Masters Degrees (Applied Theatre)

MA Applied Theatre is an exciting taught postgraduate degree that offers the opportunity to explore key concepts and methodologies in applied theatre and performance. Applied Theatre is an umbrella term, embracing participatory performance and workshop activity that often have social, political or developmental objectives.

Course detail

Why study Applied Theatre at York St John?

• Your own practice is at the centre of the programme - A central focus is your own individual practice, with specialist modules providing the opportunity to develop new skills and techniques in different locations and contexts.

• Establish a professional profile - This programme will offer you the chance to develop your professional profile within the growing field of applied theatre activity, building on your existing skills and knowledge.

• Engage with applied and community based projects - Central to the programme are workshop and project opportunities with established partners and locations in the wider community.

• Work with people who use mental health services - The University has established a formal relationship with local mental health services. The project, called Converge works in partnership with the NHS to deliver courses in theatre and other arts. You will have the opportunity to run courses and workshops for mental health service users.

Format

The programme is designed to focus on developing your abilities and capacities for professional, vocational and academic innovation. We emphasise relationships between practice and theory, reflection and documentation. This degree is structured to enable candidates who already have some experience of theatre, drama and performance practice to expand their artistic horizons, encounter related knowledge and discourses and develop specific skills in applied theatre.

This element of the MA award consists of two 40 credit modules, which are discipline specific modules particular to MA Applied Theatre. These modules will be primarily focused around your own practice, contextualised by examination of various key practitioners, modes or epistemologies.

Modules

- Applied Theatre Practice -

This module invites you to interrogate the processes – from conception and implementation to evaluation and analysis – employed in applied theatre practice. You will be invited to critically consider and evaluate a range of methodological strategies of making, thinking and doing as utilised in applied theatre practice. Emphasis will be placed on reflexive approaches to practice in order to heighten your appreciation of the impact of your work. Accordingly the political, ethical and aesthetic dimensions of applied theatre work will be foregrounded so that you will deepen your awareness of the contexts in which your work takes place and the implications of the choices made in your own practice.

- Critical Concepts in Applied Theatre -

This module provides you with the opportunity to critically explore, test and model approaches to applied and community arts practice. You will engage in the claims made for the ‘efficacy’ of applied theatre practices seeking to understand their underlying assumptions. The focus will be on the exploration of how the concepts and rationales at play in applied and community practice manifest themselves in the ethics, impacts and aesthetics of applied practice. This module will provide you with the opportunity to engage with conceptual and theoretical issues relating to applied theatre at an advanced level.

How to apply

For information on how to apply, please see the following link:
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/how-to-apply/

Other sources of funding

Information on alternative sources of funding can be found here:
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/student-services/money/funding-my-course/postgraduate-/postgraduate-funding-/

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Overview

If you’re passionate about using theatre to help stimulate processes of change in the lives of individuals and communities then this is the course for you.

You’ll gain the skills to become an applied theatre practitioner. Through practice and theory you will explore applied theatre in all of its forms including community theatre, theatre-in-education, theatre and health, prison theatre, theatre for development and the arts therapies.

You’ll gain a broad understanding of some of the wider issues faced by applied theatre practitioners including ethics, boundaries, evaluation, policy and funding and have the opportunity to apply your learning in a placement context.

Core modules will look at practice-based workshop techniques and the development of facilitation skills; concepts and theories underpinning applied theatre and interventionist practice; and research training. You will also choose from optional modules that will allow you to pursue your personal interests.

The degree is also available to study part-time over 24 months. The part-time MA may be of special interest to those who are working in related fields as part of their career development.

Facilities and Resources

On and off-campus, you’ll benefit from opportunities to get involved in various cultural activities. The School of Performance and Cultural Industries organises the annual Little Leeds Fringe Festival, a series of cultural events on campus giving you the chance to volunteer in the management and programming team. What’s more, you can join any of the student societies that run events, campaigns and productions throughout the year.

You’ll study in a city with a rich cultural life that’s also a hub for business and entrepreneurship – home to the Leeds International Film Festival and Leeds International Piano Competition, as well as a variety of galleries, museums, theatres and other cultural facilities.

Our purpose-built landmark building [email protected] houses two professional-standard and publicly licensed theatres that regularly host work by both students and visiting theatre companies – one of which is a technically advanced research facility.

Our School includes rehearsal rooms, two black-box studios, costume construction and wardrobe stores, a design studio and scenic workshop, video editing and sound recording suits as well as computer aided design.

Our links with external organisations are among our biggest strengths, giving you the chance to take performance to different environments outside of the university context. We’re always developing new relationships with partners in different contexts to offer you more opportunities to participate.

Opera North, West Yorkshire Playhouse, the National Media Museum, Leeds City Council, Red Ladder Theatre Company, Limehouse Productions, Phoenix Dance Theatre, the National Coal Mining Museum for England, HMP New Hall, Blah Blah Blah Theatre Company, the BBC and HMP Wetherby are all among our partners.

