Please note: there may be some adjustments to the teaching arrangements published in the course catalogue for 2020-21. Given current circumstances related to the Covid-19 pandemic it is anticipated that some usual arrangements for teaching on campus will be modified to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students and staff on campus; further adjustments may also be necessary, or beneficial, during the course of the academic year as national requirements relating to management of the pandemic are revised.

Screen Audiences FTV4011

  • Academic Session: 2022-23
  • School: School of Culture and Creative Arts
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Available to Erasmus Students: Yes

Short Description

In this course we will be looking at different ways of thinking about the audience and at how researchers have tried to find out what mass audiences think. Students will have the opportunity to engage with practical research and plan a project.

Getting people to watch is often seen as the prime function of mass cinema or television but what makes people into an identifiable (paying) audience? The concept of what an audience is varies depending on who is counting what and where. In this course we will be looking at different ways of thinking about the audience and at how researchers have tried to find out what mass audiences think. Students will have the opportunity to engage with practical research and plan a project.

Timetable

weekly meetings for 10 weeks

Requirements of Entry

Successful entry to Honours Level in Film and Television Studies, according to specified tariffs advertised at Level 2.

Assessment

The course is assessed by a mid-course critical report of 1500 words (30%) and an end-of-course research proposal (including literature review and evaluation of methodology) of 3000 words (70%)

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? Not applicable

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

■ This course aims to:

■ examine explanations for audience engagements with screen entertainments by analysing the different positions of 'the audience' in film and television studies

■ analyse the ways in which cinema and television audiences have been contrasted, using historical and contemporary examples;

■ explore the accounts of the audience given by producers, distributors and/or exhibitors of screen entertainment

■ critically evaluate a range of methodological approaches to the study of film and television audiences.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

Students by the end of the course should be able to

■ demonstrate an understanding of the different concepts of screen audiences and the way they work in various kinds of discussion and planning around media use;

■ account for the positions of the 'audience' in film and television theories

■ demonstrate, understand and evaluate a range of different audience research methodologies

■ apply their understanding of audience research to devise and design their own plan for an audience research project.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.