The National College of Art & Design (NCAD) is the leading provider of art and design education in

Ireland. We are very happy to welcome Ciência sem Fronteiras applicants to study the application of

creative technologies to fine art, design and visual culture in a creative art and design school setting.

NCAD is a Recognised College of University College Dublin.

Science Without Borders applicants are invited to apply to the following studio based BA degree

programmes at the National College of Art & Design: Product Design, Visual Communication, and

Fine Art Media. Applicants are also invited to apply to the BA in Visual Culture which is the study of

the history of art, design and visual culture with a particular emphasis on digital culture and the

application of digital skills to the study and curation of contemporary art and design.

Product Design: Studying Product Design at NCAD enables students to develop themselves within a creative art

school environment, underpinned by technical expertise and extensive links with Industry. The

programme is delivered primarily within the design studio. This approach creates a socially

interactive, yet individually driven, working practice, with teamwork and shared experience core to

our philosophy. The small size of each year-group, typically 25 students, coupled with close and

frequent contact with the tutors, creates an informal yet highly effective student-led learning

environment.

The curriculum addresses all the stages and activities involved in the creation of a new product –

from concept design to manufacture, prototyping to marketing. It encourages students to challenge

conventions and to think about the subject in new and exciting ways. The programme philosophy is

guided by a questioning stance on the role of product design in the 21st century, one which

considers the creation of a sustainable future through the critical and creative exploration of a range

of approaches to Product Design. More

Visual Communication: Studying Visual Communication you will learn to incorporate the traditional skills of drawing,

printing, photography and other graphic processes with the new digital realms of video, sound,

animation, moving image and multimedia. As you proceed through the programme you will

undertake both real/commercial projects and self-directed projects, which are negotiated between

tutor and student. There is also an emphasis on team-based work, though ultimately the staff’s

ambition for each student is that their innate individuality is fostered and that they find their own

voice in the context of the broad visual communication domain. More

Fine Art Media: Fine Art Media is a discipline specific stream within the BA in Fine Art. We encourage students to

explore and discover a wide range of equipment, materials and methods that challenge the way the

world can be interpreted and re-presented. We use computers as a tool or catalyst to mash-up still

images, video, sound and anything else we can force into them. The programme uses a lot of

technology as required but is not dependant on it as students frequently work across a range of

traditional media. The role of the audience will be a key concern and you will be challenged to

rethink preconceptions. More

Visual Culture: The BA (Hons) in Visual Culture provides an opportunity for the critical study of the history and

theory of art and design practice in a creative arts setting. This course offers a route through

undergraduate study that is not studio based for students who aspire to careers in the numerous

professional sectors which reside around the arts and design, including critical and popular writing,

interactive curation and project management. More

Detailed Programme Information

Product Design Studying Product Design at NCAD enables students to develop themselves within a creative art

school environment, underpinned by technical expertise and extensive links with Industry. The

programme is delivered primarily within the design studio. This approach creates a socially

interactive, yet individually driven, working practice, with teamwork and shared experience core to

our philosophy. The small size of each year-group, typically 25 students, coupled with close and

frequent contact with the tutors, creates an informal yet highly effective student-led learning

environment.

The curriculum addresses all the stages and activities involved in the creation of a new product –

from concept design to manufacture, prototyping to marketing. It encourages students to challenge

conventions and to think about the subject in new and exciting ways. The programme philosophy is

guided by a questioning stance on the role of product design in the 21st century, one which

considers the creation of a sustainable future through the critical and creative exploration of a range

of approaches to Product Design.

Modules

Year 1: Studio A Learning and Professional Practice Introduction to Key Concepts in Art and Design Studio B Professional Practice Year 2: Design Studio

