In Level 6, students have the opportunity to match their career and personal ambitions with their skills and interests, be it in graphic design, illustration, photography, or animation. This module supports students to set personal goals and create projects that align with those goals, including freelance projects. This will serve as the basis for final projects, graduate portfolios, and exhibitions throughout the final year of study.

Students will propose practical and research study areas that build on their previous learning and experiences, allowing them to delve further into their interests and hone specialized skills and expertise, particularly for freelancing. Regular discussions and feedback sessions with module leaders, peers, and lecturers will provide personalized evaluation and guidance throughout the module.

Specialist lecturers play a significant role in ensuring students' project choices and outcomes meet the intellectual, creative, and skill requirements of the program.

The module will incorporate frequent 'production meetings', during which students will present work for group discussion and review. These meetings serve as vital checkpoints, furnishing students with interim goals to navigate key project milestones safely. They provide indispensable feedback, guiding students and offering valuable insights into their progress. Production meetings are constructive sessions where students collaborate to discuss, support, and guide each other as colleagues.

The EXPLORE module is closely linked with the final studio module (CONSOLIDATE). This linked relationship supports students in producing a final body of work that enhances portfolio outcomes and prepares students for employment or freelance work in the creative industries.

Students pursuing the Illustration specialist route; will receive additional instruction and guidance within their technical field, enabling them to delve deeper into the core topics of this module.



In this module, students will have the opportunity to align personal career aspirations with illustration skills, forming and implementing personal projects, and proposing areas of practical study and research in illustration. Throughout the module, students benefit from regular feedback sessions with module leaders and peers, as well as specialist guidance in the field of illustration.

Visiting Speakers & Industry Guests: scheduled throughout the year, guest lectures will share professional insights and case studies, providing valuable perspectives on freelance opportunities and work within the creative industries.

You will present for assessment a body of work as outlined in the module information pack, this is likely to include:



PORTFOLIO, (2500 words or equivalent) demonstrating research, investigation, and development of a variety of advanced projects connected to a specialist area of creative practice. Weighted 80%. (LO1-6)


PRESENTATION (8-10 minutes) with a supporting justification of the proposed project/s. Weighted 20%. (LO3-6)



PORTFOLIO should contain;

Investigative research of the project theme, topic, and subject/s

Online journal documenting the project proposal journey, which includes showcasing practical investigations, exploratory work, collected research materials, and references to creative practitioners in fields like graphic design, illustration, photography, and animation

visual journals or sketchbooks recording the progression and decision-making process behind your work. This should include sketches, photographs, annotations, and personal notes that capture your weekly activities, creative experiments, and thoughts.

2500-words, or equivalent.



PRESENTATION should contain;

Context and function of the specialist outcomes – ‘pitching’ ideas, artwork and engage in discussions with both lecturers and peers, to enhance their skills in real-world scenarios.

Justification of the project(s) with supporting evidence of research and development.

Action plan outlining the development requirements and milestones for the successful completion of the project(s).



KEY INFORMATION SETS
100% coursework

CARRY OUT RESOURCE TO INFORM, NEGOTIATE, AND DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED AND SPECIALIST WORK.

Enquiry



IMPLEMENT THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL RESEARCH TO FORMULATE CONCLUSIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-DIRECTED AND SPECIALIST WORK.

Learning



CRITICALLY ANALYSE CONTEMPORARY PRACTICES WITHIN A SPECIALIST FIELD TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-DIRECTED AND SPECIALIST WORK.

Analysis & Visual Analysis



EXPLORE A RANGE OF IDEAS, EXPERIMENTS, AND PROTOTYPING TO APPLY APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS TO A RANGE OF SELF-DIRECTED AND SPECIALIST WORK-BASED PROBLEMS.

Problem Solving



RECOGNISE AND AVOID OBVIOUS OR PREDICTABLE SOLUTIONS, GENERATING AND EXTENDING CREATIVE STRATEGIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR WORK AND PROJECTS.

Application



MANAGE TIME, RESOURCES, AND PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY IN THE PURSUIT OF SPECIALIST GOALS. ANTICIPATING RISKS, PROBLEMS, AND CONSIDER ETHICAL CONCERNS WHERE NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE.

Working with others

This studio module encourages students' specialised practice growth. It links theoretical research with personal and industry-focused projects. This approach enables students to undertake highly personalised projects that align with their expertise and future career paths.


You will be required to participate in:

Introduction to module

Introductory lectures

Project Development workshops – sessions where students can work under the supervision of specialist lecturers, with immediate feedback and guidance, helping students align their work with career goals and the module's requirements.

Specialist workshops and guidance –¿focussed on honing expert skills. This can include technical skills in digital technologies or soft skills like project management and creative problem-solving.

Formative assessment –¿group review meetings, and mid-module presentations

Peer Review Sessions –¿students present their project concepts to their peers. This activity can stimulate discussions, offer diverse perspectives, and foster a collaborative learning environment.

Individual tutorials and specialist guidance

Action planning and target setting

Independent study in support of your practical work



KEY INFORMATION SETS
24% scheduled Learning & Teaching activities
76% guided independent learning

Digital Suites

Specialist teaching spaces and resources; including studios, photographic studio, motion capture, Etc.
Lecture theatre and teaching rooms
Design collection
Library
IT facilities and digital suites.

The canvas virtual learning environment will be available (where relevant) to support this module. Details will be supplied in the module handbook.


Additional resources may be shared by the teaching team through the following digital platforms; MS Teams, Notion, OneDrive or Padlet

In collaboration with specialist staff, students will develop a personal reading list and acquire professional texts related to their chosen specialist route (graphic design, illustration, photography, or animation). They are expected to utilise the library facilities within the University, ensuring they keep abreast of current trends and developments through relevant design, communication, illustration and animation-related industry periodicals.

Studio Innovation 01: Explore; is a level 6 module enabling students to align their skills with personal and career ambitions in areas like graphic design, illustration, photography, or animation. Students propose and develop self-directed projects, enhancing their specialist skills. Key activities include investigative research, practical experiments, and prototyping. Assessment is primarily through a portfolio demonstrating project development and a presentation 'pitching' project ideas.