Media, Culture & Creative Practice Programme

Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences School of Humanities

MEDIA, CULTURE & CREATIVE PRACTICE PROGRAMME

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK

2018/19

DISCLAIMER

Every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this Handbook and in all other documentation provided by the School is correct at the time of publication. The Handbook does not replace the entries in the University Regulations, which are authoritative statements. In the case of a contradiction or other discrepancy between information in this Handbook and the Regulations, the Regulations shall be authoritative, unless approval has been given for a variation. We would however, be grateful to you for drawing any sources of contradictory information to our attention. The University will do all it reasonably can to provide the programme as described in this document. Given the duration of the programme, circumstances beyond the University’s reasonable control may mean that it cannot deliver the programme as described. In addition to the other information provided, the University seeks to identify below the circumstances in which it may be required to make changes. Where any such changes are made, the University will notify the relevant students as early as reasonably possible and will take all reasonable steps to minimise any disruption which may result, for example, by delivering a modified version of the programme, affording the opportunity to withdraw and providing help to transfer to another institution or, where relevant, by providing alternative optional modules. It may be helpful to remember that Schools sometimes operate different procedures and you are advised to refer to the relevant School Handbook for modules being taken in another School.

Life as a student at university is an exciting time associated with a range of new experiences, environments and opportunities. It is also associated with a number of changes and new challenges that can include living and learning more independently, managing your time effectively and getting to grips with a variety of new learning environments and assessment types.

In order to help you settle in and to ease your transition into life at university, Keele provides an extended induction programme for all new students that focuses on your social life and wellbeing, your academic programme, and your future careers and employability. This handbook is designed to provide information and guidance of relevance to your time at Keele on issues that include:  Communication - staying in touch (Sections 1-3)  Key University policies and regulations (Section 5)  Key learning resources available to you as a student (Sections 4, 14)  Study and assessment in Higher Education (Sections 6 - 11).  Student Support (Sections 5).

If you require the Handbook or any other materials in an alternative format, please let us know. On request we can provide you with a printed copy, enlarged print on coloured paper, audio recording or Braille version.

Welcome to the School of Humanities

The School of Humanities is one of the Schools within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. It consists of a large number of diverse disciplines which include the programmes: American Studies, English and American Literatures (EALS), English, Film Studies, History, Media, Culture & Creative Practice (Media), Music, and Music Technology.

American Studies, EALS, English, Film Studies, History and Media Communications & Culture support staff are located in the Humanities School Office, CBA1.017 which is in Chancellor’s Building. Music and Music Technology are based in the Clock House.

Details of the School of Humanities Head of School, Media Programme Directors and support staff are as follows:

Head of School: Dr Timothy Lustig Room CBB1.038 Telephone: 01782 (7) 33011 Email: [email protected]

Senior School Manager: Mr Scott Dean Room: CBA1.001 Telephone: 01782 (7) 33203 Email: [email protected]

Media Programme Director Dr Elizabeth Poole Room MB0.05 Media Telephone: 01782 (7) 34968 Email: [email protected]

Media Programme Administrator Mrs Vicki Norman Room: CBA1.017 Telephone: 01782 (7) 34579 Email: [email protected]

THE MEDIA PROGRAMME HANDBOOK

Media forms a central part of our contemporary lives: from the way we access the news, to the way meaning is produced in cultural forms such as television, film, literature and music. We rely on media technology to sustain our everyday social relationships as well as to engage in the worlds of business, politics, and international affairs. On the (Media) programme at Keele you are not simply studying the ways in which media, communications, and culture have become central to every aspect of our lives. You also have the opportunity to produce cultural artefacts of your own, from photography and news production through to social media video and visual art. This combination of critical thinking about media and culture, together with creative engagement in their practical production, forms the heart of Media at Keele. When you are taking a more theoretical module you will be invited to consider how its content relates to the hands-on projects you will undertake. Vice-versa, when working on the practical side, you will need to reflect on the theory that underpins your product. Media is an integrated, interdisciplinary programme that will provide you with both the specific and transferable skills you need in today’s media-rich world.

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Media Programme in the School of Humanities.

The aim of this handbook is to give you the basic information about the School and the undergraduate programme. It is very important that you read this handbook in your first few days here, and keep it safe for the duration of your time at Keele, as you will need to check details from time to time.

As you will see from the Table of Contents, this handbook provides important information on a wide range of topics, such as course modules, assessment and students welfare. If you are unclear about any issue in the handbook you should feel free to ask members of the academic or office staff.

The Media website will offer another source of information about staff, events and the programme: www.keele.ac.uk/depts/mcc.

We very much hope you enjoy your time at Keele and that you will find the courses challenging and stimulating.

Dr Elizabeth Poole Programme Director for Media September 2018

CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE ...... 5 1 IMPORTANT DATES ...... 8 2. STAFF ...... 9

2.1 STAFF CONTACT DETAILS ...... 9 2.2 STAFF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES...... 9 2.3 ACADEMIC STAFF BIOGRAPHIES, TEACHING AND RESEARCH...... 10 3. COMMUNICATION ...... 12

3.1 THE SCHOOL OFFICE - CBA1.017 ...... 12 3.2 E-VISION ...... 12 3.3 KEELE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (KLE) ...... 12 3.4 OFFICE HOURS ...... 12 3.5 THE KEELE APPROACH TO EDUCATION ...... 13 3.6 HIGHER EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT REPORT (HEAR) ...... 13 4. TEACHING ORGANISATION AND ACTIVITIES ...... 13

4.1 TEACHING ROOMS ...... 13 4.2 THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ...... 14 4.3 IT SERVICES ...... 14 4.4 TIMETABLING ...... 15 5. STUDENT WELFARE AND REPRESENTATION ...... 15

5.1 SCHOOL SAFETY POLICY...... 15 5.2 UNIVERSITY POLICY ON DISABILITY ...... 15 5.3 NOTIFICATION OF LONG-TERM DISABILITY OR PERSONAL CONCERN ...... 15 5.4 HELP WITH STUDY SKILLS ...... 15 5.5 STUDENT REPRESENTATION & FEEDBACK ...... 15 Student Voice Representatives ...... 15 Student Staff Voice Committees ...... 16 Module Evaluation ...... 16 5.6 REFERENCES ...... 16 5.7 STUDENT SUPPORT AND WELLBEING ...... 16 Personal Tutoring ...... 18 5.8 COMPLAINTS ...... 18 5.9 STUDENT DISCIPLINE ...... 19 5.10 LEAVE OF ABSENCE ...... 19 5.11 ACADEMIC APPEALS ...... 19 5.12 VISAS AND IMMIGRATION ...... 20 5.13 LINKS TO UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND REGULATIONS ...... 20 6. EXPECTATIONS: WHAT WE EXPECT OF YOU AND WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OF US ...... 21

6.1 WHAT THE SCHOOL EXPECTS OF YOU ...... 21 6.2 WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OF THE SCHOOL ...... 21 7. THE PROGRAMME IN MEDIA, COMMUNICATIONS AND CULTURE ...... 22

7.1 THE DEGREE COURSE: AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES ...... 22 Knowledge and Understanding ...... 22 Subject-Specific skills ...... 23 Intellectual skills ...... 23 Transferable skills...... 23 7.2 MODULE DOCUMENTS ...... 24 7.3 PROGRAMME STRUCTURE – COMBINED AND DUAL HONOURS ...... 24 7.5 LEVEL 5 INDICATIVE MODULES ...... 27 7.6 LEVEL 6 ...... 28 7.7 PROGRAMME STRUCTURE – SINGLE HONOURS ...... 29 7.8 LEVEL 4 ...... 30 7.9 LEVEL 5 ...... 31 7.10 LEVEL 6 ...... 32 8. MEDIA MODULES ...... 33

8.1 LEVEL 4 MEDIA MODULES ...... 33 8.2 LEVEL 5 MEDIA MODULES ...... 34 8.3 LEVEL 6 MEDIA MODULES ...... 37 9. PROGRAMME REQUIREMENTS ...... 39 9.1 DEADLINES ...... 39 9.2 ATTENDANCE AND ENGAGEMENT WITH STUDIES ...... 39 9.3 ACADEMIC WARNINGS ...... 39 10. ASSESSMENT ...... 40

10.1 METHOD OF ASSESSMENT ...... 40 10.2 GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIA ...... 40 10.3 ASSESSMENT ATTEMPTS ...... 40 10.4 THE MODULE PASS MARK ...... 41 10.5 EXAMINATIONS ...... 41 10.6 ANONYMOUS MARKING ...... 41 10.7 SECOND MARKING ...... 42 10.8 THE EXTERNAL EXAMINERS ...... 42 10.9 DEGREE CLASSIFICATION ...... 42 11. GUIDELINES FOR THE SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN WORK ...... 43

11.1 ESSAY REQUIREMENTS ...... 43 11.2 FINAL YEAR DISSERTATIONS/PROJECTS (ISPS) ...... 43 11.3 IMPLICATIONS OF LATE SUBMISSION ...... 43 11.4 EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES (EC’S) ...... 43 12. ACADEMIC CONDUCT ...... 44

12.1 ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT ...... 44 12.2 EXAM REGULATIONS ...... 44 12.3 PLAGIARISM ...... 44 12.4 COMMISIONING ...... 44 12.5 PROOFREADING GUIDANCE ...... 44 12.6 COLLUSION ...... 45 12.7 ETHICS ...... 45 13. THE MARKING SCHEME ...... 46

13.1 GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIA ...... 46 13.2 COMPLAINTS BY STUDENTS REGARDING ESSAY OR MODULE MARKS ...... 46 13.3 RELEASE OF MODULE MARKS TO STUDENTS ...... 46 14. HOW TO DO WELL ON YOUR COURSE ...... 46

14.1 WRITTEN WORK ...... 47 14.2 ADVICE ON EXAMINATION PREPARATION AND ANSWERS...... 47 14.3 ADVICE ON WRITING ESSAYS ...... 48 14.5 CRITERIA AND QUALITY OF WRITTEN WORK ...... 54 14.6 USING INTERNET SOURCES...... 55 14.7 SOURCING IMAGES ON THE INTERNET ...... 55 14.8 COPYRIGHT – ADVICE FOR MEDIA STUDENTS ...... 57 15. STUDENT EXCHANGE ...... 60 16. LANGUAGE CENTRE ...... 61 17. CAREERS ...... 62 18. POSTGRADUATE STUDIES ...... 62

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY STATEMENT ...... 63 DIGNITY & RESPECT FRAMEWORK ...... 63 HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION ...... 64 FIRE ACTION ...... 64

1 IMPORTANT DATES

Dates of Semesters 2018-19

Semester 1 Monday 24th September 2018 – Friday 18th January 2019

Semester 2 Monday 21st January 2019 – Friday 7th June 2019

Christmas Vacation Saturday 15th December 2018 – Sunday 6th January 2019

Easter Vacation Saturday 6th April 2019 – Sunday 28th April 2019

Semester 1 University Examination Period Monday 7th January 2019 – Friday 18th January 2019

Semester 2 University Examination Period Tuesday 7th May 2019 – Friday 24th May 2019

Semester 1 Re-examinations Monday 3rd June 2019 – Friday 7th June 2019

Semester 2 Re-examinations Monday 12th August 2019 – Friday 16th August 2019

Winter graduation ceremonies Thursday 17th January 2019

Summer graduation Monday 15th - Friday 19th July 2019

The Teaching Timetable You will find a copy of your personal timetable on the KLE. For any additional queries, please consult the Media Programme Administrator [email protected], or module tutors.

Essay / Project Deadlines 2018/19 Essays and projects must be handed in at specific times. These times vary from module to module. Details of submission times can be found in all module handbooks. It is your responsibility to know these times and to submit work as required. Any non-submission must be authorised. See the policy on Exceptional Circumstances in Section 12.4.

Key University dates 2018/19: http://www.keele.ac.uk/keydates/

2. STAFF

The Humanities School Office is located on the first floor of the Chancellor’s Building in CBA1.017. Please familiarise yourself with the location of this office and feel free to call in at any time if you have any non-academic queries regarding your programme.

*Please note that the default communication method to all students is by your Keele account email and / or the KLE.

2.1 STAFF CONTACT DETAILS

OFFICE & SUPPORT STAFF Vicki Norman (Programme Administrator) CBB0.072 34579 [email protected] Sam Galantini (Technical Co-Ordinator) MB0.01 33495 s.a.galantini.keele.ac.uk

ACADEMIC STAFF CONTACT DETAILS Dr Neil Archer CBB1.051 33202 [email protected] Dr Nick Bentley CBB2.050 33304 [email protected] Dr Pawas Bisht MB0.02 34258 [email protected]

Dr Maria Flood CBB2.059 34576 [email protected] Dr Eva Giraud MB0.02 34258 [email protected]

James McAteer MB0.09 33498 [email protected] Ms Mandy McAteer (Exams Officer) MB0.09 33499 [email protected]

Dr David McWilliam CBB2.053 34575 [email protected] Dr Elizabeth Poole (Programme Director) MB0.05 34968 [email protected] Dr Miroslav Spasov (Study Abroad Tutor) CKF09 33395 [email protected]

2.2 STAFF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Head of School Dr Timothy Lustig Director of the Media Programme Dr Elizabeth Poole Examinations Officer Ms Mandy McAteer Study Abroad/Exchange Tutor Dr Neil Acher Convenor of Staff/Student Liaison Committee Dr Elizabeth Poole / Dr Eva Giraud

External Examiner Dr Rinella Cere, Sheffield Hallam

2.3 ACADEMIC STAFF BIOGRAPHIES, TEACHING AND RESEARCH

Dr Neil ARCHER I specialize in late twentieth- and twenty-first century film aesthetics and the history of film industries, with a particular focus on popular European cinemas (especially British cinema), Hollywood cinema, and the relationship between globalization and film. I am especially interested in the practices and aesthetics of parody, the road movie and science fiction.

I am the author of The Road Movie: In Search of Meaning (Wallflower, 2016), The French Road Movie: Space, Mobility, Identity (Berghahn 2013), Hot Fuzz (Auteur, 2015) and The Bourne Ultimatum (Auteur 2012), and the editor of Adaptation: Studies in French and Francophone Culture (Peter Lang, 2011). My most recent book, Beyond a Joke: Parody in English Film and Television Comedy (I.B. Tauris, 2017), was nominated for the Kraszna- Krausz Best Moving Image Book of 2017.

Dr Nick BENTLEY studied English and History at Keele University and stayed on to do an MA in Twentieth-Century British Fiction. I then moved to Staffordshire University to teach English and complete a doctorate on the fiction and culture of the 1950s. He has held lecturing posts at Birmingham University and the Open University before taking up my current post at Keele in 2004. He is the module leader for Understanding Culture in the first year and Postmodernism: Fiction, Film and theory in the third year. He also teaches on modules in the English, and English and American Literature programmes. Nick’s main research interests are in critical theory and twentieth-century literature and culture, and more specifically in the connections between postmodernism, postcolonialism and contemporary fiction and culture. He is also interested in the representation of subcultures in fiction and film and would be keen to supervise postgraduate students in any of these areas. He has published monographs on British fiction and culture in the 1950s and contemporary British fiction, and journal articles on Julian Barnes, Zadie Smith, Colin MacInnes, Sam Selvon and the British New Left. He is currently completing a monograph on Martin Amis for the Writers and their Work series. Some of his recent publications include: Contemporary British Fiction (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2008); Radical Fictions: The English Novel in the 1950s (Oxford: Peter Lang, 2007); and British Fiction of the 1990s (London and New York: Routledge, 2005).

Dr Pawas BISHT Pawas Bisht is a Lecturer in media at the School of Humanities, Keele University. His research focuses on media and cultural politics with a particular emphasis on the dynamics of social and cultural remembrance, social movements and environmental politics. His PhD research (2009- 2013, Loughborough University) examined the remembrance of the Union Carbide Gas Disaster in Bhopal (India), undertaking an ethnographic and multi-scalar analysis of the institutional, social and personal memorialisation of the event. He is currently developing a research project examining local level commemoration of the Great War in the UK. Pawas's teaching spans both media theory and media practice. He would be contributing to a range of Media modules including Digital Video, Creating Awareness Campaigns, Visual Pleasures and Documentary Theory and Practice. Prior to his appointment at Keele, he held lecturing positions at the Department of Social Sciences, Loughborough University (UK) and at the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia (New Delhi, India). He also currently teaches as a distance-learning tutor for the postgraduate programme in media and communication at the University of Leicester. Pawas is an experienced documentary film practitioner. His work has been shown on Channel 4, CNBC-TV 18 and Doordarshan (India’s national public service broadcaster) and includes films commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility.