Design Research Collaboration 1 Contemporary Theory & Practices Collaboration 2 Year 3: Design Studio Design Research Design Professional Practice Extended Essay Learning outcomes Year 1 On successful completion of this stage students will be able to: • Develop creative responses, ideas, attitudes and skills for studying Art and Design; • Appreciate and understand the appropriateness of a wide range of professional abilities and diversity of methods and approaches to their individual creative development; • Make an informed choice for specialist study, relevant to their abilities and aspirations; • Develop initiative, confidence, constructive, analytical and critical abilities and transferable skills; • Understand key theories, contexts and debates in contemporary art, design and visual culture and to the cultural and professional contexts necessary for the creative development of their practice. • Understand fundamental concepts and approaches employed in the study of visual culture. • Articulate their ideas in a clear, cogent manner and establish rigorous methodological practice. Year 2 On successful completion of this stage students will be able to: • Have a broad knowledge of the context, defining features and methods of their design discipline; • Be able to critically analyse, evaluate and develop concepts applicable to design projects, in specific contexts; • Be able to present their design process and project work in an appropriate manner; • Exercise autonomy and initiative in development of project work whilst working under guidance; • Be introduced to the fundamental elements of design, aesthetics, creativity and methodology; • Develop an awareness of the designer's social, ethical and commercial responsibilities; • Foster an understanding of the historical and theoretical developments of art, design, and media and develop competence in deploying the key critical concepts of design theory, relevant to the production and analysis of Visual Culture. Year 3 On successful completion of this stage students will be able to: • Develop an in-depth knowledge of the context, defining features and methods of their design discipline;

• Develop and extend their ability to critically analyse, evaluate and develop concepts applicable to design projects, in specific contexts; • Be able to present their design process and project work in an appropriate manner using a variety of methods; • Develop the ability to work in teams and communicate with relevant specialists, integrating expertise available in other disciplines; • Develop the ability to identify and research, interpret and evaluate recent movements in

design;

• Encourage critical reflection on their practice within a wider context and an understanding

of a range of research methods and communication styles appropriate for a self-directed written

research project.

• Develop the ability to present and contextualise their practice in a manner that is both

articulate and creative.

• Contextualise their work and develop a sophisticated theoretical narrative and historical

perspective for their practice

• Fully integrate all the elements of their studies, enabling them to demonstrate their

understanding of appropriate knowledge, theory and practice;

• Develop radical and innovative design projects utilising contemporary theoretical and

practical methods;

• Evidence their personal methodologies drawn from their prior learning to create dynamic

design proposals;

• Develop their entrepreneurial, interpersonal and professional skills in the field of design.

Mode of assessment

Coursework, essays and practical design projects are assessed at key points throughout the year.

Formal assessment results are issued at the end of each academic year.

Visual Communication

Programme Description

Studying Visual Communication you will learn to incorporate the traditional skills of drawing,

printing, photography and other graphic processes with the new digital realms of video, sound,

animation, moving image and multimedia. As you proceed through the programme you will

undertake both real/commercial projects and self-directed projects, which are negotiated between

tutor and student. There is also an emphasis on team-based work, though ultimately the staff’s

ambition for each student is that their innate individuality is fostered and that they find their own

voice in the context of the broad visual communication domain.

Modules

Year 1:

Studio A

Learning and Professional Practice

Introduction to Key Concepts in Art and Design

Studio B

Professional Practice

Year 2:

Design Studio

Design Research

Collaboration 1

Contemporary Theory & Practices

Collaboration 2

Year 3:

Design Studio

Design Research

Design Professional Practice

Extended Essay

Learning outcomes

Year 1

On successful completion of this stage students will be able to:

• Develop creative responses, ideas, attitudes and skills for studying Art and Design;

• Appreciate and understand the appropriateness of a wide range of professional abilities and

diversity of methods and approaches to their individual creative development;

• Make an informed choice for specialist study, relevant to their abilities and aspirations;

• Develop initiative, confidence, constructive, analytical and critical abilities and transferable

skills;

• Understand key theories, contexts and debates in contemporary art, design and visual

culture and to the cultural and professional contexts necessary for the creative development of their

practice.

• Understand fundamental concepts and approaches employed in the study of visual culture.

• Articulate their ideas in a clear, cogent manner and establish rigorous methodological

practice.

Year 2

On successful completion of this stage students will be able to:

• Have a broad knowledge of the context, defining features and methods of their design

discipline;

• Be able to critically analyse, evaluate and develop concepts applicable to design projects, in

specific contexts;

• Be able to present their design process and project work in an appropriate manner;

• Exercise autonomy and initiative in development of project work whilst working under

guidance;

• Be introduced to the fundamental elements of design, aesthetics, creativity and

methodology;

• Develop an awareness of the designer's social, ethical and commercial responsibilities;

• Foster an understanding of the historical and theoretical developments of art, design, and

media and develop competence in deploying the key critical concepts of design theory, relevant to

the production and analysis of Visual Culture.

