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COURSE OUTLINE
New York City College of Technology
Humanities Department
COURSE CODE: ARTH 1110
TITLE: Arts of the Islamic World
3 Hours / 3 Credits [AES Core]
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to Islamic civilization through selected examples of its visual
arts and architecture. There is no prerequisite or previous knowledge assumed. It is not an historical survey, but rather a
course designed to introduce students, through the examination of various artistic genres, architecture, and cultures, to the
distinctive aesthetic traditions of the Islamic world – their similarities and differences – and to convey a sense of the
beauty and meaning of the artifacts, and of the cultural contexts out of which they emerged.
COURSE CO/PREREQUISITE (S): CUNY Proficiency for Reading and Writing
RECOMMENDED/TYPICAL/REQUIRED TEXTBOOK (S) and/or MATERIALS*
Textbooks differ from course to course. Two department samples are provided below:
Title: The Art and Architecture of Islam, 1250–1800
Authors: Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom,
Publisher: Yale University Press, Pelican History of Art
SAMPLE SEQUENCE OF TOPICS AND TIME ALLOCATIONS*
Week 1 Introduction/Art and Architecture of the Islamic World: Early Mosque Architecture
Week 2 The Great Empires: The Ottoman Empire (Istanbul, Turkey) and Hagia Sophia: The Conquest of Byzantium and
the Establishment of Istanbul Suleymaniye Mosque and Sultan Ahmed I (Blue) Mosque
Week 3 The Court of the Sultan: Palace Architecture at Topkapi Saray and Court Arts of the Ottoman Empire: Paintings
for the Sultan, Metalwork and Iznik Ceramics
Week 4 The Great Empires: The Safavid Empire and Shah ’Abbas I and Persian Architecture in Isfahan, Iran
Week 5 Safavid Painting: The Shahnama / The Falnama (Book of Omens) – Readings: Blair and Bloom, Safavid
Decorative Arts: Metalwork, Textiles,Ceramics. Sheila R. Canby and Jon Thompson, eds.,
Week 6 Timurid Architecture: Timur’s tomb at Gur–i Mir, Samarqand, Uzbekistan; Timurid Mosques in Afghanistan
Midterm (Covers material through Safavid dynasty only).
Week 7 The Great Empires: The Mughal Empire Architecture in India and South Asia: The Tombs of the Emperors
Humayun and Akbar. The Mughal Empire: Agra Fort/ Akbar’s new capital at Fatehpur Sikri.
Week 8 The Taj Mahal. The Art of the Brush: Mughal Painting under Emperor Akbar. Readings: Wayne E. Begley, “The
Myth of the Taj Mahal and a New Theory of its Symbolic Meaning.”
Week 9 Quiz on the Taj Mahal. The Akbarnama and the Hamzanama. The Metropolitan Museum of Art website
(www.metmuseum.org) look at images from past exhibitions “Flowers Underfoot: Indian Carpets of the Mughal
Era” and “Treasury of the World” about Mughal jewelry and decorative arts.
Week 10 Influence of Islamic Art on the Western World. Islamic Spain: The Alhambra Islamic Ceramics: Nasrid
ceramics/Alhambra vases and earlier ceramics. Islamic Spain: The Mosque at Cordoba.
Week 11 Quiz on Mughal Painting (Akbarnama or Hamzanama). Contemporary Mosques and their Messages
The Mosque in Islamic Society; Khan, “An Overview of Contemporary Mosques” (www.archnet.org)
Week 12 Contemporary Islamic Art: Muslim Diaspora and Islamic Art from Pakistan.
Week 13 Contemporary Islamic Art
Week 14 Wrap Up/Review for Final Exam
Week 15
Final Exam
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COURSE INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES/ASSESSMENT METHODS
LEARNING OUTCOMES
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. Articulate how meaning is created in the arts and how
experience is interpreted and conveyed.
1. Analysis of artwork discussed in during exams and inclass discussions.
2. Use appropriate resources to conduct research and to
communicate in written format.
2. Online web sources for museums, textbook readings,
lecture and observation notes, and images gathered
throughout the semester will prepare students for the
museum paper assignment and essay exams.
GENERAL EDUCATION INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES/ASSESSMENT METHODS
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
World Cultures/Global Issues
1. Gather, interpret, and assess information from a variety
of sources and points of view.
2. Evaluate evidence and arguments critically or
analytically.
3. Produce well-reasoned written or oral arguments using
evidence to support conclusions.
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. Textbook Readings, Supplemental Readings, and Web
Resources offer a wide variety of publications and points
of view on the numerous topics within Islamic art. The
Class Lectures and Discussion that complement the
Textbook Readings also require the student to compile
notes
2 Textbook Readings and Supplemental Readings give
students the opportunity to evaluate both images and texts
in great detail and to assess the scholarly value of several
types of published sources.
