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Programme Specification for Community Arts Practice BA (Hons)

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAMME IS NO LONGER RECRUITING. THIS PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION IS AIMED AT STUDENTS CURRENTLY ON THE PROGRAMME.

Final award

BA (Hons)

Intermediate awards available

Cert HE, Dip HE

UCAS code

W900 - Level 1 entry (3 Year full time route)

Details of professional body accreditation

N/A

Relevant QAA Benchmark statements

Dance, Drama & Performance (2007)

Date specification last up-dated

April 2012

Profile

The summary - UCAS programme profile

BANNER BOX:

Community Arts Practice offers a framework in which students develop both their understanding and application of Arts Practice in public and community environments. Based in London’s most diverse borough, the programme addresses the local and the global - placing people and the diverse communities in which they live, at the centre of its arts practice.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

The minimum requirements for entry for Level 1 entry is 240 UCAS tariff points from: A/AS level (Including 2 A2 passes), GNVQ, AVCE, Scottish Highers, International Baccalaureate. European Baccalaureate, BTEC / SCOTEC Diploma, Relevant Access Course or successful completion of the Level 0. Other qualifications, including overseas, may be considered.

Students applying to this programme will be expected to demonstrate a specific interest in this area of study and should have a commitment to engaging in Community and Public Practices. Applicants will be invited for interview and will be asked to participate in a selection day with other candidates.

We also welcome applicants from mature students who do not have formal qualifications but may have relevant experience. Students applying to this programme will be expected to demonstrate a specific interest in this area of study and should have a commitment to engaging with the subject. Applicants will be invited for interview.

If you have the potential, commitment and enthusiasm to study for a degree but are unable to meet the entry requirements for your chosen degree programme you can apply for the Extended Degree programme route.  An Extended Degree includes a Level 0 year, making the period of study 4 years or 5 years if the Extended Degree programme is taken on a part-time basis.  The programme provides a supportive learning space for students to experience academic studies at university and helps develop confidence and academic skills in preparation for Levels 1-3.  The programme is also highly rated by students who successfully complete the programme.   Successful completion of the programme guarantees entry to a range of Single Honours programmes or a Combined Programme of study within the School of Arts and Digital Industries.

More details of the Extended Degree programme can be found here

Overseas Qualifications
The number of overseas qualifications which are accepted for entry are too numerous to list, but you can get advice from the British Council or our admissions unit on 020 8223 2835. You must be able to understand and express yourself in both written and spoken English and some evidence e.g. For level 1 entry a TOEFL score of 550 or an IELTS score of 6.0 (no skill level below 5).

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

What is BA (Hons) Community Arts Practice?

UEL’s BA (Hons) Community Arts Practice undergraduate degree offers students the opportunity to develop the necessary skills to become community art practitioners. This skill-set is diverse and complex, demanding the development of subject-specific and interdisciplinary skills in and across conventional theatre, applied theatre, participatory arts, community performance and outreach, alongside those skills necessary to develop relationships in the community.

Community Arts Practice students have the opportunity to develop core disciplinary skills, developing a strand of expertise which is then utilized in project-based environments. Throughout the degree students work collaboratively and across disciplines to create work that responds to varying contexts, clients and locations. The programme also includes a placement module in the third year, giving students the opportunity to work with established Community Arts agencies, companies and organizations across London; developing their employability skills and widening their network for the future.

BA (Hons) Community Arts Practice at UEL

Students will study the practices, theory and history of Community Arts Practice including:

  • Project Management and Delivery
  • Community Engagement & Intervention
  • Site-specificity
  • Collaborative Arts Practice

The focus on the development of students’ skills will be practice-based, including work in four main areas:

  • Creative Practice
  • Thinking
  • Relationship Building
  • Personal Excellence

Programme structure

Degrees at the University of East London are modular. Full-time students usually study three modules each semester (or term) and there are 2 semester per year. BA (Hons) Community Arts Practice is a 3 year programme when studied full-time. Part-time student will normally be expected to complete their degree within five years.

Learning environment

Modules on the BA (Hons) Community Arts Practice programme are balanced between practical and theoretical studies. Delivered through studio & workshop environments with plenty of opportunities to develop skills and work with local arts organisations and companies across London.  East London has a rich history of Community Arts and engaging with projects and productions, both locally and across London, forms an essential part of study.

