Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

• To develop in students a knowledge and understanding of visualisation to an advanced (masters) degree level.
• To enable students to develop a range of conceptual, practical and professional visualisation skills.
• To promote innovation in visualisation through drawing.
• To enable and support students in research through a synthesis of understanding and application.
• To enable students to develop key transferable skills in the areas of information technology, problem-solving, communication, management, team work and professionalism.
• To promote an understanding of, and examine the opportunities for, professional practice.

2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

• The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications

3. Programme Learning Outcomes

3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to: 

• Interpret current methodological approaches to 2D and 3D visualisation for academic and professional needs.
• Demonstrate interrelationship between personal visual language and relevant cultural, social and theoretical contexts.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to: 

• Convey a broad and comparative awareness of 2D and 3D visualisation related to problem solving.
• Initiate, manage, reflect, critique and evaluate their practice appropriate to specific project briefings and the nature of their enquiry.
• Identify with, respond to, and critically reflect upon the opportunities and dynamics for learning with their peers and other external contexts.
• Develop ideas, concepts, theories, and arguments for different audiences through a range of cognitive methods and methodologies.
• Identify the opportunities in visual experimentation, innovation and further research.

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to: 

• Develop a broad ability and innovative implementation of 2D and 3D visualisation techniques through a range of practical methods and outcomes including visual, tactile, written and oral.
• Integrate 2D and 3D representations in investigative and creative work.
• Evidence their practice appropriate to specific project briefings and the nature of their enquiry.
• Demonstrate the relationships and contexts of their research into practice incorporating ethical awareness and application.
• Demonstrate team working and organisational ability to realise goals.

c. Key transferable skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to: 

• Reflect on and adapt own actions to connect and improve known and unknown situations.
• Maintain and refine effective visual, verbal and written communication in 2D and 3D Visualisation - including clarification of questions, consideration of alternative solutions and evaluation of outcomes.
• Exploit relevant research literature and other sources of primary and secondary information.
• Management - including self-learning and project and time management.
• Teamwork - including shared responsibilities, the agreement of common goals and methods, and co-ordination of resources.
• Professionalism - including acting professionally in accordance with ethical propriety, and the observation of safe working practices.
• Communicate ideas, concepts, theories, and arguments with different audiences.

4. Programme structure

4.1.  The programme consists of the following compulsory modules: 

  4.2.  All modules listed above are only offered on a full time basis.

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

5.1 In order to be eligible for the award, candidates must satisfy the requirements of Regulation XXI and additional requirements stated within these regulations.

5.2.  All taught modules provided by the School of the Arts and the Design School will be assessed on the basis of coursework.

5.3.  A candidate will be permitted to proceed to the Final Project after studying taught modules with a total modular weight of 120.

5.4.  In accordance with Regulation XXI, candidates who have the right of re-assessment in a module will be offered an opportunity to be re-assessed in a special assessment period.

5.5.  Any student failing to meet the requirements for achieving credit in a module has the automatic right of reassessment on one occasion only. Candidates who have a right of reassessment in a module can opt for reassessment at an earlier date than that of the next routine assessment of the module with the agreement of the programme leader.

5.6.  The decision to award an M.A. or an M.Sc. will be made by examining the focus of the route taken by the candidate within the Final Project modules.  DSP703 Final Project: Rehearsal and approaches to Professional Practice will be used to develop a student learning agreement, the content of which will constitute a final project proposal and will inform the nature of the degree award i.e. M.A. or M.Sc.  It is expected that the Final Project (SAP009) that contribute to the award of M.Sc. will embody significant use of established scientific methods / methodologies.

6. Relative Weighting of Parts of the Programme for the Purposes of Final Degree Classification