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AH30600

Academic Year 2026/2027

From Constantinople to Istanbul: Art, Faith, Politics (AH30600)

Subject:
Art History
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Art History & Cultural Policy
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Sean Leatherbury
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

From its ancient beginnings as the town of Byzantion, the city now known as Istanbul has captured the collective imagination of many over the centuries. This module examines the art and the built environment of the city, from its expansion in the Roman period, to its re-foundation as the Byzantine capital Constantinople, to its Ottoman transformation into modern Istanbul. As different groups—Byzantines, Crusaders, Ottomans—took control of the city, they shaped its architecture to proclaim the power and grandeur of their cultures and religions, commissioning magnificent monuments such as the church of Hagia Sophia, the Süleymaniye Mosque, and Topkapi Palace, as well as icon paintings, reliquaries, and manuscripts. The module will allow students to engage with archaeological and literary evidence, bringing to life lost buildings such as the Great Palace and the Church of the Holy Apostles. When possible, class field trips to local collections (the Chester Beatty, the National Gallery, UCD Special Collections) as well as churches in Dublin inspired by Byzantine styles will allow students to see objects associated with the city in person.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the completion of this small-group seminar-based module, students will be able to:
-Identify and describe the major monuments of the city of Constantinople (Istanbul), as well as the key works of art produced by the city's workshops during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods
-Describe the important periods of and themes in the city's history, and how these were reflected in its art and architecture
-Demonstrate a close familiarity with a monument or object associated with the city, developed through reading, discussion, critical thinking, and research

Indicative Module Content:

The weekly topics for lecture and seminar discussion include: From Byzantion to Constantinople; Sculpture in the Capital; Justinianic Architecture; Iconoclasm; Middle Byzantine Art and Architecture; Byzantine Manuscripts; The Fourth Crusade; Palaiologan Art and Architecture; Ottoman Istanbul; Ottoman Baroque; Constantinople Today

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Proficient

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Proficient

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Proficient

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Not addressed

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Competent

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Proficient

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Competent

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Competent

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Competent

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 3

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 1

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 3
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

95
Autonomous Student Learning

95
Lectures

10
Seminar (or Webinar)

18
Field Trip/External Visits

2
Total

220

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module is a small-group module, with weekly lectures and seminars. The lecture provides an introduction to the week's topic, and the seminar focuses on discussion, debate, and presentation. Support materials, including the weekly readings, will be available on Brightspace. When possible, students will be encouraged to visit relevant local collections, such as the Chester Beatty or UCD Special Collections. Students will be assessed through research presentations, an essay, and a learning journal that will allow students to reflect on class discussions and collections visits.

AI Use: all assignments for this module are marked RED (no use of generative AI for any purpose).

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): 3,000-word essay on a topic of your choice, developed from the research presentation Week 14 Graded No
40
 No
Individual Project: In-class research presentation on a topic of your choice Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10 Graded No
20
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Participation as discussion leader for one class and in class discussions throughout the trimester Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
10
 No
Reflective Assignment: Reflective learning journal entries based on class visits to museums and collections Week 12 Graded No
30
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on the discussion leader presentations, research presentations, learning journals and essays will be returned to students within two weeks of the assignment due date. Students will have the opportunity to meet individually with the lecturer to discuss all feedback.

Name Role
Prolet Nikolaeva Decheva Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 11:00 - 12:50
Spring Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 13:00 - 13:50
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