Course Content

Core modules allow you to develop the skills to facilitate workshops with different groups of people in a variety of contexts, along with an understanding of the historical and philosophical underpinnings of applied theatre practice, the key ideas within this practice and some of the complex issues that can arise.

As you progress through the course you will have the opportunity to apply your practical and theoretical learning within an applied theatre context through a placement. This may be with an established applied theatre organisation or in a setting where applied theatre is practiced such as a hospital, school or young offenders’ institute.

Alongside these modules you will develop research skills through a core module alongside students on other programmes within the school. You’ll explore a range of research methods and consider the roles and responsibilities of the researcher, ethics, data gathering and analysis. You are also able to choose an optional module to further pursue your own personal areas of interest.

In the latter part of the programme you will work closely with your supervisor to undertake a research project on a topic of your choice, allowing you to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve gained. This could be a conventional written dissertation or a piece of practice-led research with a written commentary.

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ABOUT MA APPLIED THEATRE

This MA course is for those interested in developing current practice of using theatre and drama in the community and education settings or of using theatre and drama with people whose lives have been affected by the criminal justice system.

The MA Applied Theatre encourages investigation into the possibilities and contradictions of drama and theatre practice as transformative and rehabilitative, and engages practically and critically with a range of theories and current practices.

Key features of the MA Applied Theatre are the exploration of theatre work in specific settings; key practices in applied theatre; project-based study examining specific professional work with a varied range of client groups; or specialising in working with people whose lives have been affected by the criminal justice system.

This course develops knowledge of the ways in which drama and theatre are used to benefit a range of distinct groups that are key to today’s evolving cultural landscape. The course offers two specialist pathways: Drama in the Community and Drama Education or Drama and the Criminal Justice System. Each pathway is specifically designed to support current practice at work, or a particular field of interest in the developing landscape of applied theatre and drama in the UK. Students will have the opportunity to develop their own practice and
scholarship.

DRAMA IN THE COOMUNITY AND DRAMA EDUCATION PATHWAY

This pathway is for individuals wishing to develop current – or new – practice of using theatre and drama with people in a range of settings that may include schools, theatres, outreach departments, hospitals and prisons. Concerned with advanced enquiry into theatre for
change or education, this pathway enables students to situate their own emergent/developing practice within a wider understanding of the applied theatre field. Delivery of the course involves contributions and placement opportunities from prestigious key UK organisations.

DRAMA AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

This pathway is for individuals wishing to develop current – or new – practice of using theatre and drama with people whose lives have been affected by the criminal justice system. Concerned with advanced enquiry into prison theatre, this pathway enables you to situate your
own emergent/developing practice within a wider understanding of the applied theatre field. Delivery of the course involves contributions and placement opportunities from prestigious key UK organisations.

ASSESSMENT

Each unit has a written and/or practical assessment. Submission of a dissertation addressing the student’s specialist area of interest.

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This MA addresses the historical, political, theoretical and ethical issues of applied theatre and develops your ability to contextualise, critique and create- http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-applied-theatre/

Our aim is to prepare students to be collaborative, responsive, imaginative, politically engaged and culturally aware artist practitioners. The course is aimed at newly-emerging practitioners with a background in theatre, education, activism or social change, as well as at more established practitioners who want to reflect, refresh and develop their skills. We actively encourage the sharing of skills and expertise among our multi-national group of students. We prioritise applicants with some experience in the arts, education, activism or social care, and it is rare that we take applicants directly from their first degree.

Together we explore the ways in which theatre and performance is created by diverse groups of people in a variety of community, social and educational settings: in schools or on the streets, in children’s homes and elderly care, in conflict zones, conferences, crèches and youth clubs, pupil referral units and prisons, women’s refuges and refugee centres, hospitals and hostels – anywhere groups of people meet and interact.

What is applied theatre?

Applied theatre is an umbrella term for a range of exciting worldwide performance forms concerned with personal and social change.

The term embraces: theatre of the oppressed, community theatre, theatre-in-education, drama in education, theatre for development, prison theatre, intercultural arts, intergenerational arts, theatre in museums, archives and heritage sites, story-telling, reminiscence theatre, conflict resolution. The work often moves across art forms. This is not a definitive list, as it is a field that is dynamic and changing.

The MA considers case studies from the UK and from across the globe. Central to this investigation are: questions of identity; representation; discrimination; health; equality; human rights; opportunity; access; social inclusion/exclusion; participation; ethics; evaluation and documentation; aesthetics and the role of the artist.

Placement and partnerships

The course is structured so that practice and theory constantly respond to one another, through practical classes and seminars. All students undertake a placement in a recognised host organisation where you'll work with experienced practitioners, and learn from the inside how participatory arts organisations function.

We have active partnerships with many companies, and the majority of the tutors, including the convenor, are active artists, with a variety of arts practices in performance, community and social settings.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Sue Mayo

Structure

Full time students are in Goldsmiths Monday to Wednesday in terms 1 & 2.

