Undergraduate Course: What's Up Doc? Introducing Animation Studies (DESI08088)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course introduces students to the pervasive nature of animation by examining key texts in both historic and contemporary culture and to interrogate the significance of the form. Drawing on current discourse in animation studies, the course will enable students to think about the connection between animation and other moving image and visual cultural artefacts in a critically engaged way. |
| Course description |
Animation remains a comparatively neglected area within Film and Visual Cultural Studies. Despite animation's important links to a range of other disciplines (including cinema, illustration and painting) many exclude 'cartoons' from the traditional pantheon of 'Art', or from the more recent one of 'Visual Culture'. This course aims to challenge such patronising assumptions. It will help participants to grasp some of the key historical, technological, aesthetic and ideological debates and developments that pertain to animation. What's Up Doc? emphasises both animation's specificity - the medium's distinctiveness as a visual cultural form and tradition - and its permeability - the marked extent to which animation has been and is influenced by, but also itself influences, other visual media and traditions.
The course is delivered through weekly lectures and seminars. Each week students will be required to undertake research activities as part of their directed learning hours, for presentation or discussion in seminar and in preparation for the final submission.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
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 Monday 28th September at 10.00 am. Please sign up for the course through your own School (they will advise if this is done via your PT, SSO or Teaching Office). We do not currently keep a waiting list. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2020/21, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 120 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
174 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
There is one formative assessment point (Week 5). This will take the form of a 500 word written proposal. Written feedback will be given tutors within 15 working days.
The final summative assessment task at the end of the course will take the form of 3 pieces of writing: blog post, critical film review and critical book review. These will be compiled and submitted as one PDF and total 2000 words. Each learning outcome is weighted equally.
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| Feedback |
Written feedback and indicative grades for the formative assessment will be released on the VLE within 15 working days of the submission date. Written feedback and grades will also be given for the summative assessment. This will be released on the course VLE within 15 working days of the submission date. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Use a variety of appropriate research approaches to show an understanding and awareness of the subject of animation studies.
- Undertake an analysis and evaluation of selected examples or practitioners to demonstrate an understanding of the significance of animation.
- Convey your findings in an articulate and appropriately illustrated portfolio of writing which communicates your understanding of key issues in animation studies.
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Reading List
The a to z of animation and cartoons - Nichola Dobson 2010
A reader in animation studies - Jayne Pilling, Society of Animation Studies 1997
Understanding Animation - Paul Wells 1998 (Electronic Resource)
The animation bible: a guide to everything from flipbooks to Flash - Maureen Furniss 2008
Art in motion: animation aesthetics - Maureen Furniss 1998 |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Upon completion of the course students will:
Be able to identify, define and analyse problems and identify or create processes to solve them and be able to critically assess existing understanding and the limitations of their own knowledge;
Be open to new ideas, methods and ways of thinking;
Make effective use of oral, written and visual means to critique, negotiate, create and communicate understanding.
Be able to flexibly transfer their knowledge, learning, skills and abilities from one context to another; understand social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities and issues. |
| Keywords | Animation studies,performance,advertising,installation,animation history,identity,visual culture |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Nichola Dobson
Tel: (0131 6)51 5964
Email: N.Dobson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Georgia Dodsworth
Tel: (0131 6)51 5712
Email: georgia.dodsworth@ed.ac.uk |
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