UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE
14. Programme Specification
This Programme Specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and
the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate
if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
Sources of information on the programme can be found in Section 17
1.
Awarding Institution / Body
University of Central Lancashire, Preston
2.
Teaching Institution
University of Central Lancashire, Preston
3.
University Department/Centre
Creative & Performing Arts
4.
External Accreditation
5.
Title of Final Award
BA [Hons] Contemporary Visual Arts [History &
Theory]
6.
Modes of Attendance offered
Full Time: Single Honours Degree
7.
UCAS Code
8.
Relevant Subject Benchmarking
Group(s)
9.
Other external influences
10. Date of production/revision of this
form
Art & Design & Art History
March 2009
11. Aims of the Programme
The course will aim to ensure that students can:



Identify key theoretical perspectives and concepts in contemporary and historical
visual arts
Develop the skills and foundation of knowledge (as well as the confidence in your
skills and knowledge) to work within your chosen sector of the professional creative
industries
Evaluate current developments throughout the arts, and possess the confidence, drive,
and expertise to be at the forefront of your chosen specialist area


Develop research, presentation, analytical and critical writing skills
Demonstrate specialist, transferable, and flexible skills required to be successful
within a professional arts environment
12. Learning Outcomes, Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods
A. Knowledge and Understanding
A1. Students will be able to analyse and
critically engage with modern and
contemporary art.
A2. Students will be able to source high quality primary and secondary reference
material during the process of their research.
A3. Students will be able to locate their own academic research within specific
historical and critical debates related to contemporary art
A4. Students will be able to apply their understanding of modern and contemporary
art verbally and in written form, and support their argument with relevant substantive
material.
Teaching and Learning Methods
The programme is taught through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, student led seminars and group
presentations, field visits/ gallery workshops and associated set readings.
Assessment methods
Assessment by essay, case study, set reading notebooks, visual analysis and diagnostic exercises,
written assignments, individual and group presentations, research projects, group exhibition and
contextual report and the Dissertation including proposal and indicative bibliography.
B. Subject-specific skills
B1. Students will develop
and identify key theoretical perspectives and concepts in
contemporary visual arts
B2. Students will be able to demonstrate a broad understanding of art history and its
relation to contemporary art practice and theory
B3. Students will develop a critical understanding of concepts and issues of modern
art and modernism.
B4. Students will be able to devise and undertake an original, sophisticated body of
research that seeks to contribute and facilitate greater understanding in the chosen
subject area.
Teaching and Learning Methods
The programme is taught through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, student led seminars and group
presentations, field visits/ gallery workshops and associated set readings.
Assessment methods
Assessment by essay, case study, set reading notebooks, visual analysis and diagnostic exercises,
written assignments, individual and group presentations, research projects, group exhibition and
contextual report and the Dissertation including proposal and indicative bibliography.
C. Thinking Skills
C1. Students will be
able to contextualise issues and concepts related to contemporary
art within a wider art historical perspective.
C2. Students will be able to identify a suitable theme and formulate a research
question that will ultimately lead to the production of an insightful and cogent piece
of academic writing
C3. Students will be able to present their research verbally and in written form, adopt
an appropriate tone and style, and support their argument with relevant substantive
material.
C4. Students will develop and demonstrate skills in critical and analytical writing,
documentation, and presentation.
Teaching and Learning Methods
The programme is taught through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, student led seminars and group
presentations, field visits/ gallery workshops and associated set readings.
Assessment methods
Assessment by essay, case study, set reading notebooks, visual analysis and diagnostic exercises,
written assignments, individual and group presentations, research projects, group exhibition and
contextual report and the Dissertation including proposal and indicative bibliography.
D. Other skills relevant to employability and personal development
D1. Students will demonstrate an ability to support their ideas and produce a well
reasoned, persuasively written academic argument.
D2. Students will develop theoretical and academic skills within a vocational context,
identifying a future direction in terms of employment and opportunities within the
creative and cultural sectors.
D3. Students will gain experience working within a professional arts environment, or
undertake a student-led project through which analogous transferable skills can be
developed and demonstrated
D4. Students will be able to identify and suitably articulate their strengths, abilities
and experiences, and will develop employment related skills to enable them to secure
future career opportunities in their chosen field
Teaching and Learning Methods
The programme is taught through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, student led seminars and group
presentations, field visits/ gallery workshops and associated set readings.
Assessment methods
Assessment by essay, case study, set reading notebooks, visual analysis and diagnostic exercises,
written assignments, individual and group presentations, research projects, group exhibition and
contextual report and the Dissertation including proposal and indicative bibliography.
13. Programme Structures*
Level
Level 3
Module
Code
FA3011
FA3991
FA3003
FQ3001
Level 2
FA2003
FA2007
FA2009
FA2008
FQ2001
PV2006
PV2005
RP2003
Module Title
Postmodern Art and Culture
(COMP)
Dissertation (COMP)
Employability Skills for the
Creative Practitioner (COMP)
Fashion, Culture & Identity
(COMP)
Investigating Contemporary Art
Practice (COMP)
The Creative Practitioner (COMP)
Changing Art History (COMP)
Black Art: Representation and
Identity (COMP)
Dress Style & Communication (O)
Thinking Through Film (O)
Critical Approaches to
Screenwriting (O)
Research project (O)
14. Awards and Credits*
Credit
rating
40
40
20
20
20
20
40
20
20
20
20
20
Bachelor Honours Degree
Requires 360 credits
including a minimum of
240 at Level 2 and 120 at
Level 3
Bachelor Degree
Requires 320 credits
including a minimum of
220 at Level 2 and 100 at
Level 3
HE Diploma
Requires 240 credits
including a minimum of
120 at Level 2
Level 1
FA1012
FA1007
FA1011
FQ1001
RP1002
PV1009
PV1012
Idea and Image in Modern Art
(COMP)
Introduction to Experimental Film
and Video (COMP)
Thinking Contemporary Art
(COMP)
Introduction to Design & Culture
(COMP)
Performance in Context (O)
The Short Film (O)
Film Practice and Theory (O)
20
HE Certificate
Requires 120 credits
20
40
20
20
20
20
15. Personal Development Planning
Personal Development Planning opportunities are embedded within the modules and
identified in the Module Handbooks. Time management is stressed though initial
emphasis on attendance and punctuality, leading to the management of an
independent research project in the third year. Teamwork is developed through
seminar debates and presentations; problem solving is addressed though researching
in response to lectures, seminars and in preparation for written and oral assignments.
Seminar reports and course notebooks offer students the opportunity to reflect on
your learning process.
First year students have a personal planning meeting with your personal tutor In the
induction week, or first week of term, including a skills audit and completion of a
planning and prioritising questionnaire.
The use of a tutorial group structure through the latter part of year 1 and in years 2
and 3 focuses students planning in terms of short term and long term outcomes. The
curriculum is designed to create points at which students make developmental
decisions in terms of work experience or research to facilitate career opportunities.
There are also specific modules for example The Creative Practitioner and
Professional Practice which address career opportunities, employment strategies and
the opportunities to listen to and discuss with professionals in the cultural and creative
industries.
16. Admissions criteria
Programme Specifications include minimum entry requirements, including academic
qualifications, together with appropriate experience and skills required for entry to
study. These criteria may be expressed as a range rather than a specific grade.
Amendments to entry requirements may have been made after these documents were
published and you should consult the University’s website for the most up to date
information.
Students will be informed of their personal minimum entry criteria in their offer letter.
12 unit profile made up from one of the following configurations, one of the main subjects must
be a designated qualification in either art & design or art history:
Two A2 Level Subjects
One A2 Level Subject plus one single award Advanced VCE
One Double Award Advanced VCE
Two Single Awards Advanced VCE
Plus evidence of Key Skills
Also:
Scottish Certificate of Education Higher Grade Passes
Irish Leaving Certificate Higher Grade Passes
International Baccalaureate
BTEC National Certificate /Diploma
Kitemarked Access Course
An ‘appropriate or equivalent’ Foundation Level Course in Art & Design with evidence of Key
Skills and an appropriate Academic qualification.
We welcome applications from International Students. If your first language is not English, you
will be required to have an IELTS score of 6.0 or higher, or equivalent. Such equivalence may be
shown by taking UCLan's own test of English proficiency.
All potential applicants to Contemporary Visual Arts will be invited for interview to discuss their
previous educational experience, the appropriateness of their course of study and possible career
ambitions. Non traditional entrants will be invited for interview to assess their potential for
study and if necessary remedial work will be discussed to help improve their skills, knowledge
and potential to satisfactory undertake the appropriate course of study.
ACCREDITATION OF PRIOR LEARNING (APL).
APL is a process which aims to recognise learning in whatever context it has taken place. It is
based on the premise that learning can be identified, measured, assessed and accredited within
academic programmes, regardless of the context in which it is acquired. You can claim for
learning acquired through previous formal study via a process termed Accreditation of Prior
Certificate Learning (or AP(C)L) and for learning gained through other life experiences and
study which has not been formally assessed via Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (or
AP(E)L) .
To be given credit on the programme, previous learning needs to be at Higher Education level.
For further information on how to prepare a claim using experiential learning , refer to the
website : http://www.uclan.ac.uk/information/services/sas/accreditation/index.php
17. Key sources of information about the programme