Part time students are in Goldsmiths Tuesday and Wednesday in terms 1 & 2 of year 1, and Mondays only in year 2.

In the summer term, for both years, there are 5 days of teaching in April and May, dates to be confirmed.

Assessment

The MA Applied Theatre has five points of assessment:

a 6,000-word essay based on material covered in Term 1
a 6,000-word reflective portfolio on the placement
a 12,000-word research project/dissertation
These assessments count towards 80% of the final mark.

The remaining 20% is derived from assessment of the two shared complementary/contextual modules, which include Disability Theatre, Performance Praxis, African Theatre, Musical Theatre and Cultural Theory.

Skills
The MA aims to equip you with the appropriate background knowledge and understanding to work creatively and critically within the broad remit of applied theatre. Recent research identified three core skills for participatory artists working in socially engaged theatre practice. These are:

critical thinking (the ability to contextualise and interrogate practice in the light of current thinking and practice)
creativity (the ability to take creative risks based on a strong skill base)
responsiveness (the ability to reflect and adapt)
The course works with these core skills threaded through its methodology, while also offering opportunities to look at the hard skills of planning, documenting and evaluating work.

Careers

Our students go on to work in a range of roles including setting up and running community/participatory theatre companies, as freelance drama workshop facilitators, lecturers, heads of education or participation producers within established theatre companies.

Previous students have gone on to carry out:

work with people with learning disabilities
theatre work with early years
creative work in pupil referral units
cross-arts projects in a range of educational, community and social contexts
theatre education and outreach
community theatre
museum education and theatre in prisons
Previous graduates from the programme have also continued with research study towards the MPhil or PhD qualification.

We have graduates working at the Southbank Centre, the Royal National Theatre, The Young Vic, Brighton Dome, Pan Arts, Rewrite, Ovalhouse, Battersea Arts Centre, the Albany and Talawa Theatre; with MIND, Tender, Magic Me, and Headway.

Funding

Please visit http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/ for details.

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Creative Futures offers recent graduates and established practitioners a chance to continue to develop their chosen discipline and specialist practice at masters level. You will gain advanced creative, technical and business skills, a sophisticated understanding of the business environment and a formalised work experience placement. The aim is to enhance your appeal in the job market and/or provide you with the tools needed to set up in freelance practice or to create your own business.

Students will receive tuition in business skills that are designed and delivered specifically for creative practitioners as well as access to our extensive workshops and specialist facilities.

The course is designed to provide maximum flexibility, whether it is being studied on a full or part-time basis. All modules have an extensive distance learning component, combined with intensive, full day workshops.

Course content

Modules you will study include:
-Creativity and Enterprise
-Developing Knowledge, Creative, Technical, Digital and Business Skills
-Creative Futures: Work Experience
-Creative Futures: Masters Project

There will also be an opportunity to choose from the following option modules:
-The Marketing Context
-Personal Branding
-Design Management
-Community Arts in a Global Perspective
-Creativity and Innovation
-New Media and Society
-Culture and Identity

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This is an artist-led masters programme, open to theatre makers of all styles and disciplines, We provide an unparalleled opportunity for emergent and established artists who want time and space to make high-¬¬quality theatre work and establish or refine their creative and professional identity.The programme also helps you develop skills and abilities to work in FE/HE contexts or continue to advanced study (PhD).

Our Performance programme has 2 pathways, “Theatre” and "Theatre Collectives”, and is designed especially for both emerging and established theatre and performance artists or groups. A part ‘taught’, part ‘research’ model, the programme is centred on core modules in postgraduate research methodologies, around which you create a new piece of work, an artists portfolio, business plan, and a practice-led-research project, as well as opportunities to establish a professional artistic identity and platform your own work in National and International markets, and develop prospects for continuing higher education, both in terms of teaching and in terms of continuing study.

Key Features:
* Professional mentoring, with key international theatre artists
* Opportunities to present work at National events, platforms and Festivals
* Industry training and Business planning with staff in our Business Centre
* Cutting edge spaces and resources
* A vibrant and active community

Course Content:
This programme is designed to be extremely flexible, reflecting the diversity of approaches to making artwork. It can be studied full-time or part-time. Students are expected to develop two parallel projects: a work-in-progress piece informed by an extensive critical agenda and a major performance event. These projects are underpinned by extensive (written) critical study and the development of a ‘professional (business) portfolio’ that helps define the nature and purpose of the creative projects in an external context.

“Groups" and “Individuals"
A key feature of the programme is the ‘Theatre Collective’ strand: we welcome block-applications from groups of artists, who are keen to develop their creative identity as part of a shared collective. Individuals are, of course, welcome, either as solo performers or as individuals looking to share practice in new contexts.