3. The Midterm and Final examinations and Quizzes
require well-reasoned written responses to questions about
both the aesthetic and historical aspects of specific works
of art and architecture presented in the course.
In Class Discussion students are guided in how to
articulate their responses to examples of Islamic Art
illustrated in Class Lectures and Textbook Readings.
4. Identify and apply the fundamental concepts and
methods of a discipline or interdisciplinary field exploring
the relationship between the individual and society,
including, but not limited to, anthropology,
communications, cultural studies, history, journalism,
philosophy, political science, psychology, public affairs,
religion, and sociology.
5. Analyze culture, globalization, or global cultural
diversity, and describe an event or process from more than
one point of view.
6. Analyze the historical development of one or more non-
4. Class Lectures, Textbook Readings, and Supplemental
Readings emphasize the fundamental methods of art
history from formal analysis and iconographic
interpretation to the study of written sources that
illuminate the historical and cultural contexts of artistic
production featured in the course.
These methods and concepts demonstrated in Class
Lectures, Class Discussion, and Textbook Readings and are
applied by the student in the 4 Examinations and 2 Quizzes.
5. Illustrated Class Lectures and Textbook Readings
examine the thematic subjects found in the Arts of Islam
and analyze its diverse cultural perspectives from more
than one point of view.
6. The study of Islamic art and architecture is primarily
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U.S. societies.
7. Analyze the significance of one or more major
movements that have shaped the world's societies.
8. Analyze and discuss the role that race, ethnicity, class,
gender, language, sexual orientation, belief, or other forms
of social differentiation play in world cultures or societies.
concerned with the history and visual culture of Islamic
societies, which, historically, have been found in non-U.S.
societies around the world.
7. The study of Islamic art and architecture is mainly
concerned with how the spread of Islam and its successive
dynasties have shaped the societies with which they came
into contact. Also considered is how established Islamic
artistic traditions were impacted by global movements that
began in both Eastern and Western non-Islamic societies.
8. The Textbook Reserve, Reserve Articles, and Class
Discussion discuss all emphasize the roles that forms of
social differentiation have played in the production of
Islamic art.
SCOPE OF ASSIGNMENTS and other course requirements*
1. Exams: Both exams will consist of image identification and comparison essays. The midterm exam will cover material
only from the first half of the semester, and the final will cover only the second half.
2. Weekly Readings: Assigned from course textbook.
3. Online Museum Viewing: Formal analysis assignment involving selected works of art selected.
METHOD OF GRADING – elements and weight of factors determining the students’ grade*
Midterm Exam (35% of grade)
Final Exam (40% of grade).
Two Short Quizzes (each 10% of grade)
Attendance and Class Participation (5% of grade)
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY STATEMENT
Students and all others who work with information, ideas, texts, images, music, inventions, and other intellectual property
owe their audience and sources accuracy and honesty in using, crediting, and citing sources. As a community of
intellectual and professional workers, the College recognizes its responsibility for providing instruction in information
literacy and academic integrity, offering models of good practice, and responding vigilantly and appropriately to
infractions of academic integrity. Accordingly, academic dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York
and at New York City College of Technology and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and
expulsion. The complete text of the College policy on Academic Integrity may be found in the catalog.
COLLEGE POLICY ON ABSENCE/LATENESS
A student may be absent without penalty for 10% of the number of scheduled class meetings during the semester as
follows:
Class Meets Allowable Absence
1 time/week 2 classes
2 times/week 3 classes
3 times/week 4 classes
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**Each department and program may specify in writing a different attendance policy for courses with laboratory, clinical
or field work. If the department does not have a written attendance policy concerning courses with laboratory, clinical or
field work, the College policy shall govern.
HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT POLICY ON ABSENCES/LATENESS
Class Meets
1 time/week
2 times/week
3 latenesses
Allowable Absence
1 1/2 classes
3 classes
equal one absence
There are no excused absences, since a student who is not in a class for any reason is not receiving the benefit of the
education that is taking place. The professor will keep accurate, detailed records of all absences from class, and may
assign a WU grade (withdrew unofficially) to any student who exceeds that limit. A student is required to take the
responsibility of keeping track of his/her own absence from class. When it exceeds four hours, he or she should make an
appointment to discuss the problem with the professor.
*depending on department policy these may be uniform and required of all instructors of the course or there may be
guidelines or samples from which instructors may select or adapt):
Attached course outline written by: Denise Scannell
Date: June 1, 2012
Reviewed/Revised by: Ann Delilkan
Date: June 10, 2012