Programme Handbook Graphic Design

FdAGraphicDesign STUDENTHANDBOOK

CONTENTS 1 2 Welcome to your Programme 3 Your Teaching Team 4-5 Your UCO ID Card 6-7 How to succeed in your studies 8 Who to contact if you need help or support? 9 What you will be doing this Year 10 Your Modules this Year 11-14 Your Modules next Year 15 How you will be Assessed 16-18 When you will be Assessed 19 Academic Misconduct 20 The resources available to you 21 E-Learning Your library and Learning Resource Centre 22 When you Graduate –Your Learning Outcomes

1 WELCOME TO YOUR PROGRAMME You are now a member of The Faculty of Digital and Creative Industries. The Faculty is a diverse and enterprising group, spanning Graphic Design, Games Art, Creative Media Production and Performance. The team is committed to providing you with the very best educational experience, in a well resourced and supportive environment. Your Foundation Degree in Graphic Design (awarded by Teesside University) provides a broad and progressive education for the creative industries. During your two years of study you will produce dynamic solutions to problems; through creative thinking and a flexible approach to a diverse range of assignment briefs, competitions and live assignments. A vibrant creative environment, including studios equipped with industry standard software and hardware, will help you to effectively communicate information and ideas appropriate for the modern digital and creative workplace. You will be inspired to produce creative design solutions, respond to change, be innovative and a great communicator. You will learn to develop idea-led solutions, embracing the digital while preserving traditional processes of design production and thinking. With hard work, passion and dedication, you will build the confidence and skills necessary for the creation of commercially viable creative work.

2 YOUR TEACHING TEAM Anne Fox-Kelly [email protected] Telephone: 0161 344 8834 With a background in fine Art, and having taught for 25 years AS an FE and then HE lecturer, Anne is professionally involved within fields of Digital Design, Visual Communication, Graphic Design and Fine Art. Anne’s teaching currently prioritises collaborative, digital, and the innovative, focusing upon ongoing development of digital collaborative studio practice, using a range of web and cloud-based interactive tools to create a variety of digital outputs for and with students. Within pedagogical practice Anne collaborates on live briefs with Performance staff and students, in live digital drawing from the moving figure, and production of projected virtual environments for performances. Frank Fitzpatrick [email protected] Telephone: 0161 344 8833 Frank has a background in graphic design, illustration and print production for over 10 years and with a subsequent 16 years’ experience as a FE Tutor and HE Senior Lecturer. A comprehensive knowledge and experience of delivering 2D and 3D digital visualising and creative multimedia production content, he has considerable expertise in graphic media asset creation and capture utilising laser and photogrammetry tools, 3D polygon modelling and digital sculpting software, motion capture and clean-up and digital drawing and painting. Frank has completed a Masters by Research with Distinction, and his current research is exploring the disciplines of digital modelling and sculpting examining how digital production workflows can support the re-imagining and remediation of historical sculptural form. Barry Armstrong [email protected] Telephone: 0161 344 8832 Barry has worked in the industry for 25 years, creating graphics and animation for forty published video games. In 2006 he joined the university as a part-time senior lecturer teaching digital 3D modelling. Research interests include alternative uses for video game production tools, photogrammetry, motion capture, 3D printing. Barry is currently exploring the use of digital sculpture to augment sketchbook work traditionally used in costume design visualisation. Barry is a fellow of the HE teaching academy, has a PGCE teaching qualification and a Masters Degree in 3D Digital Design.

3 YOUR UCO ID CARD YoTuhreIDUCCOarIDd is your library card and University ID card. Your UCO ID will be issued during enrolment. Your student number is printed on your UCO ID. • Use it to borrow and renew books in the Library • Use it to renew and reserve books online • Use it to print and photocopy • Use it to gain entry to buildings and studios Keep your UCO ID with you all the times. Your ID Card lasts for the duration of your programme. Don’t lend your UCO ID to anyone else as you are responsible for all items issued to your UCO ID. What if you lose it? You’ll be issued with a replacement card that has a new issue number on it. Your old card will no longer be valid. There is a £5 fee for a replacement