Chichester: Working Environment
Students will be entering into one of the most vibrant and connected environments and communities for making contemporary theatre and performance. The Department of Theatre at Chichester has an established reputation for working with a wide range of established performance artists who recognise the opportunities of creative research and development within an applied university context. Much of the work developed by students Department is presented in our ShowRoom Theatre, a key venue in the national touring network, with a reputation for programming innovative and radical work, but we also have firm links with venues and festivals in Brighton, London, Bristol and Edinburgh.

Our Facilities
During the last two years we have considerable refurbishments to both our Chichester and Bognor Regis campuses. These renovations include a purpose-built Assembly Theatre, used by Theatre students for rehearsals and performance. We also have a number of soundproofed practice rooms for rehearsals and lessons, as well as lecture and seminar rooms. Our Chapel is also a fantastic venue for performances and rehearsals, and is the centre piece of the campus. There are also several dance studios, a fully-equipped 250-seat theatre, and a 110-seat studio theatre.

Our new award-winning Learning Resource Centre is at the heart of the campus, and we offer a substantial collection of books, journals and other materials to help you further your research. A range of study areas for group and quiet study including Wi-Fi areas for laptop use are available, or you can use our open access PC and Mac areas. Also situated in our LRC is Costa Coffee and nearly 100 open-access work stations. An equipment loans centre offers laptops, tablets and other electronic devices for short and long term loans.

where this course can take you
You will be encouraged to think about your own future within theatre along with the help of our academic lecturers, many of who are professional artists with links to hundreds of theatres across the UK. Your own new work will be stimulated by a continuous programme of professional performances from a wide range of international artists, many of whom support the work of the department through teaching and mentoring.

Work Placements
Every year we offer students the chance to work with the technical, marketing, or outreach departments of our local theatres in art centres and other venues, theatre companies, independent producers, schools/colleges and various other related contexts. These programmes are designed to help get your foot on the ladder on graduating within an established organisation or professional context.

Indicative modules:
This programme constitutes 180 Credits and is broken into five compulsory modules:

* Developmental Project (Practice led Research and Development, including a written dissertation, 60 credits)
* Production (Practical Project, 60 credits)
* Professional Portfolio (Professional development and representation, 30 credits)
* Research Methodology (Critical Studies, 15 credits)
* Cultural Identity and Performance (Critical/Practical Research Project, 15 credits)

Teaching and Assessment:
Our programme is run by a team of highly dedicated academics and artists, who also teach on the highly successful BA Theatre Programme and on the Performing Arts MPhil/PhD programme. We work very closely with a wide range of established artists and performance collectives – both members of Faculty and Associate Artists – who recognise the unique contribution Chichester makes to supporting new theatre work. All these artists are working – or have worked recently – with our students.

Associate artists include;
Dickie Beau, Ira Brand, Rosana Cade and Nick Anderson (BUZZCUT), Simon Casson (Duckie), Karen Christopher, Clerke and Joy, Ed Collier, Abigail Conway, Jo Crowley, Tania El Khoury, Ju Row Farr, Andy Field, Sheila Ghelani, Chris Goode, Amanda Hadingue, Helena Hunter, Bryony Kimmings, Stacy Makishi, Rachel Mars, Ursula Martinez, Lucy McCormick and Hester Chillingworth (GETINTHEBACKOFTHEVAN), Hannah Nicklin, Terry O Connor, Kira O Reilly, Deborah Pearson, Syliva Rimat, Scottee, David Sheppeard and Abby Butcher (Marlborough Theatre), Tassos Stevens, and Simon Vincenzi

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This Masters programme engages with a range of theatre and performance practices, explored in a critically informed context. The programme encompasses practices such as contemporary devising and production dramaturgy, writing for performance, site-specific and locational performance, autobiographical performance, physical theatre(s) and socially/politically engaged practice. You will be encouraged to develop a reflective, rigorous and critically informed approach to theatre practice, with the intention of enriching and enhancing your creative work and furthering your career as a theatre/performance practitioner. You will be taught by leading academics as well as external professional practitioners.

Why this programme

◾The programme is delivered in collaboration with curators/programmers and theatre artists active in Glasgow's theatre/performance scene and beyond
◾A significant part of the programme is delivered by professional practitioners, ensuring the programme content is relevant and up to date with the latest trends in theatre.
◾Our facilities include a studio theatre and large flexible-seat theatre seating over 200 spectators.
◾The city of Glasgow provides an unbeatable location for the programme. Glasgow is home to a huge variety of theatres that produce and show a range from the experimental and risky, to the traditional and repertory, from canonical and new writing, to devised and physical performance. World-leading venues include the Citizens’ Theatre, Tramway, Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) and the Glue Factory.
◾Glasgow is the base for a number of nationally significant theatre organisations, including the National Theatre of Scotland, the Playwrights’ Studio Scotland, Ankur Arts, Vanishing Point and Theatre Cryptic.

Programme structure

The programme is designed to give you a practical and critical engagement with many forms of theatre and performance practice.

You will take core courses and create a portfolio of optional courses according to your personal interests and perceived needs. You can also select some courses from across the College of Arts, enabling an interdisciplinary approach.

