Foundation Degree in
Art Enterprise
Course handbook
Leeds City College
Higher Education Scheme
Creative Arts
2015/16
CONTENTS
PAGE- Welcome to the college
- About your course
- Student support system
- Your responsibilities as a student
- Assessment
- Academic and student regulations
- Quality control
- Have your say
- Where to get help
- College HE Calendar
- Learning outcome grids
- Assessment grids
- Assessment timetable
1Welcome to the College
1.1Welcome from the Principal
I am delighted to have this opportunity to welcome you to Leeds City College.
Thank you for choosing to study a Higher Education course with us.
We have received external recognition that our HE provision is among the best in the region, following an HE inspection, carried out by the Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency in May 2011. (The QAA inspects all Universities and colleges.) I am delighted to report the inspection results were excellent and confirmed the very high quality of our HE programmes.
We regularly seek the views of our students on the quality of their courses and use this information to make improvements. Student satisfaction is consistently high, with students commenting on the level of support provided and the quality of feedback they receive on their work.
At Leeds City College we know that the whole HE experience is at the heart of student success. That’s why, in addition to the actual teaching and learning experience, our campuses have a friendly, supportive atmosphere and we offer a wide range of additional personal support services which cater for all individual needs.
We hope you enjoy your time with us.
Peter Roberts
Principal & Chief Executive
Foundation Degree Art Enterprise
1.2 Welcome to Leeds City College
Welcome to Leeds City College and Creative Arts. In particular, welcome to the Foundation Degree in Art Enterprise. This handbook provides you with information about your Foundation Degree Art Enterprise course (which is validated by Teesside University), the school, and your responsibilities as a student, support available to you, in addition to information about assessment and other regulatory issues.
Now that you have enrolled on an Art Enterprise course, the aim is to offer you all possible help and support to enable you to gain the qualification, prepare you to be successful in the creative industries and also for progression onto a BA (Hons) Degree Top-Up course if you should choose. The team is looking forward to meeting you and hopes that your time in Leeds is both enjoyable and successful.
Best wishes to you in your future studies.
Tom Poultney
Award Leader, Foundation Degree in Art Enterprise
1.2Which School is my course in?
The course is part of the Creative Arts School in which we deliver a range of courses at both FE and HE level. Your peers at HE level also consist of dance, performance and photography students studying Foundation Degree and BA Hons, which allows for you to work in an interdisciplinary manner and collaborate if you choose. As part of your experience you have the opportunity to get involved in other aspects of the department, and because of this we hope that we are able to provide a creative environment for you to thrive in. Creative Arts runs a professional gallery in the centre of Leeds, holds art exhibitions, puts on performances in our theatre and puts together a brochure of events every term.
1.3What facilities are available?
●As a Foundation Degree in Art Enterprise student you will have access to:
●HE Baseroom containing a suite of Macs
●Teaching rooms containing Macs
●A silver-based darkroom with 16 enlargers
●Two bookable Photographic studios with professional equipment
●Art facilities on campus
●Studio space in the centre of Leeds
●Access to Fab Lab, Inc workshop etc
●Professional screen-printing, etching and blockprinting facilities
●Ceramics and Kiln facilities
1.5What can I do once I graduate?
On successful completion of the Foundation degree in Art Enterprise, you may wish to continue on to do the top-up year at level 6. If this is not what you would like to do, the course is designed to best prepare you to enter the industry in which there are many avenues you might want to explore depending on your creative interests. As part of the course you set up a collective, and this could be a method for entering the creative industries as a supportive peer group. Above all, the course aims to start you working within the Creative Industries from the outset, and to provide platforms for you to test your art practice within a variety of real situations.
2 About your course
2.1Welcome to the course
The course provides you with the opportunity to progress your creative experience through a series of modules designed to focus your art practice. Skills will be explored both at Park Lane Campus and in a studio space within the city centre, which is set up and run by a student artist collective. This process mirrors contemporary art practices and imparts valuable and relevant skills in self-sufficiency and autonomy. This must be coupled with a contextual and historical understanding of art so you know why you are working in a particular manner. In addition to this you will be encouraged to explore and engage with local creative businesses and entrepreneurs to gain an understanding of how to function within the Creative Industries
2.2Aims of the course
The aims of the course are to..
· Provide a challenging high quality vocational programme in art practice, including core and specialist modules, which facilitate access and progression for a wide range of students from diverse backgrounds.
· Offer a robust and vocationally relevant foundation degree in art practice that will allow students to develop their interests personally and professionally.
· Develop graduates who have the ability to reflect and learn from their workplace experience in the creative industries and relate this experience to relevant theoretical and practical projects.
