EIN8000: Creative Industry Consulting Project
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Professor Jonathan Sapsed
- Owning School: Newcastle University Business School
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 0 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10 |
Aims
- To establish student groups in credible consulting relationships with the client organisation
- To diagnose the client's problems, needs, and opportunities
- To evaluate appropriate data and analyse in the search for solutions
- To form and articulate usable recommendations
- To develop students' capabilities in project team working
- To develop students capabilities to reflect and learn
- To advance the university's relationship with an external partner organisation
Outline Of Syllabus
- Consulting: Roles, Skills, and Practice
- Creative and Cultural Organisations: Sector specificities and typical consulting needs
- Diagnosis: Listening, assessing, and ideating a project plan
- Discovery: Identifying and undertaking research for a consulting project
- Teamworking and Trouble-Shooting: Interdisciplinary group dynamics and team roles
- Communication in Consulting: Presentation, writing, reasonable disagreement and persuasion
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | As specified in the syllabus |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 1 | 4:00 | 4:00 | Client meeting |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 1 | 4:00 | 4:00 | Presentation to Client |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | Periodic check-ins on the project progress |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 6 | 1:00 | 6:00 | Pre-recorded content |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 6 | 4:00 | 24:00 | Preparation and reading for workshops |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Pilot interviews |
| Guided Independent Study | Project work | 1 | 64:00 | 64:00 | Project meetings, research and analysis |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 50:00 | 50:00 | Report Writing and Presentation Preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | To prepare the reflective learning report |
| Total | 200 | ||||
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The module is a 'live' project in which student groups will act as consultants for an external client organisation in the creative or cultural sectors. The syllabus follows the phases of the typical research-led consulting project, which student groups will need to undertake, as do the 6 workshops. The structured research and reading hours support these workshops with preparation, including pre-recorded video content. The student groups will have the opportunity for meetings with the client at the inception and finally for the report presentation. There will be check-in sessions to support their progress with the Module Tutor and pilot qualitative interviews with colleagues to prepare for the research. Project work and Assessment Preparation and Completion form the largest activities to achieve the learning outcomes; delivering on a credible client-consultancy relationship, with the associated team work, division of labour and trouble shooting, and finding and analysing useful data to generate insights and recommendations on the client brief. Time is also allocated for a personal reflective report.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report 1 | 2 | A | 50 | Group Report intended to inform client, with research insight and recommendations |
| Oral Presentation 1 | 2 | A | 35 | Presentation and Discussion with Client at end of semester |
| Reflective log 1 | 2 | A | 15 | Individual reflective report |
Formative Assessment
| Description | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Prof skill assessment 1 | M | Assessment and feedback on the proposed project plan early in the semester and following the first client meeting |
| Prof skill assessment 2 | M | Second check-in with feedback on progress and interview pilots |
| Prof skill assessment 3 | M | Third check-in with feedback on the findings and preparations for the presentation |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The report will form 50% of the assessment for ILOs 1 to 4. ILO 4 on reporting to the client will also be assessed through the presentation and informed by the client. These assessments will be consistent across each group. The reflective report will be individually assessed.
Formative assessment will be given in the three check-ins, addressing milestones of proposal, analysis and progress, and reporting.
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/