The programme concludes with an independent research project. This provides you with a degree of flexibility in relation to the focus of your advanced study. It permits further applied practice or the opportunity to undertake an in-depth written study on an area of your choice.

Courses include
◾Research Methods
◾Contemporary Devising Practices
◾Independent Practice
◾Debating Dramaturgy
◾Work Placement
◾Independent Research Project

Career prospects

This programme is ideal for practitioners who want to develop their practice; graduates who are planning a career in theatre making; and those who want to look more in depth into aspects of theatre practice they have enjoyed and benefitted from through undergraduate studies. The programme also provides an excellent foundation for PhD studies and an academic career.

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This innovative MA allows you to explore ways in which drama and theatre might be applied to educational, therapeutic and community contexts. Applied drama/ theatre is an umbrella term which includes the practice of drama in a wide range of settings, such as drama and theatre in education; young people’s theatre; drama, health and healing; reminiscence and heritage theatres; theatre in prisons; theatre for development and community theatre.

This course addresses the 'social turn' at the cutting-edge of contemporary theatre, where new forms of participation are blurring the boundaries between performer and spectator. During the course you will have the opportunity to explore creative and research opportunities in some of these diverse and dynamic contexts and analyse the politics and values of applied drama. You will experience radically different approaches to performance-making in both conventional theatre spaces and in non-theatrical settings, enabling you to consider the relationship between innovative performance practices and work in applied theatre. The programme considers the international dimension of applied and participatory theatre, and the local and global implications of artistic practice.

By the end of this degree you will be well prepared to work in different locations and have developed your own praxis and practical skills as a practitioner, workshop leader and artist.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/dramaandtheatre/coursefinder/maappliedandparticipatorytheatre.aspx

Why choose this course?

- The course is taught by world leading experts in applied theatre, whose published research includes theatre education, theatre and health, theatre and refugees, devised theatre and applied drama/theatre.

- You will have the opportunity to benefit from our industry partnerships and our professional links with theatre companies. Previous students have benefitted from working with Age Exchange Theatre Trust, the Lyric Hammersmith, The Globe Theatre Education, Attic Theatre, Bravo 22 Company and many local schools, museums and hospital settings.

- The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise ranked the majority of the Department's research activities as world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*).

- Royal Holloway has the largest Drama Department in the UK with 25 academic members of staff working at the cutting edge of the discipline.

- We foster an excellent research environment and support a vibrant community of postgraduate and doctoral students.

- You will benefit from a range of unique performance spaces which include a traditional Japanese Noh theatre, the fully equipped Caryl Churchill Theatre and the substantial Victorian Boilerhouse.

Department research and industry highlights

You will benefit from working in partnership with professional practitioners, undertaking placements in different settings and developing your own practice. Previous practical projects have included reminiscence theatre in a day centre for the elderly; theatre with young people at risk of offending; drama and film with young carers; an interfaith installation with students of different religious beliefs; theatre with young people in hospital; theatre with young disabled performers; performance with unaccompanied refugees, and many, many more. Each project is designed and facilitated by students, and professional placements support their development.

Course content and structure

You will study three core course units and complete a dissertation.

Core course units:
The MA in Applied and Participatory theatre will appeal to anyone who is interested in socially engaged art. It is focused on theatre in different institutional, therapeutic and community settings, and raises questions about how artists might encourage public participation in a range of different forms of theatre and performance-making. You will study three core course units and complete a dissertation.

You will follow a course called Applied and Participatory Theatre Workshop where you will develop your skills as a practitioner and artist, as well as engaging in critical debates about the field. The next specialist module is the Independent Practical Project, where you gain valuable professional experience in community settings.

In addition to the two modules above you will study a shared module for all MA students in the Drama and Theatre Department that considers the contexts for theatre and performance, its histories and practices. The details and assessment methods of this course are being updated for the new year and will appear in more detail on the department website once validated.

The fourth module is the dissertation on a chosen subject within your field of study with accompanying Research Methodologies course that supports students in independent research and writing.

On completion of the course graduates will have:
- enhanced and applied their skills as reflective theatre practitioners
- explored the scope of theatre studies and its critical and research methodologies
- developed their understanding of contemporary performance practices and its contexts
- explored the links between theory and practice
- developed their ability to undertake independent research and analysis.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of means including essays, performance analyses, evaluative reflections on practice, and practical projects, as well as a final dissertation of 10-14,000 words. Practical projects are sometimes carried out in a group and may include an element of assessment for an individual’s contribution to group working and direction. All students undertake a summer term practical project.

Employability & career opportunities

Our graduates are highly employable and, in recent years, have entered many different drama and theatre-related areas, including careers in professional theatre, training and education. This course also equips you with a solid foundation for continued PhD studies and many of our students go on to advanced research.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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The Drama and Theatre Arts department offers promising candidates the opportunity to carry out research in a dynamic environment which allows students, scholars and theatre practitioners to work together to achieve a new breadth and depth in the study of drama.

