This was the start of the APP introdcution

Brief summary

The APP is worth 15 credits – and this is what we have to do.

Student brief:

Preamble

This module is designed to encourage and enable students to use graphic design and the ‘client’ to expand and develop their professional style and to produce bodies of work for public scrutiny and evaluation. The module will enable students to synthesise theoretical, conceptual and technical skills gained during the programme to manage projects in a variety of areas of design practice and produce appropriate practical solutions.

The brief is designed in such a way as to allow open interpretation within the given theme and allow flexibility within chosen pathways. To ensure clear direction and intent from the outset of the course, you will need to determine and agree with teaching staff, your chosen pathway, i.e., typography, illustration, etc. 

Assessment Task

The ‘weight’ of the dissertation that you have chosen will determine how many of the themes you will have to cover. The following indicates how many themes you are to choose:

Title Credit

*Pathway Option A

Dissertation 45 (7000-8000 words)

Advanced Professional Practice 30 (2 themes)

Major Project 45

Pathway Option B

Dissertation 30 (5000-6000 words)

Advanced Professional Practice 45 (3 themes)

Major Project 45

*please note: Although it is entirely your decision which option you take, Option A will require you to work with an overlap with your fmp. How will you manage this? 

Use the any of the following as catalysts for a project theme from which you will formulate a project brief of your own making:

• Proverbs
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• What if?
• Cult of personality
• Appetite

Research

Your research is likely to be highly personal, unique and largely dependent upon your chosen area of specialism and your area of focus within the given theme. However, you will produce a series of research journals, the content of which will document your creative journey, your processes, your thoughts, and your discoveries and must clearly demonstrate a developing understanding of your field of specialism. Also, your journals must indicate that you have considered the theme(s) appropriately and that you demonstrated that you have developed both your analytical and practical skills in relation to your chosen field of specialism in the undertaking of this project.

Stating the obvious, your journals need to be written up regularly, not late into, or at the end of the project. This is to help ensure and evidence consistency and continuity of thinking. Regular reflective practice is expected. Reflective practice is the ongoing process of looking back on your actions, practice, working methods, etc., then assessing and recording how well these actions worked, how they will shape what you will do next and what you have learned in the performing of these actions.

The content of these journals is entirely at your discretion, so long as they contain the aforementioned points and fully address the learning outcomes. Don’t dismiss any ideas in the early stages of this project, however daft they might seem. Include notes, passing thoughts, observations, photographs, doodles, articles, drawings, diagrams, snippets of conversation, etc.

Note: Internet findings, highlighted or otherwise will be ignored by assessors as they are not considered to be meaningful research unless you have made a sound and adequate response to the article/item. Also, be careful when sourcing information from the internet. For example, Wikipedia is not an entirely reliable source of information, as anyone can contribute to and edit the information on these pages at will. Therefore, you will need to make sure that information you find is true and that it comes from a reliable source. You must record the url (web address) of all of the web pages that you refer to in your journals. Staff will work closely with you regularly to discuss your work in progress and direction via the content of your journals.

Work for Submission 

In terms of size, medium and materials, how the final piece will manifest will be at your discretion. However, substantial research journals with content adequate to honours degree level work will be expected.

Another important aspect of this module to bare in mind, is that staff and examiners will be expecting to see your work as fully developed as possible, so that it is fit for purpose. For example, if you are producing illustrations for a book, it is not enough to paint the pictures, you will need to have transferred the images into a spread or publication containing styled text, so that they actually illustrate the text, rather than remain as pieces of ‘fine’ art.

BREAKING DOWN BRIEF