4 HOW TO SUCCEED IN YOUR STUDIESDevelop the Habit of Learning Studying at University is different. Although your lecturers will provide considerable support, the onus to learn is placed firmly on you. Each module typically has around 200 hours of ‘learning time’. Some of these hours will be spent in timetabled sessions with lecturers. The remaining learning time is for you to use to work independently on your assignments and to deepen your understanding of the subject.Attend Regularly You will be required to attend all formal teaching sessions, to engage with your studies and to inform a designated member of staff if you are unable to attend. Exchanging ideas with your peers is part of successful design practice, it helps you when working independently on your assignments and deepens your understanding of the subject.What if you’re having difficulties? If you have a genuine reason for not attending classes, you should notify your module leader a.s.a.p. so this can be recorded on your attendance record as an explained absence. Staff are here to help and this may be by offering you tutorial support, advising you on the University’s support mechanisms or by referring you to student services. It’s really important to keep your tutors informed of your whereabouts because attendance is checked, absences noted and information is made available to Assessment and Progression Boards and, where appropriate, the Education Authority. Students who appear to have dropped out of their modules may be withdrawn from the programme.General Regulations These are mainly regulations and policies that apply to all members of the University community, such as health and safety procedures, emergency procedures, our Equal Opportunities Policy and the Student Charter. The regulations can be found online on the University Campus VLE: Moodle here.

5 HOW TO SUCCEED IN YOUR STUDIES cont. What should I do if my contact details change? Your current term time and home addresses must be on file to avoid any important messages going astray. Please e-mail the Administration Office with any changes: #[email protected]. And if you change your mobile number, please keep us informed. How do I contact my module leader if I can’t attend? E-mail is the best method, send your message to #[email protected]. Remember that this must be done via your University e-mail account to ensure your message is not filtered as spam. You can also telephone us on 0161 344 8800. Useful things to have Whilst the course provides you with access to some equipment you will often need resources of your own. Please make sure that you bring sketchbooks (small/medium) with you and a selection of pens pencils etc. Much of what you do on this course will be generated on the computer and we do not have the capacity to allow a great deal of storage for each student. Therefore you will be required to purchase a portable hard drive with which to back up your data (please ensure that you use this a temporary storage and back up your work at home). Of course a good PC at home would be an advantage also! A camera is also a useful item (at the very least a phone that has good photographic abilities would be an advantage). If you can, try to get a Wacom branded drawing tablet for your digital illustration work.

6 WHO TO CONTACT IF YOU NEED HELP OR SUPPORT? Everyone has problems sometimes. They may be academic: you have problems with a particular subject; your study skills are weak; you are not very good at presenting written work; you are concerned at your oral presentational skills. Your problems may be personal, illness, family or social problems. These may affect your standard of work, your attendance, your production on time of written work, your examination results or your general well-being.You should see your personal tutor sooner rather than later if you have a problem – do not wait for the crisis to occur! Any discussionswith the tutor will be completely confidential. If necessary, your tutor can pass you on to professionals who can help with specificproblems, e.g. the Academic Skills Tutor, the college Counselling Services. The personal tutor is, therefore, an important focal pointfor every student and students are expected to keep in regular contact with their personal tutor, particularly in the student’s first year.The Academic Skills service provides support for all students in all disciplines, and at all levels of study, at UCO. Academic supportand guidance is available for a range of topical areas such as skills relevant to individual coursework or for advice on revision andexamination techniques. Many students take advantage of the appointment system which is in place and attend on a one-to-onebasis, although it is possible to arrange small group tutorials. UCO students are encouraged to make individual appointments with theAcademic Skills Tutors via reception for a range of academic and study skills issues. The service is located on the second floor ofUCO.Your Academic Skills TeamKatharine Stapleford Daniel [email protected] [email protected]

7 NEED HELP OR SUPPORT? cont. Student Services UCO is committed to supporting students throughout their time at our Oldham Campus. It provides a network of support and guidance, enabling students to develop in a caring, friendly environment and to leave the university better equipped to face the future. Information on student support activities (such as counselling, finance, disability support and welfare support) as well as the Careers and Employability Service, are available via the UCO Reception desk where you can contact a member of the Student Support team. Disability Support If you have a disability, long-term health condition, mental-health condition or a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, University Campus Oldham has a team of specialist Additional Learning Support staff that are here to advise and help you. At UCO we can make adjustments to what we do to help you overcome any difficulties your disability presents you with. Examples of the adjustments that may be appropriate are: extensions on assignment dates, alternative arrangements for exams, extra time on library book loans or extra tutorials with your programme tutors. We are also able to support you in an application for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). This is a government grant (so you do not have to pay it back normally) to help you pay for the extra costs you may have as a result of your disability. This is also how you can get a support worker, such as a note-taker, dyslexia tutor or a communication support worker, to help you whilst at university. Financial Advice Advice is available throughout the year, whether it’s about tuition fees, grants or student loans. Contact: #[email protected] or visit the UCO Reception desk.

