MODULES
Year 1
CORE MODULES
Narrative 1: Narrative Fiction
This module examines forms of narrative and storytelling in the context of traditional and interactive media.
Case studies from various media such as television, cinema, gaming and social media are presented.
Narrative theory, such as the conventions of plot and character development, the representation of narrative action and the use of digital media are taught, culminating in a media production piece that embodies the theories and concepts students have learned.
Documentary 1: Documentary and Representation (Creative Writing)
The module equips students with an understanding of how to engage with a wide range of themes through documentary forms. The module provides a context for documentary practice and problematises categories of representation, notions of 'truth' and 'realism' and facilitates civic engagement and involvement with the East London community.
Aesthetics and Technologies 1: Practice as research
This module will provide students with the opportunity to experiment with and explore a range of techniques and crafts in collaborative and multi-platform projects. They will be introduced to aesthetic practices, concepts and technologies used in the external world with a view to informing this experimentation. Industry professionals will be invited to collaborate in this process via a 'Masterclass' series of interactive workshops. Students will demonstrate their knowledge through an ability to critically reflect upon the results.
Media Cultures
This keystone module provides you with the contextual knowledge essential to your subject area. The module will introduce a range of perspectives on contemporary media cultures and landscapes to develop competencies appropriate to your field of study and to the world of work. The module will introduce you to core study skills and practices including how to identify, access, collate and evaluate evidence, understanding academic writing conventions and how to express a range of ideas through appropriate means of communication.
Mental Wealth: Agency 1
Developing the key psychological and physical determinants of human performance is increasingly critical for successful graduate-level employment, entrepreneurship and career progression in the 4th industrial revolution.
This module will provide students hoping to work in the creative industries with the opportunity to learn and apply the full range of skills, competencies and experience required for successful progression into in a range of potential future career areas.
Students will learn about conventions and expectations in the creative industries, focussing on areas specific to their programme of study. They will also advance their own personal professional development through taught and workshop activities, and explore possible strategies to further develop their reflective skills and self-awareness.
Students will have opportunity to select an in-house microbusiness to join in the role of 'Apprentice'. In this position they will focus on the importance of research in the creative industries. Students will practice key methods including digital and other research and qualitative methods used in industry today, including trends, news coverage and customer reviews. Students will also learn the conventions of research and analysis in order to develop a pitch or proposal in response to a client brief.
Social Media & Branded Content Design
You will learn a range of established and emerging approaches from the field of digital media design and social media, and also engage with critical theory of digital and social cultures. The module will cover key subjects related to advertising and branded content including; brand identity; brand positioning; integrated marketing communications, emotional branding and user engagement and interactivity. You will formulate a digital media strategy in response to a brief that has engagement and interactivity at the heart of its production. You will work in groups to present a piece of media intended for social or digital dissemination and consider the role of audience engagement in its conception and production.
Year 2
CORE MODULES
Narrative 2: Advanced Narrative
This module provides the opportunity for students to develop their media narrative skills in a more advanced and professional context. Students will develop a project voicing themes of identity within contemporary culture. They will then be supported in key areas of project development and selection. Finally they will progress through all relevant stages of production. Narrative and conceptual structures will be delivered at a higher level than in Level 4 and technical support will be provided to enhance the students' craft skills relating to professional practice. The module will structure the development of key media skills as well as a deeper understanding of the creative process relating to the students' chosen narrative genre. The course will end with a peer group evaluation, enabling the students to critically reflect on their achievements a means of progression into Level 6.
Documentary 2: Experimental Documentary
This module aims to encourage you to experiment and develop a creative and critical approach to a range of media technologies. You will build on the practical and conceptual skills relevant to media production gained in previous modules and consider your own production work in relation to both historical and contemporary media practice. You will work to produce an experimental piece that incorporates exploration of different and imaginative ways to play with documentary form and content.
Employment and Enterprise (Journalism)
- For students to gain experience of the changing media landscape
- For students to equip themselves with promotional tools and the online presence necessary to compete effectively in the journalism-related job market
- For students to apply for a work placement (or College-based work experience with a client external to the Journalism sub-cluster)
- For students to undertake a work placement (or College-based work experience with a client external to the Journalism sub-cluster)
- For students to escalate their preparations for professional life
Mental Wealth: Professional life: Agency 2
Best learning experiences follow a 'learning by doing' approach followed by reflection and assimilation. Building upon the competencies and skills identified at level 4, this module supports effective professional development through practical experience.
