School of Performance

Opera Studies Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

Programme Specification March 2012 (Updated August 2015)

Introduction: What are programme specifications?

Programme specifications focus on single programmes of study, and outline the intended knowledge, understanding, skills and attributes of a student successfully completing that programme. A programme specification also gives details of teaching and assessment methods as well as linking the programme to the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications and any subsequent professional qualification and career path.

The University of Manchester validates the programmes taught at Rose Bruford College and as part of the validation process, the College is required to produce approved programme specifications for all the programmes that it offers.

This programme specification forms one part of a set of different types of document about your programme that also includes the prospectus, module specifications and information on the College’s website and VLE. The Programme Specification is published on the College’s website.

There may be concern that 'specifying' what a student will have learnt at the end of the programme might inhibit innovation within that programme. For this reason it is important not to see programme specifications as 'tick lists'. They offer broad indications of what students might be expected to learn and the types of skills and abilities they might be expected to gain.

Rose Bruford College Undergraduate Programme Specification 1. GENERAL INFORMATION UCAS

Name of Final Award

Programme Title

Duration

Mode of study

Code N/a

BA (Hons)

Opera Studies

3-12 years

Part-Time Online Learning

Intermediate Awards (Exit awards only) Dip HE

Opera Studies

2-6 years

Part-Time Online Learning

Cert HE

Opera Studies

1-4 years

Part-Time Online Learning

Teaching Institution

Rose Bruford College

Awarding Institution

The University of Manchester

External Examiner

Nicholas Baragwanath Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Nottingham

Programme Accreditation Relevant QAA subject benchmark(s)

Other Points of Reference

Music

i.

The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies (October 2014)

ii.

The UK Quality code for Higher Education

iii.

Guidelines for Preparing a Programme Specification (QAA)

iv.

Rose Bruford College Mission Statement

v.

University of Manchester guidance notes

3

Rose Bruford College Undergraduate Programme Specification 2. AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME(S) The programme aims to: 1

enable you to study for a degree in opera studies at your own pace from home

2

offer you educational opportunities to develop your present or future career in opera or the arts

3

enrich your understanding and awareness of the importance of the theoretical, historical and contextual aspects of studying opera provide a degree-level education in opera that will prepare you to undertake more specialised work at graduate level enrich your experience and appreciation of live performance and production

4 5

provide you with a range of generic and transferable skills in analysis, research, communication and academic argument

6

3. INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE PROGRAMME A. Knowledge and Understanding On successful completion of the programme you will be able to: Benchmark A1

situate operas within their historical, social and political contexts

M4.11

A2

M4.11, M4.15

A4

identify financial, political and operational contexts in which operas are produced and how they impact on the artistic decision-making process. explain basic musical concepts such as keys and tonality and apply them in the study of vocal and orchestral scores place opera composers, librettists and practitioners in historical and relative contexts

A5

evaluate judgements of taste and value in a range of critical domains

M4.11,

A6

explain and discuss significant developments in opera

M4.11, M4.15

A7

gain a detailed knowledge of the main artistic movements, traditions and ideologies that influence and inform opera in all periods of its history

M4.9, M4.11

A8

acquire an informed awareness of the working contexts and organisation of historical and contemporary opera production

M4.9, M4.11

A3

M4.8, M4.11, M4.11,

Learning & Teaching Processes

Assessment

(to allow you to achieve intended learning outcomes)

(of intended learning outcomes)

Distributed teaching materials with graduated tasks and exercises with full responses through which you will be able to gauge your assimilation of the material. The majority of these will be interactive. Guided listening Core assignments in each module Supervised Research project Tutor contact through email, telephone, VLE chat rooms, marked assignments. Specified texts

The programme employs both formative and summative assessment in order to measure the intended Learning Outcomes. Modules are examined through submitted essays on a variety of topics and in varied formats (i.e. sectional and single topic) Research Project (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8)

→

4

Rose Bruford College Undergraduate Programme Specification B. Intellectual Skills On successful completion of the programme you will be able to: Benchmark B1

identify and practise primary study skills and scholarly research methods

M4.14

B2

identify specific models of theory and analysis appropriate for the study of opera, and begin to apply these in critical assessments

M4.14

B3

identify and apply analytical approaches appropriate for systematic and indepth historical and contextual inquiry plan and write an independent research project on a chosen topic (not a requirement for the 300-credit BA Pass Degree)

M4.14

engage with, apply and integrate complex theoretical analyses in relation to primary and secondary material.

