The attached paper proposes a major programme amendment to the MDes Sound for the Moving Image programme at The Glasgow School of Art (GSA). The proposal has been brought forward by the School of Simulation and Visualisation and was approved by GSA’s Executive Group in July 2017.

The programme is to be amended in line with the PGT Credit Reform being progressed within GSA. PGT credit reform is being undertaken to:

• ‘Support the development of future strategic collaborations between GSA and other HEIs;
• Systematically review and develop interdisciplinary or inter-institutional collaborative provision at PGT level; and
• Review and revitalise the PGT curriculum structure (and address recurrent issues arising from Exam Boards and the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES))’.

The changes to the programme are primarily structural in nature with courses to be based on 20 rather than 15 credits, with minor changes to assessment and content. To accommodate this change, while maintaining the existing programme content and coverage, some courses will be merged while other elements of content may be split across different courses.

Specific amendments include:

• A new Research Skills course specific to domain, incorporating some elements from the previous Sound Theory and Film Studies course;
• The proposal retains 60 credits across the courses Sound for Moving Image 1 and 2; and
• The School of Simulation and Visualisation offers a range of cross-school electives that are related to the domain of Sound for the Moving Image. In order to retain the ability of students to choose their own areas of interest, the programme still allows two elective choices, but requires that at least one of these is directly related to the programme. This retains both student choice and programme coherence.

I the event that this proposal is approved by Academic Standards Committee, the School of Simulation and Visualisation intends to develop the approval documentation in session 2017/18 ready for consideration and approval by GSA’s Undergraduate and Postgraduate (UPC) Programme Approval meeting in November 2017.

ASC is asked to consider and approve in-principle the attached major programme amendment to the MDes Sound for the Moving Image.

GSA.

None identified for the University.

Subject to ASC approval, it is the School of Simulation and Visualisation’s intention to apply the amendment from 2019-20 and re-launch the programme in September 2019.

GSA has an Equality & Diversity policy in place.