THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Edinburgh College of Art : Design

Postgraduate Course: Graphic Design: Independent Project (DESI11172)

Course Outline
SchoolEdinburgh College of Art CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits60 ECTS Credits30
SummaryAs the final semester of your MA Graphic Design studies, working autonomously within your chosen research area, Independent Project gives you the chance to bring together all your ideas, your specialism and to present them to a specified target audience or client.
Course description The independent project provides you with a rich and varied approach to ethnographic design research techniques in preparation of a career path in Design. You should originate and develop new approaches to information gathering, analysis and reflection. The independent project should develop a new approach whereby creative thinking is underpinned by a broad range of fresh research and information gathering necessary to substantiate complex concepts. You will resolve a body of work for presentation in the MA submission in August. This work shows the fruition of intentions described in the semester 2 Research Proposal as a completed design solution, supported by edited research material. independent project demonstrates how you have used the development and experimentation within your project or projects to make finished pieces. It is suggested that you present a fully developed design solution including all prototypes, with relevant supporting material.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs MATERIAL COST FOR PRINT STUDIO AND ANY OTHER ASSOCIATED ART AND DESIGN MATERIALS WHICH IS DETAILED IN THE STUDENT HANDBOOK
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2021/22, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  30
Course Start Block 5 (Sem 2) and beyond
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 600 ( Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 8, Formative Assessment Hours 1, Summative Assessment Hours 1, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 12, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 568 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Formative: A Pecha Kucha Presentation of your work to your peers and lecturers at the mid-point of the course with verbal feedback.

Summative Assessment:
LO1 - A personal research blog containing all research and development with a minimum of 40 research posts. (33%)
LO2 and LO3 - A multi-page personal portfolio containing an annotated summary of your research and development journey and a fully resolved body of work resulting from this research development process. The portfolio should contain a minimum of between 50 and 60 pages including a reflective statement of 500 - 700 words examining your process and outcomes (pdf format). (67%)

Feedback Formative feedback is regularly communicated throughout the course. This takes a number forms, verbally through weekly group discussion, class crits with peers and specialist practioners and a mid semester individual 1:1 meetings where work and ideas are discussed with your tutor.

Summative Feedback - At the end of the Course you will be given summative grades.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. REFINE: Develop and apply an advanced and comprehensive range of research materials to support a Graphic Design project.
  2. INNOVATE: Demonstrate an integrated relationship between research and practice through a series of well-structured, coherent and creative formats.
  3. PRESENT: Communicate a cohesive and edited body of work within an appropriate professional context.
Reading List
Van Boeijen, A, Zijlstra: Culture Sensitive Design A Guide to Culture in Practice, BIS Publishers; 1st edition (29 Jun. 2020)
Taylor, F. How to Create a Portfolio and Get Hired, Laurence King Publishing; 1st edition (23 Aug. 2010)
Bucher, S. All Access: The Making of 30 Extraordinary Designers, Rockport Publishers Inc. (29 Oct. 2004)
Hughes, P. Exhibition Design, Laurence King Publishing; 2nd edition (20 Aug. 2015)
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills You will use a wide range of the principal professional skills, techniques, practices and materials associated with Graphic Design.

You will critically identify, define, conceptualise and analyse complex problems and issues.

You will explore your own choice of specialism within the broad field of Graphic Design and you will create, identify and evaluate options in order to solve complex problems.

You will analyse facts and situations and apply creative thinking to develop the appropriate solutions.

You will develop the ability to work independently on a self-directed research project within a Graphic Design studio (exercising substantial autonomy and initiative in professional and equivalent activities).

KeywordsINDEPENDENT PROJECT,RESEARCH,PROCESS,SPECIALISM,GRAPHIC DESIGN
Contacts
Course organiserMr Mike Inglis
Tel: (0131 6)51 5720
Email: mike.inglis@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Jane Thomson
Tel: (0131 6)51 5713
Email: jane.thomson@ed.ac.uk
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