BIRKBECK COLLEGE PROGRAMME PROPOSAL/PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION FORM

Programme Proposal/Programme Specification Form (revised 27/08/02)

Please note that for a proposed new programme sections A and B of the form should be completed. For an

existing programme only section A should be completed.

Registry use only: Prog Code(s) Rec'd DB DC Amend

DC App TC TC App ABEX Fee

A. PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION

1. Qualification(s) to be awarded, e.g. BA, MSc, MRes,

PG Diploma/MA including all potential stopping-off

points

2. Full title(s) of the field of study of the degree(s) or

other award(s)

MResMPhil / PhD

Humanities and Cultural Studies

3. School responsible for this

programme

4. Programme Director 5. Other Schools contributing to this

programme

London Consortium Steve Connor (Professor)

6. Other institutions contributing to this programme 7. Programme running since (month and year)

AA School, ICA, TATE October 1996

8. Study mode(s) 9. Duration 10. Attendance

FT Full Time

Number of academic/calendar

years

1 for MRes Minimum 3 for MPhil / PhD

Approximate hours/week

MRes: 6 hours per week. PhD 2 hours

per week + supervision.

11. Intake: state annual/biennial/other

Maximum

Minimum

Expected

FT

40

18

20

PT Distance Other

12. Credit transfer arrangements

Not applicable

13. Main aims and distinctive features of the programme

Main Aims

To develop the capacity for cross-disciplinary work in the humanities and to develop the research skills appropriate for cross-disciplinary research in the humanities.

Most topics for study in the humanities and contemporary culture of any sophistication require more than one discipline tounderstand them.

Distinctive Features

Combines several disciplines: architecture, art history, literary studies, film studies, cultural policy and curatorial studies,history.

Combines academic and cultural institutions in one programme of teaching.

Combines knowledge based and cultural practice teaching.

14. Entry requirements and specific access routes/programmes

Admission usually requires candidates possess a 2.1 undergraduate honours degree or above.

Students must submit 1000 word research outline and 2 previous pieces of work.Applications are assessed by the Academic Director. All candidates who meet the criteria are invited for interview withthe Director and one other member of faculty.

15. Learning outcomes

To gain the qualification the learner will have demonstrated the following skills specified in the learning outcomes for approved modules in the programme and for the programme as a whole:

Please note: The learning outcomes for approved modules in the programme and for the programme as a whole should relate to the overall aims of the programme.

Subject Specific

1. Students acquire a good expertise in manydisciplines and an excellent ability to combine subjects

2. Students gain an advanced knowledge in modern and popular culture, new arts and new media, whilst not rejecting the past, traditional practices of criticism, or high culture

3. Students develop a high awareness of the need to analyse modern culture in its social context and to bring to the analysis of culture the knowledge of the human sciences

4. Students gain advanced exploratory skills and are committed to combining cultural analysis withcultural production.

Intellectual

5. Students develop a high ability to identifyproblems and then select the relevant theories and disciplinary knowledge to handle them appropriately

6. The programme is multi-disciplinary, considering broad and complex problems, but on the basis that students must acquire disciplinarycompetences

7. The programme is theoretically grounded and committed to avoiding the pitfalls of relativism withrespect to truth and values.

Practical

8. Students gain research skills across a number of disciplines and media, and as individuals and through working in groups

9. Written course work and dissertation develops students’ skills in identifying, describing and expressing ideas and arguments in written word

10. Presentation of personal research develops students’ skills in describing and expressing their ideas and arguments verbally

11. Through working with staff at the constituent institutions, students’ gain an understanding of how cultural institutions are managed and run on a day-to-day basis

Personal and Social

12. Students are able to participate in cultural practice and in specific events

13. Students are encouraged to engage with a widerange of other students and faculty from manybackgrounds whilst also demanding that theydevelop their abilities to work independently on their personal research

14. Students prepare and produce work in areas of their own choosing.

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16. Internal and External factors considered in developing the learning outcomes

¶ Birkbeck’s mission and policies on the development of general skills such as communication, IT, team working,career management

¶ Qualification descriptors used in the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ)

The cultural industries in the UK and Europe continue to expand and require graduates with a portfolio of skills – curating, marketing, writing, researching – and the capacity to adapt quickly to dynamic environments. We aim to enable students to be broad-based and flexible, with experience gained from a variety of institutions and settings.

Study in the arts and humanities is becoming increasingly multi-disciplinary, and we consider our programmes to be fore-runners of this trend.

17. Teaching and learning methods

¶ We team teach with each of our 4 core courses involving teachers from at lest two disciplines and two member institutions.

¶ All courses are taught by a mixture of intensive seminars, visits and events

¶ Students organise a year long research workshop.