Year 3

On successful completion of this stage students will be able to:

• Develop an in-depth knowledge of the context, defining features and methods of their

design discipline;

• Develop and extend their ability to critically analyse, evaluate and develop concepts

applicable to design projects, in specific contexts;

• Be able to present their design process and project work in an appropriate manner using a

variety of methods;

• Develop the ability to work in teams and communicate with relevant specialists, integrating

expertise available in other disciplines;

• Develop the ability to identify and research, interpret and evaluate recent movements in

design;

• Encourage critical reflection on their practice within a wider context and an understanding

of a range of research methods and communication styles appropriate for a self-directed written

research project.

• Develop the ability to present and contextualise their practice in a manner that is both

articulate and creative.

• Contextualise their work and develop a sophisticated theoretical narrative and historical

perspective for their practice

• Fully integrate all the elements of their studies, enabling them to demonstrate their

understanding of appropriate knowledge, theory and practice;

• Develop radical and innovative design projects utilising contemporary theoretical and

practical methods;

• Evidence their personal methodologies drawn from their prior learning to create dynamic

design proposals;

• Develop their entrepreneurial, interpersonal and professional skills in the field of design.

Mode of assessment

Coursework, essays and practical design projects are assessed at key points throughout the year.

Formal assessment results are issued at the end of each academic year.

Fine Art Media Programme Description Fine Art Media is a discipline specific stream within the BA in Fine Art. We encourage students to

explore and discover a wide range of equipment, materials and methods that challenge the way the

world can be interpreted and re-presented. We use computers as a tool or catalyst to mash-up still

images, video, sound and anything else we can force into them. The programme uses a lot of

technology as required but is not dependant on it as students frequently work across a range of

traditional media. The role of the audience will be a key concern and you will be challenged to

rethink preconceptions.

In the Second Year you will develop your interest and expertise in selected media and experience a

range of hardware and software to enhance your skill set. You will also participate in group tutorials,

seminars and workshops to enhance your conceptual, critical and practical abilities. Individual

tutorials are also a feature of the 2nd Year. Photography, video, sound, computing, sensors and

interactivity are just some of what you will experience. A day a week is devoted to studies in Visual

Culture. Group presentations are an important element of the programme. The Department also

offers a range of extra master class workshops in areas such as 16mm film making, medium and

large format photography, special software applications, basic electronics and sensor technology,

traditional darkroom practice and special print processes.

Third Year is largely self-directed to enable extended periods of practice with your chosen medium

or media. You are assigned a personal tutor who helps you navigate the range of possibilities on

offer in line with your own expertise and aspirations. You will write a thesis on a chosen topic usually

related to your studio practice and present your work for review and examination at the end of Year

3. You are also actively supported in developing applications for post-graduate study.

Each year is supported by a program of visiting lecturers, off-campus collaborative opportunities,

field trips and study visits.

Throughout the three years 20% of the BA programme in Fine Art is devoted to studies in Visual

Culture where you will learn ways to analyse and situate your own practice, and that of others, in

the contemporary world. You will be helped to develop your skills in visual literacy, expression and

articulation. Tutors guide students in understanding how art and design are produced and consumed

in social contexts, and how this is related to the production of knowledge. Students study the

connections between history, theory and practice, in modern and contemporary contexts, in order

to become reflective and effective practitioners.

Assessment throughout the programme, in both your studio practice and in Visual Culture, will be on

a continuous basis, at the end of each completed module and at the end of each semester (half-

year). Formal assessment results will be issued at the end of each academic year. Modes of

assessment will include practical and written assignments, oral and visual presentations, and some

written examinations where appropriate.

BA (Hons) Visual Culture

Programme Description

The BA (Hons) in Visual Culture provides an opportunity for the critical study of the history and

theory of art and design practice in a creative arts setting. This course offers a route through

undergraduate study that is not studio based for students who aspire to careers in the numerous

professional sectors which reside around the arts and design, including critical and popular writing,

interactive curation and project management.

