Module Information

Part 1: Presentation, Communication and Methodology, Career Awareness, Preparing for a Vocation in the Art World. In Semester 1 students are taught the principles and develop skills associated with effective communication and presentation. These will have an application for 2nd and 3rd year studies and also for employment. The module introduces information technology and writing skills and will encourage students to articulate and present ideas clearly and persuasively (both orally and visually) individually and in a group context. Students are enabled to identify job aspirations and strategic career goals. In respect of the latter, the module builds on the PDP program introduced in Year 1.After Part 1, students split into groups for specialized seminars, workshops and demonstrations.Part 2, Route A (Fine Art): Vocational training for staging an exhibition. In Route A students are shown how to develop an ethos of professionalism as artists, introducing the public and commercial gallery systems, principles of exhibition origination and preparation, self-employment and surviving as an artist. Students learn by observation, interaction with practitioners and the application of knowledge in the form of project work. Students will produce visual materials and written documentation to promote themselves and their work. The module provides a forum to discuss problems and share solutions that are common to all students regardless of their fine art discipline

Part 2, Route B (Art History): Aspects of Research Methodology, Writing and skills. Route B introduces skills relevant to conducting academic study and research for essay and dissertation writing in Art History and Museum and Gallery Studies. It introduces students to sources of information, generally and at the Hugh Owen and National Libraries. Various research strategies are explained.

Semester 1: Career Awareness and Skills Development (10 hours)
1. Introduction and Module Rationale
2. Writing Workshop: Catalogue Introductions and Entries, Artist Statements, Biographies
3. Oral Presentations: Presenting a Paper as a Group or Individually
4. Pictures and Pixels: Using and Evaluating Electronic Resources
5. Planning and Designing a PowerPoint Presentation (2 hours)
6. The Gallery: A Curator'r Experience
7. Career Awareness: Careers in the Art World
8. Skills Assessment and CV Writing (followed by PDP tutorial)
9. Introduction to Postgraduate Study (includes forum with current PG students)

Semester 2 (10 hours)Route A: Planning an Exhibition
1. The Artist'r Experience: Making a Living as an Artist
2. Artist Groups, Print Workshops, Studios, Residencies and Funding Opportunities
3. Staging an Exhibition: Practical Considerations
4. Photographing of Works of Art for Record and Print or Electronic Publication
5. Presentation and Display: Mounting, Framing and Hanging an Exhibition

Route B: Dissertation Proposal
1. Finding and Deciding upon a Subject
2. Research Resources at UWA and the National Library of Wales
3. Literature Review
4. Tutorials with Dissertation Supervisors
5. Effective Academic Writing