Dr Maria FLOOD I specialize in contemporary European and African cinema, focusing on post-colonial cinema, war and trauma studies, and historical violence in French and North African film. I am also interested in the intersections of politics and aesthetics, gender and violence, and terrorism and affect studies. My broader research interests include photography and ethics, contemporary continental philosophy, transnational cinema, conflict studies, and European post-war documentary. I am currently completing a monograph entitled France, Algeria and the Moving Image: Screening Histories of Violence, 1962–2010(Legenda, 2016).

Dr Eva GIRAUD Eva Giraud’s work explores the relationship between politics and digital media; she is especially interested in the opportunities that are created, and problems that are posed, for activists by new technologies. Her research focuses in particular on the dynamic between on- and offline activism, with a focus on the work of environmental, anti-capitalist and animal rights activists. More broadly she is interested in cultural theories that question and challenge existing relationships between humans, animals and the environment. She currently convenes first year module Understanding Culture and second year module Analysing Culture, and also teaches on the MA in Global Media and Culture.

Ms Mandy McATEER Mandy McAteer studied photography at the University of Westminster and gained an MA in Contemporary Visual Culture at Keele. Her specialist areas of practice are moving and still image production. Her specialist subject area is notions of cultural identity, stigma, discrimination, the visual representation of marginalised groups, and the sense of ‘otherness’. As well as working in a commercial context for clients such as Amnesty International and Traidcraft, she has had numerous commissions for both moving imagery and still images such as ‘Dispelling the Myths’, a video communicating issues surrounding refugees and Asylum Seekers, ‘The Plates Project’, which culminated in an exhibition where people were asked to express their views on issues surrounding mental health – this project was highly commended by the Department of Health and the National Institute for Mental Health and was cited by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health as a model of best practice. She also has curated many exhibitions of other practitioners’ work.

Dr David MCWILLIAM My research interests include crime, Gothic, neo-Victorian, and science fiction literature, film, and television in relation to contemporary politics, adaptation, monstrosity, posthumanism, and biopolitics. I have published articles, book chapters, and encyclopaedia entries in these areas. I am currently working on converting my doctoral thesis, American Monsters: Identification with Criminals in the Neoconservative Era, into a monograph. I am an active member of the British Association for American Studies and the International Gothic Association.

Dr Elizabeth POOLE I have written widely in the area of the representation and reception of Muslims in the news authoring ‘Reporting Islam: Media Representations of British Muslims’ I.B Tauris in 2002 , editing, with John Richardson, ‘Muslims and the News Media’ I B Tauris in 2006 and co-writing (with Professor Kim Knott, Lancaster) ‘Media Portrayals of Religion and the Secular Sacred’ based on an ESRC/AHRC research project. I have recently completed a project with Dr Siobhan Holohan (Keele) for the Institute of Strategic Dialogue; ‘Muslims in the European Mediascape’ and I am currently working with Dr Eva Giraud on a British Academy project which explores hate speech and Islamophobia on social media. Other interests include ethnicities, news, digital media and audiences.

3. COMMUNICATION

3.1 THE SCHOOL OFFICE - CBA1.017 Located in the Chancellors Building and is the main channel of communication between the School and students outside of teaching. In particular it will deal with all administrative matters, such as essay submission, timetable issues and general enquiries. The office is open from 8:45 – 5pm Monday to Friday each week when the university is open. Please feel free to pop into the office at any time if you any queries about your Media programme.

The School(s) and other University services will contact you throughout your studies with important information. The primary channel for communication will be your Keele email address. We expect you to check your Keele email regularly, ideally on a daily basis, and you are responsible for reading University emails and taking action if appropriate. Secondary channels of communication include the KLE (more below), social media, phone and post. Please ensure that you keep your phone number and address details up-to-date in eVision. You can find links to all Keele social media accounts by visiting https://www.keele.ac.uk/social- media/. In particular, you will find it useful to follow the ‘Keele University Student Services’ page on Facebook, as this is a one-stop-shop for support and information services available to you at Keele.

3.2 E-VISION You will also need to make yourself familiar with eVision. eVision provides an opportunity to: ● View your current and previous module marks ● View and update your personal information and contact details ● Request a course change ● View your credit requirements ● View your absence record ● Re-register for your course each year You can access eVision through the student login on the Keele homepage. Once logged in, go to ‘The Office’ tab (top right), and select ‘e:Vision’ from the secondary tab list which appears.

3.3 KEELE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (KLE) The KLE, or Blackboard, provides every student and member of staff with a personal teaching and learning workspace that can be accessed through the Internet. The KLE gives you access to information, activities and resources associated with the modules you are studying. These might include resources such as lecture notes and slides, pictures and other materials, and interactive features too, such as discussion groups. The KLE is also a useful place to find information about student support and activities happening on campus. You should regularly access the KLE, ideally on a daily basis, because it provides the most accurate and up-to-date information with regard to your modules. You can get KLE help and support from the IT Department. Details here: http://www.keele.ac.uk/it/itservicedesk/

3.4 OFFICE HOURS Teaching staff hold office hours, during which time they are free to see students without prior appointment (see module handbooks or staff doors). If you wish to make an appointment 12

outside these times, then you should make an arrangement via email.

3.5 THE KEELE APPROACH TO EDUCATION 'Your Keele Journey' explains the Keele approach to education, which covers not only your academic curriculum, but also all the opportunities Keele offers you to develop additional skills and knowledge alongside the subjects you are studying. The Keele approach to education provides you with an opportunity to design your individual student experience, in order to develop your knowledge, skills, attitudes and values and enhance your talents so you can make a difference to your world. Your Keele journey will give you the opportunity to benefit from the highest quality research- informed academic experience. We will offer you the support that you need to make the most of your education. The skills and attributes you develop will help to make you highly employable and able to make informed career choices about your future. At Keele, we want you not only to fulfil your academic potential, but also be able to contribute effectively to the wider community. You will have the chance to engage in volunteering, sports and other activities so that you can develop as a person, try new things and give something back. We will also support you to become well-informed about the issues surrounding the sustainability of our planet’s natural systems and its inhabitants, so that you can use your knowledge and skills to create a more sustainable world. As a Keele student, you will join an international academic community, and we will help you to play your part in a globalised society. As a Keele graduate we want you to leave us clear about who you are and what you want to be, and be equipped to achieve your goals. It’s little wonder the Keele educational approach is considered an amazing foundation for life. It’s the Keele difference. You can find more information on the Keele Approach to Education here: http://www.keele.ac.uk/journey/

3.6 HIGHER EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT REPORT (HEAR) The HEAR will provide you with a comprehensive record of all your university achievements, including some of your co-curricular and extracurricular activities, both during and upon completion of your academic studies at Keele. It is an extended academic transcript and will contain detailed information about your learning and achievements and, along with your degree certificate, will support applications for employment and further study. HEARs will be issued to all undergraduate degree students studying at Keele and graduating from July 2014 onwards, currently excluding students studying for a Medical degree. Keele is working in partnership with Gradintelligence to produce your HEAR. You will receive a registration email from Gradintelligence during your studies at Keele and must complete your registration with them so you can access your HEAR. Your HEAR is a secure, digitally signed document and when logged into Gradintelligence you can share your HEAR with employers, employment agencies or other universities. For more information on what will appear in your HEAR, and the benefits of having one, please visit http://www.keele.ac.uk/hear/

4. TEACHING ORGANISATION AND ACTIVITIES

4.1 TEACHING ROOMS Lectures and seminars for the modules you take will be held in many different teaching rooms on the campus. Information regarding their location and times is posted on the KLE. Lectures, 13

seminars and tutorials normally begin at five minutes past the hour and end at five minutes to the hour, giving you 10 minutes between classes. Please ensure that you are punctual.

4.2 THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Our Libraries offer fantastic facilities, a choice of study spaces, free WiFi, excellent support, and access to extensive print and online resources. We have two Library sites: the main Campus Library and the Health Library at Royal Stoke University Hospital. Both Libraries are open seven days a week with the Campus Library open 24/7 during semester. Full details are available from the Library website. We provide academic collections online and in print, subscribing to over 20,000 e-journals, 300,000 e-books and there are over half a million items on our shelves. You can access the majority of online collections anytime, anywhere, both on and off-campus. Use Library Search, our discovery service, to search for and access items from our collections. You can borrow books for two weeks, one week or three days, and they will be renewed automatically unless requested by another borrower, in which case fines will be charged for overdue items. Use our online reading list service to view and access module readings. There are over 1,100 study spaces for you to work in groups, on your own, or in silence. Both group and individual study rooms are available to book. There is Wi-Fi access throughout both sites and a refreshment area in the Campus Library. Library staff will help you at any time and for more subject specific support you can book an appointment with a Librarian at either the Campus Library or Health Library. We also provide a range of training workshops to help you develop your information research skills including sessions such as finding journal articles for your assignment and reference management (using RefWorks). In addition, an online resource 'Getting Started with the Library: from beginner to expert in seconds' is available on the KLE via the Academic and Professional Toolkits module. For further information and to access all our resources go to the Library website.

4.3 IT SERVICES IT Services are responsible for your IT systems and networks throughout the University. Their services include the wireless network, printing service, IT Suite and Labs, Laptop Loan and Laptop repair service. They provide help and advice using Keele systems such as the KLE, eVision, office software or Google Mail and Apps and advice when connecting to the wireless network (eduroam). Remember when using Keele University IT systems that you are bound by the IT Conditions of Use, a link to which can be found on http://www.keele.ac.uk/it/. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these to ensure that you use the systems within the terms of the Acceptable Use Policy. Keep yourself safe whilst online:- ● Make sure that before connecting to the network your antivirus, web browser and operating system are all up to date. ● Protect your personal information; secure your account by changing your password to something that is memorable but secure, a combination of capital and lowercase letters. ● Ensure that your online presence, particularly in social media, has the security set to a level you are comfortable with. ● If you receive an email or message that sounds too good to be true you are probably best deleting it. Do not give out personal information to a non-accredited website or link. ● Never share your Keele Username and Password. ● Always be suspicious of emails asking for your Username and Password, never respond to them and report them to IT Services. If in doubt about staying safe whilst online check with someone you can trust like IT Services. 14

IT Connect is the first point of call for anything IT-related. It is based in the Campus Library and is open 7 days a week throughout the semester. The online Self Service portal is also available 24/7 servicedesk.keele.ac.uk and connects you with services across the University. You can contact them by phone 01782 733838 or by email [email protected] or check out www.keele.ac.uk/it

4.4 TIMETABLING Information on how to access your timetable can be found at http://www.keele.ac.uk/timetabling/

5. STUDENT WELFARE AND REPRESENTATION

5.1 SCHOOL SAFETY POLICY The School Health and Safety Officer is Mr Scott Dean. He oversees all matters relating to health and safety within the School and is responsible for periodic inspections of teaching rooms and offices. Any concerns about health or safety should be reported in the first instance to him and he will take them up with the University Health and Safety Officer. The Media Safety Policy is reviewed annually.

5.2 UNIVERSITY POLICY ON DISABILITY A statement of university policy on disability can be found at http://www.keele.ac.uk/hrss/equalitydiversity/

5.3 NOTIFICATION OF LONG-TERM DISABILITY OR PERSONAL CONCERN If you have a persistent medical disability (such as dyslexia, diabetes or impaired sight or hearing) or any enduring personal problem (such as family illness), which is likely to disadvantage your work and/or attendance, the School will be informed in order to make any necessary adjustments (such as a need for large print in examinations and module documentation). The Disability Officer will inform your module tutors, though you may wish to speak to them yourself, to ensure that we take appropriate action. You have our assurance that any confidences will be kept. Our aim is to ensure that you maximise both your academic capabilities and enjoyment of the course.

5.4 HELP WITH STUDY SKILLS Tutors are there to support and encourage your learning and you are encouraged to use the tutor’s office hours for this purpose. Please see: http://www.keele.ac.uk/sll/aboutus/gettingintouch/ See also Section 15 in this Handbook.

5.5 STUDENT REPRESENTATION & FEEDBACK Student feedback is important at Keele and there are a number of opportunities for you to get involved. You are also encouraged to speak with staff informally if you have any suggestions for improvements or to seek advice regarding issues with your programme. Student Voice Representatives All students have the opportunity to stand for election as a Student Voice Representative, with at least two reps per year per programme. Each School also has a lead representative. Student 15

Voice Representatives represent the views of other students on their programme, gathering feedback and attending Student Staff Voice Committees to discuss items raised by their peers and developments to the programme. It is an important role, which is recognised by being HEAR-recordable. There are even awards each year to celebrate the achievements of those who have gone above and beyond the standard duties of a student rep. Look out for further information publicised by KeeleSU, including details of elections, which are held online at the start of the year. More information can be found here: http://keelesu.com/yourunion/.

Student Staff Voice Committees These meetings provide a forum for discussion between Student Voice Representatives and staff on the programme about programme issues. They are held at least once a semester. The meetings are normally chaired by a student rep and act as the principal means for staff to be made aware of the collective opinion of students. Their success depends upon students getting involved, either as reps or by supporting the reps by providing them with your feedback.

At the beginning of each session representatives from all three years are elected to the School This meets at least once a semester, and provides an opportunity to discuss matters raised by students, and matters on which the School wishes to seek student views. Do consult the draft code of conduct for student representatives at http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/aa/qao/qamanual/staffstudentliaison.htm.

Students who are not members of the SSVC can place an item on the Agenda by contacting their representatives or by contacting Programme Director Dr Elizabeth Poole: e.a [email protected] The names of student representatives, and the dates, agendas and minutes of SSVC meetings are placed on the KLE and noticeboards.

Module Evaluation At the end of each module students are invited to complete an evaluation form. These are done anonymously and give you an opportunity to have your say on the content and delivery of modules. A summary of the results are considered by the Student Staff Voice Committee and other School committees, and also form part of the annual review of the curriculum, known as CARD (Curriculum Annual Review and Development). Final year undergraduate students also take part in the National Student Survey (NSS) between January and April, with results and comments carefully analysed at programme and School level.

Final year undergraduate students also take part in the National Student Survey (NSS) between January and April, with results and comments carefully analysed at programme and School level.

5.6 REFERENCES It is very likely that you will want to ask individual members of staff to act as referees for you, especially in connection with job applications. You must ask the member of staff whether he or she is happy to write you a reference before giving their name. If we are able to help you in this way, it is also useful to know about the applications you are making and any extra-curricular activities you are engaged in.

5.7 STUDENT SUPPORT AND WELLBEING While we know that you will have a great experience at Keele, there are likely to be times when you need support, advice or just somebody to talk to. We have specialist and professional student support and wellbeing services in place to offer you support, if and when you need it. Please take the time now to familiarise yourself with these services, and if at any point you feel like you need some help or want somebody to talk to, then don’t hesitate to ask – that's what

we’re here for.

