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Students are introduced to the philosophy and ethos of the programme through a series of seminars and presentations by staff and visiting speakers. Initial curricular project work is designed to enable students to benefit from the wide range of approaches and backgrounds represented within the programme; students also make presentations of their work to each other and to tutors.

Following these first communal assignments students are required to choose from a series of project options – electives – which cover a range of issues and approaches, managed and critiqued by specialist tutors. Each project will have been set for quite specific reasons – these will be clearly stated in the briefing document accompanying them and will provide the criteria by which your work on the project is assessed.

This first round of electives will normally occupy the whole of the first term, culminating in a series of crits and discussions early in the spring term. Following this, students will again be asked to choose from another series of projects, though this time they will have the option of proposing a project of their own, in consultation with their personal tutor. These self-proposed projects must also have the approval of the appropriate senior tutor.

One of the primary functions of these elective projects is to enable students who wish to focus on a comparatively narrow area of communications to do so – alternatively they may choose to experiment in what is for them a new area of work. Both of these approaches are valid and are encouraged, though in the case of the second approach it should be made clear that we shall expect the same level of commitment and rigour – experimenting in a new area is demanding, and should be a carefully considered option.

Students also undertake the mandatory Critical & Historical Studies programme in their first year, in which a series of lectures, seminars and tutorials culminates in the submission of a dissertation at the start of the second year.

During the second year, students will continue to work on individual projects, which may include projects arising from first-year work or which make use of the wide number of competitions and commissions mentioned earlier. Many students also take the opportunity to work in collaboration with others, often from other areas of the College. These projects conclude with a publication and/or other output.

Students will also be expected to take a full part in the programme of seminars, discussions and debates which will be provided to address issues relating to contemporary culture.