8 WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING THIS YEAR Your first year is at Level 4. This has been designed holistically to introduce a range of focussed Graphic Design skills, abilities and knowledge and to foster a creative fluidity in their use and application. Learning in the first year has an overarching flavour of research, development, exploration, testing and experimentation. At the heart of what we do is Studio. Here you are allowed the time and space to apply your skills learned in other modules to larger assignment projects. It is in Studio that you will learn to manage your time and discipline yourself to the rigours of becoming a successful and productive University undergraduate and discipline, creative and professional Graphic Designer. Over the next few pages you’ll get a broad overview of the structure of the whole programme during 2015/16. You’ll receive a copy of your own year’s timetable and you’ll be able to see a detailed timetable for your programme on the virtual learning site UCO Moodle. Your lecturers will keep you informed of any updates as the year progresses, but don’t hesitate to ask if you’re not sure!

9 YOUR MODULES THIS YEAR Digital Skills 1 This is an important introduction to the core digital tools, techniques and processes employed in the production of Graphic Content. Graphic Design Principles Here you will focus on the exploration and application of core Graphic Design disciplines in the production of effective outcomes. The module introduces the development of graphic communication techniques, and principles of design and problem solving. Graphic Design; History, Context and Culture This module introduces you to vital discourses and debates surrounding the history, influences, production and critical reception of Graphic Design through an introduction to design history and the study of visual culture and communication. Project Development 1 The module is Studio based and will focus on the research and development for a series of staff-led projects that introduce you to themes that underpin contemporary Graphic Design practices. Project Realisation 1 This module builds upon your Project Development module and is also based in the UCO Studios. Its focus is on the research and development for a series of staff-led projects that introduce you to themes that underpin contemporary Graphic Design practices. Creative Industries 1 This module is designed to prepare you for further study at Higher Level and for the workplace you will eventually enter. You will be introduced to Higher Level study skills, Personal Development Planning, Presentation Skills and will be required to develop your own Blog, Online Portfolio and Ident.

10 YOUR MODULES NEXT YEAR Digital Skills 2 This module builds on the Digital Skills 1 module. Here you will begin to understand and use advanced software such as 3D Studio Max for 3D Modelling, After Effects for Motion Graphics and other cutting edge visualisation applications. Graphic Design; Critical and Current Practice Here you will explore, discuss and evaluate the debates surrounding Graphic Design and its possibilities in the future. You will be encouraged to develop critical appraisal, analysis, evaluation, reflection and writing upon identified issues relevant to Graphic Designers Project Development 2 This module will take you on a journey through the initial stages of running a project. Work is intended to come from personal direction free from external constraints. As such you will be expected to devise your own brief and will be required to set your own parameters, target audience and purpose. Project Realisation 2 This module is concerned with implementation, production, testing and amendments of the work undertaken in Project Development 2. You will be expected to apply technical skills and critical awareness to the fulfilment of your Project Brief Creative Industries 2 Here you get the chance to undertake project work for an external organisation. Your project/s will be carried out on-campus or within the workplace with guidance from teaching staff and/or representatives from the external organisation. You will identify and examine employment opportunities, networking methods and self-promotion practice.

11 HOW YOU WILL BE ASSESSED Module Leaders will explain exactly what you need to hand in for each module. Most assignments are submitted electronically, via TurnitIn which you will find on the UCO Moodle page. Some parts of assignments, such as recordings of practical work, are submitted via the UCO Main Reception. Please make sure you get a receipt, this will be emailed to your UCO email account. An Assessment Board meets at the end of the academic year to look at all your marks and decide whether you can progress, re-sit or repeat study. The Assessment Board is attended by a representative from the awarding body and the External Examiner. Learn more about the External Examiner process by visiting the Student Life page on Moodle. The Board will take into account whether you have attempted all assessments. It is much more likely to give you an opportunity to take re-sits or repeat study if you have attempted all assessments. It is less likely to give you this opportunity if there are some assessments which you did not attempt at the first opportunity.

12 HOW YOU WILL BE ASSESSED cont. Resubmission If you have submitted an in-course assessment by the hand-in deadline and are deemed by the Module Leader not to have passed the assessment, you may be offered another attempt in line with the assessment regulations. Extensions In exceptional cases it may be possible to grant extensions to submission deadlines at the discretion of the Module Leader. Requests must be submitted to the Module Leader before the hand-in date. Forms are at the UCO Main reception desk Please consult the Student Handbook for details: http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/stud/handbook/ Mitigating Circumstances If you believe that your academic work or assessment has been affected detrimentally by special circumstances, you may apply to the Mitigating Circumstances Board. Application forms are available from the UCO Main Reception. Completed forms must be returned to your Course Administrator, with supporting documentary evidence (e.g. Medical Certificates). Please consult the regulations on this in Student Handbook for further details: http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/stud/handbook/ Late Submissions

