Module: HAC6101-20 Visual and Material Culture Final Study

Credit Value: 20

Module Tutor: Rachel Evans

Module Tutor Contact Details: r.evans@bathspa.ac.uk 

1. Brief description and aims of module:

This module will cover key introductory principles of undertaking research within Design including such topics as Ethics and Professional standards. You will also be guided in choosing the right format for your research project and will consolidate requisite skills such as editing and managing sources. The assessable component is the completion of a substantial piece of individual research to be presented in written or other form by agreement with the module tutor.

Aims

• To enable you to select subjects which you consider especially pertinent and engaging for extended study. 

• To promote appropriate levels of ambition the identification of tasks. 

• To facilitate the development of research skills.  

• To promote the application of methods of interpretation and analysis established in previous modules.  

• To develop the skills needed to structure an extended argument and to support arguments by a suitable level of discussion, detailed documentation and demonstration

2.Outline syllabus:

This module deals with the value of research in Design and its links with an on-going commitment to Professional practice. Key issues such as Ethics will be explored and various research methodologies will be introduced. In terms of the research projects there is no set syllabus as students will work on an individual programme of their own design.

3.Teaching and learning activities:

There are seminars, taught sessions, access to online learning resources, and you are encouraged to work in small groups. Each student has a supervising tutor. Tutors arrange to see you at regular intervals to advise on work in progress, including the planned format, structure and argument of the submission. They read work in draft form and return it in tutorials with comments and advice.

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: CW

• Description:  Final Project

The final project can be realised in a number of forms. Students choose to undertake one of: 

a) A written essay of 5000 words (that is +10% tolerance) in length. 

b) An exegetical document of 5000 words (that is +10% tolerance) in length. 

c) A presentation of 30 mins and 2000-word essay. 

d) A negotiated project that includes analytical written material but may in addition take the form of video or slide presentation or other format suitable for the subject, provided it is capable of meeting the criteria for assessment and is agreed in advance by the supervising tutor.  The alternative submission to be accompanied by a contextualising essay of 1600 words.

• % Weighting: 100