Student Services Centre - The Student Services Centre should be your first stop for any queries, including academic advice, exams information, timetabling queries, electives information, money support, support in accommodation, disability and dyslexia support, international student support, critical incident support, and personal issues, i.e. bullying, homesickness, etc. Staff in the Centre are experienced in dealing with a wide range of issues and will work with you to resolve issues or concerns that you have at any point during your time here at Keele. We offer drop-ins every weekday: · Monday and Friday 10-12pm · Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 2-4pm · Evening drop-ins every Tuesday, 5-7pm (term time only) Visit: https://www.keele.ac.uk/studentservices/ Email: [email protected] Call: 01782 734481

Counselling and Mental Health Support - Your mental health is something that we take very seriously. Please make contact with us if you want to discuss how we might support you during your time at Keele. Our team of mental health professionals are all committed to providing effective, appropriate support within an academic environment. Visit: www.keele.ac.uk/studentcounselling/ Email: [email protected] Call: 01782 734187

Disability and Dyslexia support - Our support team provides ongoing, holistic support for individual student needs. If you have a physical and/or sensory disability, severe mental health issues, or are on the autistic spectrum, please contact us as soon as possible. Visit: https://www.keele.ac.uk/disability/ Email: [email protected]

Faith and Chaplaincy - Our chaplaincy team are here for those of all faiths and none, and run lots of events and activities throughout the year which everyone is welcome to take part in. We have Christian and Muslim chaplains, and faith advisers from other religions who can offer you support and guidance. Visit: https://www.keele.ac.uk/faith/

International students - We have a dedicated International Student Support team to support all International, EU and EEA students. They are trained to provide specialist help and advice with visa or immigration queries, information on working in the UK, and assistance with any personal or academic queries you might have. If English is not your native language, then the Language Centre (keele.ac.uk/lc) is here to support you throughout your studies. Visit: https://www.keele.ac.uk/internationalstudents/

Keele Mentors scheme - The team in the Student Services Centre also co-ordinate the Keele Mentors Scheme, which is open to all new students. For more information about Keele Mentors and to sign up online, visit: Visit: https://www.keele.ac.uk/keelementors/

Nightline - We are very proud of the way our students support one another throughout their university experience. Nightline is our student-led information and listening service, offering confidential support from other students by phone, Skype, text, email or online chat. The service is available to all students from 9pm to 3am every night during term-time. Visit: https://keelenightline.co.uk/

Advice and Support at Keele (ASK) - ASK delivers independent advice on a whole range of issues, including academic, health, family, wellbeing, accommodation, finance, legal, 17

international and employment. The advice and support that ASK offers is free, confidential, non- judgemental and impartial. Our trained Education and Welfare Advisors are here to help, just ASK. We are open Mon-Fri 10am-12pm and 1pm-4pm, and are on the ground floor of KeeleSU. Visit: www.keelesu.com/advice Email: [email protected] Call: 01782 734800

Student Learning Student Learning can work with you to improve your academic skills and practices, such as critical thinking, essay writing, and giving presentations. You can make use of the following services:

● Write Direction are one-to-one coaching sessions. ● HOW 2 are a series of workshops. ● Academic and Professional Toolkits is an online learning module found under the ‘learning’ tab on the KLE. Careers and Employability - Whilst starting a career may seem a long way into the future, the Careers and Employability Team can help you to find work experience, internships, graduate opportunities and can support you to think through your career plans. If at any stage you want to get your CV looking great, want to meet employers, or are just uncertain of what to do after you graduate then get in touch with us and talk things through. Look out for our events, Careers Fair, coffee with employers and ‘how to’ workshops Visit: http://www.keele.ac.uk/careers/ or pay us a visit in the Library, where we are based.

Personal Tutoring You must ensure that you notify your Personal Tutor promptly if you are having academic, health or personal problems that are affecting your academic work and must be an active participant in finding a solution to the problem. Your Personal Tutor’s contact details are available through eVision. You share a joint responsibility with your personal tutor to arrange meetings. If you wish to meet up with your Personal Tutor outside their scheduled office hours, you should make an appointment with them directly. Students are entitled to change their personal tutor, with good reason. Contact the School Office for information. You can find the University’s Code of Practice for Personal Tutoring at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/policyzone/viewbyowner/studentandacademicservices/name,157128,e n.php

5.8 COMPLAINTS If you are not satisfied with a service provided by the University, whether academic or non- academic, you must let us know as soon as possible so that we can look into the problem for you. We have a set process for dealing with concerns and complaints from students. As part of this process you must let us know about a problem as soon as possible and at least within eight weeks of it happening. It can be difficult for us to help you with a problem if you do not let us know about it soon enough. First, please explain the problem to the member of staff who is most directly involved as they can often provide an immediate explanation or solution. If this does not lead to a solution, or you believe it is not appropriate to discuss the problem with the member of staff, you can contact an Early Resolution Officer. Every School and Service in the University has an Early Resolution Officer and their role is to look into concerns and complaints from students. The Early Resolution Officer for the School of Humanities is Dr Ian Atherton and they can be contacted by email on [email protected]. Early Resolution Officers will acknowledge your email to them within two working days, and will provide a response to your concern or complaint within two weeks of their acknowledgement. If you have contacted an Early Resolution Officer and they have not replied within these timeframes, please let the 18

central Complaints team know on [email protected]. Email addresses and contact details for all Early Resolution Officers are listed at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentcomplaints/ in the section titled “Early Resolution” As mentioned above, you must contact an Early Resolution Officer normally within eight weeks of the problem happening. If there is no valid reason for making your problem known after eight weeks your complaint will not be dealt with. If an Early Resolution Officer has looked into the problem but you believe their response was not right you can submit a formal complaint to explain why. You must submit a formal complaint within ten calendar days of the end of your Early Resolution complaint.

You can also submit a formal complaint if you believe the problems you are experiencing are serious or complex, such as a problem that involves more than one part of the University.

If you are submitting a formal complaint without first going through Early Resolution you must submit your complaint within eight weeks of the problem having taken place. We may decide to reject your complaint if you submit it more than eight weeks after the problem happened.

For all formal complaints, we will look at whether there is a way to solve the problem sooner. This can include dealing with it at the Early Resolution stage instead of a full formal investigation. There are also rules on what can be dealt with through a formal complaint. If your complaint is not eligible, we will tell you this.

Guidance on the complaints process and details on how to submit a formal complaint are provided here: http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentcomplaints/

5.9 STUDENT DISCIPLINE You are expected to conduct yourself in a manner that is responsible and respectful to others. This includes other students, members of staff, visitors to the University and members of the local community. We treat discipline offences very seriously and penalties will be given for proven cases, including permanent exclusion from the University for very serious or repeat offences. Information on the types of behaviour that will not be tolerated and the student discipline procedure can be found at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentdiscipline/

5.10 LEAVE OF ABSENCE If you feel you need a break from your course for personal, financial, medical or other reasons, it may be possible to take a Leave of Absence, which usually lasts for a semester or a year. Further details are available here: https://www.keele.ac.uk/studiesandcareer/leaveofabsenceloa/

5.11 ACADEMIC APPEALS Your final module marks, and your eventual degree classification, are confirmed by a Board of Examiners. It may be possible, in exceptional circumstances, to appeal against the outcome using the Academic Appeals process. The reason for your appeal must be based on one of the following: a procedural irregularity in the conduct of the assessment or the academic warnings procedure; exceptional circumstances, providing that these circumstances were not already considered by an Exceptional Circumstances Panel, that these circumstances can be substantiated in accordance with University guidelines of admissible evidence, and that there is a reason deemed valid by the University for not notifying the relevant Exceptional Circumstances Panel by the specified deadline in accordance with the relevant provisions of Regulation 8. For more information, please visit http://www.keele.ac.uk/appeals/

5.12 VISAS AND IMMIGRATION If you are a student who needs or has a visa to be in the UK (including if you have a Tier 4 Student Visa) you must comply with the UK Immigration rules. If you change, repeat or extend your programme of study; for example an additional year for a work placement or international year, it is likely that you will need to apply for a new Visa from outside the UK at your own cost. We have a regulation for Visas and Immigration, this is regulation 6 which can be found online here: www.keele.ac.uk/regulations/regulation6/ You must also be aware of the University's Regulations and that we must let the UK Home Office (UKVI) know about your student status, progress and if you breach your Immigration Conditions or the UK Immigration rules. Examples of what we have to tell the UK Home Office (UKVI) are: ● if you do not: enrol, attend your classes, supervisory meetings, checkpoints and meetings with Officers of the University; ● If you choose to repeat or change your programme of study; ● if you do not pay your fees on time; ● if you do not make satisfactory progress on your programme of study; ● if you do not provide documentation when requested by us; ● if you do not keep your UK contact address up-to-date; ● if you take a leave of absence or intermit from your programme of study; ● if you leave the University during your programme of study; ● if you exceed your working limits as stated on your visa; ● if you withdraw or are withdrawn from your programme of study.

If you are withdrawn from the University we have to let the UK Home Office know which will cancel your Visa. This is because your Tier 4 Visa is linked to the programme of study at the University, which the Visa that was given to you for (when you applied for it with your CAS).

We must also comply with the UK Immigration rules, and what we have to do can change. For example. with changes to UK Immigration Law and what we must do as a UK Home Office (UKVI) Sponsor.

You can find out more information on the immigration pages on the Keele University website here: www.keele.ac.uk/visa

5.13 LINKS TO UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND REGULATIONS It is important that you consult the School’s website and KLE at regular intervals. Other key documentation can be found as follows: Programme specifications: http://www.keele.ac.uk/qa/programmespecifications/ - the definitive, formal document summarising the structure and content of your programme. The Module Catalogue: http://www.keele.ac.uk/recordsandexams/az/ - provides an overview of all core and option modules. Reading Lists: http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/index.html - you can find module reading lists here. Student Charter: http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentcharter/ - the Charter sets out what you can expect of the University and our expectations of you. Student Agreement: https://www.keele.ac.uk/student-agreement/ - this sets out both yours and the University’s responsibilities regarding your studies at Keele. University regulations: https://www.keele.ac.uk/paa/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/university regulations/ Regulations on examinations and assessments: 20

http://www.keele.ac.uk/regulations/regulation8/ Key University dates: http://www.keele.ac.uk/keydates/ University Policy on Late Submission of Assessed Work: http://www.keele.ac.uk/paa/academicadministration/policies/lateandfailuretosubmitwrittenwork/ Student Discipline procedures: http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentdiscipline/

6. EXPECTATIONS: WHAT WE EXPECT OF YOU AND WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OF US

One function of this handbook is to ensure that you have as clear an understanding as possible of what the School expects of you, and what you should expect of the programme. This section attempts to draw the various threads together in a single set of statements.

6.1 WHAT THE SCHOOL EXPECTS OF YOU

1. That you will attend all tutorials or seminars (which are compulsory elements of the programme) and examinations or, if unable to do so for good reason, see that an adequate explanation reaches the tutor. This is especially important if you are due to make a class presentation. 2. That you will attend lectures. If you do miss a lecture then you should take the steps to familiarise yourself with the ground covered in that lecture. 3. That you will submit all written work by the required date and time, unless you provide certified Exceptional circumstances for lateness. 4. That you will not plagiarise, collude or cheat in any way (See section 13 on plagiarism). 5. That you will fully prepare for any tutorial presentation you are required to make. 6. That you will come to tutorials, seminars and workshops prepared to discuss the set topic or topics and be an active participant. 7. That you will acquire such basic textbooks as may be prescribed for your courses. 8. That, in addition to meeting formal assignments, you will read widely around the subject. 9. That you will check the KLE and your email account regularly for any announcements that may affect you. 10. That you will respond promptly to communications from the School.11. That if you are experiencing difficulties which are affecting your work, you will inform either your personal tutor or the tutor in charge of your group, so that the School can discuss the situation with you in a supportive and confidential manner. 12. That you will update e-vision of any change of postal address, email or phone number. 13. That you treat the office and academic staff courteously at all times.

6.2 WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OF THE SCHOOL

1. That it will keep you as fully informed as possible about your progress. 2. That if your progress at any time gives rise to concern, the School will not only warn you clearly about these inadequacies but will offer its best guidance on how the situation may be remedied. 3. That lectures, seminars and workshops will be held as advertised, with any alterations being notified as early and as fully as possible. 4. That in all its modules the School will at all times do its best to ensure that both the nature of the modules and their delivery reflect high professional standards and the current state of knowledge.

5. That you will be given full details of the modules you will be taking. 6. That you will be notified clearly of the assessments you have to undertake for each module. 7. That work that you submit for assessment will be marked promptly, provided you yourself have met the deadline. The School’s aim is to have work marked within three teaching weeks. Your tutor will inform you of a time when you can receive feedback. Where an examination follows submission of an essay, the School aims to have essays marked and available before the examination. 8. That all work will be given a mark and sufficient commentary so that you will be able to understand why it has received that mark, together with any pointers that may help you to achieve better marks subsequently. 9. That the School will provide you with guides to reading and preparing for tutorial and essay preparation. 10. That, subject to the availability of resources, the School will use its best endeavours to see that adequate material of an appropriate level is available for all seminars, workshops and essay topics in the University Library. 11. That the School will give serious attention, subject to availability of resources, to your suggestions or complaints, when channelled through either the appropriate tutor or the Staff-Student Liaison Committee. 12. That tutors will be responsive and supportive if you should have problems, once they have been acquainted with them.

7. THE PROGRAMME IN MEDIA, COMMUNICATIONS AND CULTURE

7.1 THE DEGREE COURSE: AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aims of the undergraduate programme in Media are:  To create and provide undergraduate programmes that are challenging, coherent, up to date and of a high standard  To provide curricula that are supported by scholarship and staff research  To offer a course which relates the study of Mediato matters of contemporary public interest  To assist students to think critically about ideas, processes and institutions involved in media and communication  To encourage the development of a range of transferable skills that will be of use to students and their employers in their future careers.  To give students the opportunity to reflect on their learning and make use of constructive feedback from their teachers.

The intended learning outcomes for the undergraduate programme in Media are:

Knowledge and Understanding - after completion of the course students will be able:

 Show an understanding of the roles of communication systems, modes of representations and systems of meaning in the ordering of societies  Be familiar with particular media forms and genres and the way these work to affect meaning  Reveal an awareness of the role of technology in media production, and the ability to use such technology in the creation of media forms  Have an appreciation of the complexity of the term ‘culture’, and a historically-informed 22

knowledge of how our understanding of culture has changed and developed  Show an understanding of and reflection upon his/her own creative processes and practice through engagement in media production  Present his/her awareness of the ways in which identities are constructed and contested through engagement with culture  Be aware of the economic and political forces that influence and affect the creative industries

Subject-Specific skills - after completion of the course students will be able:

 Understand forms of communication, media and culture as they have emerged historically and appreciate the processes through which they have come into being, with reference to social, cultural and technological change  Be able to evaluate and apply theoretical, methodological and practical approaches to the study of the media and culture, and their communication  Consider and evaluate their own work in a reflexive manner, with reference to relevant historical or contemporary debates and conventions  Produce work showing competence in operational aspects of media production technologies, systems, techniques and professional practices  Initiate, develop and realise creative work within various media forms

Intellectual skills - after completion of the course students will be able to:

 Analyse closely, interpret, and show the exercise of critical judgement in the understanding of media forms  Engage critically with major debates, paradigms and conventions within the fields of media, culture and creative practice and put them to productive use  Show substantial and detailed knowledge and understanding in one or more specific areas of the field  Understand the processes through which forms of media, communication and culture have come into being and developed through time, with specific reference to social, cultural and technological change

Transferable skills - after completion of the course students will be able to:

 work co-operatively with others on common tasks, while also developing a capacity for the organisational skills involved in working independently  Manage time, personnel and resources effectively, by drawing on planning and organisational skills  Gather, organise and deploy ideas and information in order to formulate arguments cogently, and express them effectively in written and/ or oral form  Become effective and informed actors in our mediated world, as both citizens and consumers  Carry out various forms of research for sustained projects whether critical or creative

7.2 MODULE DOCUMENTS

For each module you are provided with a handbook that contains the following information:

 A module description, which summarises the module and sets out the aims and objectives of the module.  Details of the teaching and assessment methods.  A study programme that will incorporate either a detailed list of all lecture titles, and/ or the arrangement of seminar topics. Where appropriate, tutorial or workshop topics may also be given along with suggested issues for discussion.  A reading list for each lecture/topic, which will distinguish, where appropriate, whether the reading is essential, further or introductory and whether material is available in the University Library.  Clear information about assessment methods and deadlines.  Additional information and reminders about bibliographies, referencing, examinations and so on.

(For credit weighting, prerequisites and excluded combinations, where relevant, please consult the Student Handbook issued by the University).

7.3 PROGRAMME STRUCTURE – COMBINED AND DUAL HONOURS

In the First Year of the Media, Culture and Creative Practice Programme you must complete two compulsory, or core, modules: Contesting Popular Culture, and The Photographic Message and two further modules in each semester. Of the optional modules, Digital Video is also a Media modules, the other modules listed are run by other programmes but approved by Media so count towards your Programme credits.