Modules/Learning Outcomes/Modes of Assessment for Visual Culture Year 1

Introduction to Key Concepts in Art & Design (VC1-1 & VC1-2) The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to the images, objects and concepts that constitute the main conceptual developments in visual and material culture. It will look at the influences in art, design and culture, which form the foundation for visual and material production. The course will establish the historical, cultural and theoretical backgrounds informing students’ practices. Indicative teaching themes include: histories of art and design, display, society, place/space/environment, identities and technologies. Learning outcomes 1. RESEARCH: Demonstrate an applied knowledge of the main developments of modernity in visual

and material culture in your studio area and/or in relation to wider cultural contexts.

2. ANALYSE: Show a critical awareness of the influences in art, design and culture which form the

foundation of visual and material production.

3. COMMUNICATE: Show initiative in managing your work and convey ideas in a range of appropriately structured and coherent forms. Modes of Assessment: presentation, annotated presentation slides, annotated bibliography, essay Introduction to Professional Practice (VC1-3) The aim of this module is to introduce professional practice skills relating to the study of visual culture. The module will identify relevant professional contexts (ranging from museums, galleries and other cultural centres, to funding bodies and publishing outlets) and will introduce students to some of the key research, communication and organisation skills required in these settings. The module complements the critical study of art and design undertaken in other modules of the Visual Culture degree by considering the various ways that advanced visual literacy will have different practical applications in specific professional situations. Central learning aims for students will be to gain initial understanding of processes linking the production, display and distribution of the ‘artefacts’ of visual culture, and of the different forms of written and verbal communication that are appropriate to given contexts within this inter-disciplinary field. Assessment of this module is via submission of a portfolio of writing samples aimed at the various perspectives that contribute to our understanding of visual culture. The portfolio of writing samples may, for example, include: an exhibition press release or commercial gallery blurb (production), museum wall text (display), exhibition review (reception). Learning Outcomes

1. RESEARCH: develop skills needed to generate and evaluate content, strategies and audience relationships appropriate to a range of relevant professional contexts 2. ANALYSE: (i) Gain understanding of how to identify and differentiate formats, genres and project outcomes pertaining to specific settings (ii) develop understanding of processes through which ‘visual culture’ is produced, presented and received within distinct professional contexts. 3. COMMUNICATE: (i) develop the capacity to use specific forms of writing in ways appropriate to specific professional contexts (ii) develop ability to work in a self-directed and critical manner and, where appropriate, contribute to team and collaborative projects Mode of Assessment: portfolio of writing samples History of Art & Design (VC1-4) This module introduces students to the discipline of the History of Art and Design. Participants will

study key methods and themes from the discipline; they will also be introduced to paradigmatic

examples of objects and practices relevant to the study of art and design. Students will consider

works in their wider contexts using appropriate methods of analysis to establish an appropriate

theoretical and contextual framework for their knowledge.

Specifically, students will learn about:

(i) definitions of art and design and how these are situated within particular traditions, histories, and

canons (such as the western canon).

(ii) key historical concepts in the discipline including: Classicism; Renaissance; Baroque; Modernism.

(iii) key methods of visual analysis such as: Iconography; Style; The Social History of Art.

Learning outcomes

1. RESEARCH identify and apply an appropriate range of key historical definitions and concepts used in the History of Art and Design 2. ANALYSE apply some key methods of visual analysis to particular examples from the History of Art and Design 3. COMMUNICATE To articulate and communicate my research in appropriate, coherent and

relevant forms.

Mode of assessment: illustrated essay

History of Visual & Material Culture (VC1-5) The aim of the History of Visual Culture module is to introduce students to the discipline of Visual Culture through key examples and definitions; give students a solid grounding in the skills and strategies used in the analysis of visual culture; discuss the specificity of Visual Culture through comparative examples of other forms of historical and cultural analysis. Learning Outcomes 1. RESEARCH apply key definitions and practices of visual culture 2. ANALYSIS develop skills and strategies of visual analysis 3. COMMUNICATION compare and contrast skills and strategies of visual analysis with comparable forms of historical and cultural analysis Mode of assessment: illustrated essay Technologies of Visual Culture (VC1-6) The aim of this module is to introduce and contextualize digital technologies and environments

relating to the study of visual culture. The module will introduce key concepts in the relationship

between theory and practice across digital media and technology in the visual arts and investigate

the challenges of contemporary research and art curation in regard to new media. This module will

establish an historical and theoretical background for the constantly changing technologies,

concepts and media forms of digital systems.

