Comics and Graphic Novels

Teesside University

United Kingdom, Middlesbrough

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Teesside University

United Kingdom , Middlesbrough

Key Facts

Program Level

Master by Course Work

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesJanuary-2024

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 1 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 15,000 / year

Next Intake January-2024

Comics and Graphic Novels

About

Accredited

As a graduate, practising creator or mid-career professional, you can engage in reflective creative practice at an advanced level.

This course is distinctive in its focus on both the visual and textual elements of the comic medium, combining the development of an authorial voice with establishing a unique visual style.

You have access to industry standard technologies and excellent facilities including specialist drawing equipment such as Cintiq Wacom Tablets, software such as Adobe Creative Suite and ClipStudio as well as more traditional facilities such as wet-spaces, scanners, drawing tables and light boxes.

Our MA Comics and Graphic Novels covers specialist areas relevant to comics, graphic novels and manga. You focus on core drawing skills including regular life drawing classes and develop the cognitive and technical skills to equip you for enterprise, employment and further academic research.

Core modules

Adaption and Interpretation

You demonstrate a deep and nuanced understanding of the key issues relating to the development of sequential art created in response to provided written material.

The provided written document may be in the form of a professionally formatted full scrip. You also explore a range of written material from a variety of sources.

You undertake appropriate research and analysis, which is synthesised into your visual interpretation.

You experiment with storytelling techniques and visual style to recognise and develop your individual strengths leading to an original creative approach.

You critically reflect on your work to promote further development of specialist skills.

Your assessment is a portfolio of artwork and a reflective document.

Advanced Drawing for Comics

You develop your drawing skills, concentrating on observational and compositional techniques as well as imaginative interpretation and critical reflection.

You carry out a variety of practical tasks including life drawing and observational drawing of objects and architecture. You experiment with materials and techniques and reflect on practice and context. You identify and reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and undertake practice based research to develop original creative approaches.

Assessment is a portfolio of traditional artwork and a presentation.

You are required to draw from naked models of either gender for this module.

Comics Practice: Engaging with Industry

You work for a client, as a freelancer or potentially as a creator within a larger organisation. You attend meeting and pitch to clients. You are also responsible for pricing, copyright and ownership issues.

You work on briefs covering a range of subjects, depending on the client's requirements, such as the origination of comic strip work, character/creature designs, environment art, vehicles, weapons and storyboards.

Wherever possible industry professionals brief assignments and hold feedback sessions.

Your assessment is a portfolio of visual artwork created to a given brief, a reflective journal, and an additional industry based 'art test'.

Developing a Personal Voice in Comics

You create a piece of sequential art to communicate an idea developed from a topic of specific interest to you.

You research and analyse your area of interest and develop a range of creative responses. You can express your ideas in an original and idiosyncratic way.

You demonstrate a high level of professional competence and willingness to experiment with a range of visual approaches.

You explore a range of publishing venues, including small press and web comics.

You critically reflect on your work to promote further development and appropriate professional skills.

Your assessment is 100% ICA consisting of a finished piece of sequential art and a reflective document.

Master's Project: Comics

You undertake a major, in-depth, individual study into a specialisation relating to the programme. You explore appropriate commercial, industrial, artistic or research-based problem areas. You research and investigate relevant aspects of a specific area of study, followed by the production of a major deliverable portfolio of relevant practice based materials from the field. You also produce a written report that contextualises and critically evaluates your final outputs.
Your assessment is a report, product and viva.

Pitching the Idea

You work in teams to produce a pitch for a proposed comic book, graphic novel or other form of sequential art.

Mimicking the collaborative nature of the industry you work together on a joint project and have the opportunity to specialise. You collaborate closely and support each other working towards an agreed goal.

Pitch presentations enable you to present your work to rest of the class and help you gain confidence and develop professionalism.

Your assessment is a portfolio of individual work and your contribution to the presentations.

Practice-based Research for the Visual Artist

You research and develop an area of professional practice relating to the your personal interests. This may be a new area of investigation or a development of an existing practice. You learn how to implement and critically evaluate practice-based research outputs synthesising your findings into your own practice.

Advanced practice (2 year full-time MA only)

Internship

The internship options are:

Vocational: spend one semester working full-time in industry or on placement in the University. We have close links with a range of national and international companies who could offer you the chance to develop your knowledge and professional skills in the workplace through an internship. Although we cannot guarantee internships, we will provide you with practical support and advice on how to find and secure your own internship position. A vocational internship is a great way to gain work experience and give your CV a competitive edge.

Research: develop your research and academic skills by undertaking a research internship within the University. Experience working as part of a research team in an academic setting. Ideal for those who are interested in a career in research or academia.

Modules offered may vary.

