Course Catalogue

Festivals (MCS) FTV5071

  • Academic Session: 2026-27
  • School: School of Culture and Creative Arts
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

Festivals of various art forms have become global phenomena and play an increasingly pivotal role in the creative industries economy. The course offers a historical, theoretical and critical context for the study of festivals. Festivals are examined from critical and historical perspectives but also through detailed consideration of specific examples, both contemporary and local and historical and 'remote' and cover a broad range of cultural forms including film, music, theatre and art.

Timetable

1 x 1hr lecture; 1 x 1hr seminar over ten weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.

Requirements of Entry

Standard entry to Masters at College Level.

Excluded Courses

FTV5050

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Annotated Bibliography (1500 words) - 30%

■ Research Proposal (3500 words) - 70%

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ There is no alternative to the annotated bibliography, but flexible deadlines and extra time can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions)

■ There is no alternative to the research proposal, but flexible deadlines and extra time can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions)

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

Course Aims

This course aims to:

■ place festivals in a historical and theoretical framework of study.

■ consider festivals in a broad range of different cultural forms and practices.

■ introduce specific case studies of festivals across a range of cultural forms and practices.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ use historical and critical frameworks in the study of festivals as cultural and social events.

■ conceptualise and critically evaluate the differences and similarities between festivals across a range of cultural forms and practices.

■ advance individual research informed by in-depth knowledge of specific case studies of festivals.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

No exceptions