7.4 LEVEL 4 INDICATIVE MODULES

Seminar Groups You should consult your timetable to see which tutorial groups you are assigned to and the times and locations of your group meetings. You are reminded that tutorial attendance is compulsory in all Programmes.

Lectures Some modules have 10-12 lectures which you should ensure you attend. Please consult the KLE for times and locations.

Marks obtained in the first year do not count towards your final degree result, but you must pass these modules – after re-assessment if necessary – in order to continue your studies.

SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2

CORE MODULE CORE MODULE MDS-10021 (15 Credits) MDS-10011 (15 Credits) Contesting Popular Culture The Photographic Message

OPTIONAL MODULES OPTIONAL MODULES MDS-10009 (15 Credits) AMS-10024 (15 Credits) Digital Video New York, New York: An Introduction to American Culture (American Studies) FIL-10001 (15 Credits) Reading Film (Film Studies) FIL-10003 (15 Credits) Popular British Cinema (Film Studies) FIL-10004 (15 Credits) Introduction to European Cinema (Film Studies) FIL-10006 (15 Credits) Introduction To Television Studies (Film Studies) FIL-10008 (30 Credits) Approaching Film History and Theory (1) FIL-10008 (30Credits) (Film Studies) Approaching Film History and Theory (2) (Film Studies) SOC-10009 (15 Credits) Social Inequalities in the Contemporary world MUS-10043 (15 Credits) Popular Music (Music)

SOC-10025 (15 Credits) Mediated World (Sociology)

You will also be taking modules from your other principal subject and may opt for different option modules, though we recommend that you select Digital Video and Mediated World because this will help you develop skills you will need at Level 5. For more information about choosing modules visit the Modules Selection Website: https://www.keele.ac.uk/modules/modules/

7.5 LEVEL 5 INDICATIVE MODULES

SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2

CORE MODULE CORE MODULE MDS-20023 (15 Credits) MDS-20031 (15 Credits) Creating Awareness Campaigns Researching Media, Communications And Culture

OPTIONAL MODULES OPTIONAL MODULES MDS-20005/20006 (15 Credits) MDS-20007/20008 (15 Credits) Study Abroad Study Abroad

MDS-20020 (15 Credits) MDS-20018 (15 Credits) Making The News Thinking Photography

MDS-20034 (15 Credits) MDS-20024 (15 Credits) Media, Culture, Power Teenage Dreams: Youth Cultures in Fiction, Film & Theory MDS-20033 (60 Credits) International Study Module (SEM1) MDS-20032 (15 Credits) Documentary:Theory & Practice ENG-20055 (15 Credits) Work Placement for Humanities (SEM1) MDS-20033 International Study Module (SEM2) FIL-20001 (15 Credits) Gender & The Cinematic Gaze (Film ENG-20055 Studies) Work Placement for Humanities (SEM2)

FIL-20003 (15 Credits) FIL-20005 (15 Credits) French Cinema (Film Studies) Science Fiction Cinema: Utopias & Dystopias (Film Studies) FIL-20015 (30 Credits) Hollywood & Beyond: Global Popular FIL-20011 (15 Credits) Cinema (SEM1) Adaptation (Film Studies)

SOC-20056 (15 Credits) FIL-20015 Social Movements (Sociology) Hollywood & Beyond: Global Popular Cinema (SEM2)

MUS- 20047 (15 Credits) Unheard Melodies? Music in the Narrative Film (Music)

The table above provides an overview of the structure of the second year. Media students take two core modules, one in each semester, and two option modules. A list of option modules will be published towards the end of your first year.

7.6 LEVEL 6

SEMESTER 1 – SEMESTER 2 OPTIONAL CORE MODULES

MDS-30011 Dissertation (ISP) In Media Communications & Culture (30 Credits)

MDS-30013 Sustained Media Practice (30 Credits)

OPTIONAL MODULE

MDS-30018 (15 credits) Work Experience In Media

SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2 OPTIONAL MODULES OPTIONAL MODULES

MDS-30012 (15 Credits) MDS-30017 (15 Credits) Creative Magazine Production Visual Pleasures: From Carnival To Disney

ENG-30053 (15 Credits) ENL-30004 (15 Credits) Postmodernism (English) English for Media Professionals (LLU)

ENG-30078 (15 Credits) FIL-30005 (15 Credits) Modernist Manifestos & Magazines (English) Parody in British Film and TV (Film Studies)

FIL-30009 (15 Credits) FIL-30008 (15 Credits) World Cinemas in the 21st Century (Film Studies) Crime in Neoconservative America (Film Studies)

FIL-30011 (15 Credits) The Road Movie: Cinema as Movement and Journey (Film Studies)

MUS-30049 (15 Credits) Music, Conflict & Change (Music)

SOC-30033 (15 Credits) Celebrity (Sociology)

7.7 PROGRAMME STRUCTURE – SINGLE HONOURS

In the First Year of the Single Honours Media, Culture and Creative Practice Programme you must complete four compulsory, or core, modules: Mediated World, The Photographic Message, Digital Video and Contesting Popular Culture, and two further options in each semester.

Lectures Some modules have 10-12 lectures which you should ensure you attend. Please consult the KLE for times and locations.

Marks obtained in the first year do not count towards your final degree result, but you must pass these modules – after re-assessment if necessary – in order to continue your studies.

7.8 LEVEL 4

SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2

CORE MODULES CORE MODULES MDS-20023 (15 Credits) MDS-20031 (15 Credits) Creating Awareness Campaigns Researching Media, Communications And Culture MDS-20034 (15 Credits) Media, Culture, Power MDS-20032 (15 Credits) Documentary:Theory & Practice

MDS-20033 (60 Credits) MDS-20024 (15 Credits) International Study Module (SEM1) Teenage Dreams: Youth Cultures in Fiction, Film & Theory ENG-20055 (15 Credits) Work Placement for Humanities (SEM1) MDS-20033 FIL-20001 (15 Credits) International Study Module (SEM2) Gender & The Cinematic Gaze (Film Studies) ENG-20055 FIL-20003 (15 Credits) Work Placement for Humanities (SEM2) French Cinema (Film Studies) FIL-20005 (15 Credits) FIL-20015 (30 Credits) Science Fiction Cinema: Utopias & Dystopias Hollywood & Beyond: Global Popular Cinema (Film Studies) (SEM1) FIL-20011 (15 Credits) SOC-20056 (15 Credits) Adaptation (Film Studies) Social Movements (Sociology) FIL-20015 Hollywood & Beyond: Global Popular Cinema (SEM2)

MUS- 20047 (15 Credits) Unheard Melodies? Music in the Narrative Film (Music)

7.9 LEVEL 5

SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2

CORE MODULES CORE MODULES MDS-20023 (15 Credits) MDS-20031 (15 Credits) Creating Awareness Campaigns Researching Media, Communications And Culture

MDS-20034 (15 Credits) MDS-20032 (15 Credits) Media, Culture, Power Documentary:Theory & Practice

OPTIONAL MODULES MDS-20005/20006 (15 Credits) OPTIONAL MODULES Study Abroad MDS-20007/20008 (15 Credits) Study Abroad MDS-20020 (15 Credits) Making The News MDS-20018 (15 Credits) Thinking Photography MDS-20033 (60 Credits) International Study Module (SEM1) MDS-20024 (15 Credits) Teenage Dreams: Youth Cultures in Fiction, Film & ENG-20055 (15 Credits) Theory Work Placement for Humanities (SEM1) MDS-20033 FIL-20001 (15 Credits) International Study Module (SEM2) Gender & The Cinematic Gaze (Film Studies) ENG-20055 Work Placement for Humanities (SEM2) FIL-20003 (15 Credits) French Cinema (Film Studies) FIL-20005 (15 Credits) Science Fiction Cinema: Utopias & Dystopias (Film FIL-20015 (30 Credits) Studies) Hollywood & Beyond: Global Popular Cinema (SEM1) FIL-20011 (15 Credits) Adaptation (Film Studies) SOC-20056 (15 Credits) Social Movements (Sociology) FIL-20015 Hollywood & Beyond: Global Popular Cinema (SEM2)

MUS- 20047 (15 Credits) Unheard Melodies? Music in the Narrative Film (Music)

The table above provides an overview of the structure of the second year. Single Honours Media students take four core modules, two in each semester, and two option modules. A list of optional modules will be published towards the end of your first year.

7.10 LEVEL 6

SEMESTER 1 – SEMESTER 2 OPTIONAL CORE MODULES

MDS-30011 Dissertation (ISP) In Media Communications & Culture (30 Credits)

MDS-30013 Sustained Media Practice (30 Credits)

OPTIONAL MODULE

MDS-30018 (15 credits) Work Experience In Media

SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2 OPTIONAL MODULES OPTIONAL MODULES

MDS-30012 (15 Credits) MDS-30017 (15 Credits) Creative Magazine Production Visual Pleasures: From Carnival To Disney

ENG-30053 (15 Credits) ENL-30004 (15 Credits) Postmodernism (English) English for Media Professionals (LLU)

ENG-30078 (15 Credits) FIL-30005 (15 Credits) Modernist Manifestos & Magazines (English) Parody in British Film and TV (Film Studies)

FIL-30009 (15 Credits) FIL-30008 (15 Credits) World Cinemas in the 21st Century (Film Studies) Crime in Neoconservative America (Film Studies)

FIL-30011 (15 Credits) The Road Movie: Cinema as Movement and Journey (Film Studies)

MUS-30049 (15 Credits) Music, Conflict & Change (Music)

SOC-30033 (15 Credits) Celebrity (Sociology)

8. MEDIA MODULES

8.1 LEVEL 4 MEDIA MODULES SEMESTER 1

MDS-10021 Contesting Popular Culture (Core Module Single & Combined Hons) Module Co-Ordinator: Dr Eva Giraud (email [email protected])

This module will introduce cultural theories that are essential in analysing not only the mass media but everyday communicative practices more broadly. It will provide tools for exploring the role of culture both in creating meaningful media texts and in understanding these texts. We will explore a range of issues that relate to the creation of meaning in the media, including: How media texts relate to broader cultural norms and values; the difficulties of intercultural communication (and how to overcome these difficulties); and political questions about the way that issues, people and products are represented. As well as examining media texts themselves, we will also be asking what is involved in interpreting these texts and examine the audience’s active role in this process. To explore these issues we will draw on theories of cultural codes, ideology, power and discourse. We will then apply these approaches to a range of practical examples – ranging from news media and online political communication, to advertising campaigns and reality TV – in order to demonstrate the value of cultural theory in both interpreting and producing media texts.

Assessment: Short Paper (30%), Essay (70%)

MDS-10009 Digital Video (Core Module Single Hons) Module Co-Ordinator: James McAteer: (email [email protected])

This module focuses on the creation of a short film. You will learn the fundamentals of video production, including the techniques and the aesthetics of screen writing, shooting, composition and editing. Most importantly you will learn by doing. This is a hands on course that encourages you to familiarise yourself with digital video equipment, consider the work of other film and documentary makers, experiment with and develop your own filmmaking style and begin acquiring a knowledge of film language and terminology. The key areas of focus are: - Film language and terminology (critical analysis of films and conventions) - Pre-production (scriptwriting, storyboarding, schedules and planning) - Production (camera operation, directing) - Post-production (editing) Assessment will be by a group project, 3-5 minute short film (50%) and a workbook (50%).

Aims To study film language, conventions and terminology. To gain a range of basic practical skills in film production (pre-production, production and post- production). Enable critical understanding of the moving image. Develop knowledge of Final Cut Pro video editing software.

Assessment: 3-5 minute short film, created working in production teams (50%) and Individual workbook, which will reflect theory and context (50%)

SEMESTER 2

MDS-10011 The Photographic Message: Notions of Cultural Identity (Core Module Combined & Single Hons) Module Co-Ordinator: Mandy McAteer (email: [email protected])

In this module students will look at the impact of photography as a mode of mechanical reproduction through to contemporary hyper real digital image production. Students will be introduced to semiotic analysis and study the work and roll of photographic practitioners in both a contemporary and historical context. Each student will produce a photomontage and workbook based on notions of cultural identity and/or stigma and discrimination.

Assessment: Photomontage (50%) and Workbook and Presentation (50%)

8.2 LEVEL 5 MEDIA MODULES

SEMESTER 1

MDS-20023 Creating Awareness Campaigns (Core Module Combined & Single Hons) Module Co-Ordinator: Mandy McAteer (email: [email protected])

This module will give students experience of solving communications problems by making documents and artefacts. Students will be required to work in production teams addressing tutor-negotiated communications goals by making ‘documents’, which may include desktop published materials, photography and/or video. During the semester we will look at contemporary media issues, which may include advertising, journalism, press coverage, alternative publications and the impact of the World Wide Web. Undergraduates will work within various modes or practice, which will include industry standard software packages such as Adobe Photoshop, Quart Xpress and Final Cut Prop. The outcome of this module is one finished practical project per production team and an individual student workbook, which outlines aims and objectives, an evaluation of the project and the production process.

The module is taught in weekly 2-hour seminars. With twenty-four hour open access to the digital imaging suite (with technical support during normal working hours).

Assessment: Visual Project/Document/Artifact (50%) and workbook and evaluation (50%)

MDS-20034 Media, Culture, Power (Core Module Single Hons) Module Co-Ordinator: Dr Eva Giraud (email:[email protected])

This module engages with some of the `big debates’ surrounding the analysis of contemporary media and popular culture. It examines questions including: How do audiences engage with popular culture; how are cultural values are represented in the media; and how we can make sense of the cultural changes have occurred due to globalisation and the rise of digital media technologies? These questions have caused heated debates about, for instance: How we should think about audience agency, the relationship between media and identity, the creative ways that audiences use media and popular cultural texts, and the connections between culture and power. To understand these debates we will compare and contrast a number of prominent theoretical approaches and concepts from fields including: critical theory, poststructuralism, postmodernism, feminism and postfeminism, critical race studies, and science & technology studies.

Aims To assist students to think critically about ideas, processes, and institutions involved in the production of culture. 34

To give students an awareness of the various methodological approaches to the study of culture and the ability to make use to these approaches in their own work. To encourage the development of a range of transferable skills that will be of use to them and their employers in their future careers. To give students the opportunity to reflect on their learning and make use of constructive feedback from their teachers.

Assessment: Literature Review (70%) Poster (30%)

MDS-20020 Making the News ( Module Co-Ordinator: Dr Elizabeth Poole (email: [email protected])

This module introduces a broad range of theoretical debates and issues involved in the making of contemporary news.

The module examines the contexts and constraints of news production and the restrictions this places on content. It examines the conventions, codes and ethics of journalism. We will consider the factors that determine what becomes news and how this process is being challenged by technological developments. You will then develop and create your own news report items. Throughout the module you are encouraged to think about the production of news through practical experiences. So, for example we will consider issues of gatekeeping by staging a live broadcast and writing blogs. Over the course of this module there will be a variety of lectures, seminars and practical sessions.

Assessment: Essay (60%) and Project (40%).

SEMESTER 2

MDS-20031 Researching Media (Core Module Single & Combined Hons) Module Co-Ordinator: Dr Elizabeth Poole (email [email protected])

This module is of vital importance if you intend to do an extended project in media such as the dissertation, but is relevant to anyone with an interest in analysing media texts, audiences and cultures. The module shows you how to develop independent research about the topics you are the most interested in, covering everything from how to analyse the way women are represented in advertising, to how cinema audiences engage with films, and even how you could examine online fan cultures. Throughout the module you will be introduced to a range of methods, which will enable you to research media texts, media audiences and media cultures. Each week you will have a workshop where you can put different methods into practice to gain a concrete understanding of their strengths and limitations. By the end of the module you will have a sense of how to apply a range of approaches, including: content analysis, semiotics, discourse analysis, ethnography, survey research, interviews and internet research. You will also have a sense of how to formulate, structure and write a research project, and of the processes and practicalities of research.

Assessment: Presentation 30%, Research Proposal 70%.