M4.14

B4 B5

Learning & Teaching Processes

Assessment

Intellectual skills are developed through a range of graded tasks and exercises through the module involving both written and aural material Through the completion of core assignments in each module

M4.14, M4.17

Written assignments Research project

→

Specified texts Tutor contact through platform and telephone

Email,

Moodle

Supervised Research Project

C. Practical Skills On successful completion of the programme you will be able to: Benchmark C1

undertake detailed comparative analyses of operas and approaches to opera practice

M4.8, M4.11, M4.14

C2

utilise specialised skills in comparative opera analysis

M4.8, M4.11, M4.14

C3

utilise specialist skills in music analysis

M4.8, M4.11, M4.14

C4

utilise specialist skills in score reading

M4.8, M4.11, M4.14

Learning & Teaching Processes Distributed teaching material Core assignments in each module

Assessment

→

Supervised Research Project Tutor contact via email, telephone and Moodle platform Specified texts

5

Written assignment Research Project

Rose Bruford College Undergraduate Programme Specification

D. Transferable Skills/Personal Qualities On successful completion of the programme you will be able to: Benchmark M4.14

D2

maintain scholarly modes of presentation and approaches to referencing and bibliography present a structured argument in written assignments

D3

engage in independent scholarly research and discursive written analysis

M4.15

D4

M4.15

D5

undertake a range of formal assessments to a range of specified briefings (assignments) engage in critical self-assessment

D6

read and follow musical notation

M4.8

D7

respond to the precise terms of a designated assignment

M4.14

D8

develop and apply skills of analysis in research, critical writing performance and music

M4.17, M4.14

D9

locate and discuss primary material within historical and theoretical frameworks

M4.14, M4.15

D10

identify the theoretical assumptions informing their own work and the writings/practices of others

M4.14, M4.15

D11

undertake relevant research and make effective use of supporting primary and secondary evidence and source

M4.14, M4.17

D12

formulate a comprehensive response to a designated assignment

M4.14, M4.15

D13

deploy advanced skills of critical, contextual, theoretical and performance analysis, and achieve the integration of these in written submissions

M4.14, M4.15

D14

demonstrate approaches to analytical inquiry which are discursive, associative and flexible rather than precisely chronological or historical

M4.15, M4.17

D1

Learning & Teaching Processes

Assessment

Distributed teaching material Core assignments in each module Supervised Research Project Tutor support through email, telephone and Moodle platform Specified texts

Written assignments Research project

→

6

M4.14, M4.15

M4.16, M4.14

Rose Bruford College Undergraduate Programme Specification 4. THE STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAMME Modules and Credit Weighting (Bold = compulsory) Module Code Level 4 OS401 OS402 OS403 OS404 OS405 OS406 OS407 OS407A Level 5 OS501 OS502 OS503 OS504 OS505 OS506 OS507 OS508 OS509 OS510

Module Title

Credits

ECT Credits

Opera at Work Mastering the Basics of Music Mastering the Basics of Analysis Part 1 Mastering the Basics of Analysis Part 2 Opera in Context Ways of talking about Opera The Singer The Singer in Practise

20 20 10 10 20 20 20 20

10 10 5 5 10 10 10 10

The Baroque Part 1 The Baroque Part 2 Romanticism Part 1 Romanticism Part 2 Monteverdi Verdi Wagner Mozart Libretto The Development of the Operatic Overture and its Relation to the Symphony The Orchestra and Conductor Opera in France

20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

10 10

5 5

20 20 40 10 20 10 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 10 10 10 10

10 10 20 5 10 5 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 5 5 5 5

OS511 OS512 Level 6 OS601 Birth of the Modern Part 1 OS602 Birth of the Modern Part 2 OS603 Independent Research Project (Honours route only) OS604 Wagner’s Ring: An Introduction OS605 Wagner’s Ring: The Operas OS606 Women in Opera: The Theory OS607 Women in Opera: the Practice OS608 Opera since WWII OS609 The Nationalists OS610 Shakespeare in Opera OS611 Production, Design and Direction OS612 Wagner’s heirs OS613 Lieder OS614 Berg OS615 Britten OS616 Myth in opera OS617 Puccini Programme Structure (Compulsory modules) Level 4 Semester 1 OS401, OS402, OS406

