Foundation Degree Performance Practice
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 Performance Practice
1.2 Welcome to Leeds City College
Welcome to Leeds City College and Creative Arts. In particular, welcome to the Foundation Degree in Performance Practice. Performance is at the forefront of the creative industries, with creative practitioners working to represent the world in many different contexts, and for exciting varied purposes. This handbook provides you with information about your Foundation Degree in Performance Practice course (which is validated by Teesside University), your school, 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 a Performance 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.
Duncan Marwick
Curriculum Area Manager, HE Creative Arts
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 photography, dance and art students studying on Foundation Degrees and top up courses, 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 in which you are able to thrive. Creative Arts provides a wide variety of in-house and external performance events throughout the year, as well as running a professional gallery in the centre of Leeds. Each term a brochure of all Creative Arts events is produced.
1.3What facilities are available?
As a Foundation Degree Performance student you will have access to:
●HE Baseroom containing a suite of Macs
●Teaching rooms containing Macs
●A fully equipped theatre and Radio booth
●A fully equipped dance studios at Leeds City College, Northern Ballet and Yorkshire Dance
●Professional rehearsal spaces in Leeds at Leeds City College, WYP First Floor and WYTN (Pinnacle)
●Costume and props resources
●Technician support
1.5What can I do once I graduate?
On successful completion of the Foundation degree in Performance Practice, 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. We have strong links with the enterprise team who will support dedicated graduates for up to a year after they leave to set up in business.
2 About your course
2.1Welcome to the course
This course is intended for anyone who is serious about developing performance skills. However, it recognises that work within the Creative Industries needs the actor to not only be a competent and effective performer, but also be able to facilitate workshops, know how to develop original material, direct other actors, know about the technical side of theatre and film, as well as understand the importance of having a business mind for both personal and project management. As the course progresses you will be challenged to consider contemporary trends and be given the opportunity to work alongside practitioners from other artistic disciplines. Add to this the academic skills of complex thinking, the gathering of knowledge, the ability to solve problems and the work related ability to communicate well and be able to work positively in teams, we believe this course is a powerful tool to equip and prepare the professional for work in tomorrow’s creative industries.
Creative Industries (Performance) is a pathway qualification. This means that 4 modules are shared with other pathways and 8 have a subject-specialist focus. We share modules because there is information, processes and practices relevant to all the creative industries and because we want you to be multi-faceted, employable, with an understanding of working in a modern, interdisciplinary environment!
2.2Aims of the course
The aims of the course are to..
●Provide a challenging high quality vocational programme in Performance, including core and specialist modules, which facilitate access and progression for a wide range of students from diverse backgrounds
●Offer a robust foundation degree that is relevant to current (performance) practice in the creative industries, 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 a performance context and relate this experience to relevant theory and practical projects
●Develop graduates who have a balance between strong creative, expressive, and technical skills and transferable skills such as communication, teamwork and project management which are key to being successful in the Creative Industries
●Develop graduates who have an analytical and reflective understanding of performance in the context of the workplace today and in relation to the wider social and cultural environment
2.3 Course Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and UnderstandingK1 / Apply the skills of a range of research/enquiry-based approaches in the generation of complex knowledge, showing critical awareness of reference source
K2 / Be able to critically discuss ingredients of the chosen discipline and / or job role within the creative industries, demonstrating knowledge of their link to historical, cultural and socio-political developments
K3 / Appraise the implications of legal and ethical issues relevant to the exploration of knowledge in a task linked with the chosen sector of the creative industries
K4 / Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of components of performance and the processes by which it is created and realised.
Cognitive/Intellectual Skills
C1 / Be able to employ balanced, logical and supported argument in a range of contexts
C2 / Demonstrate intellectual flexibility and openness to new ideas
C3 / Can identify key areas of both creative and practical problems and choose appropriate tools/methods for their resolution in a considered manner
C4 / Be able to employ balanced, logical and supported argument in a range of contexts
Practical/Professional Skills
P1 / Be able to operate in situations of varying complexity and predictability requiring the application of a growing range of techniques that are appropriate and ethically sound
P2 / Be able to operate with increasing autonomy, with reduced need for supervision and direction, within defined guidelines
P3 / Be able to use the voice in response to a growing complexity of genre demands both in terms of range of techniques and dynamics of performance
P4 / Demonstrate a development of physical awareness as an actor or as a director/facilitator in the expressive potential of the body with a growing range of technique and personal application.
Key Transferable Skills
T1 / Reflect systematically on aspects of the learning programme and show a strategy for ownership of personal development.
T2 / Demonstrate a realistic match between career aspirations and personal aptitudes, interests and motivations
T3 / Select and utilise a range of appropriate communication skills not only as a performer but also as a facilitator, in discussion, or in the conveying of information in varying contexts. Be able evaluate personal competency with insight.
T4 / Demonstrate an ability to apply numerical and statistical skills in an appropriate and effective way within a context of some complexity within the industry.
T5 / Demonstrate both competency and appropriateness in the use and selection of IT software or technology in the delivery of a project
T6 / Negotiate a role or roles within a group enterprise and fulfill successfully your responsibility. Be able to show effective exchange and contribution within the group dynamic.
(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 Performance Practice L4Semester 1 / Working in the Creative Industries 1 (20 Credits) / Actor Tools 1 [Performance Tools] (40 credits) / Industry Application 1: The Rehearsal Room (20 Credits)
Semester 2 / Performance in Context (20 Credits) / Actor Tools 1 [Performance Tools] (Continued) / Industry Application 2: Facilitation (20 Credits)
Fda Performance Practice L5
Semester 1 / Interdisciplinary Project (20 Credits) / Actor Tools 2 [Production Tools] (20 Credits) / Industry Application 3: Directing Project (30 Credits)
Semester 2 / Independent Research Project (20 Credits) / Actor Tools 2 [Production Tools] (Continued) / Industry Application 4: Public Performance (30 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 Performance Practice 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 Curriculum Area Manager (CAM) has overall responsibility for the running of the Foundation/Top-Up Degree and the well-being of the students.
Dean of HE: Janet Faulkner
↑
Creative Arts Head of Department: Ken Reid
↑
Creative Arts Degree Award Leader: Duncan Marwick / Abigail Bailey
↑
Personal Tutors: Dawn Holgate / Emma Clayton, Duncan Marwick / Abigail Bailey
↑
Module Lecturers: Emma Clayton, Dawn Holgate, Tony Louis, Amy Atkinson, Peter Gray, Alasdair Tose, Anne Danby
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 Performance Team
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 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.