MDS-20032 Documentary Theory & Practice (Core Module Single Hons) Dr Pawas Bisht: (email: [email protected])

The aim of this module is to consider and critically discuss the important genre of documentary, focusing on a range of examples, across time and within various movements and sub-genres, and practically to apply this learning to the processes of production. Seminal documentaries and examples will be considered, such as early pieces by Mitchell and Kenyon, Nanook of the North (Dir. Robert Flaherty), Night Mail (Dirs. Harry Watt & Basil Wright), Nuit et Brouillard (Dir. 35

Alain Resnais), Handsworth Songs (Dir. John Akomfrah), Battle of Orgreave (Dir. Mike Figgis), and Benefits Street (Channel 4, 2013). The module will consider different modes, styles and sub-genres of documentary such as cinema verite, fly-on-the-wall, investigative, ethnographic, docu-soap, experimental, and the place of drama, reconstruction and fiction in documentary. The module scrutinises a number of key debates such as reality and representation, ethics and ideology, and it looks at the social, political, economic and technological contexts in which documentary can be broadly critically located. The module also looks at the processes of production and students will work in groups to produce their own documentary. Within groups, and with guidance and instruction from staff, students will have opportunities to learn certain skills in script writing, storyboarding, researching, filming and post-producing, whilst implementing these skills within the production of a collaborative documentary. Emphasis will be given to consideration of the relationships between theory and practice.

Assessment: Group Project (60%) and 200- word Critical Essay (40%)

MDS-20018 Thinking Photography Module Co-Ordinator: Mandy McAteer (email: [email protected])

The module places an emphasis on both photographic theory and practice. We will look at how ideas about photography have evolved and how theory can inform your own practical work. Alongside this we will be looking at different genres of photography and individual photographer's work and asking pertinent questions about the definition and intent of the work as both artefacts and modes of communication. You will be able to advance both your critical understanding of photographic practice, your own photographic practice and Photoshop software skills.

Assessment: Project (50%) and Workbook (50%)

MDS-20024 Teenage Dreams Module Co-Ordinator: Dr Nick Bentley (email: [email protected])

The DJ John Peel has the words 'Teenage Dreams so hard to beat' carved on his gravestone, a line taken from The Undertones's classic punk song 'Teenage Kicks'. Peel's love of the music, style, attitude and outlook of youth subcultures encapsulates a general and ongoing fascination for writers, filmmakers and critics alike. On this module we will examine a range of theories related to the concept of subcultures, and how they relate to wider issues of class, gender, sexuality and ethnicity. We will look at the development of subcultural theory from the Chicago School, the Birmingham School and semiotics through to postmodern theories. This theoretical context will be discussed with respect to a range of textual representations of youth subcultures including fiction, film, fashion, pop songs and lyrics. We will explore issues related to the identification and historical development of a range of youth subcultures including teenagers, Mods, Rockers, punk, hip hop, R'n'B, and postmodern. We will also analyze the way in which subcultures produce meaning and how they relate to concerns in mainstream culture. Texts studied on the module might include Colin MacInnes's Absolute Beginners, The Who's Quadrophenia (album and film), Julien Temple's The Filfth and the Fury, Courttia Newland's Society Within and Irvine Welsh/Danny Boyle's Trainspotting.

Assessment: Short paper (30%) and Essay (70%)

8.3 LEVEL 6 MEDIA MODULES

SEMESTER 1 - 2

MDS-30011 Dissertation in Media (ISP) (30 credits) Module co-ordinator: Dr Elizabeth Poole (email: [email protected])

The dissertation module offers the opportunity for students to produce a substantial piece of work that engages in independent and original study in one of the many fields of Media and Cultural Studies. The dissertation project will be based on a topic agreed between the student and the supervisor. It will draw on the interests of the student as developed during the three years of the Media degree programme and will benefit from the research expertise of relevant supervisors in the Schools of Humanities and Social Sciences. The successful completion of the dissertation will represent a substantial piece of final year undergraduate work that will enable the student to go on either to do further advanced academic research at masters level, or to pursue a career in a relevant area of the media and culture industries.

Assessment: 10,000 – 12,000-word Dissertation (100%)

MDS-30013 Sustained Media Practice (ISP) (30 Credits) Module co-ordinator: Mandy McAteer (email: [email protected])

Sustained Media Practice is an independent study programme intended to enable you to develop, synthesise and enhance the range of aptitudes, abilities and theoretical frameworks learned within all the modules previously undertaken in Media, Communications &Culture. Although the module leader will offer you assistance, as well as monitor and review your progress over the two semesters, the initiation, development, and completion of the project will be your own responsibility. The Media Project is an important part of the Mediadegree because it is intended to enable students to show how they can orchestrate, creatively and systematically, both the theoretical and practical aspects of their work within a major independent project. This independent project will accumulate into an exhibition of student work. The projects are always varied and you can choose to develop any area of Media Communications and Culture which interests you. Previous projects have been narrative films, documentaries, photographic projects, installations and performance pieces.

Assessment: Visual Project (50%) and Catalogue (50%)

MDS-30018 Work Experience in Media (15 credits) Module Co-ordinator: Dr Pawas Bisht: (email [email protected])

This module is designed to give students some experience of working in a media, communications or related placement. This may be a local newspaper, TV, or radio company, a news agency, or small TV production company. It may be working within newer online forms of media or working in the public sector on a media project for a local council or hospital, for example. In negotiation with the Module Leader, students will undertake one or more tasks or projects which have been determined by this external organisation. It may involve students working for some time off campus, perhaps on the premises of the external organisation. Students will experience working for a specific client, to their brief and deadlines, and begin to understand how they and their work relate to others in that or similar organisations. This experience should allow students both to reflect on and improve their current skills and understandings, and provide them with the valuable experience many employers are looking for in a competitive industry Students will be required to locate their own placement but under the supervision of your Module Leader.

Assessment: Project Report, 3000 words, 70% and Career Portfolio, 2000 words, 30%

SEMESTER 1

MDS-30012 Creative Magazine Production Module Co-ordinator: Mandy McAteer (email: [email protected])

This module will provide you with the experience of working in a planning and production team in the layout of an envisaged ‘magazine’ or ‘journal’ concerned with culture. Each student will write one main article which will be negotiated with the publishing group plus smaller mini articles such as music reviews etc. Successful completion of the module will enable you to gain sophisticated skills in the analysis of writings on art and/or culture and cultural issues. It will also allow you to gain confidence in your own abilities to plan and complete similar work in the context of the demands of journal production. The group will negotiate a 'house style' and design, using both text and image with Adobe Photoshop and Quarkxpress software to produce both a print version of their journal and an electronic version. This module incorporates employability skills which are highly desirable within media industries.

Assessment: Project (50%) and Workbook (50%)

SEMESTER 2

MDS-30017 Visual Pleasures: From Carnival to Disney Module Co-ordinator: Dr Pawas Bisht (email [email protected])

The media and our notions of leisure are inextricably connected, and our leisure time and activities, the leisure industries and our various leisure landscapes are expressions of the relationships we have with the media. This module uses these notions, experiences and articulations of leisure to take a critical look at the media. -How does Disney act as an example of the political economy of the media? -What part did the media play in ‘constructing’ the seaside to be part of our collective identity and popular culture? -How has the media redefined sport, and particularly football, in recent times? We interrogate how the media have shaped our ideas and our experiences of leisure through various forms and practices, spaces and places; through processes such as rationalization, commercialization and globalization, that are rooted in the material social, political and economic contexts. We consider various critical perspectives of the media and locate them through a look at a range of particular historic and contemporary examples and contexts of leisure, such as the carnival, the seaside, shopping, theme parks, football, tourist destinations, gaming, the internet and social media. Visual representations of the forms and expressions of our leisure help to construct the ways we perceive ourselves and our cultural identity. This module will consider, in particular, how these visual representations operate, through forms of ‘still’ and moving image. Examples will be drawn from the leisure and tourism industries, through press and PR, advertising, photojournalism as well as through specialist practitioners and non-professional practices. Looking at specific examples and locations will help students to see how particular representations and ethnographies may be used to assist in an understanding of our relationship with the media and our leisure. Examples will be drawn from local as well as national and international contexts in order to enable students to experience at first hand, as a basis for their own assessed work as well as to foster an exploration of the relationship between the local and the global and what we ‘do’ and how we think.

Assessment: Critical Essay (50%) and Portfolio (50%)

9. PROGRAMME REQUIREMENTS

9.1 DEADLINES Deadlines for all assessment are to be taken seriously. Work is late if it is received even one hour or one day after the deadline. See 11.3 ‘Implications of late submission’.

An electronic copy of all essays and most media projects should be submitted on the KLE via Turnitin by the specified deadline. Certain media projects should be submitted to the Media Building; all details will be in individual module handbooks. Please take a few minutes to take a look at all submission information to ensure that there are no problems when you come to submit the work.

Please note that extensions cannot be given, unless there are exceptional circumstances that you can document with supporting evidence. For further details see below, 11.4

9.2 ATTENDANCE AND ENGAGEMENT WITH STUDIES It is very important that you attend all your classes and supervisory meetings; any non- attendance will be monitored. If you have a valid reason for not attending a class then you need to notify your School as soon as possible. Any non-attendance without good cause will result in an informal warning from your School. If you continue to miss classes then the University will take this very seriously and it may result in you being withdrawn from your studies. Information on University procedures for issuing academic warnings can be found at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/paa/academicwarnings/

There is an expectation that students will engage appropriately with all forms of University assessments. If you do not attend your exams or fail to hand in assessments then you may be affected by Regulation 1A Section 9: Appropriate Engagement with Studies. This regulation states that any non-engagement without good cause may result in you being withdrawn from your studies: https://www.keele.ac.uk/regulations/regulation1a/#d.en.19127 It is therefore very important that if you miss an examination or are unable to submit your coursework that you follow the University’s exceptional circumstances process (please see Section on Exceptional Circumstances). http://www.keele.ac.uk/ec/

9.3 ACADEMIC WARNINGS If your work is unsatisfactory, and you fail to respond to messages from the School or to attend meetings with tutors and the Programme Director, you may be issued with a formal, written Academic Warning from the University. This lays down conditions you must meet within a specified time (for example, to attend all tutorials and hand in written work). If you fail to comply with the conditions you may be asked to withdraw from the University. Information on University procedures for issuing academic warnings can be found at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/paa/academicwarnings/

A statement of the University’s appeals procedure can be found at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/admin/ps/governance/acts/Regulations/Reg%207.htm

10. ASSESSMENT

10.1 METHOD OF ASSESSMENT Modules are assessed by written examination, essay, presentation, poster or project and often by some combination of these. The precise way in which each module is assessed is set out under the information about individual modules and in module handbooks. Information about how to write a good essay and how it will be assessed is given below under Section 15 ‘How to do well on your course’. Your work is assessed according to a marking code, which is set down by the University. The marks awarded for your essays and examinations and the final class of the degree you obtain are all based on this code which is set out below. Students’ workbooks and projects may be used for teaching purposes after assessment.

10.2 GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIA The University’s generic assessment criteria are designed as a reference point for staff and students in defining standards of achievement of written work across all subject areas. They are used wherever programme specific criteria are not available. The criteria can be found here: https://www.keele.ac.uk/paa/academicadministration/assessment/markingscheme/

10.3 ASSESSMENT ATTEMPTS Level 4 and 5 What happens if I fail a module? Provided you have engaged appropriately with your studies during the academic year, you would normally be allowed one reassessment opportunity to pass the module, normally to be completed before the start of the next academic year, with the reassessment mark capped at a maximum of 40% (or 50% for Level 7 modules). Core modules must be passed within the maximum allowed two attempts in total, but failed elective modules may be replaced with an alternative elective module. Re-assessment of Level 6 modules is not offered until degree results have been classified, except where Exceptional Circumstances have been approved (see Section on Exceptional Circumstances). Normally only students who fail to achieve a degree or are only awarded a pass degree at the first attempt will be offered re-assessment of failed Level 6 modules capped at 40%. These students will remain eligible for an honours degree if re-assessment is successfully completed to the standard required for an honours degree. Module condonement Students who, after undertaking reassessment, have failed modules with a mark of at least 30% may be entitled to have their module marks condoned, meaning that the credits will be awarded for the failed modules, subject to the limits outlined below. This is provided the failed module marks are not deemed to be qualified fails, where one or more assessment components within the modules have not been completed to a specified standard. The limits on condonement are: ● a maximum of 60 credits of condonements across a 3-year programme, with ● a maximum of 30 credits of condonement across Level 4 and Level 5, and ● a maximum of 30 credits of condonement at Level 6. For more information on re-assessment of failed modules, see the University's Regulations 1A 11 and 12

For Integrated Masters students, the limits on condonement are as follows (noting that condonement at Level 7 for failed modules requires a mark of at least 40%):  a maximum of 80 credits of condonement across a 4-year programme, with

 a maximum of 45 credits of condonement across Levels 4, 5 and 6, provided that no more than 30 credits are used at any one level, and  a maximum of 35 credits of condonement at Level 7 The Regulations for Integrated Masters programmes can be found here.

Progression The guidelines used by Examination Boards can be found here. Please speak to staff, such as your Personal Tutor, if you need help understanding the information. Link to University Level 4 and Level 5 Progression Guidelines (UG Years 1 and 2)

Level 6: What happens if I fail a module? Re-assessment of FHEQ Level 6 modules is not offered until degree results have been classified, except where Exceptional Circumstances have been approved (see Section on Exceptional Circumstances). Normally only students who fail to achieve a degree or are only awarded a pass degree at the first attempt will be offered re-assessment of failed FHEQ Level 6 modules capped at 40%. These students will remain eligible for an honours degree if re- assessment is successfully completed to the standard required for an honours degree. Degree Classification To find out how your final degree classification is calculated, please visit: http://www.keele.ac.uk/paa/academicadministration/degreeclassification/

10.4 THE MODULE PASS MARK The pass mark for each module is 40%. Module marks ending in .5% will be rounded up (eg. 59.5% becomes 60%).

10.5 EXAMINATIONS You can find Information relating to all aspects of sitting examinations at Keele, including timetables, personalised examination arrangements, the University policy on the use of calculators in examinations and a link to frequently asked questions, at the following webpage: http://www.keele.ac.uk/recordsandexams/examinations/

You must make yourself available to sit examinations for the entire published examination period. All examinations must be sat at the Keele University campus. Holidays or other social commitments will not be accepted as a reason for missing an examination. If you miss an examination without good reason, you will be recorded as absent and will lose an attempt. We have produced a short video, which we hope will help you as you prepare to sit your examinations and ease any pre-examination anxiety you may have about examination regulations, what to expect when you arrive at the examination venue, how to complete your examination answer book etc. This is especially important if you are new to Keele and have not sat examinations here before. You are strongly encouraged to watch the video which is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgxexwN3BQk

10.6 ANONYMOUS MARKING Written work is normally marked anonymously; i.e. your name is not known to the marker(s). For practical reasons other forms of assessment, such as supervised portfolios or reflective workbooks, are exempt from anonymous marking.

10.7 SECOND MARKING At level 4, 5 and 6 overall fails are second marked. At levels 5 and 6, for all assessed work, borderlines and/or a sample of at least 10% of assessments are double marked. All ISPs are second marked.

10.8 THE EXTERNAL EXAMINERS External Examiners are experienced academics from other institutions or professional practitioners with significant expertise in their field. Their role is to provide an independent assessment that appropriate standards are maintained in Keele’s academic awards in comparison with other universities in the UK.

Their duties involve approving examination papers, checking that marking has been carried out consistently and within the regulations, advising on changes to programme content and writing an annual report. Schools share the reports with students, usually in Student Staff Voice Committees (SSVC) meetings, and you can find the latest reports, along with a response from the School, here: http://www.keele.ac.uk/qa/externalexaminers/reportsandresponses/. NB: you must not contact external examiners directly as they have no remit in relation to individual students.

The list of current External Examiners for each subject can be found here: http://www.keele.ac.uk/qa/externalexaminers/currentexternalexaminers/

10.9 DEGREE CLASSIFICATION The algorithm for determining degree classifications is as follows:

FIRST CLASS HONOURS A weighted average module mark of at least 70%;

OR a weighted average module mark of at least 67% AND at least 60 Level 6 credits all gained from modules with a mark of 70 or higher;

SECOND CLASS HONOURS (Division I) A weighted average module mark of at least 60%;

OR a weighted average module mark of at least 57% AND at least 60 Level 6 credits all gained from modules with a mark of 60 or higher;

SECOND CLASS HONOURS (Division II) A weighted average module mark of at least 50%;

OR a weighted average module mark of at least 47% AND at least 60 Level 6 credits all gained from modules with a mark of 50 or higher;

THIRD CLASS HONOURS A weighted average module mark of at least 40%.