The programme is taught at the Docklands Campus and Stratford Circus, a professional contemporary arts venue in Stratford town centre. Students have access to the excellent facilities at the Docklands campus including the fully equipped Multimedia Production Centre with three digital recording studios, specialist Macintosh labs and the Learning Resource Centre.

Stratford Circus has three high quality performance and rehearsal spaces and is a major regional centre for dance, music, theatre and multi-media of all kinds. All sites are fully accessible to people with disabilities.

Visiting practitioners and professional companies are an integral part of the programme delivery.

Assessment

The programme is assessed through a mixture of practical and theoretical outcomes. These include: the development of your practice through process, rehearsal and performance; and essays, presentations, workbooks and journals documenting your critical, theoretical and evaluative development. First year modules provide grounding in the discipline, whilst second & third year modules contribute to the final degree award classification.

Work experience/placement opportunities

All students will undertake a work placement in the third year of the degree. In addition to this, there are numerous opportunities for students to work with professional artists and in professional settings throughout the programme. Through our links with partner organisations we are able to broker placements and internships with a wide range of organisations.

Project work

Project work forms an important part of the programme. Many of the modules are practical in nature and the teaching takes the form of practical studio based workshops, lecture and seminar activities. Students are expected to engage in a wide range of research-based personal assignments.

Added value

-

IS THIS THE PROGRAMME FOR ME?

If you are interested in...

  • Developing you skills as a community artist
  • Making art with a broad range of people
  • Developing project facilitation skills
  • Working on projects with professionals
  • Taking a placement with a London based Community Arts organisation
  • Studying in one of the global centres of the cultural industries
  • Working in a diverse community context

If you enjoy...

  • Working in collaboration with others
  • Facilitating other people in making artwork
  • Approaching community arts in new ways
  • Developing the arts in different locations, sites, and contexts
  • Exploring new ways of thinking about community
  • Making exciting, engaging and original work

If you want...

  • Rigorous training in contemporary arts practice
  • A broad range of skills as an artist and facilitator
  • Knowledge of contemporary debates in Community Arts practice
  • To study in London’s most diverse borough

Your future career

Community Arts Practice aims to equip you with the skills needed to become an independent community artist. Work in this field is broad and diverse, and includes: artist, advertising & marketing, arts management, design, production, project management, teaching, technical production, workshop delivery.

How we support you

All students are allocated a personal tutor throughout the programme. UEL also provides extensive support for students through residential services, student finance advice, careers advice, study skills development and IT/learning resources. A wide variety of professional artists will be involved in the delivery of the programme. Skills labs and study support are available on the Docklands campus. Students in receipt of Disabled Students' allowance are allocated a specialist Learning Support assistant and additional ICT support dependent upon an assessment of their needs. The programme is connected to a network of professional artists and organisations.

Bonus factors

Guest lecturers from professional companies & organisations
Tutors are practicing professional in their fields
Individual attention through tutorials
Location: modern campus based in east London, classes delivered at a professional arts venue.

Outcomes

Programme aims and learning outcomes

What is this programme designed to achieve?

This programme is designed to give you the opportunity to:

  • To provide students with knowledge of the role and functions of Community Arts Practice
  • To provide students with an understanding of the leading theories and principle techniques within Community Arts Practice
  • To equip students with the skills to manage and facilitate creative Community Arts projects
  • To provide students with an overview of Community Arts in a global context
  • To present the opportunity to undertake a professional work placement in community arts-related institution or company

What will you learn?

Knowledge and understanding

  • Detailed knowledge of participatory arts practice through building practical and technical skills in your discipline
  • Critical, historical and intellectual understanding of the roles and functions of Community Arts

'Thinking' skills

  • Creative approaches to project-based practice through a range of disciplines
  • Critical reflection skills through self, peer and group evaluation

Subject-Based Practical skills

  • A high level of skills achievement in chosen arts discipline
  • A high level of skills achievement in the development of artistic ideas within the framework of Community Arts Practice.

Skills for life and work

  • Intellectual curiosity and the potential for the continuing artistic and creative development
  • The ability to work independently and in combination with other artist/art forms. Demonstrating skills in leadership, negotiation, listening, critical self awareness, teamwork, organisation of self and others, decision making & creativity

Structure

The programme structure

Introduction

All programmes are credit-rated to help you to understand the amount and level of study that is needed.

