Creative and Cultural Industries Research Project

Code

CULT3045

School

Cultural, Media and Visual Studies

Level

3

Credits

20

Semesters

Autumn UK, Spring UK

Summary

Students will work in small groups, led by a member of academic staff, on a collaborative research project. These projects will take one of two forms: 
1. An ongoing research project led by a member of department staff 
2. An ‘industry challenge’ or ‘live brief’ identified as relevant to the creative and cultural industries (screen, media, heritage, arts, gallery sectors), which will be overseen by a member of staff in collaboration with an industry partner. These partners will primarily be drawn from local organisations, contributing to the university’s civic ambitions and acting as a template for potential future department-city collaborations around teaching. 
The specific nature of these projects will change each year, based on current staff research priorities and the concerns impacting the creative and cultural industries. This will allow students to work on areas that are at the cutting edge of film and television studies, history of art or media studies or that are directly relevant to cultural or creative sectors that many aim to enter after graduation. Specific topics will be made available in the Spring of the preceding academic year, when students make their module choices.  
The module will be structured around independent and collaborative working practices, echoing the nature of work within the cultural and creative industries. Employability skills are embedded throughout the module. Each group will have an academic lead who will guide and support students throughout the module, but they will be expected to plan their work independently and collectively. Weekly meetings will act as a check that students are making good progress and allow staff to offer direction as necessary. 

Target Students

Only available to final year students on the Film and Television Studies, History of Art and International Media and Communications degrees (including joint honours).

Classes

• One 3-hour workshop
• One 2-hour workshop
• One 1-hour tutorial each week for 9 weeks

​Students will be taught in small groups, working closely with the staff leading their chosen research project. Collaborative and independent working will be encouraged as an explicit part of the module’s learning outcomes. The first workshop will introduce the topic and connect students with their group and academic lead. The second workshop will be final showcase where students will display their work to their peers, department staff and invited industry guests.

Assessment

• 20% Coursework 1: Group poster (A0)
• 30% Presentation: 20 minute group presentation
• 50% Coursework 3: Individual meeting log and critical reflection (2,000 words)

Assessed by end of autumn semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module students should be able to: 

A) Knowledge and Understanding of: 

i) current concerns in the fields of film and television studies, history of art or media and communication studies, or current challenges facing the creative and cultural sectors; 

ii) the methods and theoretical frameworks from film and television studies, history of art or media and communications studies that are relevant to their project 

B) Intellectual Skills: 

i) Apply ideas and concepts in the discussion of ideas and established views;  

ii) Address relevant questions concerning the validity of aforementioned;  

iii) Construct coherent and independent arguments. 
 

C) Professional Skills:  

i) Select, sift and synthesise information from a variety of primary and secondary materials;  

ii) Write accurately and grammatically and present written material using appropriate conventions;  

iv) Work collaboratively in a small team; 

v) Devise and plan a programme of work to produce an output in a timely manner. 

D) Transferable Skills:  

i) Use IT to find useful sources of information and/or material;  

ii) Manage a large and disparate body of information;  

iii) Use IT to word-process their assessed essays; 

iv) Use IT to communicate their arguments visually;  

v) Speak and write cogently about a chosen subject area. 

vi) reflect on strengths and weaknesses 

Conveners

• Dr Cassie Brummitt