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  2. Performing and Creative Arts Research [BPA4001]

School: Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Performing and Creative Arts Research

  • Unit Code

    BPA4001

  • Year

    2026

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    30

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Renee NEWMAN

Description

Students design and develop a research project related to their intended area of research. The development of their research is supported by introduction to a range of theories and lenses through which to critically examine the creative and performing arts. Students learn how to scope out a project, refine a topic, articulate questions, conduct a literature review and design an appropriate methodological approach. They synthesise creative practice experience with theoretical knowledge to develop a research plan. Project possibilities include but are not limited to: a choreographic, directorial, design, or socio-political study; creative writing, visual arts, performance/live/installation arts, and screen production; an exploration of arts pedagogy; or arts administration and/or creative producing.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse the major theoretical frameworks and methodologies associated with creative and performing arts research, including practice-as-research methodologies
  2. Evaluate and select appropriate research methodologies for conducting research in the creative and performing arts.
  3. Prepare and present a research proposal in both written and oral formats.

Unit Content

  1. Theories and philosophies in the creative and performing arts.
  2. Research methodologies.
  3. Research ethics
  4. Preparing a research proposal.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

City CampusJoondalupSouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 110 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 170 x 1.5 hour practical classNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

Students may negotiate other project ideas within their area of interest. Students will attend one theoretical class together per week. Each student is expected to meet regularly with a supervisor and each stream will offer practical workshops exploring creative arts research methodologies.

Assessment

GS2 GRADING SCHEMA 2 Used for Undifferentiated Pass/Fail units inc. practical units or work-integrated learning

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescription
Reflective PracticeReflective practice exercise
PresentationOral presentation
AssignmentResearch proposal

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

  • Plagiarism: Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).
  • Unauthorised collaboration (collusion): Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).
  • Contract cheating: Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.
  • Cheating in an exam: Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment Procedure - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment Procedure - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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