It also takes advantage of Birmingham's exceptional resources for theatre research as well as the University and Department links with world-class theatre in Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon, London and beyond.

The MA by Research programme requires you to prepare a dissertation of up to 40,000 words on a topic of your choice, for which an academic staff member will provide expert supervision.

The PhD – the most advanced research degree – leads to a dissertation of up to 80,000 words on a subject of your choice and under the expert supervision of an academic member of staff.

Distance learning

You can study an MA by Research or PhD programme on campus or by distance learning. Please note that if you are studying with us by distance learning, the programme includes a fully-funded annual visit to campus for each full year of your programme (every two years for part-time students).

For more information on distance learning including answers to frequently asked questions, student experiences and funding opportunities, please see our distance learning website.

Research activity is led by staff and our traditional research strengths lie in: Contemporary theatre and new writing; playwriting, directing and performer training; Russian theatre; Shakespearean performance and adaptation; Victorian and Edwardian theatre; the history of film; popular theatre; theatre history - Renaissance to 21st Century; theatre and science

At Birmingham you also have the option of studying languages, free of charge. Almost no other UK University offers you the opportunity to learn the intense graduate academic language skills which you may need to pursue your research.

About the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies

"Welcome to the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies, in the College of Arts and Law. This is one of the largest Schools in the College, and variety is our watchword. We offer one of the most extensive ranges of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the country. Our research expertise is equally diverse, and we welcome students and researchers from all over the world." - Professor Andrzej Gasiorek, Head of School

We particularly encourage creative thinking, with a range of pioneering programmes including Masters opportunities in Creative Writing, Film and Television and Shakespeare and Creativity. Our creative offerings are also strengthened by the development of our Department of Film and Creative Writing – established in 2015 – which has opened up exciting new opportunities for postgraduates to benefit from synergies between the two fields.

Our well-established Departments also provide an excellent environment for postgraduate study. The Department of Drama and Theatre Arts has a highly respected national and international reputation for excellence in teaching and research. We are also one of the leading centres for the postgraduate study of English in the UK, spanning language and literature. The Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics is a world-leading centre of excellence for both teaching and research in this field.

We are also proud to be home to the world-renowned Shakespeare Institute, based in Stratford-upon-Avon. Situated within walking distance of Shakespeare’s birthplace, school and grave, and the theatres of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), the Shakespeare Institute offers postgraduate students and scholars an academic experience unrivalled by any other university.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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About the course

Explore diverse forms of contemporary theatre with this practical course. You’ll study areas including devised performance and live art, community and applied theatres, new playwriting, classic texts on the contemporary stage, and documentary and verbatim theatre. Our teaching team has strong links with many major venues, theatre companies and practitioners, with Sheffield recently named best theatre city outside London.

Improve both your research and performance skills by working with practising theatre-makers and arts organisations. We have a fully equipped theatre workshop and studio spaces, a publicly licensed drama studio, and excellent editing and recording facilities.

Your career

You’ll examine early modern texts, language and culture. Staff expertise includes palaeography, rhetoric, news writing, the sermon, drama, and issues of political, sectarian and national identity between 1400 and 1700. Modules (including modules from History) can be tailored to suit your interests. You’ll complete one core module, optional modules and a dissertation.

Cultural life

Study eighteenth-century literature to develop a broad range of advanced skills. The focus is on the interface between historical and literary approaches, and you’ll be introduced to current academic debates and research methods in the field. Spanning eighteenth century prose and poetry, Romantic poetry, prose, and drama, and Gothic literature, there’s an incredible range to choose between.

First-rate facilities

We’re based in a brand new building at the heart of the campus. There are computer workstations especially for postgraduates and a DVD library with viewing facilities. Our theatre workshop is a fully equipped teaching/performance area with excellent film-viewing facilities and audio suites.

Specialist resources

The University Library subscribes to the major periodicals and full-text electronic archives, including Early English Books Online and Eighteenth-Century Collections Online. Special collections include an outstanding collection of Restoration drama, the Hope Collection of eighteenth-century periodicals, the Jack Rosenthal scripts collection, and papers of contemporary writers such as Anita Brookner, Marina Warner, Fay Weldon and Peter Redgrove.

Funding

There are a number of studentships and fee bursaries available, funded by the University. Deadlines for funding applications are usually in winter/early spring. For details, see our website.

Research training for PhD

If you intend to progress to a PhD, your course can be tailored to include essential research training. The same applies to students on the online course.

Part-time study

Part-time students usually take one taught module in each semester. In the second year, you’ll also take a dissertation module. For most courses, you’ll need to come in for one half-day per week. The MA Creative Writing is taught in the evening. Some modules, such as Theatre and Performance, may require greater time commitment. We try to be as flexible as possible to accommodate the different needs of our students.

Core modules

Text, Politics and Performance; Issues in Contemporary Performance; Theatre Practice 1: practical research projects; Theatre Practice 2: independent practice; Dissertation of 15,000 or 9,000 words plus integrated practice component.

