Course Outline

DES206 Photomedia Curation

Course Coordinator:Tricia King (tking2@usc.edu.au) School:School of Business and Creative Industries

2026Trimester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

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 unisc.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

This course will extend your photographic knowledge and communication skills to support the production of a developed portfolio of work. You will explore advanced practical approaches to photography in the context of national and international photomedia practices. This course will explore the discourse around creative portfolio development, and engage multiple platforms of publishing and showcasing your work. 
 

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Interactive online learning activities. 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Scheduled face to face workshops. 2hrs Week 1 10 times
Fieldwork – Scheduled fieldwork 2hrs Week 5 2 times
Online
Learning materials – Interactive online learning activities. 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Scheduled online workshops (Recorded). 2hrs Week 1 10 times
Fieldwork – Virtual fieldwork (Recorded). 2hrs Week 5 2 times

Course Topics

Curatorial practice, contemporary photographic practices, industry engagement, genres of photography, presentation and outputs, photobooks, alternative exhibitions.

What level is this course?

200 Level (Developing)

Building on and expanding the scope of introductory knowledge and skills, developing breadth or depth and applying knowledge and skills in a new context. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally, undertaken in the second or third full-time year of an undergraduate programs.

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 the elements and principles of design/photography to create art works for the purpose of self-expression and to a brief which to communicate ideas, information, and/or messages. Knowledgeable
2 Describe, analyse and reflect on concepts for the creation of works that address a variety of creative challenges. Creative and critical thinker
3 Develop further skills to reflect on the effectiveness of work in progress, and utilise self-reflection to revise the creative work to completion. Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
4 Extend skills in working with a range of media for developing/producing a portfolio. Knowledgeable
5 Critically analyse and evaluate the historical/contemporary frameworks for the visual language of photographs. Engaged

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

Microcredential Information

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

Ongoing early feedback via weekly tasks, student critique of work in progress in class time weeks 4, 8 and 12.

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 Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece Individual 25%
4 high resolution images plus reflective journal
Week 5 Online Submission
All 2 Artefact - Creative, and Oral Individual 25%
8 minute video presentation plus reflective journal with drafts.
Week 9 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check and in class
All 3 Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece Individual 50%
Printed and/or online Portfolio, length to be determined in consultation with your tutor. An artist statement and mock up of final presentation is to be provided.
Week 12 Online Submission
All - Assessment Task 1:Engaging in Style and Genre
Goal:
Goal: 	The goal of this task is to begin to explore your own work and contextualise it within contemporary photographic practice. You will explore the work of two highly proficient photographers, examining their approach to subject, technique and style. You will create photographic images using a similar stylistic element incorporated into your own work. You will discuss the practice of the photographer and explain your approach to the work in a reflective journal.
Product: Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Identify the stylistic approach of two different photographers and then work to incorporate this element into your own photographic work. You will create two images per photographer (4 images in total) influenced by this style (but within your own unique work) and accompany this with a reflective journal.



See Canvas for more details.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Apply the elements of photography to create art works which communicate ideas, information and messages
1
2
Further develop, reflect on and revise the concepts for the creation of work.
2
3
Extend your skills in working with a range of media for developing a portfolio.
4
4
Further skills to reflect on the effectiveness of preliminary versions, using self-reflection to guide editing and revisions.
3
5
Critical analysis and evaluation of the historical/contemporary frameworks for photography.
5
Generic Skills:
Communication, Applying technologies
All - Assessment Task 2:Presenting the development
Goal:
As you work towards the development of a significant body of work for task 3, this assignment gives you the opportunity to reflect upon the development so far and look towards the final product.
Product: Artefact - Creative, and Oral
Authorship Statement:
Format:
For this task you will present your work in progress using Powerpoint (or equivalent) to show images in development and other relevant material which details your planning of your final portfolio. You will provide a reflective journal which critically reflects upon your work in progress in the context of contemporary creative practice and positions the work for an intended audience.

Further details can be found on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Apply the elements of photograph to create art works which communicate, ideas, information and messages
1
2
Further develop, reflect on and revise the concepts for the work.
2
3
Develop creativity, exploration and clarity of interpretation of your own work
3
4
Critical analysis and evaluation of the historical/contemporary frameworks for photography.
5
Generic Skills:
Communication, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 3:Photographic Portfolio
Goal:
Your goal is to create a coherent body of photographic work which is of a professional standard and in a topic/genre of your choosing. You will position the work within contemporary practice and identify presentation technique and audience.
Product: Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
You will present a final photographic portfolio of your work. Presentation type and image numbers to be determined in consultation with your tutor.  You must meet with your tutor to get feedback ahead of submission.  Your mock up can be done in any format (online gallery, PDF, website etc) and the an artist statement will accompany the work.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Achievement of quality, distinctive vision and ability in producing a compelling photographic portfolio.
3
2
Critical analysis and evaluation of the historical/contemporary frameworks informing your work.
5
3
Accomplished technical skills to support the work across the portfolio.
4
4
Depth and clarity of presentation of portfolio, value of ideas and information
1
Generic Skills:
Communication, Applying technologies

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

This course requires a DSLR or mirrorless camera (a camera able to be operated in a fully manual mode).  Cameras are available for hire for on campus students

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

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

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: