Curriculum Information

Document Version

QAA Benchmarks

Educational Aim

Learning Outcomes

Course Structure

Level 4 Modules

Level 5 Modules

Teaching and Assessment

Learning and Teaching Methods

Employer Engagement

Visiting Speakers
Visiting speakers, workshop leaders and production directors are key to the delivery of the Foundation Degree e. The College offers a programme of visiting guests from industry who work practically with learners and offer insight into professional working practices.

Volunteering
Volunteering is an opportunity for learners to improve their chances of prospective employment and an important way of gaining skills required for a future career. Learners will be expected to reflect on their choice of an appropriate volunteering placement within the creative industries in the first instance. An application or meeting with a prospective employer would then be arranged.

Fieldwork
For specific modules learners create work on location in response to particular environments or applied contexts.

Fieldtrips
For specific modules learners create work on location in response to particular environments or applied contexts.

Work Placements
Appropriate timetables and work placements are agreed between employers and learners. Learners are expected to carry out a planned period of work experience, which corresponds to the creative industries work placement module. All such work placements adhere to the University’s Procedures for Placement and Work–Based Learning.

Work-based Learning
Work based learning takes place within a variety of different modules on the course such as Work Based Individual project, Professional Skills for Esports, Islands in the Stream and Event Planning. Opportunities to undertake individual and collaborative practice within work-based contexts will enable learners to gain valuable experience of work within the creative industries sector.

Employer Forums
Employers are invited to come into colleges to discuss work placement opportunities with staff and learners. During these meetings employers are invited to use the time as an opportunity to comment on effectiveness of these placements and their relevance for future employability.

Other
Live briefs and applied projects offer the opportunity for guidance and mentoring by industry professionals.

Means of Assessment

• Report
• Presentation
• Portfolio
• Project Output

Learning Support

Induction
Learners receive inductions to college libraries and learner support services to become familiar with resources, where to locate them and how to use them. Learners receive inductions to the various workshops available for their use, which includes health and safety and risk assessment. Learners receive inductions into the structure and content of the course, teaching teams and teaching and learning approaches. Learners also have the opportunity to visit the USW campus as part of their induction, including an introduction to the library and general facilities.

Personal Tutor
All learners are allocated a Personal Tutor and receive 1 hours of pastoral support each week.

Office hours
Open door policy allows learners to approach tutors and personal academic coaches during non-taught hours. The course team are generally available throughout the week during standard office hours, either in the studios or in their office, in case of any enquiries or emergencies. Provision is also made for online tutorials where attendance on campus is not possible.

Tutorials
Tutorials take the form of a one-to-one or group discussion with a tutor. These can be face to face or online. Each module has a component of tutorial, but the emphasis on this format will change depending on the module. Tutorials focus on supervision support and academic development.

Seminars
A combination of lectures and seminars are conducted as standard practice to introduce a new module and enable group discussion during the course of development of a project. Seminars also occur within critical studies modules such as Perspectives on Theatre and Performance to discuss set texts and other learning materials and address study skills such as research, essay writing, essay structuring, Harvard referencing, and critical writing.

Formative Assessment
Longer running modules require learners to submit early assignments before a final summative assignment. Shorter modules will be formatively assessed through tutorials with a final summative assessment. This provides learners with a valuable opportunity for guidance in preparation of the completion of their assignment. The format of the formative assignment may range from in-class performance showings to set rehearsal points to draft written submissions.

Progress meetings
Progress sessions are conducted during tutorial time via 1 to 1 sessions.

Online Resources
Online resources are provided by tutors via Teams Class Notebook/Blackboard and by the library. Use of the VLE is set out in the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Minimum Requirements Policy. Learners have access to a range of digital books and journals via the College and University libraries. Professional collaboration tools such as Google Docs or collaborative wikis are used to support team working and project management.

Advice Zone
Learners are directed to College advice centres to additionally gain advice and skills in research, writing and general study. Learners are encouraged to use the college Learner Services to seek help with study skills and especially with the academic critical studies modules if needed. This can help with improving level of written work in critical studies and journals, explaining how the assessment criteria are applied to determine performance and how learners can address the criteria effectively through their work, their statements of intent, research folios and approaches to research. The learner support HWB operates on a strictly confidential one-to-one basis and learners find this beneficial. The HWB are also able to advise on counselling, disability and dyslexia, money and progression.

Disability
Those learners with conditions such as dyslexia are advised to approach the HWB to gain further assistance such as note-takers, study skills and technology designed to assist. Learners can also make use of the disability & dyslexia appointments and gain general access to disability support to discuss support requirements, answer queries or discuss funding for support.

IT/Library
Library inductions introduce learners to the wide range of resources available freely online via the USW and the college hubs including books, articles, journals, images, radio, TV and films. The College also offer a wide range of IT equipment both in class, in libraries and in designated areas that learners can access and use. This includes both PC and Macs with a wide range of software aimed at general and subject specialist use.

Course Exit Points

Progression Route

Learners who complete the Foundation Degree (Level 5) can progress to Level 6 to complete a BA with Honours degree. There is a level 6 top up BA Esports being planned at the moment which will be the main named pathway or progression, there are also a number of programmes currently running that would be suitable based on the course content such as, BA (Hons) Business and Management (Events Management), BA Marketing or BA Media Production. Course talks will be arranged with all course leaders as part of the professional practice module to help learners decide on progression routes outside of the top up.Other employment progression routes possibly include:• Games design• Team management• Events planning & management• Digital marketing & branding• Broadcasting• Professional Esports player• Health & Wellbeing• Self-employed/freelance

Entry Requirements

Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:

Typical A-Level Offer – DD

Typical BTEC Offer - relevant BTEC level 3 profile of Merit/Pass or Pass/Pass/Pass Typical Welsh Bacc Offer - Grade C and DE at A Level
Typical Access to HE Offer - Pass Diploma with 60 credits overall to include 45 level 3 credits all passes.

Additionally, GCSE passes in three subjects at grade C or above to include Mathematics and English Language (or equivalent).

A successful interview may also be a requirement for entry onto the course.

If an applicant does not meet the grade criteria, then age and experience may be able to be taken into consideration.

Inclusive Curriculum Statement

The University of South Wales operates a policy of inclusive learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Course teams will have considered ways of designing out any potentially disadvantageous element of courses during the course design process. However some specific needs may remain, details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://unilife.southwales.ac.uk/pages/3040-disability-and-dyslexia-service/

Addendum for Delivery at a Partner Institution

N/A