18. Main subjects, levels and qualifications

Module(PG)/Course-Unit(UG)[Please indicate compulsory modules/course-units with *]

Cross-reference to learning outcomes

LevelM/D

MRes & PhD Year 1

There are 4 compulsory core courses:

¶ Metamorphosis: From Ovid to Cronenburg

¶ Intellectuals, Professionals and Museums

¶ Stoicism: Fate, Uncertainty, Persistance

¶ Kant’s Ethics & a Modern Economy of Evil

Student also take a Research Methods Course

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14

2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 13, 14

LevelD

MPhil/PhD Years2 and 3

Weekly Research Development Workshop 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14

19. Assessment

All essays and the 12,000 word dissertation are double marked with written comments and feedback. Assessment is based on coursework.All work is marked by at least two members of faculty. Students attend brief feedback meetings to discuss their work and mark.Each of the four core courses account for 12.5%, the research methods exercise 10%, and the dissertation 40% of thefinal mark.

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20. Methods for Evaluating and Improving Quality and Standards of this Programme

Procedures for maintaining standards include:

¶ Courses are reviewed and redesigned every 3 to 4 years - this involves extensive meetings with staff, students and externals

¶ Consideration of relevant external examiners’ report and contributions at the examiners meeting;

¶ Double marking and the independent moderation of all examination elements;

¶ Analysis of entry and exit qualifications, progression and completion rates, data on career enhancement measured against the profiles of students;

¶ Scrutiny of standards by the College Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) via annual programme reports, required responses to external examiners’ reports and internal review visits by a QAC panel;

¶ External subject review by the QAA;

¶ Input from the Research Assessment Exercise;

¶ Input from industry and the profession, via accreditation processes, advisory panels and the variety of professional activities of members of the London Consortium;

¶ Input from employers via students and their projects;

¶ Student feedback from questionnaires, comment forms, class representatives. Questionnaires are circulated tostudents at the end of each of the 4 six-week courses. Regular meetings with students and annual assessment of the programme in staff/student meeting.

¶ Procedures facilitating the spread of good practice via peer observation, joint teaching, second examining at other institutions, participation in QAC programme report/internal review panels, attendance at events and courses organized by relevant bodies such as the Birkbeck staff development section and the Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN).

21. Student support and guidance arrangements

¶ Regular individual research review meetings with the Academic Director and another member of faculty.

¶ Full-time, on-hand Academic Director.

¶ Two full-time course-dedicated office staff

Birkbeck College Students’ Union (BCSU) provides services for students by students by focusing on Representation, Resources, and Recreation (the 3 R’s). BCSU provides a variety of resources ranging from photocopying to the Union Shop. It maintains the Television Room, and holds a file of useful contacts for Clubs & Societies. BCSU operates an Advice Centre 3 nights a week so that students don’t have to take time off work when they have a problem and need to find helpful information quickly, and the Counselling Service is being expanded in order to offer help to more students.The Union has also expanded the range of courses offered by its ‘Skills for Study’ programme to include Saturdayworkshops.

Birkbeck Evening Nursery is available between 5.30pm and 9.00pm (Monday to Friday) during Term Time for students and current members of staff and accepts children aged 2 years - 10 years. In exceptional circumstances, children up to 12 will be accepted.

The 'Disability Statement' is a student friendly handbook which provides detailed information on the provision for students with disabilities at the College. It advises on applying to the College and outlines the support available from the College Disability Co-ordinator, Library Services, Central Computing Services, Students' Union and the Disability Liaison Officers within each School. It also provides details of special examination arrangements and additional financial support fordisabled students.

2 scholarships are available from the London Consortium itself, 1 fees only overseas, 1 fees only UK Applicants may apply for ORS & AHRB awardsIn addition, the Consortium reimburses at least part of many student expenses on library memberships, conference attendance, and other costs incurred during the course of research.

Careers advice is available via the Careers Group, University of London.

22. Programme Regulations

i) For BA/BSc programmes please supply the scheme for the award of Honours.

ii) For MA/MSc programmes please supply programme regulations.

NB: These may be attached on a separate sheet or provided by detailing an appropriate web site where

they may be accessed.

Regulations are set out in the course handbook, provided to all students and faculty. The handbook will soon beavailable online at the Consortium’s website: www.londonconsortium.com

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23. Prospectus entry

Please include a link to the web site here.

Http://www.londonconsortium.comMRes: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/study/pg/literary/humcsmres.htmlMPhil/PhD: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/study/pg/literary/humcsmph.html

24. Teaching staff

Programme Director

Birkbeck teaching staff

Sessional teaching staff*

Name FT or PT(incl. Academic title)

Prof Steve Connor - FT

Dr. S. AshendenProf. Laura Mulvey

(Birkbeck staff work as sessional staff for the Consortium. Their payment

goes to their Department and is made available to them for research.)

Dr Parveen Adams

Denise Riley

Philip Dodd

Richard Humphreys

Mark Cousins

Prof Colin MacCabe

Dr. Dominic Willsdon

School

London Consortium / Dept of English

Dept of Politics Dept. of Art History

Course Leader, PsychoanalyticStudies, Brunel University

UEA

Director, I.C.A

Head of Education, Tate Britain

Dir. or General Studies, Architectural Association School

Dept. of English, Exeter and Pittsburgh Universities

Curator, Tate Modern

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