Semester 2 OS403, OS404, OS405, OS407

Semester 1 OS501, OS503

Semester 2 OS502, OS504

Semester 1 OS601 (OS603)

Semester 2 OS602 (OS604)

Level 5

Level 6

7

Rose Bruford College Undergraduate Programme Specification 5. CURRICULUM PROGRESSION: INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR EACH YEAR Level

Intended learning outcomes

Level 4

Level 4 introduces and develops the academic and intellectual skills and critical frames that you will build on in the remainder of the programme. On completion of Level 4 you will be able to:

(Certificate of Higher Education)

 

Level 5 (Diploma of Higher Education)

situate operas within their historical, social and political contexts identify financial, political and operational contexts in which operas are produced and how they impact on the artistic decisionmaking process;  explain basic musical concepts such as keys and tonality and apply them in the study of vocal and orchestral scores;  place opera composers, librettists and practitioners in historical and relative contexts;  utilise specialist skills in music analysis. Level 5 takes the skills learned at level 4 and develops and deepens them further. On completion of Level 5 you will be able to:       

evaluate judgements of taste and value in a range of critical domains; explain and discuss significant developments in opera; identify the main artistic movements, traditions and ideologies that influence and inform opera in all periods of its history; undertake detailed comparative analyses of operas and approaches to opera practice; employ appropriate primary study skills and scholarly research methods; identify specific models of theory and analysis appropriate for the study of opera, and begin to apply these in critical assessments. Apply appropriate specialist skills in music analysis

Level 6

Level 6 continues the development of your skills.

Bachelor’s Degree Ordinary

Please refer to programme level ILOs

Bachelor’s Degree with Honours

Intermediate Level Awards Students’ circumstances may, for any number of reasons, prevent them from completing a full honours degree. For these students, the following exit awards are available and provide appropriate recognition of the study they have been able to complete: Certificate in Opera Studies on completion of Level 4 (120 credits) Diploma in Opera Studies on completion of Levels 4 and 5 (240 credits) BA pass degree in Opera Studies on completion of Levels 4 and 5 and 60 credits at level 6 (300 credits) Students wishing to complete a full honours degree (completion of Levels 4, 5 and 6: 360 credits) are allowed a maximum of 10 years. 8

Rose Bruford College Undergraduate Programme Specification 6. STUDENT INDUCTION, SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT Student induction and support take place at programme level. At the programme level:    

You receive access to a Student Handbook via the VLE. Each module throughout the programme is introduced with a briefing page. You are allocated a personal tutor from the programme team, to provide academic support. You will receive written feedback on all assessment tasks, and will be encouraged to reflect on practice and to identify future learning goals.

At the College level:  





You are invited to use the College-based facilities of a Student Services including those of student counselling, Specialist Support & Equality Officer and dyslexia support. You will take part in the College’s Personal Development Planning scheme. During the programme, you are able to discuss your personal and professional development with the Programme Director, and plan future action. You will be introduced to the Learning Resources Centre (LRC) at induction, and receive both targeted and on-going research skills and information literacy instruction and support during the remainder of your programme. Ongoing academic support is available through the specialist Academic Support Team, and through on-line support materials. The programme is designed to be developmental; each successive level represents a distinct phase in your development, and the level learning outcomes reflect this. At Level 4, induction and study support equip you for degree-level study. At Level 5, assignments are more complex and demand greater personal responsibility; associated online tutorials will both guide you through projects and encourage reflection and contextualisation. At Level 6, you are expected to be a self-directed learner; again regular tutorials associated with specific projects will guide you and ensure that your learning is appropriately contextualised. Through all three levels, Personal Development Planning will frame your learning in individual and professional terms. Technical Support:     

You are required to have access to a computer, a web camera, headset and microphone (if your computer does not have in-built microphone and speakers) and a broadband internet connection. Moodle User System Requirements are distributed with the initial programme information pack and you will be alerted of subsequent updates. Guidance tutorials for Mac-users and other aspects of technical support are available on the study support section of the VLE. You must have the resources to open, edit and create documents compatible with Microsoft Office (either your own copy of Microsoft Office or compatible software such as OpenOffice). The College will provide support on the use of the VLE, College webmail and other in-house platforms; but this support does not extend to third-party software or devices, e.g. your own computer.

