Unit information: Dissertation: Production & Written Element in 2014/15

Unit name	Dissertation: Production & Written Element
Unit code	DRAMM3016
Credit points	60
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Dr. Piccini
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Completion of relevant mandatory units in TB1 and TB2 and progress at June Exam Board.
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Film and Television
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

All MA students are expected to take one of four optional dissertation units. The optional unit will provide a structured and supervised opportunity for MA students to pursue an agreed project with reference to and emerging from their previous studies and to produce an advanced piece of work that that locates form, structure and style within contexts, concepts and conventions of screen or performance practice. Projects are produced either individually or in small groups, framed by contexts for public exhibition, and supported by individual reflexive written element. The unit involves devising a realisable project. It would normally be expected that this project would arise from work already undertaken on individual programmes, creating an opportunity to explore a conceptual area and production form in more detail. The title, scale and form of each piece of work will be negotiated through supervision. In every case the work will be expected to meet the requirements of summative masters level work.

Aims:

1. To develop and apply appropriate creative and technical production skills within a chosen aesthetic and/or generic context.
2. To enable students to develop and apply appropriate knowledges and skills appropriate to a professional setting.
3. To explore a range of possible methodological approaches
4. To develop and refine knowledge of issues in creative conceptualisation and realisation
5. To present the findings in a dissertation

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. To be able to distinguish between a range of different development and production approaches and methods
2. To become familiar with existing work in the chosen field of enquiry and to understand processes in the selected areas of practice
3. To design and complete a project that is realistic in scope
4. To be able to work constructively and creatively in group-based projects, where appropriate.
5. To gain substantial knowledge of a specific production/performance area and to provide an analysis of, and contextual justification for, the selected production and research methods
6. To develop the skills required to realise the projects undertaken to appropriate standards commensurate with their informing contexts
7. To be able to work within the disciplines of production and project processes, working to deadlines and within production budgets
8. To be able to communicate that knowledge with clarity appropriate to the determined mode of assessment through reflective and justified application of conceptual, formal and stylistic approaches within the selected field
9. To be able to reflect on individual work within a group project and with reference to an appropriate range of critical ideas.

Teaching Information

The practical component is supported by both technical and production support as necessary, and by supervision as required at each stage of the production process. The written element is also supervised. Experiential learning is central to the practical elements of the dissertation and practical work is closely supervised.

Assessment Information

1)Practice (67%)

2)Written Element: 5,000 words (33%)

3)Production File/Reflexive Journal: (pass/fail)

Reading and References

As appropriate to individual dissertation, under the guidance of supervisor.