Learning Outcomes 1. RESEARCH Demonstrate an applied knowledge of digtal systems and environments needed for the

applied study of Visual Culture.

2. ANALYSE Show a critical awareness of the historical and theoretical foundations of digital

technology.

3. COMMUNICATE Show initiative in using digital systems to manage research and convey ideas in a range of appropriately structured and coherent forms. Modes of assessment: visual essay submitted via online platform Elective: Aesthetics (VC1-7) The aim of the Elective module is to introduce basic issues in Aesthetics and Cultural Studies and to situate these issues in the context of studio work, the history of art and design, and the wider world. Key concepts examined in the area of Aesthetics will include beauty, aesthetic value, mimesis, and catharsis. The introduction to Cultural Studies will look at debates around high culture/mass culture and the associated discussions around post-modernism in art and design; the debate around the cultural “canon”; issues arising from cyber-culture including privacy and surveillance; the construction of “beauty” in the media; and sub-culture/youth culture. Learning Outcomes 1. RESEARCH Employ an appropriate range of sources to current practices in art and/or design to

broader cultural and theoretical issues.

2. ANALYSE Demonstrate awareness of basic aesthetic and cultural concepts, together with

associated intellectual debates.

3. COMMUNICATE Explain the complexity of some key terms in Aesthetics and Cultural Studies and their relationship to specific areas of experience; evaluate the relevant arguments and draw his/her conclusions; and demonstrate a specific personal response. Mode of Assessment: presentation and annotated slides Modules/Learning Outcomes/Modes of Assessment for Visual Culture Year 2

Contemporary Theories and Practices (VC2-1&5)

The aim of this module is to introduce students to current theories relevant to contemporary

practices in art and design. The second year curriculum presents students with the opportunity to:

acquire a critical understanding of the current discourses relating to local and international

practices; analyse ways in which local parties, exhibitions and institutions are informed by

tendencies in global practices; develop further critical writing and research skills with reference to

contemporary theories and practices; establish a theoretical and methodological framework for

developing critical reflection on their own practice. Additionally, in preparation for year 3 Visual

Culture students will write an assessed research proposal in semester 2 of year 2.

1. RESEARCH: Employ an appropriate range of sources that relate current practices in art and/or

design to broader cultural and critical issues.

2. ANALYSE: Demonstrate a critical understanding of several areas of contemporary practice in art

and/or design that enable evaluation and critical reflection on own work and/or field.

3. COMMUNICATE: Successfully communicate research, analysis and initiative in coherent and relevant forms. 4. PLAN: Formulate a research proposal, and a research question, using appropriate methods. Modes of Assessment: illustrated essay and research proposal

History of Art & Design II (VC2-2)

This module develops students’ knowledge of the discipline of the History of Art and Design, through

an examination of modern and contemporary practices. Participants will study some of the key

concepts, theories and methodologies that have informed the practice of critical and historical

writing about art and design in the 20th and 21st century. They will also be introduced to

paradigmatic examples of objects and practices relevant to this study. Students will learn about a

broad range of approaches to both the theory and practice of modern and contemporary art and

design. Indicative topics: Definitions of Modernism and Post-Modernism; Abstraction; Dada and

Anti-Art; Surrealism; Pop; Dematerialization; The Post-Colonial Condition; The Local and the Global;

Sustainable Practices.

Learning Outcomes

1: RESEARCH key concepts, theories and methodologies that have informed art and design in the 20th and 21st century, including paradigmatic examples relevant to thinking and writing about modern and contemporary art and design practices. 2: ANALYSE how to recognise and apply some key methods of analysis to particular examples drawn from modern and contemporary practices of art and design. 3: COMMUNICATE successfully research and analysis in coherent and appropriate forms, and apply

this meaningfully to student’s own practice.

Modes of Assessment: illustrated essay

Professional Practice II (VC2-3)

The aim of this module is to support the on going development of professional practice skills

pertaining to the study of visual culture. This module will concentrate on professional practice

contexts in Ireland, considering ways in which subjects studied more broadly within this degree

course can be applied to the work of appropriate local institutions and agencies. The module will

make use of a number of case studies in order to support students in developing their understanding

of conditions for the production and presentation of ‘visual culture’ in Ireland. The module will

outline essential contexts for the ‘professional practice of visual culture in Ireland’ and will identify

forms of communication and organisation utilised in the work of both publicly funded and more

commercially oriented bodies. Central to these studies will be the question of how specific

institutions and agencies in Ireland seek to understand audience and to build relationships with

potential ‘publics’. How the practices of local and national organisations are informed by

international relationships and tendencies will also be an important point of reference.

