Foundation Year
Building skills and personal knowledge to prepare for advanced art & design programmes in Years 1-3. Learning to self-manage academic development.
Year 1 (Level 4)
Development of skills and understanding of the tools and processes used to create digital images, video, animation and sound, and the making of interactive media. Students will analyse and discuss existing examples of interactive media that makes for effective communication. Studies will also include the fundamentals of interactive design, user experience and the key principles and practices of interactive multimedia.
Semester 1 & 2
Principles and Practices of Interactive Media
• Emphasise on the principles & practices of designing and creating interactive media through the use of authoring software and exploration in coding to realise interactive artifacts.
Pixel, Image and Sound
• Creating images and sounds with imaginative response and creative inventiveness, developing skills of communicating ideas, facts and feeling through pixel-based, vector images and sound media.
2D Animation and Video Practices
• Development of skills and knowledge based on 2D animation and digital video processes that encourages exploration of contemporary timebased media and its delivering forms.
Media Histories and Culture
• Establishes and develop understanding of key concepts and principles for examining media culture and its objects, enabling students to locate their work within broader cultural and professional structures.
Internet Culture
• Develop critiques of web culture and web media artifacts in relation to the invention, emergence and widespread adoption of the internet as well as other networked technologies.
Year 2 (Level 5)
Specialisation in particular areas of interactive multimedia and application of technical skills in larger scale group projects while developing independence. Studies inclusive of extending knowledge of commercial interactive design techniques, planning multimedia production, experimentation on user control and content access, interface design and developing theories.
Semester 1 & 2
Authoring Interactive Narratives
• Engage with contemporary thinking about the inter-relationship of narrative & interactive media, promote debate and critical thinking for creative practice.
Content Management for Network and Mobile Media
• Address ideas about content management of media assets and dynamic creation of materials. Enable creation of dynamic content application & imagine emerging opportunity.
Teamwork Practices
• Develop team-working abilities, skills and practices to work effectively in mixed-discipline groups. Build understanding in leadership and membership role, interpersonal dynamics and shared objectives.
Traditions and Locations
• Establish theoretical examination of the recent and contemporary practices, to reflect them critically onto students’ work and locate own practices within the context of historical, social, cultural and professional currents.
Media Culture
• Critical and cultural dimension of media cultures and its economic, historical, political and societal contexts.
Year 3 (Level 6)
Students will be prepared for the career in the digital media sector, and undertake a major practical project. There is an enquiry module involving exploration of technical, cultural or theoretical issues relating to interactive design practice, including studies on multimedia project management, exploration of creative projects and employment preparation.
Semester 1 & 2
Emergent Media and Markets
• Understanding the emergence and adoption of new media technologies, speculate about the ‘next big thing’, extrapolating from current trends to anticipate new devices, new markets and consumption patterns.
Critical and Cultural Studies: L6 Enquiry/Report Essay (Screen)
• Engage with research, enquiry or critical process with related topic selected for the final project, involving exploration of ideas, examination of artifacts or problem solving recommendations.
Competitions, Festivals, Exhibitions
• Work in a professional context for recognised media event and develop quality practice in communication, explanation of design ideas, decision-making and problem solving.
Professional Contexts and Career Visions
• Addresses employability agenda; develop understanding and skills required to find employment.
Project Planning and Management
• Defining and refining subject through planning and management techniques; to investigate the planning, content and contexts of project, and align its process with professional industrial practices.
Project Realisation
• Realise and evaluate project ideas as defined for project planning and management module.
General Studies
• Subjects are compulsary for all students throughout the 3-year course.
Internship
Students will carry out a mandatory 12-week period of work placement with an agency or a studio within digital media industry for on the- job training & development after their completion of studies in year 3 (level 6).