Teaching and assessment

You’ll be taught through practical workshops, productions and seminars. You’ll be assessed on performance practice, written coursework and a dissertation.

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This innovative programme reflects the Department of Drama's commitment to socially engaged and critically inventive inquiries into theatre and performance. You will have the opportunity to analyse and create theatre and performance in relation to a wide variety of contexts and critical, cultural and historical perspectives.

Flexibility is key to this programme: within a framework of informed and structured experimentation, you can develop projects for individual modules to advance your own investigations. The programme aims to equip graduates for research degrees in theatre and performance and to enhance graduates' career opportunities and professional development in teaching and a wide range of creative practices. In addition to contact hours with academic staff in the Department of Drama, students attend lectures, workshops and mentoring sessions with a range of high-profile artists.

Programme outline

Students take four assessed modules, two nonassessed research training modules and write a dissertation.

Compulsory modules:

Theatre and Performance Theory
An examination of theoretical texts and ideas that have shaped contemporary understanding of performance, theatre and culture.

Performance Research
A consideration of critical writings, theoretical frameworks and research methodologies.

Historiography and Archives
An analysis of theoretical and practical issues surrounding historical research in theatre and performance studies.

Optional modules
Students choose three of the following:

Performance Lab
Students co-devise and perform a group project as a means of addressing research questions through practice.

Independent Practical Project
Students devise independent practical projects, with the support of a mentor, that focus on an area of performance practice such as playwriting, applied drama, directing, dramaturgy, acting, new technologies, sitespecific performance and live art.

Independent Written Project
Students design and produce an independent written project under the supervision of a member of staff on a topic not provided within existing modules.

Contemporary Theatre and Performance
An examination of trends in recent theatre and performance and its analysis, especially in relation to what they articulate about contemporary culture and aesthetic, political, social and emotional value.

Early Modern Drama in Performance
This module explores ways in which performance produces meaning in the early modern drama - in its early production, its performance history and in recent performance.

Cultural Industries
This module facilitates a placement with an appropriate industry partner. Students develop industry-based projects to complete within the context of the industry partner's work.

Students may substitute a maximum of 30 credits from another of the School's MA programmes (subject to the approval of the MA Convenor).

Dissertation
Following the completion of the taught modules, students pursue an independent research project culminating in a dissertation of 12,000-15,000 words.

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The MA Theatre for Young Audiences (MATYA), in collaboration with Theatre Royal Bath’s the egg – one of the country’s leading TYA venues – combines storytelling, new writing, devising, puppetry, and academic study to equip students with the practical and theoretical skills to enter the burgeoning field of Theatre for Young Audiences.

The course is designed for entrepreneurial practitioners and researchers including actors, directors, scriptwriters, producers, scenographers, and others with a relevant background in theatre and performance. It fosters collaborative work, immerses students in the operational life of one of the most innovative TYA venues in the country, and provides them with invaluable artistic, academic, and professional contacts.

Course structure and content

The MA Theatre for Young Audiences consists of four 15-credit modules, two 30-credit modules, and one 60-credit module (180 credits) delivered over three trimesters. This totals a 12-month period of study for full-time students and a 24-month period of study for part-time students.

Students will gain a practical, critical, and analytical understanding of:
• Educational pedagogy in the creative arts for young people, including workshop facilitation and experiential learning paradigms
• The broader context of TYA grounded in an understanding of the creative capacities of children
• The performance field, through examination of the work of key companies and playwrights
• Practical methodologies and processes for creating theatre for young audiences, including writing, devising, storytelling, dramaturgy, puppetry, and design
• The arts industry, including producing and funding strategies alongside the infrastructure of the TYA field.

Modules

Modules include:
• Context and Methodologies
• Writing and Dramaturgy
• Devising and Adaptation
• Puppetry
• Facilitation
• Thesis (practical or written)

Teaching methods and resources

The MATYA is delivered through a combination of seminars, master classes, workshops and online resources, and incorporates the ongoing programme of activity at the egg.

Assessment methods

Assessment methods will include both written and practical work. Students can choose either a performance or written thesis, both of which culminate in a presentation at the Thesis Showcase & Symposium at the egg in October following the completion of the MA year(s).

Career Opportunities

The MATYA will equip you with the performance, applied, academic and entrepreneurial skills to pursue a career in the field of Theatre for Young Audiences. Particularly invaluable are the industry contacts, experience, and professional platform gained through the course’s partnership with the egg.

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The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree program offers students the opportunity to pursue graduate study in the Departments of Art, New Media, or Theatre and Dramatic Arts. These majors emphasize a combination of theory and practice relevant to their discipline. Faculty, comprised of artists and scholars, foster an environment of active engagement with material, critical and conceptual investigations in production and performance. The M.F.A. program allows graduate students to concentrate in their chosen disciplines and to synthesize their research into a unique and challenging Thesis Project. Exceptional facilities, integrated technical support, a lively community of arts and culture, and a commitment to academic and creative excellence are integral qualities of the Faculty of Fine Arts.