Learning Outcomes:

1. RESEARCH: Develop detailed knowledge of local and national professional practice contexts for the study of visual culture. 2. ANALYSE: Understand ways in which ideas of ‘audience’ and ‘public’ are employed in professional contexts related to the production and presentation of ‘visual culture’ in Ireland. 3. COMMUNICATE: Further develop the capacity to address and develop audiences in a targeted,

strategic manner

Modes of Assessment: illustrated essay

Visual Culture Year 2 Elective: Media & Cinema (VC-2-4) The aim of the Elective module is to introduce students to the aesthetic, theoretical, sociological, and historical elements that determine the nature and extent of our engagement with Media and Cinema. The module covers the fundamental elements of Media, media language and the material cultures associated with Film, Television, Photography, Music, and New Media etc., that may be perceived as Raymond Williams wrote in 1961 as “the study of relationships between elements in a whole way of life”. This course aims to equip the student with the tools of analysis necessary to read or examine various texts for meaning and to understand the theoretical and technological imperatives of media communications. Learning Outcomes: 1. RESEARCH: Employ an appropriate range of sources that integrate media practice and theory into current practices in art and/or design and to broader cultural and theoretical issues and show appropriate awareness of the origins of Cinema and some of the cultural determinants that shaped the history of the medium. 2. ANALYSE: Show a critical awareness of media and its delivery systems and how they impact

culture and the constructs of identity and hierarchies of power within society, and how cultural

meaning can be mediated and analysed within an ideological framework.

3. COMMUNICATE: Demonstrate an understanding of media language and visual grammar. Modes of assessment: presentation and annotated slides Understanding Digital Culture (VC2-6) The aim of the module is to familiarise students with issues in digital media and digital culture and related theoretical/philosophical concerns. The course aims to examine the relationship between the virtual and the real, issues of human identity and relationship, the nature of life and intelligence in the context of cybernetics, political issues around surveillance and privacy in the digital era, the relationship between cybernetics and aesthetics, in particular with regard to notions of the sublime

(Burke, Kant) in the context of cyberspace, and the Gesamtkunstwerk or total art work (Wagner) in the context of virtual reality. The course will address issues around computer games in the context of telepresence and augmented reality, focus on specific cultural examples of digital art/design, including computer animation, interactive art, crossover art/design/technology, and digital music and examine emerging cultural phenomena in the area of “wetware” as distinct from hardware: bio-art, hybrid art and genetic art, and associated ethical issues. Learning Outcomes: 1: RESEARCH develop an overview of several key philosophical issues pertaining to digital culture, including the relationship between the virtual and the real, the nature of human identity and relationships, the implications for issues in aesthetics 2: ANALYSE reflect theoretically on several specific developments in the area of digital media, including interactive art, computer animation and hybrid art, and associated cultural and philosophical issues 3: COMMUNICATE knowledge in forms appropriate to topic with an awareness of key debates Modes of assessment: illustrated essay Professional Practice IIB (VC2-7) The aim of this module is to support the ongoing development of professional practice skills pertaining to the study of visual culture and to expand the range of references available to students working in this field. This module will concentrate on international contexts for addressing the professional practices of visual culture. Case studies will be drawn from the UK, Europe, the United States and other global regions in order to explore how circumstances for the production and presentation of visual culture are simultaneously contingent on regional frameworks and interlinked internationally. Building on prior studies, this module will also support students in researching and demonstrating how aspects of professional practice observed in the work of international institutions and agencies might be applied locally. A component of this module involves the research and proposal of each student’s anticipated work placement opportunity in year 3. Learning Outcomes: 1. RESEARCH: Gain knowledge of the professional work of a wide range of international institutions and agencies relevant to the field of visual culture 2. ANALYSE Develop enhanced ability to understand the various regional and national frameworks within which professional practices pertaining to visual culture take place. 3. COMMUNICATE & ORGANISE: be able to demonstrate an ability to show how various professional practices might be applied to new projects. Modes of assessment: illustrated essay Elective: Art and its Publics (VC2-8) The aim of the Elective module is to provide the opportunity for students to discuss the relationship

between art and the public sphere. Contributors will examine different types of public art and

different relationships between art and its various publics. Particular emphasis will be placed on

modern, post-modern and contemporary art practice. Throughout the module a number of

questions will be addressed such as:

What is the ‘public,’ for art?