9

Rose Bruford College Undergraduate Programme Specification 7. CURRICULUM MAP OF MODULES AGAINST INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE PROGRAMME (A = Skills assessed within the module)

OS406

20

A

OS407

The Singer

20

A

20

A

The Singer in Practise

A

A

A

A A

20

A

A

A

OS502

The Baroque Part 2

20

A

A

A

OS503

Romanticism Part 1

20

A

OS504

Romanticism Part 2

20

A

OS505

Monteverdi

20

A

OS506

Verdi

20

A

A

A

OS507

Wagner

20

A

A

A

OS508

Mozart

20

A

A

OS509

Libretto

20

OS510 OS511

20 10

A

A

A

A

A

The Baroque Part 1

The Development of the Operatic Overture The Orchestra and Conductor

A

A

OS501

A A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

10

D14

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

D13

A

A

D12

A

D11

A

D10

A

D9

A

D8

A

D7

A

D6

A

D5

A

D4

A

D3

A

C4

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

D2

A

D1

20

Ways of Talking about Opera

Transferable Skills/Personal Qualities

A

C3

A

C2

A

C1

A

Practical Skills

B5

10

OS405

OS404

B4

B2 A

A

B3

B1 A

20

Mastering the Basics of Analysis Part 1 Mastering the Basics of Analysis Part 2 Opera in Context

A7

A

Mastering the Basics of Music

A6

10

OS402

A

A5

A

20

A4

A

Opera at Work

A3 A

OS401

A2

A

Cr

A1

A

Module title

OS403

Intellectual Skills

A

Code

OS407A

Level 5

Knowledge & Understanding

A8

Level 4

Bold = compulsory modules

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A A

A A

A

A A

A A

A A

A

A

A

A

A

A

Rose Bruford College Undergraduate Programme Specification

OS512

Opera in France

Knowledge & Understanding 10

A

Intellectual Skills

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

C4

D1

D2

D3

D4

D5

D6

D7

D8

D9

D10

D11

D12

D13

D14

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

20

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

Wagner’s Ring: The Theory

10

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

OS605

Wagner’s Ring: The Music

20

A

OS606

Women in Opera: The Theory

A

A

A

A

A

A

10

A

OS607

Women in Opera: The Practice

A

A

A

A

A

A

20

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

OS608

Opera Since WWII

20

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

OS609

The Nationalists

20

OS610

Shakespeare in Opera

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

OS611

Production, Design and Direction

20

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

OS612

Wagner’s heirs

20

A

A

A

A

A

A

20

A

A

A

A

A

OS613

Lieder

20

A

A

A

A

A

OS614

Berg

10

A

A

A

A

OS615

Britten

10

A

A

A

OS616

Myth in Opera

10

A

A

OS617

Puccini

10

A

A

A

A

A

A

C1

A

B5

A

B4

B3

C3

Transferable Skills/Personal Qualities

A

B2

OS604

A

A

B1

OS603

A

Transferable Skills/Personal Qualities

Practical Skills

A8

20

Dissertation

Intellectual Skills

A

A7

OS602

A

A6

20

Birth of the modern Part 2

A5

OS601

A4

Cr

Birth of the Modern Part 1

A3

Module title

A1

Code

A2

Level 6

Knowledge & Understanding

A

Practical Skills

C2

Bold = compulsory modules

A

A

A

A

11

A

A

A A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

Rose Bruford College Undergraduate Programme Specification 8. CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION The programme is open access and every application is considered on its own merits. Consideration is given to applicants with non-standard entry qualifications.

9. PROGRESSION AND ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS Please refer to the University of Manchester Undergraduate Academic Regulations.

10. MECHANISM FOR PROGRAMME REVISION The programme is regularly reviewed through the College's annual programme monitoring process. As part of this process, the Programme Committee receives feedback from students, external examiners and academic staff. Recommendations for any revisions to the programme can be discussed as part of this annual monitoring process. Any proposed modifications by the programme team should be discussed with the Head of School and Director of Learning, Teaching & Curriculum Development. They should then be sent for consideration by the relevant External Examiner. The proposed modifications, together with the completed proforma, will then be sent to the Learning, Quality & Standards Committee and then on to the University of Manchester for approval.

Date of original production: Date of current version:

Updated August 2015

12

Rose Bruford College Undergraduate Programme Specification

13