PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module will afford students the opportunity to engage in reflective analysis of their personal professional development. Through discussion and task-based activities, students will critically reflect upon steps taken so far, will identify further action and detail potential professional development opportunities and methods. Students are also free to include creative work in the portfolio such as a sample of professional script or a video recording of the student's own practice. The module's reach allows for students to approach the creation of the portfolio in line with their cultural background and preferences.

Module provider

Guildford School of Acting

Module Leader

BYRNE Grainne (GSA)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Home-based study on the module material and essential reading texts.


• Seminar sessions amounting to two days at GSA to include writing skills, personal tutorials and target setting and identification of future career professional development, employment and/or educational opportunities

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate the following through their formal written summative submission, in addition to their engagement with the formative assessment, module content and associated activities (addressing all of the learning outcomes):

• Evidence awareness of own learning and professional needs and preferences
• Demonstrate an appreciation and understanding of appropriate performance vocabularies, techniques, structures and working methods
• Identify and engage in appropriate independent research demonstrating an understanding and awareness of relevant interdisciplinary elements and a variety of creative and cultural      contexts
• Work co-operatively, balancing the need to listen constructively with the ability to take appropriate initiative
• Demonstrate knowledge of and meet professional standards of presentation in their chosen field
• Demonstrate high levels of personal discipline and time-management
• Identify and implement strategies to develop and enhance professional profile

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• 4,000 word (or equivalent) personal development portfolio

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment occurs on a continuous basis, with students receiving feedback on tasks undertaken and work completed both within taught sessions and independently.

Feedback

Informal formative feedback from tutors will be provided by, but is not restricted to, the virtual learning environment, email exchange, personal tutorials in person or via Skype, or equivalent software.

Ongoing informal formative feedback from the tutor is facilitated by, but not restricted to, structured discussion boards on the virtual learning environment and email exchange.

Module aims

• Identify, develop and deploy personal professional development methods, opportunities and strategies
• Evidence ongoing personal professional learning journey
• Engage in reflective analysis of personal professional development

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• Actively engage distance learners with reflective analysis of personal professional development.


• Enable the distance learner to access employment opportunities and/or future studies and qualifications.


• Allow the distance learner to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of their personal professional development through structured reflective analysis and personal development planning.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Study based on module content and associated activities via the virtual learning environment.


• Seminar weekend.


• Tutor guided distance learning/independent study based on required purchase texts and online Library resources.

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: TDLM012

Other information

Guildford School of Acting trains students, within their chosen fields, to have an understanding and appreciation of Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas: 

Global and Cultural Capabilities

Through collaboration and research students will engage with a wide range of perspectives and people, guided by supervision to challenge their assumptions and knowledge, and be supported to make ethical and sustainable choices in their research and any practical work. 

Resourcefulness and Resilience

An ethos of self-reflection and self-awareness forms an integral part of the learning journey, developing students’ resilience through collaborative and effective engagement with peer-to-peer observation.

Digital Capabilities

The online delivery of this module is such that students learn to navigate and use the virtual learning environment (SurreyLearn) and other digital resources (such as Drama Online, Digital Theatre+ and Box of Broadcasts) to aid their learning and undertake research. Appropriate use of current digital media and communication platforms is encouraged to engage in critical peer discussions and foster supportive learning networks.

Sustainability

The delivery of this module incorporates the ethos set out by the UN’s 17 sustainability goals. Students engage critically with socio-political contexts and questions surrounding theatre throughout the module. Students are also encouraged to consider the environmental and social impact of theatre creation through their research and reflection. In line with the UN's sustainable development goals, this module aims to promote the understanding of:

• Sustainable funding streams
• Sustaining practice in a financially viable way post-graduation
• Encouraging enterprise and entrepreneurship
• Fostering an understanding of relevant sustainable financial and business models
• Recognising the importance of well-being through good practices in diet, sleep, excercise, screen time

 

 

Programmes this module appears in

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 2025/6 academic year.