BA (Hons) Arts and Visual Cultures Bachelor's degree at Richmond, The American International University in London

This course is designed to enable students to communicate effectively at university level. Students will be provided with input from a range of texts and audio from cross-cultural materials and practice fundamental research and writing and oracy skills. Students will become more familiar with the academic environment and its conventions through spoken and written production. With exposure to a range of academic texts, talks and digital skills, students will appreciate the role of academic integr

In this course, students will be introduced to a range of foundational skills to aid in their progression and success at the University and allow them to begin the process of becoming collaborative and independent learners. These skills will be introduced through investigations of social and/or environmental issues in the local area, using group work and report writing. Students will be introduced to, and use, a range of digital platforms as aids to effective communication through professional a

This course concentrates on developing the students' ability to read and think critically, and to read, understand and analyse texts from a range of genres. How do you successfully negotiate a path through a sea of information and then write it up? Using essential information literacy skills to help with guided research, this course develops the ability to produce effective and appropriate academic writing across the curriculum.

This course provides the foundations of studying societies in a global context. It explores a range of sociological approaches from the micro-level of social identities and interactions to the macro-level of structures and processes. It introduces key theoretical frameworks to consider ways in which societies are maintained and changed, and how central social institutions like family, school, work, and media reinforce and challenge the status quo. Students will learn elements of social research

This survey of London's history from the 17th century to the present foregrounds social and cultural history to help students engage with the metropolis as a catalyst for creativity, highlighting its evolving communities and global interconnectedness. Focusing on the lived experience of Londoners, students will examine how they shaped their city and forged new forms of expression related to identities of gender, race, social class and sexuality. Key areas of focus may include popular entertainme

This course provides a grounding in the practice and theory of visual thinking. Through theoretical frameworks such as semiotics, the course explores the changing role of images in society from a range of cultures and contexts: the arts, politics, science, sport, design and technology. Students will consider digital forms of observation and image making through visual analysis and will build on this understanding through photographic practice. The course examines questions concerning curating, c

Throughout history and across cultures, humans have translated and projected their natural, social and religious environments into images and artefacts. This course explores the making, display, meaning and impact of images and artefacts within specific cultural and societal settings up to the end of the nineteenth century. It focuses on analysing objects, artefacts, images, photography, film, advertising and fashion that shape our knowledge of the past and the present. Students examine the natu

Practical introduction to contemporary media production through creating a podcast, a short film and a photographic essay. Focus on photography, audio and video recording and editing using industry-standard hardware and software. Students build practical skills and creativity across visual and sonic media, study the history of visual and sonic media alongside contemporary professional work, and use strategies such as media skills audits to plan practical work.

Comprehensive introduction to the evolution of mass media and communication from print and broadcast to the internet, social media and AI. Covers production and consumption across advertising, public relations, journalism, television, film, music and gaming. Addresses contemporary issues with recent events, applying tools and theories to develop media literacy, including complex topics such as media ownership.

Explores film as a medium across cultural and historical contexts, from the first projections in the late nineteenth century to online distribution today. Using noteworthy films, the course introduces key film theories and concepts and examines how ideologies and meanings are embedded in the medium.

Develops critical research and writing skills for academic and professional settings. Focuses on good scholarship and academic practice required across university study and professional environments. On completion, students confidently use resources to produce well-researched writing that demonstrates critical engagement with a self-selected topic.

Provides theoretical and practical understanding of communication within and between cultures to build cohesion and address division. Builds awareness of complex cultural identities and introduces theories of International Communication with practical applications in case studies, simulations and project work.

Surveys ancient cultures from the Bronze and Iron Ages, exploring how politics, religion, art, trade and beliefs shaped societies. Develops critical engagement with primary and secondary sources to understand state formation, empires and identity. Emphasises trade networks and cross-cultural interactions and builds historical analysis skills.

Introduces key skills for contemporary filmmaking. Students work as a crew, using video cameras, tripods and professional editing software