Spanish MA
Text/Image Cultures: Theory and Practice MODLANG4005
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Modern Languages and Cultures
- Credits: 20
- Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
- Typically Offered: Runs Throughout Semesters 1 and 2
- Available to Visiting Students: Yes
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
Drawing on a number of theoretical perspectives and on materials from a variety of cultures, genres and time periods, this course explores the relationship between verbal and visual modes of representation in media which combine both of these. It is focussed on the interpretive questions which arise when we find ourselves both reading images and looking at words: in advertisements, medieval manuscripts, posters, caricature, and illustrated texts.
Timetable
20 x one hour sessions across both semesters as scheduled on MyCampus.
This is one of the honours options in SMLC and may not run every year. The options which are running this session are available on MyCampus.
Excluded Courses
None
Co-requisites
None
Assessment
The standard assessments for this course are:
■ Essay (2000 words) - 50%
■ Exhibition Report (2000 words) - 50%
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 Essay, but extensions to the deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (students should follow the usual process for extensions).
■ There is no alternative to the Exhibition Report, but extensions to the deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (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.
Main Assessment In: April/May
Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? Not applicable
It is the default expectation that all courses will offer opportunities for reassessment or deferred assessment. Where it is not possible to offer this in some assessment components, the grade achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade, and any exceptions for this course are described below.
[No exceptions]
Course Aims
This course aims to:
■ increase students' understanding of the interaction of verbal and visual modes of representation and how they shape a range of works of a literary and visual nature.
■ enable students to deploy theoretical frameworks in the analysis of cultural artefacts
■ enhance students' appreciation of the social and political contexts of cultural production
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
■ evaluate a cultural object combining textual and visual elements according to a variety of critical concepts;
■ apply relevant concepts in semiotics;
■ produce sustained arguments in written form based on a variety of sources.