The University of Central Lancashire Website
BA Course Brochures and Exhibition catalogues
BA Course Fact Sheet
Fine Art staff & student website – www.uclan.ac.uk/centrecontemporaryart –
and links to staff individual sites
Contacts: Department of Creative & Performing Arts 01772 893180 or Dr
Mathew Gregory, 01772 893195,
Email MGGregory@uclan.ac.uk
18. Curriculum Skills Map
Please tick in the relevant boxes where individual Programme Learning Outcomes are being assessed
Module Title
Core (C),
Compulsory
(COMP) or
Option (O)
e.g.
LEVEL 3
FA3011
Postmodern Art and Culture
(COMP)
FA3991
Dissertation
(COMP)
FA3003
Professional Practice
(COMP)
FQ3001
FA2003
Fashion, Culture & Identity
Investigating Contemporary Art
Practice
(COMP)
e.g. LEVEL 2
Programme Learning Outcomes
(COMP)
FA2007
The Creative Practitioner
(COMP)
FA2009
Changing Art History
(COMP)
FA2008
Black Art: Representation & Identity
(COMP)
FQ2001
Dress Style & Communication
(O)
PV2006
Thinking Through Film
(O)
PV2005
Critical Approaches to Screenwriting
(O)
RP2003
Research project
(O)
FA1011
Thinking Contemporary Art
(COMP)
FA1012
Idea and Image in Modern Art
(COMP)
Introduction to Experimental Film and
Video
(COMP)
e.g. LEVEL 1
Module
Level Code
Knowledge and
understanding
A1
A2
A3
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
A4
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Subject-specific Skills
B1
B2
B3
B4
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Other skills relevant
to employability and
Thinking Skills
personal development
C1
C2
C3 C4 D1 D2
D3 D4
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
FQ1001 Introduction to Design & Culture
(COMP)
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
RP1002
Performance in Context
(O)
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
PV1009 The Short Film
(O)
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
PV1012 Film Practice and Theory
(O)
x
x
x
Note: Mapping to other external frameworks, e.g. professional/statutory bodies, will be included within Student Course Handbooks
FA1007
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x