How does art generate a public?

What are the different public spaces that art occupies?

What does it mean to talk about a public sphere in the 21st Century?

What is the impact of capitalism and globalisation on both ideas of the ‘public’ and art-practice?

What is the relationship between the political and the public; and what role does art play in that

relationship?

What is the relationship between the ethical and the public; and what role does art play in that relationship? Learning Outcomes 1. RESEARCH: Some of the key concepts, theories and methodologies that have informed debates about art in the public sphere; learn paradigmatic examples relevant to thinking and writing about art in relation to the public sphere; become familiar with some relevant political and ethical debates. 2. ANALYSE: How to recognise and analyse the (complex) relationships between art and the contexts of the spaces and audiences of its public exhibition. 3. COMMUNICATE: To communicate successfully research and analysis in coherent and appropriate forms. Further, apply this meaningfully to own practice and consider the public spaces and audiences with which work might engage. Modes of assessment: presentation and annotated presentation slides Year 3 Culture and the Market (VC3-1) The aim of the module is to survey, using paradigmatic examples, the history of the relationships

between practices of the production of Visual Culture and their markets;

Introduce and survey the relationships between economies, markets and audiences;

Discuss contemporary practices in art, design and visual culture in the context of their audiences and markets. Learning Outcomes 1. RESEARCH recognise paradigmatic examples from the history of Visual Culture and discuss their relationships to their markets; 2. ANALYSE and discuss the relationships between economies, markets and audiences; 3. COMMUNICATE To critically and contextually analyse contemporary practices in art, design and visual culture and relate these to their audiences and markets. Modes of Assessment: illustrated essay Curating Contemporary Art & Design (VC3-2) The aim of the course is to introduce students to paradigmatic examples from the history of

modern/ contemporary curatorial practice;

Discuss alternative models and other relevant strategies for the distribution and display of

contemporary practices in art and design;

Provide relevant strategies and vocabularies to analyse contemporary curatorial practices and sites

of distribution and display.

Learning Outcomes

1: To identify and discuss key examples of modern/ contemporary curatorial practice; 2: To recognise and discuss alternative strategies for the distribution and display of contemporary practices in art and design;

3: To critically and contextually analyse contemporary curatorial practices; and strategies and sites

of distribution and display; and evaluate their efficacy.

Modes of assessment: illustrated essay

Placement (VC3-3) The aim of the Placement module is to provide students with real world experience prior to

completing their BA studies. Placements with selected partners in the public and private sector will

relate to the Visual Culture curriculum and provide students with the opportunity to explore one of

the numerous professional sectors which reside around the arts and design, including critical and

popular writing, interactive curation and project management. Assessment of this module is based

on the student’s presentation and submission of annotated presentation slides, which critically

reflects on the experience of the placement and is assessed by the placement supervisor, who will

be an academic member of the Visual Culture Faculty. Work placement agreements will be put in

place between NCAD and each placement host and between NCAD and the student and should be

agreed prior to the start of the placement. The work placement agreement between NCAD and the

student includes a learning contract that establishes broad learning objectives while on placement.

The length of the placement may vary within weeks 1-12 of semester 1 and may comprise one

placement across the semester, or a number of shorter placement opportunities within semester 1.

Provision for an alternative placement opportunity within NCAD (with an organization such as

NIVAL) will be established in the event that a student is unable to secure an external placement.

Learning outcomes 1. PLAN: Exercise initiative and personal responsibility towards the placement experience showing academic and professional purpose and the assimilation and application of pertinent knowledge. 2. REFLECT: Demonstrate capacity for critical reflection the relates to short and long term

professional objectives and development

3. COMMUNICATE: Develop effective spoken, written and visual communication appropriate to

specialist and non-specialist audiences showing an awareness of context and ability to adapt

communication strategies to suit circumstances.