One credit is equal to 10 hours of directed study time (this includes everything you do e.g. lecture, seminar and private study).

Credits are assigned to one of 5 levels:

  • 0 - equivalent in standard to GCE 'A' level and is intended to prepare students for year one of an undergraduate degree programme
  • 1 - equivalent in standard to the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme
  • 2 - equivalent in standard to the second year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme
  • 3 - equivalent in standard to the third year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme
  • M - equivalent in standard to a Masters degree

Credit rating

The overall credit-rating of this programme is 360 credits.

Typical duration

The expected duration of this programme is 3 years when attended in full-time mode or 5 years in part-time mode. It is possible to move from a full-time mode of study to a part-time mode of study and vice-versa, to accommodate any external factors such as financial constraints or domestic commitments. Many of our students make use of this flexibility and this may impact on the overall duration of their study period.

How the teaching year is divided

The teaching year begins in September and ends in June. A student normally registering for 6 modules in one year (3 modules in each Semester) would do so in a full-time attendance mode of study and a student registering for up to 4 modules in one year (2 modules in each Semester) would do so in part-time attendance mode of study. Students may join in Semester B (February of that academic year), this essentially inverts their semesterised teaching; with the degree completing in January as oppose to June.

What you will study when

This programme is part of a modular degree scheme. A student registered in a full-time attendance mode will take six 20 credit modules per year. An honours degree student will complete six modules at level one, six at level 2 and six at level 3.

It is possible to bring together modules from one field with modules from another to produce a combined programme. Subjects are offered in a variety of combinations:

Single 120 credits at levels one, two and three
Major 80 credits at levels one, two and three

Joint 60 credits at levels one, two and three
Minor 40 credits at levels one, two and three

Modules are defined as:
Core Must be taken
Option Select from a range of identified module within the field
University Wide Option Select from a wide range of university wide options

The following are the core and optional requirements for the single, major, joint and minor routes for this programme

The following are the core and optional requirements for the single and major routes for this programme

Level 1 entry

LEVEL & SEMESTER

TITLE

CREDITS

STATUS
SINGLE

STATUS MAJOR

STATUS JOINT

STATUS MINOR

1a

Study Skills

20

Core

Core

Core*

 N/A

1a

Making Performance

20

Core

N/A

Option

Option

1a

World Theatre 1

20

Core

Core

Core

Core

1b

University-wide option

20

Option

 

 

 

1b

Interdisciplinary Project

20

Option

N/A

 Option

N/A

1b

Reading Performance

20

Core

 Core

 Core

 Core

1b

Public Project 1

20

Core

Core

Option

 N/A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2a

Arts Management

20

Option

N/A

 Option

 N/A

2a

World Theatre 2

20

Core

Core

Core

Core

2a

Acting Process

20

Core

Core

Core

 N/A

Contemporary Performance

20

Option

Option

Option

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2b

Public Project 2

20

Core

 Option

Option

N/A

2b

Performing the Archive

20

Core

Option

Option

Option

 2b

 Theatre for Young Audiences

 20

 Core

 Option

 Core

 Core

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3ab

Dissertation

40

Core

Core

Option

 N/A

3a

 

 

 

 

 

 N/A

Off The Page

20

Core

N/A

Core

World Theatre 3

20

Core

Core

Core

Core

3b

Placement

20

Core

Core

Core*

 

3b

Solo Performance

20

Option

N/A

Option

Option

3b

Site-Specific Project

20

Option

N/A

Option

Option

 

* Core, unless taken in other joint programme discipline

Assessment

Teaching, learning and assessment

Teaching and learning

Knowledge and understanding is developed through

  • Core techniques in principle disciplines
  • Exploring creative possibilities in interdisciplinary work
  • A developing historical knowledge of community arts
  • Developing an appropriate vocabulary to use in written work, discussion, reflection and evaluation

'Thinking' skills are developed through

  • The creative process: initial idea, selection, development, rehearsal and performance
  • Reflecting on and evaluating own and peers’ work
  • Analysing historical developments and artistic outcomes

Practical skills are developed through

  • Core techniques in principle disciplines
  • Creative response to briefs
  • Delivering and evaluating projects

General skills are developed through

  • Research into Community Arts Practice
  • Ownership of planning, producing and evaluating work
  • Ownership of technical & creative skills
  • Working & problem solving in groups, group discussion
  • Critical analysis of self and peer work
  • Developing communication skills both verbal & non verbal
  • Developing practice-based skills

