School of Humanities  
 
 
MDS-10010 Understanding Culture  
Co-ordinator: Dr Nicholas Bentley    Room: CBB2.057, Tel:33304  
Teaching Team: Mrs Victoria  Norman, Miss Jo-Anne  Watts,  Paul  Rixon  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 1 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733147
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
English with Creative Writing Single Honours (Level 1)
English Dual Honours (Level 1)
English Major (Level 1)
English Minor (Level 1)
English Single Honours (Level 1)
Film Studies Dual Honours (Level 1)
Film Studies Minor (Level 1)
Media, Communications and Culture Dual Honours (Level 1)
Media, Communications and Culture Minor (Level 1)
Available as a Free Standing Elective
Yes
Prerequisites
None
Barred Combinations
None
Description

What is culture? Where is it and who particpates in it? How has our understanding of it developed historically? What's the difference between high and low culture? How does literature, film, photography and advertising encourage us to behave in particular ways? This course will introduce some of the key concepts and issues in the historical and contemporary study of culture. It will introduce theories, approaches and methodologies for the study of a range of cultural $ùtexts&© from Shakespeare to magazine advertisements. We will start by looking at literary culture from the past and focus on the relationship between $ùclassic&© literary texts and their audiences, both now and when they were first produced. We will go on to look at popular contemporary culture in both visual and written form, including film, photographs and advertisements.
Aims
To provide an introduction to key theories of culture in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

To demonstrate the role of class, language and identity in the formation of culture.

To provide students with the skills necessary in applying theories of culture to a variety of cultural texts, both written and visual.

To provide students with a range of employability and transferable skills.
Intended Learning Outcomes
show a knowledge of the different forms and meanings of culture and how they have developed historically will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02
interrelate cultural theory and cultural texts will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02
engage in an informed analysis of the role of culture in society. will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02
show a knowledge of the technical and formal approaches to the study of literary texts, visual material (such as advertisements and photographs) and film, and how these forms contribute to the production of meaning will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02
show advanced reading skills especially in the areas of close and contextual reading will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02
participate in the research, preparation, and time management skills required for undergraduate study will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02
show enhanced skills in the preparation, production and presentation of written work, and in effective seminar participation will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02
demonstrate an analytical and critical approach to all forms of academic work and information including internet materials will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02
demonstrate an awareness of the way in which identities are formed and contested through engaement with culture will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02
Study hours
12 1-hour weekly seminars in groups of less than 15 students
12 1-hour weekly lectures
12 hours (1 per week) working on seminar preparation tasks
60 hours private study (5 per week), which will involve the critically-engaged reading of primary and secondary texts
36 hours working on portfolio exercises
18 hours working on exam assessment
Description of Module Assessment
01: Portfolio weighted 50%

The portfolio will consist of several short formative and summative tasks completed at fortnightly intervals during the semester and offering opportunity for regular feedback. These comprise of three study journal entries of ca. 400 words each, an analysis of a critical theory extract (ca. 600 words); an annotated bibliography (2 pages); a timeline of texts and theory studied (1 page) and an essay plan (2 pages).
02: 2 Hour Seen Exam weighted 50%
Students choose 2 questions from a list of 10 options (equal weighting)
Each question in the seen exam asks the student to look at aspects of cultural theory and to apply them to one or more of the core primary texts.
Version: (1.06B) Updated: 02/Oct/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.