TG2DD: Design Discourse

Module code: TG2DD

Module provider: Typography; School of Arts and Comm Design

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Miss Irmi Wachendorff, email: irmi.wachendorff@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: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

In the Design Discourse module, you will engage with graphic design history, theory and thinking to explore the ideas that underpin contemporary design practice. Through weekly critical reading, discourse and scholarly study you will interrogate the history of graphic communication, discuss key theories, analyse contemporary debates, practice visual analysis and discover research in design. This module introduces you to core research methods and prepares you for writing your dissertation. 

It is linked to the practice projects and will help you to build a deeper understanding of the social, cultural, ecological and political contexts that surround the discipline. This will strengthen your critical engagement with typography and communication design as a rational, evidence-based, communication-focused activity. The examination of diverse theoretical and historical perspectives will allow you to evaluate alternative points of view, build communication skills and develop your own position – and ultimately enable you to become a literate and reflective designer. 

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Identify and analyse graphic artefacts: Interrogate and assess visual communication in its cultural, technical, and historical environments and contexts. 
2. Seek and assimilate new knowledge: Assess and incorporate contemporary discourse into design thinking. 
3. Embed inclusivity and diversity: Develop an inclusive approach to design, centering the user, designing for diverse users, cultures and contexts.  
4. Create change: Combine design research and practice with an awareness of communities, society, markets and the environment to drive positive change for audiences, clients and the design community. 

Module content

The module builds visual and academic research skills that span across communication design history, theory and practice. It prepares students for developing a research-intensive dissertation in typography and graphic communication. 

Each delivery of the module will typically contain a range of themes, covering topics such as: the making of graphic design history, graphic design theory, decolonising graphic design, critical writing, language and typography, semiotics and graphic meaning-making, graphic design for social change, ethical, inclusive, sustainable and user-centred design.  

You will be asked to read weekly, participate in discussion groups, reflect on your reading in a learning journal, give one presentation per semester, and write one essay. 

The module concludes with a series of sessions for dissertation preparation focussing on how to locate and assemble information, review literature, use appropriate methodologies, organise material and articulate effectively in written form. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module covers multiple themes and topics. These will be explored in depth through a combination of lectures, self-directed study and reading, seminars, discussion groups, workshops, exercises, student presentations, handouts, learning journals and essay writing. Towards the end of semester 2 the dissertation preparation will provide the basis for a series of tutorial meetings with supervisors where contact hours will be determined by agreement between student and supervisor. 

Study hours

At least 43 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.

Formative assessment will usually fall into two categories: 

• Tasks and feedback that link directly to final assessment, allowing you to build relevant skills and measure your progress towards assessed work. 
• Tasks and feedback that feed into wider learning around the topic being covered. The skills and insights you acquire should help you achieve well in assessed tasks, but application of this leaning may be interpreted, rather than simply repeated. 

Formative feedback will often include: 

• Verbal feedback in class. 
• Written comments on a piece of work. 
• Self, peer of staff assessment against a mark scheme. 

Formative feedback will be given: 

• During reading groups 
• At dedicated check-in points 

Reassessment

Additional costs