Course Outline

BCI304 Creative Engagement

Course Coordinator:Leah Barclay (lbarclay@usc.edu.au) School:School of Business and Creative Industries

2026Trimester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Creative Engagement is an interdisciplinary course where you will participate in an intensive project working directly with industry and community. This course offers multiple opportunities including presenting new work at a national festival or conference, collaborating on a professional creative project, or travelling to a remote location for fieldwork. You will be guided by experienced academics and industry to develop ideas, communicate processes, deliver professional projects and gain experience in the field. Pre-approval from the course coordinator is required to enrol in Sessions 4 and 8.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Interactive online learning activities. 1hr Week 1 4 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Scheduled face to face workshops. 2hrs Week 1 4 times
Fieldwork – Minimum of 30 hours of field work/project equivalent 30hrs Week 3 Once Only
Online
Learning materials – Interactive online learning activities. 1hr Week 1 4 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Scheduled online workshops (Recorded). 2hrs Week 1 4 times
Fieldwork – Minimum of 30 hours of field work/project equivalent 30hrs Week 3 Once Only

Course Topics

  • Project Development 
  • Design Thinking 
  • Field Work 
  • Collaboration 
  • Interdisciplinary Research 
  • Inclusive Design 
  • Industry Engagement

What level is this course?

300 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Apply creative project development, research, project management and interdisciplinary skills Knowledgeable
2 Communicate knowledge, concepts and creative ideas to various audiences and stakeholders. Empowered
Engaged
3 Recognise and reflect upon local, regional, and global perspectives in approaching creative practices Creative and critical thinker
Engaged
Sustainability-focussed
4 Apply design thinking, ethical practice, and inclusive design methods to generate innovative creative projects and original ideas for diverse contexts locally and internationally. Empowered
Ethical
Engaged
5 Create design solutions, concepts and outcomes for industry bodies, communities and clients informed by social, cultural, and ecological awareness (including SDGs) Ethical
Engaged
Sustainability-focussed
6 Critically evaluate and utilise problem-solving strategies, creativity, and theoretical frameworks to work collaboratively with a team to delivery a major project outcome Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Engaged
Sustainability-focussed

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Students will receive feedback on project proposals and creative concepts in Week 3

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Plan Individual or Group 20%
1500 words or equivalent (length negotiated according to team size).
Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Artefact - Creative, and Oral Individual or Group 30%
10-minute oral presentation or equivalent video submission.
Week 12 To be Negotiated
All 3 Portfolio Individual 50%
2000-word field report and supporting creative artefacts with documentation (or equivalent)
Week 12 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Creative Engagement Plan
Goal:
Develop a detailed project plan or field work itinerary that outlines how you will prepare for, structure and deliver your creative engagement project. Your plan must demonstrate early-stage project development, research, and logistical and critical thinking, showing how collaboration, fieldwork and/or community engagement will inform your creative outcomes and disciplinary learning.
Product: Plan
Format:
You will produce a project plan or fieldwork itinerary that clearly articulates the scope of your creative project. This should include:
- a project overview and rationale
- a proposed project schedule or detailed fieldwork itinerary
- key locations, activities, partners or stakeholders involved
- team roles and responsibilities
- project scope, deliverables and expected outcomes
- project management considerations (time, communication, workflow)
- relevant risk assessment components

Your submission must also include early process documentation, such as preliminary research notes, meeting summaries or initial concept sketches. You are required to share your draft plan during a project meeting with your project supervisor prior to submission. The plan must be submitted in written form, but the layout and format can be negotiated with the Course Coordinator. Full task details are provided in the Task 1 folder on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Application of creative project development and research
1 5 6
2
Application of project management skills
1 6
3
Communication of concepts, plans and proposed project outcomes
2
Generic Skills:
Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 2:Creative Engagement Presentation
Goal:
Communicate your project experience, insights and outcomes to industry stakeholders, community partners and broader audiences through a professional presentation or video. This task showcases your fieldwork, creative processes and collaborative project development and outcomes in a format suitable for external engagement.
Product: Artefact - Creative, and Oral
Format:
You will prepare and deliver a Creative Engagement Presentation that draws directly on your fieldwork and project experience. This presentation is intended for a community-facing, professional context and may be delivered to a public audience that includes industry stakeholders, community partners and other external participants.

The presentation may be completed as either a live oral presentation or a pre-recorded video submission, depending on your project context and partner requirements. Your presentation may include creative artefacts, field documentation, images, video, audio or other supporting materials.

All group members must contribute and clearly communicate their individual roles, insights or contributions to the project. You will submit your final presentation slides and any supporting audio-visual materials via Canvas. Full task details are provided in the Task 2 folder on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Communication of project experience and outcomes to various audiences and stakeholders
2
2
Reflection on local, regional and global perspectives in project outcomes and experiences
3
3
Application of ethical and inclusive design methods in project delivery and outcomes
4
4
Application of original creative ideas, processes and outcomes in collaboration with a project team
4 5 6
Generic Skills:
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 3:Creative Engagement Portfolio
Goal:
Develop a portfolio that includes field journals and creative artefacts documenting your creative processes, personal responses and critical reflections on all fieldwork and creative experiences undertaken during the project. Your portfolio should demonstrate your personal contributions to the creative outcomes and show how community engagement shaped your insights, outcomes and overall contribution.
Product: Portfolio
Format:
The format of your portfolio will depend on your project and must be negotiated with the Course Coordinator. Your submission will include a 2000-word field report (or equivalent) supported by creative artefacts and field documentation that together demonstrate your creative processes, personal responses and critical reflections on all fieldwork and community engagement experiences. Your portfolio should incorporate your field journals, including notes, reflections and observations gathered throughout the project, along with creative artefacts developed through or informed by your fieldwork. It should also include relevant documentation such as images, maps, sketches, audio-visual material or production logs that evidence your creative and research processes. The final portfolio must clearly demonstrate your individual contribution to the project and show how community engagement shaped your insights, outcomes and overall creative direction. Full task details are provided in the Task 3 folder on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Application of creative skills, project management and research
1
2
Communication of outcomes, knowledge and creative ideas
2
3
Reflection on local, regional and global perspectives and project context
3
4
Application of original creative practice and ethical and inclusive design methods
4
5
Application of design solutions informed by social, cultural and ecological awareness (including SGDs)
5
6
Application of creative and communication skills in collaboration and effective team work.
2 6
Generic Skills:
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Risk assessments have been performed for all field activities and low to moderate levels of health and safety risk exists. Moderate risks may include working in an Australian bush setting, working with people, working outside normal office hours for example. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au