Degree Classification

Where a student is eligible for an Honours degree, and has gained a minimum of 240 UEL credits at level 2 or level 3 on the programme, including a minimum of 120 UEL credits at level 3, the award classification is determined by calculating:

The arithmetic mean of the best 100 credits at level 3

×

2/3

+

The arithmetic mean of the next best 100 credits at levels 2 and/or 3

×

1/3

and applying the mark obtained as a percentage, with all decimals points rounded up to the nearest whole number, to the following classification

70% - 100%

First Class Honours

60% - 69%

Second Class Honours, First Division

50% - 59%

Second Class Honours, Second Division

40% - 49%

Third Class Honours

0% - 39%

Not passed

 

Assessment

Knowledge and understanding is assessed by

  • Presentations
  • Rehearsals
  • Performances
  • Utilising appropriate terminology
  • Essay & critical reflection (journals)

'Thinking' skills are assessed by

  • Presenting an argument
  • Practical process to performance
  • Evaluation
  • Essay & presentation

Practical skills are assessed by

  • Technical skills development
  • Developing
  • Teaching & facilitation skills

General skills are assessed by

  • Essay
  • Presentation
  • Evidence of network contacts
  • Critical analysis of self and peer work

Quality

How we assure the quality of this programme

Before this programme started

  • Before this programme started, the following was checked:
  • there would be enough qualified staff to teach the programme;
  • adequate resources would be in place;
  • the overall aims and objectives were appropriate;
  • the content of the programme met national benchmark requirements;
  • the programme met any professional/statutory body requirements;
  • the proposal met other internal quality criteria covering a range of issues such as admissions policy, teaching, learning and assessment strategy and student support mechanisms.

This is done through a process of programme approval which involves consulting academic experts including some subject specialists from other institutions.

How we monitor the quality of this programme

The quality of this programme is monitored each year through evaluating:

  • external examiner reports (considering quality and standards);
  • statistical information (considering issues such as the pass rate);
  • Student feedback.

Drawing on this and other information, programme teams undertake the annual Review and Enhancement Process which is co-ordinated at School level and includes student participation. The process is monitored by our Quality and Standards Committee. Once every six years an in-depth review of the whole field is undertaken by a panel that includes at least two external subject specialists. The panel considers documents, looks at student work, speaks to current and former students and speaks to staff before drawing its conclusions. The result is a report highlighting good practice and identifying areas where action is needed.

The role of the programme committee

This programme has a programme committee comprising all relevant teaching staff, student representatives and others who make a contribution towards the effective operation of the programme (e.g. library/technician staff). The committee has responsibilities for the quality of the programme. It provides input into the operation of the Review and Enhancement Process and proposes changes to improve quality. The programme committee plays a critical role in the quality assurance procedures.

The role of external examiners

The standard of this programme is monitored by at least one external examiner. External examiners have two primary responsibilities:

  • To ensure the standard of the programme;
  • To ensure that justice is done to individual students.

External examiners fulfil these responsibilities in a variety of ways including:

  • Approving exam papers/assignments;
  • Attending assessment boards;
  • Reviewing samples of student work and moderating marks;
  • Ensuring that regulations are followed;
  • Providing feedback through an annual report that enables us to make improvements for the future.

Listening to the views of students

The following methods for gaining student feedback are used on this programme:

  • Module evaluations
  • Student representation on programme committees (meeting 6 times year)
  • Student/Staff consultative committee (meeting 3 times a year

Students are notified of the action taken through:

  • circulating the minutes of the programme committee
  • a newsletter published three times a year
  • providing details on the programme notice board

Listening to the views of others

The following methods are used for gaining the views of other interested parties:

  • Annual student satisfaction questionnaire
  • Regular staff meetings at programme level
  • regular meetings at Field level

Further Information

Alternative locations for studying this programme

Location

Which elements?

Taught by UEL staff

Taught by local staff

Method of Delivery

-

-

-

-

-

Where you can find further information

Further information about this programme is available from:

Dr. Luis C. Sotelo-Castro
Programme Leader – Community Arts Practice
Institute of Performing Arts Development
University of East London
4-6 University Way
Docklands Campus
Email: sotelo@uel.ac.uk

 

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