Your role in the professional world of fine art will include the continuous development, exploration and extension of your subject knowledge and skills in order to further your career. In this module you will be developing your practical skills whilst identifying and researching a challenging area in fine art in order to plan an independent brief that you will carry out as your Negotiated Final Major Project. Through this you will learn how to identify your own potential progression whilst supporting the direction you wish to take with the development of an appropriate portfolio of evidence.

You will produce a process journal that documents the journey you have taken to reach a professionally presented proposal. A process journal is a regularly updated development document recording the thoughts, ideas, investigative processes, market research and analysis in relation to the project you are carrying out. I may take the form of a sketchbook, paper-based journal, online blog/vlog or other visual recording appropriate to your specialist pathway. The process journal will also document the generation, development and resolution of your thoughts & ideas throughout the module. It should be fully referenced where applicable. You should include details of visits, trips and interviews you have carried out during your day-to-day discoveries and academic resources can be used to underpin your work. The journal for this module will include your aims and objectives for your intended practice, realistic and in-depth research, application of your practical skills, analysis and evaluation methods, and will lead to a proposal for a project that expands your knowledge and skill within textiles and surface pattern. You will be able to develop practical skills and record your application as part of the journey you take.

Your intended outcome (to be undertaken in the module Negotiated Final Major Project) could be a personal or professional industry based project or projects. The project/s should allow for the expansion of knowledge through research and experimentation of your practical skills leading to an outcome that is of professional standard. Your process journal will document all interactions with the project planning, including reflections on process and progress.

Within this module, you will need to seek ethical clearance for your project regardless of what you plan to do: there are different levels of ethical approval requirements, ranging from completion of a very simple form for the lowest level of clearance to a much more in-depth form if it includes research relating to humans or animals, for example if you are working with children or vulnerable adults. Whichever form you need to complete, it is however a straight forward process whereby your proposal is reviewed by a university panel to make sure that you are working within appropriate guidelines. The details are available on the university website, with the forms you will need to complete. Your tutor will help you with the process.

http://www.staffs.ac.uk/academic_depts/fbel/research/ethics/

Lectures and seminars will take place in which to discuss and identify concepts, link theory to practice and the development of the proposal. You will investigate and analyse methods of project management within the creative industries in order to identify appropriate methods for your own proposed project.

You will produce an evaluative presentation that fully justifies the reasons for the project you are proposing, identifies the potential risks, your proposed strategies, your own strengths and weaknesses and the resources you will require to carry out the brief.

In addition you will attend lectures, seminars and tutorials throughout the module that will support your personal development and help you achieve the depth and breadth of work you will need to carry out.

Assessment 1, Journal. (Learning Outcomes 1, 2 & 3) 70% (suggested equivalent word count 4200 words)
Assessment 2, Project proposal (LOs 1, 2 & 3) 30% (suggested equivalent word count 1800 words)

Assessment 1
A process journal illustrating the journey towards planning a negotiated project, including (but not limited to): your practical developmental and exploratory work; investigative material collected from a variety of sources; reference to the work of others working in fine art; a reflective, analytical and evaluative commentary.

Assessment 2
The presentation of a professionally presented project proposal, including (but not limited to): explanation and justification of your proposed project; risk analysis; skills evaluation; resource identification and strategies for the implementation of the project. You will need to include a copy of the appropriate ethical disclaimer in your proposal.

Individual and group tutorial guidance
Lectures and proposal writing seminars
Guided selection and collation of appropriate primary and secondary research material
Guidance on the conventions of academic protocols, including referencing, layout, and presentation
Research and academic skills, such as library and internet research skills; primary and secondary, qualitative and quantitative research methodologies will be covered.
Group seminars where you will discuss project needs and project aspirations and development
Evaluative presentation of the project proposal

Library
Computers w/ word processing functions
Internet access
Tutorial room
Lecture space with screen/ projector

Barrett, E and Bolt, B (2014) Practice as Research: Approaches to Creative Arts Enquiry 1st Ed. New York: I B Tauris
Brown, K (2014) Interactive Contemporary Art: Participation in Practice. New York: I B Tauris
Cartiere, C and Willis, S (2010) The Practice of Public Art. London: Routledge
Chuks H. (2013) Gorilla Theory: The Art of Avoiding Project Delivery Disaster. UK: Spotlight Literary
Mann, Dr S. (2010) Study Skills for Art, Design and Media Students. London: Longman

Students will determine, with tutor guidance, their own reading list appropriate to their personal proposal of work. Students are expected to take advantage of the library facilities, including appropriate journals, and be aware of the work of practitioners in their subject.

1. DEMONSTRATE AN ABILITY TO EMPLOY AN EXTENSIVE RANGE OF RESEARCH METHODS IN THE INVESTIGATION OF CURRENT PROFESSIONAL CREATIVE PRACTICE IN FINE ART. CRITICALLY REVIEW YOUR PRACTICE TO DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE LIMITS OF YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE AND THE ABILITY TO ACQUIRE, EVALUATE AND APPLY NEW KNOWLEDGE IN THE PURSUIT OF PROFESSIONAL AND SELF-INITIATED GOALS.
[Learning]

2. WORK TO A PROFESSIONAL STANDARD, USING APPROPRIATE METHODS AND TECHNIQUES, IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF A RANGE OF PRACTICAL WORK IN CREATIVE PRACTICE, CONSIDERING THE UNDERLYING THEORY AND PRINCIPLES WHILST SHOWING INNOVATIVE THINKING AND INSIGHTS.
[Application]

3. ACCURATELY SELECT AND APPLY A RANGE OF RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATIVE PROCESSES TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS – THEORETICALLY AND PRACTICALLY – WORKING PRACTICES AND SPECIALISM FUNDAMENTALS THAT DEVELOP AND SUPPORT THE PRODUCTION OF ACADEMIC, PROFESSIONAL AND SELF-INITIATED PROJECTS IN FINE ART.
[Enquiry]