Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2012

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

This unit provides you with the opportunity to produce a final project of practical relevance at an advanced empirical and conceptual level, appropriate for a beginning professional. The unit addresses the need for you to consolidate the skills, knowledge and attitudes you have developed in previous design studios in preparation for the complexities and responsibilities of practice within the greater professional and social context; a context which often demands a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach. In this capstone unit, you will compile schematic and finally resolved design propositions.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to:

• Consolidate your understanding of advanced interior design theory and its application and relevance in professional practice.
  
• Consolidate and extend your knowledge and skills in preparation for entrance to the profession and associated fields.
  
• Provide you with a greater appreciation of the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary nature of interior design practice.
  
• Enable your transition from university to a professional level, adopting a high level of responsibility for the outcomes of your work.

Objectives

On completion of this final year unit you should be able to demonstrate at the level appropriate for a commencing professional:

1. Responsibility of an interior designer responding to cultural, social, environmental and personal requirements and goals.
   
2. Recognition of interior design practice as an interdisciplinary and collaborative activity.
   
3. The ability to undertake and resolve a substantial and complex design project in a deep, holistic way.
   
4. The ability to manage a substantial and complex design project in an efficient, ethical and environmentally responsible way, and in a technically and aesthetically proficient manner.

Content

The substantive and procedural aspects of the major project, associated lectures and studio based activities constitute the content of the unit. Substantive content relates to:

1. The various ways in which people interact with each other and their environment;
   
2. The psycho-social theory that informs our understanding of this; and
   
3. The technological and technical aspects associated with designing a built environment (including interior elements such as fixtures, fittings, finishes and furnishings) within the greater social and physical context.

Integrally tied to substantive content is procedural content relating to:

1. How you will undertake and manage the project; and
2. How you will integrate values, activities, site and technological constraints technically, aesthetically and ethically.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Strategies to be adopted in teaching the unit and creating learning experiences include: externalisation and explicit imagining, representing and testing of ideas and proposals for the projects; a focus on process as well as product; the requirement to acknowledge sources of information and inspiration in developing the design proposal; small group discussions and critiques where you can learn from each other; externalising and critically evaluating prior and current knowledge; conceptions and expectations; and involvement of practising designers as tutors.

The main vehicle for facilitating learning in this unit is a major project with interim presentations and critiques. Where appropriate the project will be situated in a real site necessitating visits and surveys. Studio sessions involving individual and small group consultation with a tutor will be supported by lectures. An online facility will be provided to support the content delivery and studio sessions through the provision of information associated with the unit, as a work in progress repository, and for uploading electronic copies of assessable submissions.

The project will require you to move through the various stages of developing, documenting and presenting your design proposal. In doing this, you will be informed by methodological theory in design that will enable you to externalise and explain your design process. The project at this stage in the course will be highly complex and requiring attention to a diverse and conflicting range of macro and micro issues at a sophisticated level.

Assessment

The assessment of this unit is based on a major design project. Assessment will be both formative and summative.

1. The requirements and program will be discussed during Week 1 of semester. The project objectives will be based on the unit learning outcomes.
   
2. Assessment criteria will be established to both guide and evaluate your project development process.
   
3. You will undertake the project in stages appropriate for the specific project undertaken with a submission at each stage. As is the case with summative assessment, each submission will be weighted as a percentage of the overall assessment for the project and the unit.

As you progress through the project you will be provided with detailed formative feedback regarding strengths and weaknesses and suggestions for further consideration on a weekly basis. Your participation in this process is mandatory.

Both formative and summative assessment will be undertaken at identified stages. Formative feedback will accompany the CRA sheets and summative assessment results will be posted on-line.

Assessment name: Project (applied)
Description: Stage 1: Sketch design proposal
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid Semester

Assessment name: Project (applied)
Description: Stage 2: Finally resolved design
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Semester

Assessment name: Portfolio
Description: Portfolio & Reflective Self-Assessment: Compilation of student's course work and self-evaluated critical reflections.
Relates to objectives: 1, 3, 4
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

There are no prescribed texts for this unit due to its project-based approach and the breadth of theory covered. A range of resource materials appropriate for specific projects may be recommended throughout the semester. You will be encouraged to reference materials from a range of sources from which you can draw conceptual, procedural, and substantive content to inform your design development.

Additional Costs
Costs for this unit relate to the normal costs incurred in the generation and presentation of a design project.

Risk assessment statement

In this unit you will undertake lectures and/or tutorials and studios in the traditional classrooms, studios and lecture theatres. As such, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.

Depending on the selected project, you may be required to take lecturer-led and/or self-directed site visits to building sites and/or partake in a field trip. These may be supervised and/or self-guided in nature. A risk assessment for such trips has been identified as of a low impact risk. You will be required to obey all safety guidelines and directions while attending such visits or trips. You should advise staff if you consider you will be at risk.

This unit may involve visits to construction sites for which you are required to attend a construction safety induction session and obtain a safety induction card. This safety induction session introduces you to the relevant workplace health and safety requirements of Queensland construction sites. A safety induction course is provided by the school in the first week of the first semester. This induction is mandatory.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 30-May-2012