and theory.