PASS A weighted average module mark of at least 35%

11. GUIDELINES FOR THE SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN WORK

11.1 ESSAY REQUIREMENTS Your essays must be word processed, using 12 point font, Arial. Use double spacing and margins large enough for the tutor to write comments and number your pages. You should not write your name onto your essay. You should type your student Id number (the first 8 digits of your Keele Card) and the module number as a header or footer on each page. You should also state the essay question and the number of words.

You are required to submit an electronic copy of your essay and/or project to the KLE by the due date and time. Some projects are submitted to the Media Building, please see individual module handbooks for details.

Students are warned NOT to submit essentially the same material for more than one module, essay or examination. Examiners will deduct marks in such cases. If material is simply duplicated, this will be treated as plagiarism.

11.2 FINAL YEAR DISSERTATIONS/PROJECTS (ISPs) The third year dissertation must be 10,000 words long (including notes and references but excluding bibliography). The word count must be given in the dissertation. Work not meeting these requirements will not be accepted. The deadline for submission is to be found in the module handbook. Projects should be submitted as required in the module handbook.

11.3 IMPLICATIONS OF LATE SUBMISSION Written work will NOT be accepted after the deadline unless accompanied by Exceptional Circumstances (EC’s) and certified evidence. Without this any late work will receive a mark of 0%. If the overall mark for the module falls below 40%, students will normally be offered re- assessment in the failed assignment. The maximum mark available for a re-assessed module is 40%.

11.4 EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES (EC’S) If your personal circumstances are affecting your studies then you should speak with your Personal Tutor or School as soon as possible to see if any arrangements can be made. If it is deemed necessary then you may have to submit a claim for exceptional circumstances.

It is in your best interests to speak with someone as quickly as possible, and certainly before any assessment deadline or exam. If you leave it too late then it may be more difficult to give you the necessary help. You should also not wait until you receive your end of year results and then decide to ask for exceptional circumstances to be taken into account as this will not be allowed.

Detailed information on exceptional circumstances criteria, the claims process and evidence requirements can be found on the University web pages at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/ec/

Deadlines for ECs Semester 1: tbc Semester 2: tbc

12. ACADEMIC CONDUCT

12.1 ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT Academic misconduct refers to a number of situations where you might attempt to gain an advantage for yourself and/or another student by doing something that goes against University Regulations. This could refer to your conduct during assessments, coursework, and exams. We take any breach of the regulations seriously, and in a minority of cases students are permanently excluded from Keele. It is important that you understand the University’s guidelines (http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentacademicconduct/). You should speak with your Personal Tutor if you have any queries.

12.2 EXAM REGULATIONS It is important that you are familiar with the exam regulations. If you don’t follow the regulations, you may be found guilty of academic misconduct and be given a penalty, which could impact on your marks and your degree classification, and in some instances may lead to permanent exclusion from Keele. The exam regulations concern all aspects of cheating in exams, including: taking unauthorised notes into exam halls; using unauthorised calculators and other equipment; talking during exams; having or using a mobile phone or other communication device during exams. You will be found guilty of academic misconduct in an exam if you are found to have unauthorised material or electronic devices in your possession. We do not have to prove that you have used the unauthorised material or device. For more guidance, please read the information on examination conduct at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentacademicconduct/

12.3 PLAGIARISM Plagiarism, which is the most common type of academic misconduct, occurs when the work you are submitting is not your own, but in fact somebody else’s. http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentacademicconduct/ http://www.keele.ac.uk/turnitin)

12.4 COMMISIONING Commissioning is a very serious form of academic misconduct. If a marker is concerned that the work has not been written by you, you will be asked to attend an interview where you will be asked questions about the content of the work to demonstrate that you understand the work. You will also be asked to provide evidence of how you prepared and wrote the work. This may include copies of any drafts of the work, the articles/books that you read and the notes you made from them. If the work was proofread you must bring copies of the work before and after it was proofread, along with any communication between yourself and the proofreader. So when you submit work to your School, you must keep everything you used to produce the work in case you are asked to demonstrate that the work is your own

12.5 PROOFREADING GUIDANCE If you decide that you would like someone to proofread your work or you wish to use a proofreading company it is very important that you read the document ‘Proofreading - a Guide for Students.’ Failure to follow the guidance in this document, if you have your work proofread, could result in you being found guilty of academic misconduct due to you having unpermitted assistance. The proofreading guidance document can be downloaded from the website at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentacademicconduct/. If you have work proofread, you must keep a copy of the draft work that you give to the proofreader, the changes that the proofreader suggests, and all communication with the proofreader. You will be asked to provide this evidence if the marker is concerned that the work has not been written by you and you are asked to attend an interview about your work.

12.6 COLLUSION Collusion is another form of academic dishonesty (cheating). It is similar to plagiarism. It is accepted that students may well work together and exchange ideas. Indeed, in some instances such co-operation, collaboration or team-working, is encouraged. However, if the collaboration results in pieces of work submitted by individual students as their own work but which are essentially the same or very similar, collaboration becomes collusion. Collusion includes copying another person’s written work, or sections of it. An extreme form of collusion is where someone other than the student undertakes the piece of work on the student’s behalf, and the student presents that piece of work as his or her own. Particular examples are the use of using essays found on the internet or using third parties who offer essay writing facilities.

What happens if plagiarism is suspected? Normally, the tutor who receives written work which s/he suspects has been plagiarised will, in consultation with the School’s Academic Conduct Officer, meet the student. The purpose of the meeting is to enable the student to explain any irregularity. Where the two tutors see prima facie evidence that they may be looking at a serious case of plagiarism or collusion, the Academic Conduct Officer will decide on the case and impose a penalty (usually a mark of zero). A University panel will deal with second offences, and if the panel accepts that deliberate cheating has occurred, it will recommend a penalty to the Vice-Chancellor, which may involve the exclusion of the student.

This section comprises part of the University’s policy on plagiarism, which can be found in the University’s Academic Regulations Handbook at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/admin/ps/governance/acts/Regulations/Reg%208.htm#cheating

A statement of university policy on plagiarism and other academic dishonesty can be found in the Academic Regulations and Guidance for Students and Staff at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/admin/ps/governance/acts/Regulations/Reg%208.htm#cheating

12.7 ETHICS Process for Investigating Alleged Ethics Offences at School Level (regarding research projects/dissertations) Point 11.5 of Regulation 8 states ‘Student projects which involve the participation of human subjects must not be undertaken without the prior approval of a School Student Project Ethics Committee (or another Ethics Committee recognised for this purpose by the relevant School)’. The implications for students who do not obtain ethical approval are as follows:  Any offence that is deemed to be major will be automatically referred to the Student Appeals, Complaints and Conduct Manager to be dealt with via the Academic Misconduct Panel and the appropriate penalty imposed.  Any offence that is deemed to be minor will be dealt with via the School Student Project Ethics Committee and an appropriate penalty imposed at School level.

Process for Investigating Alleged Ethics Offences at School Level (regarding research projects/dissertations)

If your project/dissertation involves the participation of human subjects, it must not be undertaken without the prior approval of your School’s Student Project Ethics Committee (See Regulation 8.11.5 https://www.keele.ac.uk/regulations/regulation8/#d.en.19989). If you do not get ethical approval for your project, the offence will be considered by either your School’s Student Project Ethics Committee (minor offences) or the Academic Misconduct Committee (major offences). A penalty for the offence will be imposed. 45

The process for investigating alleged offences at School level can be accessed at https://www.keele.ac.uk/raise/researchsupport/projectassurance/researchethics/ (section 4)

13. THE MARKING SCHEME

13.1 GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIA The University’s generic assessment criteria are designed as a reference point for staff and students in defining standards of achievement of written work across all subject areas. They describe student achievement in four areas: Knowledge, Understanding and Application; Analysis and Argument; Use of Research-Informed; Communication Skills. These University- wide criteria form the basis for all subject-specific assessment criteria. The University Generic Assessment Criteria can be found here: http://www.keele.ac.uk/media/keeleuniversity/policyzone/paa/Generic%20Assessment%20Crite ria%20final%20senate%20approved%20inc%20Level%203.pdf

13.2 COMPLAINTS BY STUDENTS REGARDING ESSAY OR MODULE MARKS If you are unhappy about your essay or module marks you should first discuss this with your module tutor as soon as possible. If the issue is unresolved then you should promptly request the tutor to seek the opinion of the second marker. If this still fails to resolve the problem, you should consult the Examinations Officer. Where appropriate, the Examinations Officer will seek the opinion of the External Examiners. You should be aware that your mark may rise or fall as a result of your appeal and that normally marks cannot be changed after the External Examiner has verified them. Module marks cannot be altered after the Externals and Senate have confirmed them.

13.3 RELEASE OF MODULE MARKS TO STUDENTS Level 4 Marks for each module will be available in mid-February for the Autumn Semester Modules and within four weeks of the end of the examination period for Spring Semester modules.

Level 5 Provisional second year marks will be released normally by mid-February for Autumn Semester modules and within four weeks of the end of the examination period for Spring Semester modules. It should be noted that the marks may be subject to change by the External Examiners. Students will be notified by e-mail should their mark be changed by the External Examiner.

Level 6 Provisional marks will be released normally by mid-February for Autumn Semester modules. Spring Semester marks cannot be released until after Results day. Full marks for the modules for both semesters will be released when degree results have been confirmed at the end of the second semester.

14. HOW TO DO WELL ON YOUR COURSE

This section contains important information about how to study and about what is required for your Media Programme assessment. You should read this section very carefully before beginning your first assignment, and should consult it regularly throughout the course. If you follow this guidance you improve your chances of doing well on the course. If you do not follow this guidance, you may be penalised and may even fail your assessments. 46

14.1 WRITTEN WORK For university generic assessment criteria see Section 14.1 For marking criteria that is specific to individual module assessments, see module handbooks.

What makes a good piece of written work cannot be completely defined. But the list below defines criteria that are important. In particular, an essay should have an argument, evidence to support this argument, secondary criticism to support your argument and show wider reading, have originality and be clearly structured and organised. The relevance of the material included is crucial because if the essay is off the point it will lose many marks. The Quality of the English that you use when writing the essay is obviously important, since poor expression, grammar, spelling and punctuation make it difficult for the tutor to understand the points you are trying to make. A certain standard of English is expected in formal assessment and you will be penalised for badly written essays and exams. If you are dyslexic it is important that this is indicated with the appropriate stickers on your written work (supplied by Disability Services). You will not be penalised for incorrect spelling, for example, if s/he knows of this. Referencing material used is also vital.

14.2 ADVICE ON EXAMINATION PREPARATION AND ANSWERS

Long Term Exam Preparation

 Go to lectures and seminars; note any references to the exams.  Read the recommended reading.  Make notes on the books you read rather than simply underlining passages.  Read around the topics to be covered in the exam.  Get to know the terminology.  Make sure that you know what to expect from the exam: ask your tutor if you are not sure.

Short Term Exam Preparation

 Use past papers to:  Spot questions;  Note styles and emphases of questions;  Check the format of the paper: what is the rubric? How many questions are there on the paper? How many do you need to answer? Are there any compulsory questions or section?  Check with your tutor or module handbook to see whether the format of the exam has changed.  Prepare answers on questions from previous year’s papers. You should research your answer and then try writing it within the time specified.

Model Essay Answers in Exams (see also Section 15.3 ‘Advice on Writing Essays’):

 Must have content: there must be evidence of knowledge and understanding of the topic and there must be an argument, shaped exactly to the question set.  Must be worked and re-worked: the revision answers you prepare are never finished things. They are worked and re-worked and re-worked as you do your revision. They can always be improved.  Must utilise several sources: your answer should be based upon several sources, both books and articles: not just the recommended basic text.  Incorporate points made in secondary criticism and explain debates within such literature, clearly mentioning relevant authors and sources to clarify and strengthen points and arguments.

How many revision answers should I prepare before the exam?  At the very least the number of questions to be answered! This is a high-risk strategy, however, and you may be advised by your tutor to prepare at least one other area that you would be able to answer on.  Concentrate on questions which you find interesting.  Do not choose questions on topics which overlap too much. This will reduce your chances of having answers to enough questions in the real examination.  Give yourself the chance to shine! You have to take some risks; you cannot cover all of the topics in all of your modules, though you should prepare more than the minimum required.

Inside the Exam Room  Read the questions carefully and, before choosing the ones you wish to tackle, ask why has this question been asked? This leads you to think about what needs to be included in the question and also what needs to be left out.  Plan your exam answer. A plan will help you to focus on the question set and think about how to organise the material you consider relevant to answering the question. Think about the way your answer is structured. A plan may also highlight gaps in your knowledge and reveal that you have chosen the wrong question, saving you loss of valuable time.  Answer the questions set: only use relevant material. Tailor your knowledge as closely as possible to the question; use the terms and phrases that are given in the question itself. Keep asking yourself: am I answering the question.  Show your knowledge and the background reading you have done. Make it clear that you have attended the lectures and seminars and thought about the subjects covered.  You should develop an argument in the essay; it should develop logically, be organised carefully and be supported with primary and secondary material. It should not be a disjointed set of statements.  Explain the points you are making and any quotes you give. Do not assume that quotes are self-explanatory.  Answer the right number of questions. It really is true that not answering the second of two required answers will lose you 50% of the marks.  Do not run out of time; make sure that you stop writing one answer and turn to the next question in enough time.  Be brave, allow your paper to stand out, but be sure that you have already presented the arguments as required by the question before developing a highly original or controversial line, which must, in case, be supported with evidence.  Always leave enough time at the end for you to go back over your answers and check for spelling mistakes, punctuation and grammatical errors. Make sure that you have expressed yourself clearly and well.

14.3 ADVICE ON WRITING ESSAYS You will be writing a number of essays over the next few years. They will demonstrate your understanding of the subject covered and command of evidence to those concerned with teaching and assessing the course. It will save you time and labour, and save your readers frustration and grief if you can master the craft of essay writing. The following pieces of advice could cut out some trials and errors. They should help you develop an academically acceptable format and style. All essays should also be planned carefully.

Choosing a subject If you are offered a choice, don’t go for the most obvious and attractive topic without considering others. It may be fascinating, but can you collect enough material for it, from first hand observation, or from documents, primary sources, critical works, background reading etc.? Sketch out a treatment for two or three possible topics and see what scope they give you, making sure that you understand 48

exactly what each title asks you to do, and that your are able to respond to all aspects of it. If you are to do this, you must plan ahead and start well before deadlines.

Drafting an Outline Very often the essay title gives you a clue how to structure your essay. Start with a very loose outline, two or three main subheadings and spend some time filling them out and changing them around. Identify key words in the essay question, such as ‘Discuss’, ‘Analyse’, etc. Any essay theme that has not been allowed to stew at the back of your mind for a bit is likely to be a mechanical piece of work. One’s mind has odd and underhand ways of making connections and arriving at insights, but they need a bit of time to work their way to the surface. As you get into the material, different aspects will distinguish themselves, sub-headings will propose themselves and new themes will demand to be let in somewhere. Don't be afraid to include more than you are likely to have space for at this stage.

Collecting Material Your material will come either from - primary (and secondary) sources such as newspaper articles, surveys, studies, statistics, works of literature and literary criticism, or - your personal observation or other people’s unrecorded observations and investigations, or both. Before plunging in, do a cursory survey of published material that is important to your topic(s). You can use the course reading lists found in module handbooks, take a note of references as you read around a subject, spend a bit of time on both the author and subject catalogues in the Library.

(i) Once your topic is settled, decide on essential reading and read it. Follow this up with whatever is useful and interesting, leaving yourself time to brood and time to write.

If you find yourself agreeing with everything you give yourself to read, you are possibly just engaged in confirming and illustrating your own prejudices. Look out for allusions to the dissenting voice, conservative or radical, fashionable or otherwise.

(ii) Your own first hand observation may throw an important and critical light on much of what you read. Before using personal materials and observations, discuss your approach with your tutor to be sure of your methodology.

