Students will develop skills in aural analysis, group discussion, and the formulation and presentation of critical perspectives, relating to sound-based and audiovisual artworks and their reception, while engaging with key concepts in the related fields of sound studies, art criticism and media theory. They will also engage with a range of essay formats, including audio and video essays, as vehicles for presenting critical perspectives on art and media.

5 x 2 hour labs

5 x 2 hour tutorial sessions over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus

None

None

The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Portfolio of Critical Essays Mid-Term (2000 words) - 50%

■ Portfolio of Critical Essays End of Term (2000 words) - 50%

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ There is no alternative to the portfolio of critical essays mid-term, but a flexible deadline and extra time can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions)

■ There is no alternative to the portfolio of critical essays end of term, but a flexible deadline and extra time can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions)

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

This course aims to:

■ Develop students' awareness of writing about sonic arts practice for the purposes of critical review 

■ Enable students to develop flexible, genre-specific skills in writing critical reviews of sonic arts practice

■ Enhance students' critical acuity in relation to sonic arts, and awareness of its cultural contexts

■ Encourage students to engage critically with a broad range of sonic arts practice

■ Enable students to build a portfolio of different forms of critical writing, to publication standard, in print or via the web

■ Widen students' communication skills, enhancing employability

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Articulate insightful and well-informed critiques of sonic art (recorded or live)

■ Adapt their writing style for a range of different readerships, including both scholarly readers and the wider public

■ Write stylish, accurate, publishable prose

■ Retain clarity and fluidity whilst writing in a condensed form

■ Write criticism that articulates a clear point of view, supported with evidence drawn from attentive listening

■ Demonstrate critical openness across a range of practice