module specification

This module comprises two key elements.

Firstly, the module represents core self­development activities that have been present throughout the course: career and exhibition planning, promotion of student work, and portfolio production.

Student research will inform the development of a career plan and the design of the portfolio of work (including show reel where relevant). Students will design the presentation of their work to prospective employers or funders in various formats including: CV, covering letter, website – format to be determined through the student’s research. The module is also where students design the graduation show and other forms of exhibition through the year where relevant.

Secondly, the module includes a work-related learning element in which students either:

(a) produce a design plan for an exhibition, film festival or promotional film launch from a brief supplied by external clients. For this element, industry professionals (film makers, festival organisers) will provide briefs for their live projects, present them in class to students, and provide feedback on student work OR

(b) undertake a short period of professional activity such as employment, a work placement, professional training, or volunteering in the not for profit sector.

This module aims to:

• afford students the opportunity to realise the career­potential of their accumulated skills, subject knowledge and understanding. The skills will include identifying and researching career opportunities, mapping the requirements and benefits of the career against their own skills and motivations and then learning about and producing the evidence that will enable them to exploit that opportunity.
• to increase students’ understanding of the interrelationship between their practice and the contexts of their profession in the creative economy, and ‘market’ for their skills.
• to empower: enabling the graduate to exploit capacity and potential to shape the job and their professional field so that they may both contribute to and create social benefit from their career.

• Researching a career destination. Competitions and festivals.
• Funding opportunities and how to apply for funding. Writing proposals and application forms.
• Writing a skills matrix. Marketing.
• Presentation of personal and professional qualifications and attributes Creating a web site and other appropriate presentation forms.
• Building a graduate show or website and exhibiting work
• Promoting an exhibition or website

The learning and teaching strategy is to place the emphasis firstly on learning through research, and also via work related activity. Students are expected to undertake an active role in researching their potential careers, their industry sector and developing the promotion of their own work and practice. The research is then analysed, so the student learns to make informed choices and to extend knowledge.
Module material will be placed on WebLearn which may also be used for discussions, notifications, to link to relevant research sources, potential employers, and professional networks.

Students will come in contact with a number of experts (through student visits, work placements, visiting professionals) and are encouraged to use these as opportunities to learn about their profession and their field. The development of CVs offers the opportunity for students to demonstrate their professional and personal development.
Teaching methods will also include lectures, seminars, demonstrations, workshops and group tutorials which students are required to attend.

On completion of this module, students should be able to demonstrate their:

1. Knowledge and analytic understanding of the requirements and benefits of a range of careers in context of the character and conditions of the creative economy.
2. Knowledge and understanding of professional codes and standards in the media and creative industries.
3. Knowledge of and practised skills in marketing and relevant promotional techniques.
4. Ability to evaluate their work related learning experiences and critically evaluate this in relation to their graduate career goals.

The module is assessed through two components, the first primarily focused on the student’s personal career plans, and the second on workplace learning:

1) Career Planning and/or Industry market analysis. [LOs 1, 2 and 3]

This may include combinations of: a career plan and its research, industry sector employment research, CV(s), audience research, research of exhibition, research for the presentation of student work, including the July graduation show, a personal website and other forms of public presentation (such as social media and public spaces where relevant) and a show reel. The specific requirements for each course are available from the beginning of the year. 3000 words maximum, 50%.

2) (a) work placement plus reflective portfolio. OR (b) Plan/design of an exhibition/ film or music or animation festival / film launch / musical instrument trade shows plus reflective portfolio. In both (a) and (b) students work on behalf of an external client / employer. [LOs 1, 2,3 and 4]

(a) The work placement will be guided in part by student career goals and will be agreed in advance with the module leader. 3000 words maximum or practice equivalent maximum, 50%
(b) The plan/design of the exhibition / film or music or animation festival / promotional film launch / musical instrument trade shows will be derived from a live brief provided by industry professionals and differs from the above option (a) for it is project based whereas in option (a) students need to work with an industry organisation/employer. The specifics of each brief are contingent on the needs of each external client and will be introduced at the beginning of term. Internal projects either directly initiated by academic staff or via the Wow Agency (wow-agency.uk), such as organising an in-house exhibition, are examples that meet these criteria.
(a) Students will produce an appropriate range of organizational and promotional materials alongside a portfolio including a reflective log of their work related learning experiences. 3000 words maximum or practice equivalent maximum, 50%

In each case, and dependent on the specific activities involved, the reflective portfolio will include items such as:

(i) a descriptive analysis of the industry sector and organization in which the work took place;
(ii) analysis of the client’s or organisation’s customers, and funding requirements; this may include reference to regulatory environments, and can also include interviews with staff;
(iii) a weekly reflective log;
(iv) an analysis of the workplace culture;
(v) a critical discussion of the relationship between the workplace and the skills and knowledge developed on the course
(vi) a conclusion which provides a subjective analysis of the students experience, performance and learning.

All coursework is submitted online via Weblearn / Turnitin in week 30.

All written elements should demonstrate appropriate academic referencing including bibliographies in the required format. Work will be assessed against the learning outcomes in relation to the following criteria:

• Appropriate use of research methods
• Quality of analysis and interpretation
• Subject knowledge and relevance
• Quality of communication and presentation
• Appropriate use of problem solving, testing and experimentation
• Management of own learning and personal professional development

Books
Core Reading:
Durrant A, Rhodes G, Young D, (2011), Getting started with university-level work based learning, 2nd edition, Libri Publishing, London

Additional Reading:
Cottrell, S (2010) Skills for success: the personal development planning handbook, 2nd Ed, Palgrave Macmillian, Basingstoke
Fanthome C (2004) Work placements : a survival guide for students Palgrave Macmillian, Basingstoke
Herbert I and Rothwell A (2005) Managing your placement, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke
Kirton B (2012) Brilliant workplace skills for students and graduates Prentice Hall, Harlow
Moon J (2004) A Handbook of reflective and experiential learning: theory and practice Routledge Falmer, London
Rook, S. (2015) Work Experience, Placements and Internships (Palgrave Career Skills), Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke
Scherer A (2012) Brilliant intern Prentice Hall, Harlow
Trought F (2012) Brilliant employability skills Prentice Hall, Harlow

Each student group will have access to online resources, including WebLearn and Google groups. These are seen as forums for sharing information, discussion and learning.
In addition, module booklets will direct students to reading material that supports and broadens learning for particular groups and particular projects.
The module booklets will contain a list of links to online resources that are current when the module runs. For example:
Animation: http://www.skillset.org/animation/careers/
Animation: https://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/Searchresults/Pages/default.aspx?k=animation/ Film:  http://www.skillset.org/film/jobs/
Film: https://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/Searchresults/Pages/default.aspx?k=film/
Music Technology: https://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/Searchresults/Pages/default.aspx?k=music+technology/