MCH1025 : Critical Skills
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Professor Darren Kelsey
- Co-Module Leader: Dr Majid Khosravinik, Dr Nick Rush-Cooper
- Lecturer: Ms Sarah Cullen, Mr Ryan Woodward
- Owning School: Arts & Cultures
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module trains students in the principles and methods of the study of media, communication and culture. It introduces them to key terms and concepts and covers the critical skills that students will need for all academic work in this area. The module aims to build students' confidence in approaching academic work in a rigorous and systematic way and to demystify key elements of academic practice (e.g. citation, academic writing, learning from feedback).
Outline Of Syllabus
The module is divided into two phases:
1. The principles of scholarly integrity, with teaching materials designed to equip students to work in the study of media and culture at university level. Topics include critical thinking, finding sources, academic writing, critical engagement with published scholarship, and citation.
2. Key concepts and introductory methods suited for the analysis of phenomena in media, communication and culture, with teaching materials designed to equip students to identify patterns, politics and ideologies in these phenomena.
Weekly lectures explore relevant terms, concepts, skills and ideas, and provide material for analysis. In seminars, students will delve further into those ideas and skills, and practice applying them.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 40:00 | 40:00 | End-of-module assessment |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 5 | 2:00 | 10:00 | Lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 20:00 | 20:00 | Mid-module assessment |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 11 | 4:00 | 44:00 | Weekly required reading and/or viewing |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | Seminars |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 63:00 | 63:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The module is delivered in the first semester of stage 1 to provide students with an intensive grounding in knowledge and skills that will be fundamental across the rest of their degree programme. Lectures provide students with details and rationales of the critical skills they will need while at university. In seminars students will develop their understanding of, and skills in applying, these skills. The module is support by members of the Academic Skills Team and the library team.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | A | 50 | 2000-word essay answering a question selected from a list provided by the module leader |
| Prof skill assessmnt | 1 | M | 10 | Participation and engagement |
| Written exercise | 1 | M | 40 | A combination of a) one paragraph (max. 300 words) which reflects on an aspect of culture b) a properly formatted Works Cited list of at least 6 sources |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Full marks for the participation and engagement component are awarded to all students who engage with seminar discussions and tasks, or otherwise engage with the seminar/module leader if the student is unable to do the former. Assessment 1 (paragraph and works cited list) requires students to employ the critical thinking and critical writing skills and to properly attribute good academic sources, all practised during phase 1 of the module. Questions for Assessment 2 (the 2,000-word essay) require students to select from the various skills and knowledge in the analysis of media and cultural works learned in phase 2 of the module and apply them to specific objects of study.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- MCH1025's Timetable