Course Title: Visual Language

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Visual Language

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
GRAP2321	City Campus	Undergraduate	335H Applied Communication	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 1 2008, Sem 1 2009
GRAP2398	Hong Kong Management Associatn	Undergraduate	335H Applied Communication	Face-to-Face	Offsh 4 08, Offsh 4 09
GRAP2411	RMIT University Vietnam	Undergraduate	335H Applied Communication	Face-to-Face	Viet1 2009, Viet3 2009
GRAP2411	RMIT University Vietnam	Undergraduate	345H Media and Communication	Face-to-Face	Viet1 2010, Viet2 2010, Viet3 2010, Viet1 2011, Viet2 2011, Viet3 2011, Viet1 2012, Viet2 2012, Viet3 2012, Viet1 2013, Viet2 2013, Viet3 2013, Viet1 2014, Viet2 2014, Viet3 2014, Viet2 2015
GRAP2505	Singapore Inst of Management	Undergraduate	345H Media and Communication	Face-to-Face	Offsh3 14

Course Coordinator: Julie Bilby

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 0883

Course Coordinator Email: julie.bilby@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Availability: by appointment

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

The course introduces students to the fundamental concept of visual language as a way we see, think, read and communicate using printed (magazine and newspaper), iconic (pictorial) and kinetic (moving image) forms. It involves understanding how the human visual system works and how and why we respond to visual imagery in certain ways. The concentration of the course is on exploring how the visual elements come together to give media stories form, content and structure, and how visual impact is given to photographs, advertisements, posters, promotional material, and motion pictures through the deliberate application and use of visual technologies, techniques, materials, methods and mediums. The course touches upon but is not tied to, the ‘science of signs’ (semiotics) - a field of study based on the premise that signs hold certain meaning or ‘reading texts’ as in common in media studies.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss the visual principles involved in media communication and their appropriateness to the delivery of a commercial message.
• Describe the role of the image-maker in the media in relation to history and culture
• Use a range of image-making skills, techniques, processes, conventions and technologies to create and produce media images that convey meaning for different audiences.
• Evaluate the usefulness of visual information across a range of media
• Identify the creative opportunities and limitations of a non-literal symbolic language to convey meaning..

Program Learning Outcomes

You will develop the following program learning outcomes:

• Demonstrate creativity, critical thinking and innovation when identifying and solving problems in diverse contexts within the professional communication field
• Communicate using diverse formats and strategies to audiences within and external to your discipline
   

Overview of Learning Activities

Activities include lectures, tutorial and online discussions, workshops, team projects videos and case study analysis. Guest lecturers will deliver specialist lectures. Tutorials provide an opportunity to examine and explore in detail the theoretical concepts raised in lectures and set course readings. Lectures and tutorials are sometimes participative. Weekly reading of prescribed texts is essential for a full understanding of the subject matter and to be prepared for lecture and tutorial discussions. 

Overview of Learning Resources

Lecture notes and other resources will be available on the RMIT online Learning Hub. A week-by-week bibliography is available on Blackboard and traces week by week the sources of content used in lectures and tutorials. Students are expected to take notes in lectures and undertake further research on weekly topics.

Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. Assessment may include written and oral reports, reflective papers, creative projects and presentations, individually and in groups.

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions which are available for review online: http://www.rmit.edu.au/policies/academic#assessment