Modes of assessment: presentation and annotated slides Elective: Contemporary Craft (VC3-4) The aim of the Elective module is to debate the relevance of contemporary craft in society today. Widespread engagement with the hand made across disciplines described familiar to the crafts (such as textiles and ceramics) as well as less expected disciplines (such as digital design or couture fashion) suggest that craft in its broadest sense is regaining currency in contemporary society. This elective will debate this reality asking where the materials and production of craft objects originate, how craft and the hand made can be usefully defined in the 21st century and the purpose (or not) of disciplinary categories in current craft research. Learning Outcomes: 1. RESEARCH: evidence a critical understanding of the debates around contemporary craft and employ a diverse range of sources 2. ANALYSE: Evaluate and critically reflect on the field of contemporary craft, showing an ability to contextualise and situate observations

3. COMMUNICATE: Successfully communicate research, analysis and initiative in an appropriately structured and coherent form. Modes of assessment: presentation and annotated slides Collaborative Practices (VC3-5) The aim of this module is to produce a detailed statement pertaining to the student’s curatorial or editorial involvement in the final studio (degree show) project. This module is a culmination of the student’s critical and professional skills developed across the course. Normally, the Final Project will involve a particular emphasis of the students’ choice in an area such as curation, critical/popular writing or arts/design management aligned to the studio practices of NCAD undergraduates. Learning Outcomes 1: RESEARCH evidence awareness of the context of theoretical and critical perspectives developed in the study of visual culture 2. REFLECT develop a self-reflexive and self-critical perspective, able to assess both the strengths and weaknesses of participation in the studio work, and the possibilities for further development in the future 3: COMMUNICATE a substantial, appropriately presented statement, demonstrating the ability to reflect on his/her participation in the degree show, in a specific area of interest Modes of assessment: final project statement Research Practices (VC3-6) The aim of this module is for students to develop skills underpinned by a critical understanding of research paradigms related to visual and material culture, which will culminate in the submission of a research thesis. The standard OECD definition of research is a “creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications.” To achieve the learning aims of the course, students will examine key conceptual issues around research include ethics, methods, disciplinarity and the ‘reflective practitioner’ and apply these tools to the writing of a thesis. Learning Outcomes 1. RESEARCH: recognise, analyse and deploy different research paradigms, particularly as they relate to visual and material culture. 2. APPLY skills appropriate to creative and rigorous research into visual and material culture. 3. COMMUNICATE: develop effective academic conventions applied to an extended body of self-directed research. Assessment modes: dissertation Professional Practice (VC3-7) The aim of this module is to support students in developing a self-directed project that draws on prior learning on professional practices in Visual Culture. Students will propose a project in consultation with module staff, and through seminar workshops and lecture sessions they will work towards developing an appropriate plan for the realization of this project. Students will need to take account of questions relating to processes of production, display and distribution, considering the theoretical and ideological issues raised by their project plan, in addition to considering how their project might meet accepted professional standards and relating to existing models in the field. Learning Outcomes 1. RESEARCH: (i) Develop a specific project relating to real-world professional practice contexts (ii) Establish how to develop appropriate models of professional organisation and distribution for this specific project. 2. ANALYSE: Reflect on the efficacy of specifically applied models of practice in relation to a self-generated project plan.

3. COMMUNICATE: Apply appropriate forms of writing and visual display in the framing and promotion of the project 4. ORGANISE: Engage appropriate resources and co-ordinate these to a professional standard in the realization of the project. Modes of assessment: presentation and annotated slides Writing Workshop (VC3-8) The aim of the Elective module is to refine students’ writing skills with particular attention to developing a range of written ‘voices’: academic, poetic, strategic, conversational. The elective will consider the question of why we write in the first place: Do we write to explain to others our professional intentions, to clarify our own opinions and ideas or as a creative discipline that is comparable to an object or image based practice? This workshop will address the peculiarities of academic conventions, the relationship between fact and fiction, and the challenges of writing about material that can eludes written language such as moving images or the sense of touch. Students will create a portfolio of writing that evidences a breadth of written communication styles, with particular consideration of writing style and its relationship to intended audience. Learning Outcomes 1. COMMUNICATE in a written style appropriate to content with awareness and attention to intended audience 2. EXPERIMENT evidence engagement with a range of writing styles that go beyond academic conventions 3. CHALLENGE question existing formats and templates for text based communication showing an awareness of the strengths and weakness of several styles of delivery Modes of assessment: portfolio of writing samples