FT1ATT: Approaches to Television

Module code: FT1ATT

Module provider: Film, Theatre and TV; School of Arts and Comm Design

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Tonia Kazakopoulou, email: a.kazakopoulou@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

• Enable students to demonstrate a critical understanding of the central issues of television studies.
• Develop textual analysis skills, analysing television fiction and non-fiction programming
• Discuss different industrial context and explore key theoretical debates
• Critically study areas such as television forms and narratives; industrial contexts; digital platforms and new delivery technologies; the place of the audience and the role of public service broadcasting; critically engaging with issues of quality
• The module seeks to provide students with the ability to critically engage with both texts and critical and contextual reading for essay writing and independent study.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a familiarity with some of the most important critical terms and concepts used in the discussion and analysis of television
2. Articulate a critical understanding of the development of selected television forms in their historical, cultural and institutional contexts
3. Undertake close analysis of a range of television texts, from a variety of programme formats and genres, and where appropriate, to relate them to their contexts
4. Demonstrate a critical awareness of key issues concerning audiences and television spectatorship, as well as evaluative discourses surrounding television
5. Achieve the following skills and competencies appropriate to the level of study: oral communication and argument in group situations; deployment of research using printed and electronic resources; critical analysis and coherent argument; undertaking self-directed, independent work; presentation of written work using IT; developing and presenting arguments in a range of written forms; identifying and addressing problems in the analysis of television.

Module content

This module focuses on the critical evaluation of television programmes, the historical, cultural and political context of the medium, and the role of institutional and technological developments. Through lectures and seminars, the module introduces the skills of close analysis of television programmes, and explores critical approaches that have been developed for the study of television. The module will introduce students to key critical terms and debates in television studies (such as narrative, how audiences engage with television, the nature of public service broadcasting, and the impact of digital technologies on television delivery). The module centres on television in Britain, with some consideration of television in the USA and the global broadcasting landscape.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching will include lectures and seminars with screenings and peer study groups. Lectures will be used to establish contexts and to introduce issues for discussion and debate. Seminars will concentrate mainly on the close analysis of extracts from television texts and the weekly reading.

Study hours

At least 8 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

There will be oral feedback throughout the module.

Reassessment

Additional costs