13 HOW YOU WILL BE ASSESSED cont. Your work is assessed in terms of its ability to demonstrate the learning outcomes for the module. You’ll see the exact assessment criteria in each module handbook. The levels of achievement are categorized in percentages.Marks at module level How will I receive feedback on my work? 70-100% Excellent Your learning is supported by regular group tutorials 60- 69% Very good and project critiques where formative feedback is 50- 59% Good given by peers and tutors so that you can improve 40- 49% Adequate your work in progress. 0 - 39% Not good enough to achieve a pass Feedback on work for summative assessmentOverall Grades for Foundation Degrees is given in electronic form for ease of access. You will receive this within 20 working daysBase Classification Overall Grade after the hand-in deadline, sometimes sooner, although any reference to marks will always be70%-100% Distinction provisional until confirmed by the Assessment Board in the Summer.60%-69% Merit40%-59% Pass

14 HOW YOU WILL BE ASSESSED cont. You’ll be expected to reflect critically on your achievement across projects and modules during ‘personal and professional development’ tutorials and portfolio reviews where you’ll be able to make use of the various types of feedback you have received on your work. Where can I find the University’s Assessment Regulations? Click on ‘Academic Regulations’ link below where you will find ‘Framework for assessment, Award and Progression Regulations’. There is also a section explaining ‘Assessment Review’ Regulations and student complaints procedures. Your progression from Level 4 to Level 5 and to your graduation and FdA classification, are all subject to satisfying the University’s assessment and progression regulations. These regulations are available on the University Website: If you have any difficulty accessing or understanding the information, please do discuss this with one of your tutors.

15 WHEN YOU WILL BE ASSESSED Key: F=Formative Assessment PO=Portfolio RJ= Reflective Journal E=Essay PP=Presentation ST= Studio Test OR= Online Resource R=Report

16 ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT What is academic misconduct? Academic misconduct is defined by the University as any activity or attempted activity which gives an unfair advantage to one or more students over their peers and is treated very seriously. To ensure that students are treated fairly and equitably, academic misconduct is divided into the following three types: Academic Negligence This is regarded as the least serious offence and covers first time minor offences. It includes plagiarism that is small in scale, not related to the work of other students, and which is considered to have resulted from ignorance or carelessness. Academic Malpractice This covers extensive paraphrasing of material with no acknowledgement of the source, systematic failure to reference, submitting work which has already been sub- mitted for another assignment, and subsequent cases of Academic Negligence. Academic Cheating This is regarded at the most serious offence and covers Plagiarism in dissertations/final year projects/taught doctorate modules, collusion with other students, theft, commissioning/purchasing work, falsification of results/ data, and all examination irregularities.

17 ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT cont. If suspected of academic misconduct, you will be required to attend either an informal or formal meeting and if subsequently found guilty, you will receive a penalty, the most serious of which can be exclusion from the University. The processes and penalties are described in Appendix 2 of the Regulations. If you are found guilty of academic misconduct after the end of your programme, any award that you have received may be withdrawn. This can be done after you have graduated. The University has an Exceptional Cases Procedure, which can be used when it is suspected that a piece of work submitted by a student is not their own work. You could be interviewed to determine the authorship of work. You are therefore strongly advised to retain materials used in developing work. This is only a brief summary of the University’s procedure and should be read in conjunction with the Regulations relating to Academic Misconduct (Taught Components and Programmes) available: HERE You are strongly recommended to read these Regulations. They provide a detailed explanation of academic misconduct, the procedures which must be followed when an academic misconduct offence is suspected and the possible penalties. In order to avoid academic misconduct, the University is committed to continually educating you on how to develop good academic practice and writing skills.

18 ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT Cont. DON’T • Cut and paste (or reproduce) chunks of material DO from electronic sources or books/articles. Even if you acknowledge the source, material not stated as • Familiarise yourself with the Academic Misconduct regulations and the penalties that can be incurred.• Make sure that you know how to correctly being a direct quotation will make you vulnerable to acknowledge other people’s work or opinions, and an accusation of academic misconduct.get feedback from your Tutor on whether or not you • Loan your work to other students. If it is thenare doing this correctly. copied, you may be accused of academic• Take care when making notes from books or misconduct.articles. Always keep a record of whether your • Borrow work from current or previous students. Submit the same work for different assessments.notes are a paraphrase of the source or a directquotation, so that you don’t inadvertently includequotes without proper acknowledgement. (This is a • Seek support from your Module or Programme Leader iffrequently cited reason students give when accused you are experiencing difficulties in completing yourof academic misconduct). work on time.• Seek support from your Module or Programme Leader if • Get someone else to do your work. Essay-writing web you are experiencing difficulties in completing your sites don’t always keep their promises and have been work on time. known to inform universities of students who have• Check your work for accidental plagiarism using the purchased work. Turnitin software.