Reading a) Primary literature (for example, the literary of filmic works to be discussed) or other primary source materials must be read and re-read thoroughly, and notes must be taken with regard to the focus of the essay. You cannot proceed without a really detailed knowledge of these materials. b) Support and background reading: There are too many academic books in the world, and in most books there are too many words. It is not dishonourable to abandon a book you are getting nothing out of, or to start by reading the conclusion to a book or article, or to use collections of article and dissertation abstracts, or to use an author’s index in order to see what you might get out of his book. Perhaps you just need to read the introduction to understand their thesis or main argument. Neither is it disreputable to skip pages and chapters. On the other hand, some things need careful reading and re-reading.

Taking Notes Always record where a note comes from. You may think you can remember, but you won’t. It should be second nature to make a full note of a book or article, its author, publisher and date, when you first open it. You can then use an abbreviation (e.g. "Smith 1964, p.34"). These notes will be essential when it comes to acknowledging critic’s words and ideas in your finished essay. It is good to try to work out what you need to take notes on: notes that are too brief or messy will not be of any use to you when you come to write your essay, but it is also possible to write notes that are too lengthy, on aspects of the subject that you will not need for your essay. Identifying points that you need to know more about will help you to take notes of the appropriate detail and length.

Writing Hang some flesh onto your outline by relating your reading to the subheadings you have sketched out. Subheadings should always be used in essays of some length because they remind you of your present focus as well as serving as welcome points of orientation for the reader. But you also need to make sure that you are thinking critically about your material. Are you drawing on established facts or brazen assertions? Are you recording a palpable truth or somebody's working assumption about what is true or his hypothesis about what might be the case? Do the literary passages you want to use as illustrations reflect the author's point of view, or the narrator’s, or a character’s? Ask these questions of your reading and you will that find you have analytical and detailed things to say. One critic or commentator may provide apt illustration of someone else's general argument: two writers may see your theme from different points of view, leaving you to find grounds for taking sides or proposing an alternative position: you may have evidence from one source that flatly contradicts assumption employed elsewhere, and so on. Gaps will also emerge and you may find that you want to revise your outline. After having done all your research, it often helps to begin by writing a tentative conclusion, answering the question in just one or two sentences. This forces you to figure out just what it is you think you have to say and can be used in the introduction to the essay, stating your case upfront and using the rest of the essay to prove your point. It is a good general principle to open an essay by setting out just what it is you are going to attempt in it. But this, of course, does not mean that you simply repeat the title! Your conclusion will be a summary justification of your claim to have done what you set out to do, tying beginning and middle together. But don’t feel you have to be formalistic about this. The important thing is to have a purpose and to pursue it. Give some thought to your reader. How best can you engage her/his attention and keep her/him alongside you? Drag her/him along by force of logic. Entice him with shrewdly chosen evidence. Make certain s/he leaves you with a sense of having had her/his thoughts organized by someone who knew what s/he was about.

Style When you re-read the first draft of an essay, you will vastly improve the final article by asking some simple questions as you move from paragraph to paragraph. Can I say this more neatly and more clearly in fewer words? Have I repeated myself? Should I check in the dictionary the precise meaning (or spelling) of that word? Does the punctuation help the sense or confuse it? Have I used paragraphs merely decoratively, or do they indicate different steps in the argument? Have I really interpreted this or that quotation enough, or have I left it more or less to the reader to draw conclusions from it? Is everything I am writing relevant to the question I have been asked? You may have to ask similar questions at a more general level. Is this whole section necessary to my argument, interesting and well-documented though it is? At this point do not be afraid to discard. If you are in doubt, one way of resolving uncertainty is to relegate material to a footnote or an appendix.

14.4 REFERENCE GUIDELINES Written Work Different tutors follow either the Oxford or Harvard systems of referencing. The following examples use the Oxford (footnote) system.

It is most essential that all of the information needed (the author’s name, full publication details and the page numbers you are referring to) is given and that you are consistent throughout your references.

E.g. John Gross points out, in some comments on the growth of academic literary criticism in the last few decades, that the academic mind is cautious, tightly organized, fault-finding, competitive - and above all, aware of other academic minds. Think of the atmosphere of suspicion implied by the habit of fitting out the most trivial quotation with a reference, as though it were applying for a job.1 ______50

1 John Gross, The Rise and Fall of the Man of Letters: English Literary Life since 1800 (London: Penguin, 1973), p. 323.

This is a citation for a published book. Long citations such as this (more than 40 words in prose or 3 lines of poetry) should be indented and the quotation marks removed. In such cases the full stop comes at the end of the citation before the footnote reference. In shorter citations, single inverted commas are used. The convention for citing an article distinguishes the title and the Journal as follows: ______2 S. Fuchs, ‘The Scavengers of Nimar District in Madhya Pradesh’, Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, vol XXVII, no. 1 (1951), pp. 86–98 (p. 97).

The first page numbers show the pages that the article begins and ends with; the page number in brackets shows the particular page to which you are referring. After giving the first reference to a book or article fully as shown above, you can use abbreviations, but you must always give the author’s name and the page reference, e.g. Fuchs, p. 89. If your bibliography contains more than one publication by the same author, you should also include a short title e.g. Gross, Rise and Fall, p. 323 or the date of the publication (as long as that author does not have two books published in the same year to which you refer), e.g. Gross, 1988, p. 323. Tutors must be able to find the quote you use or idea you refer to when they check the book itself. In literature essays, quotes from primary texts do not need footnote references after giving the first full reference in a footnote, but page numbers can be stated in brackets after the quotation, as long as it is clear what the source is. Endnotes may be used instead of footnotes. All book and journal names, whether in the text or the bibliography, should be put in italics or underlined, eg. The Communist Manifesto, Sociological Review. Articles and titles of chapters within books and journals should be in single inverted commas.

At the end of your essay add a Bibliography. This gives again the full references for any primary or secondary material you have used. It may include books you have read and may have been influenced by while preparing the essay as well as those you actually quote from within the essay. Your sources should always be listed alphabetically, according to authors’ or editors’ surnames:

Books should be listed as follows (you should follow the punctuation used here, as well as the order in which the information is stated): Surname, First name, Title: Subtitle (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date). Eg:

Julian Barnes, A History of the World in 10½ Chapters (London: Picador, 1990) J. G. Ballard, Crash (London: Cape, 1973)

Contributions to edited volumes should be listed as follows: Surname, First name, ‘Title of contribution’, in Title: Subtitle, ed. by First name of editor, Surname of editor (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date), page numbers of article begins at and ends at. Eg:

Jacques Lacan, ‘The Mirror Stage as Formative of the Function of I’, in Literary Theory: An Anthology, ed. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan, 2nd edition (Oxford: Blackwell, 2004), pp. 441-6.

Articles in journals (also called periodicals) should be listed as follows: Surname, First name, ‘Title of article’, Title of periodical, volume and/or Number, (date), page numbers of article. Eg:

Fredric Jameson, ‘Postmodernism, or the cultural logic of late capitalism’, New Left Review, 146 (1984), pp. 53–92.

The Internet Quoting from the Internet is probably the most difficult part of your bibliography as you do not have all the information as easily available as with printed sources. Although it may not be possible in every instance, you should attempt to give the author’s name or organisation who published the page, 51

followed by the page title, the date of publication or latest update, the exact web-address and the date you accessed it. e.g. Owen Gibson and Charlotte Higgins, ‘A Mercury for the Monkeys’, Guardian Unlimited, viewed on 6 June 06, http://arts.guardian.co.uk/mercury2006/story/0,,1865874,00.html

As with all other sources which are not available in the university library you should be able to provide your tutor with a copy of the materials you used, if asked to do so, and should therefore ensure to keep a copy of the text as a computer file or print out.

It is also increasingly common for students to utilise images found on the Internet in their work. For further information on sourcing online images and referencing them correctly, see Section 15.8 ‘Sourcing Images on the Internet’.

Remember that all direct quotations must be attributed. See Section 13 ‘Plagiarism, Collusion and Cheating’.

Correctly Referencing Cited Media You will probably find yourself referring to a wide number of different sources in your workbooks and other written material for media and may not be familiar with the conventions for doing so.

Just as with any book you discuss, there are conventions in place for how it should be presented and a full reference list of media cited should appear at the end of your essay or workbook in a recognised referencing system; such as the Harvard system provided below by way of example.

Television Broadcast When discussing a TV broadcast by its title in the main body of an essay, or in your workbook, as with any title it should be italicised, for example, The News at Ten.

Format for Bibliography/Reference List: Series, title and number, title of episode. Transmitting organisation and channel, full date and time of transmission.

Examples: Prison Break, Episode 210, Rendezvous. TV, Five, 2007 19th March, 21.00 hrs. The News at Ten, ITV, 2002 26th January, 22.00 hrs.

Film or Video When referring to a film, the title should be italicised and the first mention of the title should always be accompanied by the release date in brackets, for example, “an interesting thing to note about the film Batman (1989) is…” Once you have fully referenced the film in your text, you may make repeat references by the title only.

Format for Bibliography/Reference List: Title. (Year). Material designation. Subsidiary originator (director is preferred). Production details - place: organisation..

Example: Chicken Run. (2000) Animated film. Directed by Peter Lord and Nick Park. Bristol: Aardman.

Television Advertisement When referring to a television advertisement provide a description and the year produced, for example, "in a Coca Cola advert where Santa is seen handing a bottle of coke to a girl every year at Christmas until she turns into a woman (2006)…”

Format for Bibliography/Reference List: Company/Product. (Year produced). Description of advert (duration). Television advertisement, channel. If possible, [Screened: dates]

Example: Coca Cola. (2006). Santa handing bottles of coke to a girl every year at Christmas until she turns into a woman (30 secs). Television advertisement, ITV3. [Screened 1st December 2006 - 25th December 2006]

Newspaper Article When referring to a newspaper article cite the paper (italicised), author name and year published as with a standard text, for example, “an article in the Times argues the same point (Webster 2006)...”

Format for Bibliography/Reference List: Surname, Initial(s). “Title of article”. Year. Newspaper title, date, page number of your quotation. Example: Webster, B. “New speed camera puts more drivers in the frame” 2006. Times, 24th May, p.1.

Music Promo Just as when referring to a film, the title should be italicised and the promo director and release date included, for example, If I Were A Boy (Jake Nave 2008). The important thing here is the director not the performer because it is invariably the video content you will be discussing. Indeed if no other agreement is drawn up it is the director that owns the copyright to a music promo, of course in practice, the label usually contractually retains the rights.

Format for Bibliography/Reference List: Originator/Artist (Year released) Title. Directed by (Duration) if available. Music Video.

Example: Beyoncé (2008) If I Were A Boy. Directed by Jake Nava. (04.16) Music Video.

Song Just as when referring to a music promo, the title should be italicised and the release date included but in this instance it tends to be the performer who is most relevant to the discourse, for example, “in the Beatles song A Day in the Life (1967).”

Format for Bibliography/Reference List: Performer. ‘Title of song’. Title of album or larger work in which the piece cited was published. Publisher. Year. [Original year of publication if applicable]. CD reference often found on spine or back cover.

Example: The Beatles. ‘A Day in the Life’. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. EMI Records Ltd. 1987 [1967]. CDP 7 46442 2.

Webpage When referring to a webpage article cite the author name and year published as with a standard text, however, if there is no date on the page, use the abbreviation n.d. (no date), for example, “we can now all be our own publishers (Publishers Association n.d.) ...”

Format for Bibliography/Reference List: Author / Editor / Corporate Author. (Year of publication) Title. [Online]. Available at: [Date accessed] 53

Example: Publishers Association. (no date) About publishing. [Online]. Available at: [Accessed 14 September 2007]

Weblog When referring to a weblog article cite the author name and year published as with a standard text, due to the nature of blogs a publishing date will be available, for example, “the place for citizen journalism is central to a current understanding of the news business (Monck 2007) ...”

Format for Bibliography/Reference List: Author / Corporate Author. (Day/Month/Year) Title. Weblog. [Online]. Available at: [Date of access & GMT if available:].

Example: Monck, Adrian. (12/10/2007) Views on the news biz. Weblog. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 12th October 2007, GMT: 10:10:15]

Online Image When discussing an online image refer to the image in the text using either the title (in italics) or, if unavailable provide a description, and again if available cite the image originator and date. For example, “the map shows the Parish of Maroota during the1840s (Ferguson Collection 1840-1849)…”

Format for Bibliography/Reference List: Originator. (Year of publication) Title of image [Online image]. Available at: [Date accessed]

Example: Stanley J. P. (2006) Wispy clouds and the afternoon moon. [Online image]. Available at: [Accessed 21 November 2007]

14.5 CRITERIA AND QUALITY OF WRITTEN WORK This checklist may help you to know whether your essay is ready to be submitted:

Quality of Argument Does the essay make a strong and clear argument? Is the argument theoretically sophisticated? Does it show that you really understand the concepts and theories you are using? Does it make use of primary and secondary materials? Have you shown that you have really got to the heart of the argument?

Quality of Evidence Is the argument well supported? Is evidence well chosen? Is it to the point? Have you marshalled all the appropriate material?

Criticism Have you successfully mounted a critical argument about your theoretical and empirical sources? Have you contrasted the different sources or viewpoints to good effect?

Originality 54

Is your argument original? Have you used what you have learnt to think creatively and constructively about the topic? Have you developed your own ideas in relation to the material?

Organisation Is the essay well organised? Does it have a coherent structure? Does it develop as it goes along? Is there a clear conclusion? Is it within the word limit?

Relevance Is what you have written to the point? Does it answer the question? Is it tightly written? Have you misread the question?

Quality of English Is what you’ve written good English? Is it elegantly written? Is your punctuation, spelling and grammar correct? (Note that these rules are relaxed for those with dyslexia, please contact Disability Services for appropriate support.)

Use of sources Have you read around the topic? Have you used your reading constructively? Have you cited your sources in a bibliography at the end of the essay and placed quotation marks in the text of your essay, to acknowledge their provenance?

Other forms of assessment Media is an interdisciplinary degree with contributions from across the Social Sciences and Humanities. While many of the more theoretical aspects of the programme are assessed using essays and other forms of written assessment, other aspects of the programme with a more practical and/or applied focus will often employ alternative forms of assessment. Module leaders and tutors involved in modules utilising other forms of assessment will offer clear guidance and support as/when this is required.

14.6 USING INTERNET SOURCES There are very many websites and portals dealing with useful information for Media students. A word of caution, however, you need to assess the suitability of material you use by checking its tended audience. Also you need to cite it properly (see 15.4 ‘Reference Guidelines’)

14.7 SOURCING IMAGES ON THE INTERNET The most commonly employed way of searching for images on the internet is via the image indexing functions of the major search engines such as Google and Yahoo. These are very powerful and index billions of images but they are rarely correctly referenced and normally of extremely low quality. There are however plenty of ways to access a huge number of images on the Internet that can be used effectively in your work. So remember to always consider these guidelines when taking images from the web:

1) Resolution: Is the image big enough? 55

2) Referencing: Have I made a note of where I sourced the image?

Resolution: Is the image big enough? The main problem associated with images taken from the internet for use in graphic design is image quality, due to the difference between 'print' and 'screen' resolutions. Screen resolution is nearly always 72dpi (dots per inch) and this will give very poor quality if printed at the same scale. The resolution used for printed images varies but is much higher and most commonly 300 dpi is used. The point here is that if you increase the size of most screen resolution images to fit your 300dpi document they will print in a very blurry and unsatisfactory way. Therefore you need to specifically search the internet for high-resolution images and not just a general image search.

Places to start your search for high quality images: http://www.flickr.com/ (an online community of photographers and artists sharing digital imagery. To search for copyright free images visit www.flickr.com/creativecommons). http://www.openphoto.net/ (a forum for sharing images.) http://www.freefoto.com/ (an online database of free photographs) http://www.sxc.hu/ (over 250,000 quality stock photos by more than 25,000 photographers) http://www.freeimages.co.uk/ (over 2500 stock photographs) http://www.morguefile.com/ (public image reference archive) http://www.imageafter.com/ (large online free photo collection) http://www.dreamstime.com/free-photos (free stock images) http://www.picfindr.com/ (free stock photo and image search engine) http://www.everystockphoto.com/ (free stock photo and image search engine) and if you do still choose to use Google to find your images… http://images.google.com/ Remember Google (and similar search engines) search webpages and text only, not image databases like the ones listed above; it does not list every image available on the internet! If you do wish to find an image through Google however, to ensure the highest quality, you can choose to further search by image size on the results page. Click on the link ‘see options’ and utilise the size options in the side bar that is now visible (see below)

In addition to this you should click through to the webpage that contains your chosen image to find the information you will need to correctly reference it. Remember, all found imagery used must be fully referenced in your reference list/bibliography.