How you learn

You learn about concepts and methods primarily through keynote lectures and tutorials using case studies and examples. Lectures include presentations from guest speakers from industry. Critical reflection is key to successful problem solving and essential to the creative process. You develop your own reflective practice at an advanced level, then test and assess your solutions against criteria that you develop in the light of your research.

How you are assessed

Various assessment methods are used throughout all of the modules and are specified in the module handbooks. These are primarily what we call in-course assessments, where you submit work during the delivery of the module, rather than sit timed examinations at the end. Arts modules are generally project-based and primarily assessed through appraisal of a portfolio of work, often accompanied by a verbal presentation. Creative work is largely developmental and you are assessed on the process by which you achieve your solutions as well as the result, so it is essential that you provide clear evidence of your development work.

Disciplines

Art & Design

Requirements

Entry Requirements

A bachelor degree with a minimum of 65%, 2.5/4.0 or good

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 15,000

How to Apply

Applying Online - Information Required to Complete Your Application

Personal Details

- Full Name, including title
- Sex
- Date of Birth
- E-mail Address
- Telephone Number
- Home and Correspondence addresses, including postcode
- Alternative email Addresses
- Country of Permanent Residence or Local Authority
- Country of Birth
- Nationality
- Ethnicity - this data will not be accessible to those making the application decision
- Type of applicant - choose from UK/EU or Overseas
- Who is entering the application - choose from Applicant, University Staff/Overseas Office or Other Third Party
- Disability
- Whether your parents/guardians have Higher Education qualifications
- Details of any previous study or application to this University

Payment of Fees

- Who is paying your fees
- Name and address of your Fee Payer
- Details of any previous funding body and previous course

Overseas Applicants Only

- Date of entry to UK/EU
- Passport Number (if you need a visa)
- Previous UK study, including details of any previous visas, overstays in the UK and visa refusals

University Staff and Office/Agent Applications Only

- School/Office Code
- Agent Code
- Agent Name
- Agent Company
- Reference Number

Qualifications

Qualifications Held (maximum of 6)
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

- Year and month awarded
- Qualification type, level and subject
- Grade
- Awarding Establishment e.g. College/University Name

Qualifications Pending (maximum of 6)
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

- Year and month of exam
- Qualification type, level and subject
- Date grade expected
- Awarding Establishment e.g. College/University Name

Highest qualification

Portfolio Details

Foreign Language Courses Only

- Qualifications and experience in chosen language
- where more than one occurence of a courses runs in paralell, indicate which group you wish to join

Professional Qualifications

- Professional/Statutory Body and Registration PIN
- Other course specific professional details as required

School of Health & Social Care courses only

- NHS PIN
- NHS Trust / Practice details
- National Insurance Number
- Assignment/Employee Number
- Line manager name and email address
- Full or part time
- Pay band
- Profession, Staff Group and Job Role
- Other course specific details as required

Social Work Practice Education courses only

- Social Work Registration Number

Erasmus Applications

Details of the Exchange Co-ordinator at Your Home Institution
- Name
- Position
- Email Address

Higher and Degree Apprenticeships

- Unique Learner Number
- National Insurance Number
- *Employer Code
- *Employer Postcode (This is your normal place of work which may be different from the company's main postcode)
- *Number of employees at this postcode
- Highest level qualifications in English language and mathematics

*Your employer should be able to supply this information

Last Two Education Establishments Attended
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

- Name and address
- Dates from and to
- Full or Part time
- Level of study

English Language Ability
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

Whether English is your first language

If not

- IELTS - score, date of exam and Test Report Form Number
- Other test - name, score and date of exam

Work Experience (maximum of 2)
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, a reduced set of employment information is requested)

- Employers name
- Job title
- Dates from and to
- Full or Part time
- Main responsibilities

Summer & Winter University Courses Only

- Whether you are enrolled or due to enrol on a college or university course
- If so, where and which course
- Whether you are thinking of starting a Higher Education course
- If so, area of interest/study
- Reason for applying to Summer/Winter University

Referee
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

- Name
- Address
- Other contact details

Note : some course will require two referees, e.g. PHD courses

Personal Statement
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

Can be uploaded as a document or entered as text

It is suggested that your statement is prepared electronically in advance of starting the application

Enrolment

Some short courses may ask you to provide enrolment information as part of the application. This will require extra details but also means you will not be asked to complete the full on-line registration process at a later date.

This data will not be accessible to those making the application decision

- Type of Term-time Accomodation
- Next of Kin Name
- Next of Kin Telephone Number
- Next of Kin Relationship
- Religious Beliefs
- Criminal Conviction Declaration

Documents currently available for upload
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this option is not available)

- Reference
- Personal Statement
- CV
- Results
- Proof of English Language Qualifications, e.g. IELTS or TOEFL certificate
- Passport
- Previous Visas
- Previous Visa Refusals

For Research courses, the following additional uploads are mandatory

- Research Proposal
- Research Training Document
- Research Personal Statement
- Research Sponsorship/funding letter