· Develop graduates who have a balance between subject specific skills (expressive, creative, technical) and transferable skills (communication, teamwork, project management) which are key to being employable in the creative industries
· Develop graduates who have an analytical and reflective understanding of art practice and entrepreneurship in the context of the workplace today and in relation to the wider social and cultural environment.
2.3Course Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and UnderstandingK1 / Critically review and select from wider research methods to inform decision-making and then apply to art processes
K2 / Demonstrate a detailed understanding of aspects of art practice by critically analysing a variety of ideas, contexts and frameworks. Apply knowledge to a range of creative situations
K3 / Explore inherent issues in the creative industries to facilitate the generation of knowledge within an art context
Cognitive/Intellectual Skills
C1 / Analyse, apply and interpret evidence from a variety of sources
C2 / Employ balanced, logical and supported argument to critically explore facets of art practice in a range of contexts
C3 / Demonstrate intellectual flexibility and openness to new ideas within approaches to art industries
C4 / Identify key areas of problems within art practice and choose appropriate tools/methods for their resolution in a considered manner
Practical/Professional Skills
P1 / Operate ethically in situations of varying complexity and predictability requiring the application of a wide range of creative approaches
P2 / Able to act with increasing autonomy, with reduced need for supervision and direction, within defined guidelines
P3 / Evidence a considered and creative developmental approach to art briefs
P4 / Fulfil creative briefs by applying confident use of relevant equipment , skills and processes to produce technically accomplished outcomes
Key Transferable Skills
T1 / Reflect systematically on performance to further develop learning
T2 / Demonstrate a realistic match between career aspirations and personal aptitudes, interests and motivations
T3 / Select and use a range of communication methods appropriate to the context. Prepare, deliver and evaluate presentations to an audience
T4 / Use a range of specialist software appropriate to the discipline
T5 / Adopt a range of roles within a team and contribute to the effective working of the team
(The grids at the end of this handbook show where and how these outcomes will be covered and assessed.)
2.4What will I learn?
Fda Art Enterprise L4Semester 1 / Studio Practice 1 (40 Credits) / Production Skills (20 Credits) / The Creative Entrepreneur (20 credits)
Semester 2 / Studio Practice 1 (Continued) / Realisation Skills (20 Credits) / Art and Collaboration (20 Credits)
Fda Art Enterprise L5
Semester 1 / Studio Practice 2 (40 Credits) / Art and Media (20 Credits) / The Creative Enterprise (20 Credits) / Art and Commerce (20 Credits)
Semester 2 / Studio Practice 2 (Continued) / Art and Media (Continued) / The Creative Enterprise (Continued) / Public exhibition and events (20 Credits)
2.5How will I be taught?
A mixture of lectures, tutorials and seminars will be used. The lecture programme will impart the necessary principles and concepts. The seminars will be a mixture of student and tutor led sessions considering practical examples of the principles and concepts. The tutorials will take the form of individual support and feedback for students by tutors or other students. Tutor led sessions will be held to provide an opportunity for students to work on examples and case studies in the areas covered by the lectures. Student-led tutorials will consist of action learning activities, discussion groups and report-back sessions which allow students to develop their research, communication and teamwork skills. The course has three core strands; practical skill, contextual understanding and work-based learning. This strategy is key to the course structure and we aim to make these elements work together. The Foundation Degree in Art Enterprise course is Higher Education and you must make your own notes. You need to write enough to ensure you have a good understanding of the subject, as a starting point for further reading and research and as a basis for your assignment work. A good set of notes, built up week by week, is the most valuable learning resource of all.
2.6How will I be assessed? See Appendix 3 for Assessment Grid
●There is an emphasis towards practical workshop learning, which underpin both context and industry relevant topics
●The lecture programme will impart the necessary principles and concepts.
●Group work will allow students to develop their research, communication and teamwork skills.
●The seminars will be a mixture of student and tutor led sessions considering practical examples of the principles and concepts.
●Tutor and peer led reflective feedback form the basis of student learning programmes.
●Tutorials will take the form of individual support and feedback for student guidance
You will have opportunities to gain recognition during your time at Leeds City College for the extra activities you do on top of your studies, including volunteering, student societies, playing in College sports teams and being a student academic representative.
3Student Support System
3.1Who is going to teach me?
Your module lecturers are the members of the College staff who you will have most contact with. Their job is to manage and deliver their part (module) of your programme of study, assess and grade your work, and also give you continuous feedback on how you’re doing. Lecturers aim to develop adult, professional relationships with students. You are encouraged to voice any concerns that you might have about your work with the lecturer concerned. Our job is to do all we can to help you succeed but we can’t do this unless you talk to us about anything that is worrying you.
You will be allocated a personal tutor whose job it is to deal with any problems that can’t be settled at lecturer level, plus more general concerns that you might have, for example any problems you might have which may be affecting your work. The Course Manager (CM) has overall responsibility for the running of the Foundation Degree and the well-being of the students.