Referencing: Have I made a note of where I sourced the image? This brings us to point two and referencing. Another major problem with using digital images from the web found through engines such as Google is that many images hosted on other sites are often in flagrant copyright violation. You must ensure that you can always provide the image maker/producer’s name and the source webpage from which the image was taken. This information will be easily available if using any of the image databases provided above. A reference for your found image should be placed in your reference list/bibliography and prescribe to an appropriate system.

For example, the Harvard style of online source referencing:

Originator. (Year of publication) Title of image [Online image], Available at: URL (Date accessed)

Specific Example:

Stanley J. P. (2006) Wispy clouds and the afternoon moon, [Online image], Available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79297308@N00/98302121 (Accessed: 21 November 2007)

The internet can be a powerful and extremely helpful tool when used correctly so remember to follow these guidelines. For further information about sourcing images on the web visit the Technical Advisory Service for Images online guide at: http://www.tasi.ac.uk/advice/using/finding.html

14.8 COPYRIGHT – ADVICE FOR MEDIA STUDENTS

Copyright law, although it may seem complex, is something that you do need to consider when preparing work that includes existing material such as images from the internet, film clips or popular music. An understanding of basic copyright law is of great value in the media profession but more importantly copyright will have a direct bearing as to whether your work can be used for assessment purposes only or reach a wider audience. The following is a short introduction to the basics of copyright and how it can affect students.

What Is Copyright? People who produce original work in any medium automatically own the copyright to it. 57

Copyright protects creative and artistic works such as music, film, artworks and media broadcasts. It applies to any medium, including books, journals, photographs, maps, painting and collages.

Copyright law in the UK exists to protect the rights of copyright holders, by preventing the copying or exploitation of their work without their permission. The law governing copyright in the UK is the Copyright Designs And Patents Act, 1988.

Within the provisions of the law, a number of what are called “exceptions” allows limited use of copyright works without the permission of the copyright owner. Educational establishments such as Keele are given some leeway in utilising or copying copyright work. The library web site contains more information on “fair dealing” within education on the following web site; http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/li/info/fairdealing.htm

 the main director  the author of the screenplay  the author of the spoken dialogue  the composer of the music created for and used in the film

For sound recordings, broadcasts, and computer-generated works, copyright lasts 50 years after the end of the year in which they were first made, released, or broadcast.

Images, including photographs, are protected for 70 years after the year of a known author's death. For works of unknown authorship, copyright expires 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was created or revealed to the public.

Using Films, Sound Recordings And Broadcasts

Section 32 of the Copyright Designs And Patents Act, allows for copying by those giving instruction (i.e. academics) or receiving instruction (i.e. students) provided due acknowledgement is made.

“Section 32(2)

(2) Copyright in a sound recording, film or broadcast is not infringed by its being copied by making;

 a film or film sound-track in the course of instruction or of preparation for instruction, in the making of films or film sound-tracks, provided the copying–

(a) is done by a person giving or receiving instruction”

(Sourced from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1988/Ukpga_19880048_en_1.htm )

Such copies must be accompanied by a sufficient acknowledgement, and must be for a non- commercial purpose.

Sufficient Acknowledgement would entail ensuring the creators of the sound recording, film or broadcast were listed in the end credits of the work produced.

For example, if an extract of a film was used within a student’s work, the work’s title, director, writer, production company and year of release should be listed.

If a piece of music is used within a multimedia work, the title of the piece, composer, performer, company who recorded and released the music, and date of release should be included in the credits.

Student’s multimedia work which contains such “third party”, copyrighted, content, can only be used within an educational context, i.e. in the context of the “course of instruction” or for examination or assessment purposes.

It does not include any context that might entail the work being communicated to the public. The public is usually considered to be anyone who is not a staff member or student of the institution. Communication can be interpreted as emailing, providing over a network or making multiple copies of the work on disk for wider distribution.

Section 32 (5) also warns that further “dealing” of such copied materials (e.g. in communicating them to the public via the internet on a public website, “Youtube” or “Facebook” for example) makes the work an “infringing copy”. Under these circumstances the copyright owner could start a legal action against the people responsible for the infringing action.

To avoid this, in the circumstances where a student would like to make their work available to a wider public (using whatever means), they should only do so after seeking and being granted permission to do so from the owners of the copyright material included in their work.

Common types of royalty free licence or non-copyright material Public Domain: This body of information and creativity is considered to be part of a common cultural and intellectual heritage, which, in general, anyone may use or exploit, in any way, whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes.

Attribution: Lets others copy, distribute, display, and perform the copyrighted work - and derivative works based upon it - but only if they give credit to the original image producer.

Non-commercial: Lets others copy, distribute, display, and perform the original work - and derivative works based upon it - but for non-commercial purposes only.

No Derivative Works: Lets others copy, distribute, display, and perform only verbatim copies of the original work, not derivative works based upon it.

Share Alike: You are allowed to copy, recast, transform, adapt, perform, record or translate a share-alike copyrighted work, however doing so creates a "derived work" on which share-alike copyright restrictions are automatically imposed.

In practical terms you are free to use and alter any material with one of the above copyright provisions EXCEPT for 'no derivative works' (which may only be reproduced ‘as is’) so long as you correctly reference the originator.

Note: Whether or not you are required to by the license you should always reference/attribute any image reproduced or utilised in your work.

More information on copyright is available from the Library’s web pages at; http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/li/info/copyright.htm

Disclaimer

The information contained within this document, is intended as general guidelines and an interpretation of current copyright issues. It is not intended and should not be construed as legal advice.

15. STUDENT EXCHANGE Student Exchange – studying abroad in Year 2 (Level 5) during 2017/18

Who is eligible to go on exchange?

Students, both international and UK, of virtually any subject area can apply to study abroad on exchange for the first (or second) semester of Year 2 at the discretion of their schools. Students must attend all compulsory sessions presented by the Global Education Team and be supported by their Personal and Subject Tutor(s). Students must also be in good academic standing in order to be confirmed and have an overall average in Level 4 (Year 1) of 60% (2.1). When do I need to apply? Students considering exchange in Year 2 need to apply in Semester 1 of Year 1 after attending the Global Education Fair in October and attending a compulsory Information Session. In addition to Information Sessions, students should meet with their Subject Tutor(s) and seek guidance from Peer Advisors to gather the information that they need to select the appropriate University and make a successful application. Exchange in Level 5 requires students to match modules at their host university with the modules that they would have taken at Keele University in the same semester. Grades will be converted to Keele grades and will impact on your overall degree classification. International students studying at Keele should also highlight early in the process the passport that they hold to the Global Education Team who will follow it up with the Immigration and Compliance Team depending on the UKVI rules at the time.

Student Exchange – Studying abroad between Years 2 and 3 of an undergraduate degree (‘International Year’) The International Year option provides complementary study to the main degree area and provides additional skills leading to personal development and employability. This opportunity is available to students enrolled on the majority of undergraduate programmes except for the School of Medicine, and to both Single & Combined Honours students. Students should attend the Global Education Fair in October and must also attend all compulsory sessions and be supported by their Personal and Subject Tutor(s). Applications are completed in Semester 1 of Level 5 (Year 2). Students must also be in good academic standing in order to be considered and must have an overall average in Level 4 (Year 1) of 60% (2.1) to apply.

Students will have the option of studying at one university for the year or to split the year with two different universities and/or destinations. A requirement of 40% of your Keele degree area must be studied while abroad with 60% of your study complementing your degree. This could include language study, a research project or an internship, in addition to modules that have been discussed with the Global Education Team and their Subject Tutor(s).

Students passing the additional year of study will receive a degree title that recognises the international year of study.

International students studying at Keele should speak to Immigration and Compliance as early as possible if they are considering the International Year. This may be in Level 4 (Year 1). The Immigration and Compliance Team will offer advice depending on the UKVI rules at the time.

Students are encouraged to find out more from the Global Education Team and Peer Adviser Resource Room early in their first semester (Ground floor of IC2- International Office) for both 60

options. http://www.keele.ac.uk/studyabroad/keelestudentsstudyingabroad/

Erasmus+ Exchange Students who elect to go on a European exchange placement will be eligible for Erasmus funding in 2017/18. Information on Erasmus will be available at the Global Education Fair and Information Sessions. Summer placements Students who elect to go to Europe for a language placement of 12 weeks or an approved work placement of no less than 8 weeks will be eligible for Erasmus funding. Traineeships Students can elect to do a traineeship in Europe up to a year after graduation, as long as the placement is approved and arranged before graduation. Erasmus funding is available for this opportunity. More information is available from the Global Education Team – please contact Lisa Stoker ([email protected]).

16. LANGUAGE CENTRE

Modern Languages Electives – Languages for All

As language skills are increasingly seen as a ‘must-have’ in graduates, all Keele students are encouraged to learn a new language or enhance their existing language skills by taking one or more of the Language Centre’s 15-credit elective modules in BSL, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian and Spanish, offered from absolute beginners’ to advanced level. Students taking language modules can also join popular intensive summer immersion courses at partner universities abroad. Students who take language modules as freestanding electives on their degree programme can work towards an enhanced degree title including the designation ‘with competency in [Language]’. Learning a language will not just help you to communicate with a wider range of people but it can be deeply transformative and life-enhancing. As employers have repeatedly pointed out, successful language learners demonstrate a highly valued willingness to adapt to new circumstances and to think differently. This is the most fundamental way in which we come to understand other cultures, and therefore achieve a deeper appreciation of our own culture and ourselves. For further details please see keele.ac.uk/lc/modernlanguages or contact the Language Centre at [email protected] or stop by the Language Centre in the heart of campus, in CBB0.001 at the foot of Chancellor’s Building B.

English Language Support for International students The Language Centre provides individual and group language guidance and assistance to international students at all levels - from Foundation Year to PhD researchers, from beginners to near-native speakers. Credit-bearing Academic English modules help international undergraduate and postgraduate students develop the skills essential to succeed with their studies, and year-round ‘One-to-One’ tutorials ensure as-needed, personalised English language support. If you are on a Visa to study at the University, we recommend that you talk to Immigration Compliance in the Student Services Centre as early as possible. This is because they will need to check if you are able to take an ‘International Year’ on your Visa or not. The UK Home Office change the rules on student Visas and so the options will be different for each student. The information and options will be specific to you and your circumstances.

To contact us, email [email protected], or for more information see keele.ac.uk/lc/academicenglish To book a 30-minute ‘One-to-One’ see keele.ac.uk/lc/academicenglish/supportforinternationalstudents/

17. CAREERS

Careers and Employability

Whilst starting a career may seem a long way into the future, the Careers and Employability Service offers an excellent source of information and support for students throughout their Keele experience (and beyond). If at any stage you want to get your CV looking great or are uncertain of what to do after you graduate then get in touch with them and talk things through. Visit: http://www.keele.ac.uk/careers/ or pay them a visit in the Library, where they are based.

What can I achieve with a Degree in Media?

Your degree will equip you with the skills and knowledge to undertake a wide range of careers and courses. So while at Keele, be sure to:

 Make the most of opportunities within the student community: become involved proactively in student union societies and departmental activities. Not only does this make your time as an Media student more rewarding, it also show employers that you can work as part of a team, communicate, consult, juggle activities. In particular, if you are interested in a career in the media and communications industries, every employer will tell you there there’s no substitute for experience. You should make the most of the opportunities that exist at Keele to engage in related activies: such as writing for the student magazines or setting up your own for media students, volunteering for KUBE radio, producing and contributing to websites and helping to produce cultural activities such as plays, concerts and performances.  Gain work experience. This means both working for money, and work experience, to gain insight into different careers. Recruiters like to see that you can manage your time effectively, to demonstrate commitment and adapt to new environments. Experience of your chosen career also shows a real understanding of, and interest in, the area. Some national high-profile companies offer internships and work-experience schemes that you might be interested in but be aware that these are very competitive.  Plan ahead. Ideally, don’t leave your career planning until after your final examinations. The best time to have relevant work experience is the summer of Year 2 and deadlines for such experience may be six months prior to this. Also, some deadlines for certain jobs and careers are very early in the final year.  Use the Careers Service. http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/aa/careers/

18. POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

Those contemplating graduate study in media or related topics will need to make a number of decisions regarding sources of finance, which universities to apply to, whether study is to be part-time or full-time and whether to go for a higher degree by taught course or by thesis alone. Generally speaking it is easier to get accepted somewhere than to secure a grant. For the former an upper second-class degree will suffice, whereas a good first-class degree is required to be reasonably sure of financial assistance. Taught course are available only at certain universities and normally last either one or two years leading, for example, to an MA or M.Phil. The minimum time for completion of a PhD is three years full-time study, and is usually best to apply to reading for an MA in the first instance. Advice on any aspect of applying may be had from postgraduate prospectuses and from any member of the Department. At Keele we offer a 62

Masters in Research (MRes) and an MA in Global Media and Culture, and we would be happy to discuss the nature and content of either of these courses with you.

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY STATEMENT

As a leading example of an open and integrated community Keele University strives to be a place where learning, living and working is a positive experience for all. Equality and Diversity is a core value underpinning the University’s mission. Our equality and diversity vision is for a University and community that strives for:  Equality of educational opportunity;  Valuing the rights, responsibilities and dignity of individuals through our commitment to equality and diversity;  Valuing probity and ethical behaviour. These values will underpin everything that we do, helping to ensure that equality and diversity is mainstreamed across the University and is evident in our day to day practice. Further details of our work on Equality & Diversity can be found on the University website via: http://www.keele.ac.uk/hrss/equalitydiversity/ The equality objectives support all three aims of the general duty (to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality, and foster good relations) and are specific and measurable. The four equality objectives are listed below and they are further detailed in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy. Work to ensure relevant action is taken and monitored is carried out by our Directorates EDI Action Group together with EDI groups in academic departments. Strategy is driven by the EDI Steering Group with oversight from a committee including members of Council and UEC (the EDI Oversight Group). Equality Objectives: 1. Inclusive leadership and decision making at all levels of the organisation. 2. Inclusive student experience/student lifecycle. 3. Accessible and inclusive campus. 4. Progressive, informed, diverse and supported workforce.

DIGNITY & RESPECT FRAMEWORK

Dignity and respect are at the heart of the core values of the University. Keele is a diverse, inclusive and professional community that respects individuals and enables them to strive for success in order to contribute positively and sustainably in the local region, wider society and national economy. The purpose of the Dignity and Respect Framework is to translate these strategic commitments into everyday working practice at Keele. There is a need to define, in fairly flexible terms, what dignity and respect feels like and looks like. The Framework aims to promote positive relationships by helping to focus and interpret these mutual expectations within a complex and diverse organisation. https://www.keele.ac.uk/equalitydiversity/dignityandrespectframeworks/

HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION

For information about Health and Safety on Campus see the following pages on the University Website. http://www.keele.ac.uk/admin/hr/ohsu/HandS_manual/index.htm

In particular, you should be aware of the health and safety regulations when using computers. For information and advice on this see the following link: http://www.learninglink.ac.uk/site.htm

FIRE ACTION

On Discovering a Fire: 1 Always Raise the Alarm at Once It is of the utmost importance that persons in a building, which is on fire, should be given warning. Use the fire alarm where there is one. Operating the fire alarm does not call the fire service so:

2 Always Call the Fire Service at Once By telephone, key 9-999. Give the correct address. Make certain your message is understood. Telephone 888 for internal assistance.

3 Always Evacuate the Building at Once on Hearing the Alarm a. Senior staff present must take charge b. Close windows and doors c. Alert occupants of adjacent and opposite rooms d. Leave the building by the nearest available door. Close all doors as you go.

The University’s Codes of Practice can be found on http://www.keele.ac.uk/admin/ps/governance/acts/Regulations/Index.htm

Date of last review: 14th September 2018 Date of publication: 21nd September 2017