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MDS-20068 - Module Specification
School of Humanities
Faculty of Business, Law, Humanities & Social Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 17 March 2026

MDS-20068 - Storytelling for Change
Coordinator: Pawas Bisht Room: N/A Tel: +44 1782 7 33242
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
School Office: 01782 733147

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

none


Description for 2026/27

Learn how to tell compelling and persuasive multimedia stories about the issues you care about. You will work with other students to analyse what makes multimedia stories impactful, exploring narrative structures, design concepts, storytelling applications, and interactive and transmedia elements. You will develop a nuanced understanding of the dynamics of storytelling across media forms and put this into practice. The module builds your project management skills in preparation for your final year project.

Aims
1. To give students experience of solving communications problems by creating digital media artefacts
2. To enable students to analyse existing digital media using relevant theory
3. To introduce students to concepts of strategic communications design, storytelling, branding and campaign approaches
4. To encourage students to reflect critically on their own practice and solutions
5. To enable students to develop their media production skills using Adobe Creative Suite and other digital storytelling software
6. To enable students to develop effective teamworking skills in the context of campaign design and strategic storytelling

Intended Learning Outcomes

employ strategic communications theory and knowledge to produce effective digital campaigns: 2
evaluate design, storytelling, branding and strategic approaches in existing digital campaigns: 1,3
produce a digital campaign using industry standard software: 2
reflect on their response to demands for communications solutions: 3
work effectively in teams in the context of campaign design and strategic storytelling: 1,2,3

Study hours

48 hours lectures and workshops
90 hours lab time and practical work
120 hours preparation of group media project
12 hours to prepare group presentation
30 hours of reflection, revision and consolidation of lectures and workshops


School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Group Assessment weighted 20%
Group presentation analysing existing digital storytelling campaigns
Students will work in groups (4-5 students) to analyse an existing strategic communications campaign in the form of a 10 mins in-person presentation and Powerpoint slides (8-10 slides). Presentations are delivered to module tutors and peers. Though this is a group presentation, students will get assessed individually. Students are assessed individually through a combination of individual contribution marks, peer evaluation, and assessor observation. Each group submission carries a team mark plus an individual adjustment based on a confidential peer-review form and a short individual contribution log submitted with the project.

2: Group Assessment weighted 50%
Digital Media Project
Students will work in groups (4-5 students) to produce a digital strategic communications camapign. This will include and moving and still image elements and other digital artefacts to be displayed on digital platforms. Though this is a group-based task, students will get assessed individually. Students are assessed individually through a combination of individual contribution marks, peer evaluation, and assessor observation. Each group submission carries a team mark plus an individual adjustment based on a confidential peer-review form and a short individual contribution log submitted with the project.

3: Report weighted 30%
Reflective commentary
Students produce an individual reflective report (1500 words) examining their communications solution and their individual contribution to the group work

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 17 March 2026