2025/26 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

DESN3948 Independent Project

30 Credits Class Size: 80

Module manager: Paul Wilson
Email: texpw@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2025/26

Pre-requisite qualifications

DESN3947

Pre-requisites

DESN3947 Graphic and Communication Media

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module provides students with the opportunity to formulate a major graphic and communication design project proposal in line with their personal interests and career aspirations. The module will allow students to demonstrate their ability to propose a substansial body of work within a set framework, execute their proposal and demonstrate visual communiocation skills. The proposed project can take the form of one major work or can be made up of a series of connected smaller projects. The project proposal will be negotiated through ongoing discussions with staff and fellow students. Students are required to record and discuss evidence of their project development and will present their work to a professional standard, demonstrating research, design development, experimentation and final solutions.

Objectives

The module provides students with an opportunity to integrate working practices and to produce a major graphic and communication design project that demonstrates their ability to write a production plan, execute that plan, and demonstrate their visual communication skills.

It may take the form of a major project which involves a series of applications or several discreet projects. Students are also required to produce ongoing evidence of the development of their project, documented in a creative log.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate the ability to negotiate and prepare a plan to enable them to work autonomously and undertake the visual research, execution and production of an extended graphic and communication design project;

2. Visually communicate research and development stages of their project in a structured and coherent manner.

3. Develop, identify and test final design proposals, pertinent to the planned project.

4. Coherently rationalise and present their design ideas and final design proposals.

5. Design and execute the graphic project to a standard that reflects their individual design skills.

Syllabus

Through group discussions and tasks, students will evaluate their on-going practice. They will formulate project proposals in line with their academic and career aspirations and will execute graphic and communication design projects that reflect their individual design skills. Students will professionally present their work including research and development.

Teaching Methods

Delivery type Number Length hours Student hours
Lecture 1 1 1
Seminar 11 2 22
Private study hours 277
Total Contact hours 23
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) 300

Private study

Students are expected to carry out research, analyse and present findings as well as complete assignments during private study. 150hrs
Students are expected to complete the set reading list 50hrs
Students are expected to research career aspirations – 27hrs
Students are expected to further their understanding of professional graphic design 50hrs

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student progress will be monitored in the timetabled group learning through group interactive seminars, interim group critiques and specific teaching feedback slots within timetabled session. The scope and format of assessed outcomes will be discussed and monitored to check that they are appropriate to the learning outcomes. In addition to the summative element of the presentation, students will be given formative feedback to monitor their ongoing progress with the practical elements.

Methods of Assessment

Coursework
Assessment type Notes % of formal assessment
Practical Independent Design Project Containing research, dsign development and final solutions 80
Presentation 10 – 15 min Presentation. 20
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) 100

Resits will take the form of the student choosing a different brief than previous undertaken.

Reading List

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 30/04/2025

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team