Undergraduate Course: Graphic Design Agency Junior (DESI08099)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Acting as junior designers, students undertaking this course will work with peers across different year groups in Graphic Design, working collectively towards a common objective regardless of experience. They will have the ability to apply to an established in-house student design agency within the Graphics Programme. These agencies, mentored by industry professionals will respond to briefs and self-initiated commercial projects. Students will also be guided through the theory, practice and strategies behind the world of design agency structures. The student agencies experience work-like scenarios within the safety of the academic environment, developing rounded, real world skill sets, such as design thinking, risk-taking, selling, presenting, delegating and networking. |
| Course description |
This course guides students through the theory, practice and business strategies behind the world of graphic design agencies and their structures. Through practical projects and collaboration with peers in both junior and senior years, students will form a personal vision for their place within the creative sector. In producing a reflective diary/journal and semester report students will learn to articulate their ideas and make clear intentions and persuasive arguments about their practice, context and career path.
Students will gain an essential understanding of the value of observing, analysing and documenting information, discovering that innovation can occur through collaborations, connections and relationships with others. There will be opportunities to explore the myriad of working practices of the professional world of this discipline and therefore will learn new methods of working - relevant to whatever field they subsequently choose. There is obviously an element of employability and an understanding of personal, professional and transferable skills.
Throughout the course there will be weekly analysis of key events and discoveries recorded through a visual diary and an opportunity to present these findings at formative and summative review. Peer group reviews take place throughout the duration of the course.
This Course will comprise multiple tasks and projects, leading to a final, summatively assessed submission of one resolved outcome (a visual report) and a presentation. The basic structure of the course is outlines as follows:
Week 1 - Initial group work to look at context and scope of graphic design agencies and collectives within the UK.
Week 2 - Exploration of hierarchies and business structures.
Week 2 + 3 - Smaller group exercises in order to look at philosophies, branding and promotion before application
to existing senior student in-house agencies.
Week 4 Practical peer group work within agency teams. Practical tasks surrounding agency administration.
Week 5 Mid-Course Formative Review and Feedback
Week 6-9 Practical peer group work within agency teams. Live commercial projects sought and undertaken. Site visits to professional mentors. Observation of commercial practice.
Week 10 Preparation of Report/Presentation for review
Week 11 End of Course Summative assessment
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | Students MUST NOT also be taking
Graphic Design Agency Intern (DESI08100)
|
Other requirements | This course is open to ALL STUDENTS and enrolments are managed on a first come first served basis until the course is full. The course will be open to enrolments from Thursday 13th September at 9.30am. Please sign up for the course through your own School (they will advise if this is done your PT, SSO or Teaching Office). We do not currently keep a waiting list. |
| Additional Costs | Approx £30. Minimal costs related to visits plus materials students may wish to purchase to facilitate their practice such as printing, paper, props etc. |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2018/19, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: 20 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 1,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 6,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 27,
External Visit Hours 2,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 8,
Formative Assessment Hours 1,
Summative Assessment Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
150 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Summative Assessment
At the end of the Course the students will hand in the following:
Visual Report (50%)
Hand in a completed Visual Report. The report should record and reflect upon key day to day experiences and understanding of Design Agency and your specific contribution. As a resolution the report can take any relevant form, it's expected the content will be gleaned, in part, from the reflective diary.
Presentation (50%)
A narrative of your experience identifying:- work undertaken; your role; the context of your role; your personal direction; and career plan (max of 5 minutes if using moving image, film or oral presentation) should be prepared for dissemination to an audience. As a resolution the presentation can take any relevant form.
Formative Assessment
Reflective Diary/Journal
Hand in work in progress through the reflective diary (this should be written, annotated and image based, minimum of 15 pages). The diary should record your day to day experience and understanding of design agency. On the final page there should be a 10 bullet point summary of key observations (maximum of 20 words per bullet point).
Prototype
A visual hardcopy prototype of your report which explores the proposed content, themes, headings, style and aesthetic of the final summative Visual Report. The report is a visual summing up of your time within the agency.
Relationship between Assessment and Learning Outcomes:
Visual Report (50%) Learning Outcomes 1, 2, and 3
Presentation (50%) Learning Outcomes 1, 2, and 3 |
| Feedback |
Formative Feedback
Mid-way through the Course students will be given verbal and written feedback plus indicative grades.
Summative Feedback
At the end of the Course students will be given verbal feedback plus summative grades. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Explore multiple design agency structures and various methods of working.
- Reflect upon their role and contribution as a junior designer within a group context.
- Employ appropriate methods for communicating a personal direction and career plan to an audience.
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Reading List
Millman, D. How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer
Purkiss, J. and Royston-Lee, D. Brand You: Turn Your Unique Talents into a Winning Formula
Gladwell, M. The Tipping Point |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Enquiry Gain new knowledge and opportunities for learning.
Personal Effectiveness be responsive to the varying situations and environments in which you will operate.
Communication negotiating and creating new understanding, collaborating with others and furthering your own learning. |
| Keywords | Graphic Design,Teamwork,Agency,Commercial,Projects,Peer Learning,Professional Skills,Junior |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Ms Zoe Patterson
Tel: (0131 6)51 5720
Email: z.patterson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Gill Lowther
Tel: (0131 6)51 5712
Email: glowther@ed.ac.uk |
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