Module: MCO6012-40/1 Media Communications Final Project

Credit Value: 40

Module Tutor: Matthew Freeman

Module Tutor Contact Details: m.freeman@bathspa.ac.uk

1. Brief description and aims of module:

Media Communications Final Project enables students to research, design and create a large-scale communications campaign that brings together their chosen passion and perspective in politically and ethically engaged media activism with a range of professional, strategic and cross-platform creative practices suited to the needs of the communications sectors and beyond. Stressing dialogues between the study of media and its industry application, students must consider how their research can best be communicated to their audience, harnessing any number of the key practices in marketing, creative strategy, journalism and social media management from across the degree.

Students will work with The Studio in Bath, the university’s enterprise and innovation hub for creative technology. This collaboration provides students with the opportunity to have their communications campaign showcased in Bath city-centre, as well as gaining personal networking and industry support, including business development. 

2. Outline syllabus: 

The following topics will be considered:

• Module Introduction

• Developing Inclusive Research Question

• Strategy & Research Project Management

• Research Methods: Scholarly and Practice

• Communications for Change 1: Activism & Inclusivity

• Communications for Change 2: Innovation & Technology

• Communications for Change 2: Entertainment & Business

• Media Law: Intellectual Property & Copyright

• Personal Branding

• Campaign Evaluation Methods & Analytics

3. Teaching and learning activities: 

Across the module, students will engage creatively with the challenge of how to harness multimedia communication channels to best disseminate their politically and ethically engaged media research. Lectures/workshops will serve as important strategic planning sessions, with teaching in the first half of the module devoted to developing ethical and inclusive research questions, understanding new kinds of practice-based research methods, and exploring alternative ways of conceiving of ‘communications for change’, be it through the lens of activism, innovation, or entertainment practices. In the second half of the module, students will move on to develop more specific skills and knowledge bases concerning the creation of a large-scale communications campaign for their research, such as media law, personal branding, strategy, and evaluation methods for assessing the reach and impact of the project. 

In line with the module’s focus towards the communications sectors, assessment formats adopt the language and structure of those within these sectors, with a Strategy Report (50%) informing a Communications Campaign (50%).

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: CW

• Description:  Strategy Report (5000 words equivalent)

• % Weighting: 50

Assessment Item 2:

• Assessment Type: CW

• Description:  Communications Campaign (5000 words equivalent)

• % Weighting: 50