Description
Media, Film, and Literature
| Module title | Media, Film, and Literature |
|---|---|
| Module code | INT0066 |
| Academic year | 2022/3 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Ben Jacob (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Description - summary of the module content
Module description
Media, Film, and Literature introduces the theories and concepts central to all Humanities subjects.?Key areas of knowledge draw on examples from literature, cinema, art, the press, advertising, video games, and new media.?It is a required Option 1 module for all students aiming to progress to undergraduate degrees in literature, film, drama, visual cultures, communications, and liberal arts; it is also open to any other student interested in the subject.
This module introduces students to different forms of media and techniques for analysing them. It considers the role of the audience, how forms of media respond to their social and historical context, the power of media, and the characteristics of mass media as commercially driven industries.
This is an introductory module; no previous knowledge of media, film, or literature is required to take this module. There are no pre-requisites or co-requisites.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to provides a foundation in the study of different forms of media in English. It does this by:
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Providing an overview of the main types of English literature (poetry, short stories, drama, and novel) from a range of different historical periods, English-speaking cultures, and writers.
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Using these texts to look at how language is used to create imagery, metaphor, symbolism, themes, mood, character, narrative and setting and how texts are influenced by their socio-historical context.
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Considering some of the most influential film movements of the twentieth century, among other aspects of film studies, it looks at how film is an industry and an art and how directors and editors contribute to the creation of visual narratives.
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Examining mass media and new media as commercial, politically regulated industries and how audiences respond to and interact with these forms of media.
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By achieving 1-4 above to provide students with a foundation for a degree programme in a broad range of disciplines.
Feedback will be provided throughout this course. All students are encouraged to think critically, reason logically, communicate clearly, and read, listen, and watch carefully. These are valuable skills, not only in media studies, but throughout the academic environment.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Identify, interpret, and distinguish formal and stylistic aspects of literary and cinematic texts (for example, narration, genre, character, metre, rhyme scheme, editing, lighting, costume, and sound).
- 2. Demonstrate critical understanding (appropriate to the level) of the media and their role in society, culture, politics, and the economy.
- 3. Apply theoretical knowledge and subject specific terminology to analyse and compare media products and the contexts in which they are produced and consumed.
- 4. Show understanding of the dynamic relationships between media forms, products, media industries and audiences.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Show an ability to use analytical tools and existing criticism as a framework to build a personal interpretation/response to a text.
- 6. Use appropriate terminology and theory specific to the area of study and show awareness of relevant issues in the wider context of cultural, theoretical, and intellectual history.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. With tutor support, take responsibility for your own learning and work independently.
- 8. Communicate effectively in a format using scholarly conventions appropriate to this discipline
Syllabus plan
Syllabus plan
A 30 credit module, this module features a range of study methods which typically include lectures, seminars, and self-study. By the end of the module, students will be able to demonstrate the intellectual, transferable and practicable skills appropriate to this level of study. Typically, this module consists of interconnected strands:
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What is media? - introduces students to definitions of media and how it has developed through time as well as some theories surrounding the study of media.
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Mass Media– introduces theories around audience engagement and interpretation in relation to the power of mass media as a commercial and politically regulated industry.
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Literature in History– briefly introduces students to the development of literary form. It considers the relationship between art and selected poetic, literary, and dramatic texts and their socio-historical context. It also introduces and practices the formal and stylistic elements, skills, and terminology required to give a close textual analysis.
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Directors and Spectators–introduces some influential movements in film since 1900.It also examines and practices some of the formal and stylistic terminology required to ‘read’ film through macro (e.g., genre and narrative) and micro (e.g., camera angles and editing techniques) methods. This strand may include a visit to the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum.
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Novels and Adaptations– combines aspects of the previous strands into the study of a novel, its film adaptation(s), and related forms of media.
Learning and teaching
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 90 | 210 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 | Pre-recorded for student convenience. |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 70 | Student-led discussion; short lecture-style sessions; guided scene analysis of films and other media |
| Guided independent study | 210 | Reading and preparation for class discussion, research, exam revision, film-viewing etc. |
Assessment
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam-style tasks; Media analysis and essay outlines and/or drafts | 1-2 hours a week | 1-8 |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Media analysis | 20 | 1000 Words | 2,3,4,6,7,8 | Written and Verbal |
| Essay | 30 | 1,500 Words | 1,3,5,6,7,8 | Written and verbal |
| Examination | 50 | 2 Essay-style questions | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 | Written |
Re-assessment
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media analysis | Resubmission | 2,3,4,6,7,8 | Next available assessment period |
| Essay | Resubmission | 1,3,5,6,7,8 | Next available assessment period |
| Examination | Re-sit Examination | 1-8 | Next available assessment period |
| Referral Examination | Referral Examination | 1-8 | Next available assessment period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for reasons judged legitimate by the Mitigation Committee, the applicable assessment will normally be deferred. See ‘Details of reassessment’ for the form that assessment usually takes. When deferral occurs there is ordinarily no change to the overall weighting of that assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to take a re-sit exam. Only your performance in this exam will count towards your final module grade. A grade of 40% will be awarded if the examination is passed.
Resources
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Suggested reading:
Bordwell, D. & Thompson, K. (2019). Film Art: An Introduction,12th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Web based and electronic resources:
ELE provides an integral part of this course; further reading and links to related material are available there.
Module has an active ELE page
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Films:
A list of films and other media will be provided by the module convener during the course.
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 3 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | November 2021 |
| Last revision date | 03/10/2022 |