Dean of HE: Janet Faulkner
↑
Creative Arts Head of Department: Ken Reid
↑
Award Leader: Tom Poultney
↑
Module Lecturers:Tom Poultney, Kirsty Allison, Tony Baker, Kevin O’Hare
For each module, the module leader will set out the preferred method of communicating general information about that module to you, which may be by e-mail or notices posted on the course Moodle page. If you need help, please ask one of us:
Meet the Art Enterprise Team
MANAGEMENT OF STUDIO SPACE
As part of the Studio Practice module you are required to work as a collective to establish a studio within the centre of Leeds. This space is negotiated each year with a number of industry partners including East Street Arts. Whilst using the spaces, you will be bound firstly by the rules of the organization in terms of Health and Safety and conduct when working in the space. These spaces allow for autonomous working, and so enable you to progress your artistic practice. Site visits will be conducted on a regular basis by staff outside of teaching hours to observe the correct use of the space, and will be communicated to the organization.
Should the space be leased whilst you are in residency, it will have to be vacated and you must be prepared for this eventuality. This mirrors the realities of working as a professional artist and you will have to renegotiate a space.
3.2What study facilities are available in the Library+
The library+ centres at Leeds City College contain a range of services to help you with your studies:
●An extensive collection of books and other publications.
●Journals and e-resources.
●Access to computers with printing allowances allocated to individuals.
●A very helpful team of staff who will be happy to help you gain the maximum benefit from the services.
●A dedicated member of staff for your award.
●Full details of the range of facilities available at each of the college campuses.
PLEASE NOTE : You will need to register with Library+ in order to be able to use the facilities, including the computers. To do this you will need your student ID card which you were issued with when you enrolled.
How can I get help and advice?
Each course has a specific Academic Librarian who has detailed knowledge about your chosen subject. He or she will buy all the resources for your subject in the library and will teach you how to make the most of the information available to you during your course. You will meet your Academic Librarian at your induction. Further help is available at the Help and Information Point in each Library.
Your academic librarian is Andy Gray, you can find him in the library ordering strange and rare art and photography books. He is always glad to help and if you have a book you would like to see on the shelves, then get in touch. He also publishes new acquisitions to our department Facebook page.
Andy’s email address is
4Your responsibilities as a student
4.1What are my responsibilities?
It is your responsibility as a student to comply with the scheme, course and module requirements for attendance and for completion of assessments. This includes meeting deadlines for assessments. In order to achieve this you should be aware of the following Core Principles:
●Be Respectful – For example, ensure your interactions are always respectful and professionally conducted and College facilities are appropriately used.
●Be Sensitive – For example, be aware of your language and behaviour to ensure it respects others and recognises diversity.
●Be Understanding – For example, ensure there is mutual respect by listening to others (be aware your voice may be more easily heard in some venues than others).
●Be Punctual – For example, make sure you arrive, start and finish on time. Let the appropriate person know if you are delayed. To avoid disruption to others, late entry to a session/appointment may not be possible.
●Be There – For example, actively participate to get the most out of the time available.
●Be Prepared – For example, make sure you have done the necessary preparatory work. If insufficient preparation has been done it may not be possible for the planned activity to take place. Students who have attempted but had difficulty with preparatory work should bring this to the attention of the relevant staff member.
●Be Considerate – For example, use mobile phones and electronic devices with an awareness of how this might impact on others.
(Taken from the Teesside University ‘A Guide to Promoting a Mutually Respectful University Community’, full details of which can be found using the following link )
Please note that the College has a disciplinary process which can be found at:
4.2Where can I find out about general student regulations?
These are available at:
4.3What if I’m an international student?
There are new requirements relating to immigration procedures in the UK with the introduction of the Points-Based System. Information is available at:
4.4Are there any guidelines about attendance?
The modules on the course will help you to develop both skills and academic knowledge. Most modules will require you to undertake formative work, which will help you to apply your knowledge and understanding, which in turn will help you to achieve a good grade in the summative assessments. Therefore it is important that you attend regularly. Research has demonstrated a clear link between attendance and success rates therefore we recommend that a minimum attendance of 80% is maintained.
Please note – Those students who are eligible for a bursary will find that their payments will be cancelled if they have not met the minimum attendance requirement and we do not receive a sick note covering any periods of absence and/or are not up-to-date with their assessed work. (please see the Bursary Factsheet on Moodle for full details)
The college policy is to withdraw a student from a course if they do not attend for 4 consecutive weeks. The Student Loans Company will be informed of your withdrawal and will then stop any future payments to your account. Therefore, it is important that you contact the CAM/Award Leader if you are going to be absent for any length of time.