COMMUNICATING CULTURE: CONCEPTS AND FRAMEWORKS - 2020/1
Module code: SOC2089
In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and in a departure from previous academic years and previously published information, the University has had to change the delivery (and in some cases the content) of its programmes, together with certain University services and facilities for the academic year 2020/21.
These changes include the implementation of a hybrid teaching approach during 2020/21. Detailed information on all changes is available at: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/coronavirus/course-changes. This webpage sets out information relating to general University changes, and will also direct you to consider additional specific information relating to your chosen programme.
Prior to registering online, you must read this general information and all relevant additional programme specific information. By completing online registration, you acknowledge that you have read such content, and accept all such changes.
Module Overview
This module introduces you to an understanding of how
culture is communicated through the fine arts and popular
culture (including painting, theatre, film, television,
classical and popular music and literature). Lectures
cover a variety of theoretical approaches to different
forms of culture, which are illustrated by examples. Class
discussion focuses on empirical examples relating to the
lecture topic.
Module provider
Sociology
Module Leader
SEAL Alexander (Sociology)
Number of Credits: 15
ECTS Credits: 7.5
Framework: FHEQ Level 5
JACs code: L610
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Module Availability
Semester 2
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
N/A
Module content
Indicative content includes:
- Whether art ‘reflects’ society and whether it ‘shapes’ it.
- How social factors affect artistic conventions and genres and the ways production and distribution systems affect art.
- How people receive, consume and use art.
- How art is constituted by and embedded in society.
Assessment pattern
| Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 1500 WORD REFLEXIVE REPORT | 40 |
| Examination | 1 HOUR SEEN EXAM | 60 |
Alternative Assessment
N/A
Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate that they have developed an understanding of art and popular culture in society and can ‘think critically/reflect’ with this knowledge.
Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:
One 1500 word reflexive report One seen exam (1 hour)
Formative assessment and feedback
Students are encouraged to submit a 2 sided plan prior to the Easter break. They then receive one-to-one oral feedback on this plan.
Module aims
- Introduce an understanding of how different forms of
culture are communicated to society. - Provide different theoretical perspectives on how culture is
created and communicated using the cultural diamond
approach. - Develop skills of critical thinking and applying theoretical
understandings to empirical areas of study.
Learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | ||
|---|---|---|
| 001 | Understand a range of perspectives in communicating culture. | K |
| 002 | Explain reflection, shaping, production, and consumption approaches to culture and provide critical analysis of each of these. | K |
| 003 | Apply the theoretical ideas to current empirical examples. | C |
| 004 | Organise ideas and thoughts and speak about these in the public setting of the seminar | PT |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Overall student workload
Independent Study Hours: 128
Lecture Hours: 11
Seminar Hours: 11
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:
- Offer students lectures that provide a critical overview of the various approaches used in studying sociology of the arts. Students expand on this knowledge base through a weekly programme of essential readings supplemented by their choice of background reading.
- Give students the chance to experience each of the approaches in action, through seminar exercises which focus on case studies covering the range of approaches examined in the module.
The learning and teaching methods include:
- 11 one-hour lectures which cover key topics in sociology of the arts.
- 11 one-hour seminars carrying out work on case studies in the sociology of the arts.
Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.
Reading list
https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: SOC2089
Other information
None
Programmes this module appears in
| Programme | Semester | Classification | Qualifying conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media and Communication BSc (Hons) | 2 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Sociology BSc (Hons) | 2 | Optional | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| English Literature with Sociology BA (Hons) | 2 | Optional | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.