Unit information: Television Drama History in 2021/22

Unit name	Television Drama History
Unit code	FATV20024
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Piper
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Film and Television
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This unit provides an introduction to the history of television drama in the 20th Century. Students will study a range of the television drama forms including the television play, popular genre series, adaptations, serials, and soap operas shown to British audiences during the period. Key genres such as crime, political or medical series will be covered with reference to the changing social, political, technological, and regulatory contexts of their reception. Dramas will also be considered in terms of the aesthetic, theoretical and ideological debates that have surrounded them.

Aims:

• To introduce students to the complexity and diversity of television drama in different periods.
• To enable students to make relevant distinctions between different types, forms and genres of television drama.
• To situate television drama production and reception in a range of historical, social and political contexts.
• To equip students to engage with critical and theoretical debates about television drama.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. identify and analyse key practices and conventions from the history of television drama production in the 20th Century.
2. make relevant distinctions between different types, forms and genres of television drama.
3. make comparisons between television dramas from different eras and cultures, informed by an awareness of changing contexts.
4. situate television drama production and reception in a range of historical, social and political contexts.
5. respond to, and participate in, debates concerning the aesthetic and ideological significance of television dramas.
6. produce work within a group, showing abilities to listen, contribute and lead effectively.

Teaching Information

Weekly 2-hour seminar, weekly 3-hour screening including introduction.

Assessment Information

20-minute group presentation (40%) ILO 1- 6

3000 word essay (60%) ILO 1-5

Presentations will take place in seminar sessions. Group presentations will be awarded a single grade.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. FATV20024).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.