19 THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU The Faculty of Digital and Creative Media believes in a studio based ethos, where you will be able to learn alongside each other, share experiences and establish a studio identity as a year group and also between the years. Graphic Design, Digital Games Art, Performance and Creative Media Production courses apply sophisticated desktop software and hardware. They integrate such innovative areas as Digital Sculpting, Laser Scanning/Photogrammetry Scanning, 3D Modelling and Motion Capture as well as Radio and TV production’ Motion Graphics and Virtual Effects. This takes place within dedicated creative spaces including; computer suites, performance, rehearsal space and a ViCon motion capture facility. Further resources include laser scanning devices, drawing tablets and a Dimensions 3D Printer. You will have access to a range of well-equipped studios and workshops that are provided to maintain a challenging and professional learning environment, which usefully mirrors the context of professional practice. A learning resource centre complements the specialist facilities of the studios and workshops. The programme makes use of the College Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle) to support access to Programme document, teaching and learning resources, and other e-resources. You will be able to book video and still cameras, recording devices and laptops (from the library) to help support your studies. You will be advised on the need to purchase any specific equipment by your tutors during the early stages of your course.

20 E-LEARNING E-learning is integrated within every module and you will be introduced to the wide range of methods, resources and applications available to you and the course very early in your studies. Moodle is the Campus Virtual Learning Environment and it is here you will be able to access all the relevant course documents, timetables, module specifications, briefs and workshop materials. You will be shown how to integrate emerging technology and online collaborative learning tools for group support, research and assessment. These also include: Pinterest, Prezi, Twitter, Facebook and the use of audio feedback in formative work. This results in an ongoing and increasingly useful cumulative resource for you and staff to access

21 YOUR LIBRARY AND RESOURCE CENTRE The UCO Library and Resource Centre occupies the first floor of the UCO main building and provides a discrete library and computing facility for all HE students. The LRC provides over 130 PCs for student use, and is split into zoned areas for different types of study, such as group work and silent study, together with the newly established Innovation Area. The library also provides a range of other material for loan, such as DVDs, laptops and audio/visual equipment. Networked printing and copying is available throughout the LRC, as well as services such as scanning and binding. Library inductions are provided for all students during Welcome Week, these provide essential information about library services as well as an introduction to online resources. The LRC Team also provide a range of subject specific Information Skills sessions throughout the year and these cover topics such as planning an information search, identifying keywords and alternatives, accessing online journals and e-books, and advanced search tools. You can book one-to-one Information Skills sessions with the LRC Team. The LRC also provides a range of services to support students with disabilities and specific additional requirements.

22 WHEN YOU GRADUATE –YOUR LEARNING OUTCOMES Your FdA Graphic Design programme provides you with skills and attributes to enable you to successfully gain employment within the Graphic Design and Creative Industries. In order to achieve this, the course covers a range of Learning Outcomes in a number of key areas. These are:In terms of your knowledge and In terms of your cognitive and intellectualunderstanding, you should be able to: development, you should be able to:• Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of • Critically source, analyse, and interpret Graphic Design contemporary practice information to demonstrate a coherent• Show an in depth understanding of the understanding of complex tasks • Demonstrate an experimental and curious creative industries as a context for graphic approach, with intellectual flexibility and openness design to new ideas• Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the • Formulate and appraise visual ideas that resolve language, theory, materials and methods as graphic design problems they relate to the practice of Graphic Design And in terms of skills that can be transferred to In terms of your practical and professional many different kinds of careers, you should be skills, you should be able to: able to: • Develop conceptual, visual, technical and • Develop a range of skills and techniques, personal experimental skills by undertaking and qualities and attitudes essential for effective producing creative practical work performance within the creative industries • Use a range of specialist software, materials • Reflect systematically on performance to further and techniques appropriate to the graphic develop learning design Industry • Select and use a range of communication • Act with increasing autonomy, with reduced methods appropriate to the context need for supervision and direction, within defined guidelines

DISCLAIMERThe information contained in this Handbook is, as far as possible, accurate and up-to-date at the time of printing.The express permission of University Campus Oldham must be obtained to reproduce any, or all of this publication, other than for personal use or for those purposes permitted by law.