Students will access resources particular to the photography pathway.

Students will have access to studio space and college library and computer resources. University learning resources are available on campus at Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent, and online via the partner Need to Know pages of the university website.
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/courses_and_study/partnerships/current_students/email/index.jsp

Assessment 1: The planning and implementation of a major project, negotiated with tutors and, where appropriate, mentor (80%) [Learning Outcomes 1, 2]

Assessment 2: A 2,500 word report evaluating the project in a national and international context, supported by a portfolio of evidence of project management (20%) [Learning Outcomes 2, 3]

Formative assessment: Peer presentation explaining how your proposed major project is relevant to the contemporary national and international arena for photographers.

Students must submit work for both assessments

The purpose of this module is to allow you to take personal responsibility for a major brief, building on the experience of the whole learning programme. You will be able to show that you understand how photographers work to achieve success, and how this relates to the national and international creative context.

A key theme that you will work with is one of working independently, because you will be expected to identify potential projects and generate appropriate responses to fulfil a clearly articulated need and/or aspiration. This may be industry directed or academic, and in any of a range of roles, such as part of an organisation, as an individual, working as a team leader or coordinator of other practitioners, or as a significant research project relating to your academic aspirations.

Examples of projects you might work on would be setting up a company to distribute your own work, creating a major photographic product for a new audience, or working freelance to supply diverse clients with photographic and related products.

You will be expected to identify and engage with a client or clients, work creatively and innovatively and successfully promote work. Targets and timescales should be action planned as part of a well managed project that fully embraces professional considerations: to include financial management, health and safety, legal and ethical requirements and a wide range of communication methods.

True independent working is considered to be a reflection of your enthusiasm for the subject rather than 'locking yourself in a room and getting on with it'. Ideas should be brought to the tutorial sessions with a view to discussing possibilities rather than a presentation of set-in-stone concepts. Communication is a key part of design and you should consult and 'bounce ideas off' as many people as possible and keep your tutors and mentors informed about the progression of your ideas.

You will be expected to identify and engage with a client or clients (who may be academic), work creatively and innovatively and successfully promote your work. Targets and timescales should be action-planned as part of a well-managed project that fully embraces professional considerations: these should include financial and time management, health and safety, legal and ethical requirements and a wide range of communication methods.

As you will be working on an individual project, individual tutorials will be an important aspect of the module. If you are intending to take an academic progression route, counselling regarding the nature and suitability of the assignment should be sought: a written academic study of an appropriate depth and breadth could be the most appropriate way to prepare yourself for further study, and this might be the major project you undertake for this module.

Introduction to module
Project management workshops
Communication methods workshops and seminars, to include promotion, information retrieval and negotiation
Practical studio workshops
Event and activity visits and critiques
Individual tutorials

Burken A. (2005) The Art of Project Management. O'Reilly
Darling D. (2003) The Networking Survival Guide. Mcgraw Hill
Deeprose D. (1995) Team Coach: Vital New Skills for Supervisors and Managers in Team Environment. Amacom
Evening M. (2014) Adobe Photoshop CS5 for Photographers: A Professional Image Editor's Guide to the Creative Use of Photoshop for the Macintosh and PC. Focal Press.
Frost L. (2004) Photos That Sell: The Art of Successful Freelance Photography. David & Charles PLC
Hurn D and Jay B. (2001) On Being a Photographer: A Practical Guide. Lenswork Publishing
Kotler P. (2013) Principles of Marketing. Prentice Hall

Websites:
http://tv.adobe.com/
www.networkstudentphotographers.co.uk