You will work on live project briefs to produce media content which is informed by appropriate research in the field of study.
Professional understandings and skills sets will be furthered through practical work enabling you to strengthen key graduate skills such as teamwork, organisation skills, digital skills, effective communication, and professionalism.
Through reflective practice, you will evaluate your ongoing progress as a learner and as a practising professional.
Introduction to scriptwriting
This module introduces you to the script in a variety of forms. It explores the script's function as a technical document, written by and for professionals. It discusses the various elements that scripts for different media require.
You will produce a portfolio of work in which you will apply the concepts and techniques introduced in the module to various scriptwriting styles. You will hone their critical skills through analyses of a variety of readings, as well as editorial input into the work of other students. You will also increase your own self-reflexivity through a written analysis of their voice and creative process.
The skills introduced in this module will be developed in the Script Development module in the second term.
Digital and experiential design
Subject to validation.
Year 3
CORE MODULES
Final Project Development
Subject to validation.
Final Project Completion
Subject to validation.
Final Project: Completion
The module will lead on from the development stage of your self-identified research project based on your preferred choice of production, for example a written dissertation that engages with contemporary debates in media or a complete practice project, produced through a developed programme of research supported by a verbal demonstration of the critical discourses it speaks to.
The aim of the module is to extend knowledge in the chosen field of research, to produce or write the project according to your planning and to complete and present the final research project within the given time frame. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate your skills in an accompanying project portfolio, including production folders for practice projects or reviews of existing academic literature on the written dissertation topic and a comprehensive bibliography.
Projects will be developed through subject-specific supervision and peer support.
Creative Mobile Media
This module seeks to understand the development of mobile phone technology as part of a new creative and cultural practice and its application in networked communities.
Aims are:
- To develop production /technical skills through the realisation of a mobile media project
- To critically engage and reflect on a range of practitioners and theorists relevant to the module and wider studies
- To develop an understanding of the aesthetics, ethics and creative medium of mobile technologies and their wider applications in both real and virtual communities
Transmedia and Digital Futures
In this module, you will examine various theories both on transmedia storytelling as well as on complex narratives that underpin these types of intercompositional narratives, analysing the impact of convergence culture on the way in which we produce and consume media.
The module encourages you to employ experimental and imaginative approaches to concept, process and final realisation of your projects - skills essential to the creation of digital artworks and to the creative industries in general. It also provides you with a greater awareness of the creative context in which to locate their work. You will produce a transmedia narrative working across multiple platforms and formats, including but not limited to video, sound, music, animation, and photography.
Aesthetics & Technologies: Professional Practices
The module provides an in-depth understanding of creative work cultures, and self-promotional strategies to help you establish personal branding for your own set of skills, experiences and practices. This module examines the Creative Industries and explores their organisation and institutional arrangements, their media forms, products and services, work practices and cultures. Here you will extend your skills, experience and self-awareness to prepare for a career in the Creative Industries through the application of learned skills to your career promotion and progression.
You will enhance your professional practice and self-branding skills set though a career development project which includes critical reflection and self-promotional strategies. The module provides an in- depth understanding of creative work cultures, and self-promotional techniques to help you establish personal branding for your own set of skills, experiences and practices.
Mental Wealth: Professional Life: Agency 3 - Freelancing at UEL Creatives
This module is delivered as part of UEL’s creative agency, UEL Creatives, where students will work on live projects that will develop their employability skills and give them experience of working with industry.
Students can apply for a range of projects suitable to their skill-set and will be matched to at least one project as part of the unit. Working either individually or as part of a team to meet the brief set by a real client, students learn how to work as a freelancer and manage their own workload.
This will include practical information such as how to manage intellectual property as well as best practice on communicating with clients, working as a team and planning for the future.
In addition, students will be required to reflect on the experience, helping them to develop key enterprise skills including reliance and problem-solving.
