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PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION

PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION

Programme title: / Msc Digital anthropology
Final award (BSc, MA etc):
(where stopping off points exist they should be detailed here and defined later in the document) / Msc
UCAS code:
(where applicable)
Cohort(s) to which this programme specification is applicable:
(e.g. from 2008 intake onwards)
Awarding institution/body: / University College London
Teaching institution: / University College London
Faculty: / Social and Historical Sciences
Parent Department:
(the department responsible for the administration of the programme) / Department of Anthropology

Departmental web page address:

(if applicable) / www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology
Method of study:
Full-time/Part-time/Other / Full time or Part time
Criteria for admission to the programme: / See http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/apply/taught/entry-requirements
Length of the programme:
(please note any periods spent away from UCL, such as study abroad or placements in industry) / One calendar year full time, two calendar years part time
Level on Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ)
(see Guidance notes) / M
Relevant subject benchmark statement (SBS)
(see Guidance notes) / N/A
Brief outline of the structure of the programme and its assessment methods:
(see guidance notes) / Students must take one core course assessed by an unseen written exam and an essay; three optional courses assessed by coursework; submit a 15,000 word dissertation; undertake a practical project and complete a research methodology program geared specifically to understanding the role of digital technologies in everyday life and to using digital tools within ethnographic research.
Board of Examiners:
/ i) Name of Board of Examiners:
Msc Digital Anthropology

Professional body accreditation

(if applicable):

/ N/A / Date of next scheduled accreditation visit:
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
The program aims to give student a solid background in the comparative, and global use and experience of digital technologies from multiple perspectives and to train students in ethnographic methodologies and other practical skills that will allow them to under take research into the social experience of technology both in further graduate study and research and in other research environments (industry, commerce etc).
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
A: Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding of:
1.  How to assess virtual and digital communities, images, objects, collections critically including social networking, gaming, new media and communications. Analyse digital materials relevant to museum collectionbs, art installations, ethnographies and digital sources. Sole probbkems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations, locate source materials and interpretive studies, use research resources (particularly library catalogues, archival inventories, online catalogue and museum collections, digital databases and other traditional and digital resources relevant to anthropology
2.  Subject specific skills, for instance, analytical skills for understanding social networking devides (digital) and communication technologies, object analysis, image anslusis, critical analysis of cultural production etc and familiarity with diverse digital media.
3.  Aspects of anthropological theory, mateiral culture, critical museology, visual culture, visual anthropology, cultural heritage and the impact of digital media worldwide. / Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Acquisition of 1 through Three hour seminars and classes. Several course, especially the required core, Digital Anthropology: Theory, Practice, Ethnography, will also entail practical instruction e.g. visits to design companies, UCL Museums and Collections and other cultural organizations to view contemporary art. Several related projects will be undertaken in the Digital Anthropology lab including workshops on Big Data and Data Visualization, training in Corporate Ethnography, and introduction to various open source software platforms that can be utilized in research.
Acquisition of 2 through the required course digital Anthropology: Theory, Practice, Ethnography
Acquisition of 3 through the multiple optional courses.
/ Assessment:
Students will be assessed by a variety of methods: one unseen examination, long essays, a dissertation and a research methodology project.

B: Skills and other attributes

Intellectual (thinking) skills:
The Program aims to help students:
1.  Be precise and cautious in their assessment of evidence, and to understand through practice what objects and images can and cannot tell us.
2.  Question interpretations, however authoritative and reassess evidence for themselves
3.  Be creative in thinking about digital media and issues of representation / Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
These are fostered in all courses offered, in that all courses will introduce information that will need to be assessed critically and will demonstrate that how conflicting interpretations arise from the same information.
/ Assessment:
Through unseen examinations, long essays, and dissertation and through an intensive practical project that will result in a digital portfolio presentation.

C: Skills and other attributes

Practical skills (able to):
·  Communicate effectively in writing
·  Improve their knowledge and skills in using a variety of digital media and understanding critically their strengths and limitation in diverse applications.
·  Be able to develop digital content, databases, and other software platforms
·  Develop ethnographic research methodologies that can help in any qualitative research environment both inside and outside the university
·  Develop independent research skills working with a variety of different source material and through ethnographic research
·  Develop complex arguments within long essays and their dissertation / Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
·  Through the writing of long essays and the dissertation
·  Through weekly reading exercises
·  Through practical exercises
·  Through regular seminar presentation
·  Through seminar discussion
·  Through visits to museums, archives, libraries and art institutes
·  Through the setting of clear deadlines for the submission of written work
·  Through small group tutorials to work through ideas and arguments for the dissertation
·  Through one on one tutorials
·  Through short presentations to the department as a whole
/ Assessment:
Through unseen examinations, long essays, and dissertation and through an intensive practical project that will result in a digital portfolio presentation.

D: Skills and other attributes

Transferable skills (able to):
·  Write good essays and dissertations and improve their analytical skills
·  Use computer resources and software platforms that will be relevant in working and research environments
·  Present material orally and visually
·  To listen and contribute in group discussions
·  To understand different perspectives
·  To gather and assess original evidence / Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
·  Long essays and dissertation
·  Reading anthropological texts and writing short summaries for class
·  Submitting final work in the form of visual, textual and digital platforms
·  Seminar presentations
·  Reading, class discussion
· 
/ Assessment:
Through unseen examinations, long essays, and dissertation and through an intensive practical project that will result in a digital portfolio presentation.
The following reference points were used in designing the programme:
·  the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/quality-code-A1.aspx);
·  the relevant Subject Benchmark Statements (http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Pages/quality-code-A2.aspx);
·  the programme specifications for UCL degree programmes in relevant subjects (where applicable);
·  UCL teaching and learning policies;
·  staff research.
Please note: This 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. More detailed information on the learning outcomes, content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each course unit/module can be found in the departmental course handbook. The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed annually by UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Programme Organiser(s) Name(s):
/ Haidy Geismar
Date of Production: / January 14, 2014
Date of Review: / January 2014
Date approved by Head of Department:
Date approved by Chair of Departmental Teaching Committee:
Date approved by Faculty Teaching Committee