MFA in Theatre and Dramatic Arts

Building on our reputation for excellent undergraduate education in the areas of design, performance, technical production, and theatre history/theory, the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Dramatic Arts offers students the opportunity to join a dynamic community of artists, designers, and scholars. The program’s limited enrollment provides high caliber students with exceptional opportunities to pursue excellence in an area of their interest, including traditional theatre disciplines, as well as innovative and interdisciplinary artistic projects. The MFA in Dramatic Arts degree is a two-year full-time studio program of applied and academic study. The University of Lethbridge is committed to providing competitive financial support to all graduate students.

Located in the U of L Centre for the Arts, the Department of Drama produces a robust season of mainstage productions, a student-run season of studio productions, and numerous other theatre events. The Department’s activities are supported by its outstanding theatre facilities, shops, and studios. A comprehensive university with solid undergraduate and growing graduate programs located a short drive from Calgary, the United States border, and the Canadian Rockies in the prosperous and culturally active city of Lethbridge, the U of L is committed to creativity, inquiry, and discovery. It values and supports research, scholarship, and creative work, and encourages students at all levels to become involved.

Why study at the University of Lethbridge?

As a graduate student at the University of Lethbridge, you’ll find yourself at the centre of a student-focused environment that nurtures innovation, critical thinking and creativity.

The University of Lethbridge is one of Canada’s top-ranked universities and leading research institutions.

At the foundation of our graduate programs is a multidisciplinary and personalized experience. A collaborative environment is encouraged between faculty and students. This means you have flexibility in decisions regarding the research and learning path you take.

At the U of L, we are committed to helping every one of our students thrive. From aiding with financial support to one-on-one mentorship to individualized career advice, you’ll find support every step of the way.

When you graduate, you will have the confidence you need to succeed in whatever you do, whether that means pursuing further education, teaching in an academic setting or establishing a professional career.

We’re here to help as you find the answers to your questions. As Alberta’s Destination University, the U of L gives you room to think, create and explore, providing a university experience unlike any other.

How to apply

In order to apply, you will need to provide the following documentation:

• Academic Transcripts
• Curriculum Vitae
• Three Letters of Reference
• Letter of Intent
• English Language Proficiency (ELP)

All applications and supporting documents must be provided through the online portal: https://www.uleth.ca/future-student/graduate-studies/apply

Funding

Find information on Scholarships here http://www.uleth.ca/graduate-studies/award-opportunities

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Overview

Offered by the Workshop Theatre and Centre for Global Development, this unique degree will give you the skills to become a practical theatre facilitator, as well as an understanding of global development issues and their impact on the social uses of performance.

Core modules will develop your understanding of development studies, theatre and performance in the community. You’ll even get to complete a placement delivering workshops in a community setting such as a school or prison. In addition, you’ll choose from optional modules offered by our School of Politics and International Studies (POLIS), allowing you to specialise in aspects of development studies that suit your interests or career plans.

You’ll be taught by leading researchers and experienced theatre practitioners in state-of-the-art facilities, but you’ll also get out of the classroom and into the community. It’s a great opportunity to prepare for a career in development and the arts, in the UK or elsewhere.

Course Content

From the beginning of the programme, you’ll explore applied arts practice by engaging with the work of thinkers such as Edward Said, Paulo Freire, Dorothy Heathcote and more to consider issues such as empowerment, training and funding, impact and sustainability. You’ll also gain an understanding of key issues and concepts in development studies through a core module that runs all year long.

In your second semester you’ll have the chance to start applying all you’ve learned, when you’ll attend an external placement to plan and deliver a series of workshops for a local community organisation of your choice.

Throughout the year you’ll also study a core module that develops your research skills and introduces you to the different methodologies and approaches in researching theatre and development. This will culminate in your dissertation, an independently researched project on a related topic of your choice which you’ll submit by the end of the year.

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The MA in Applied Linguistics is a programme that allows you to develop expertise in specific areas of linguistics, such as corpus linguistics, cognitive linguistics, discourse analysis and/or language pedagogy. The programme combines a range of core modules and optional modules to ensure that you develop a solid foundation in the discipline area whilst also having the flexibility to pursue your own specific research interests. This highly flexible programme is ideal for language professionals, or for those intending to become language professionals, in a range of possible careers.

The Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics at the University of Birmingham is a world-leading centre of excellence for both teaching and research in English Language and Applied Linguistics.

You will study two core modules:
Describing Language
Research Methods in Applied Linguistics

In the autumn term, you will choose two optional modules from a range which includes:

Social and Multimodal Aspects of Communication OR Social and Psychological Aspects of Language OR Psychological and Multimodal Aspects of Communication
Discourse, Culture and Communication
Syllabus and Materials Design
Exploring English Grammar

In the spring term, you will choose three further optional modules from a range which includes:

Cognitive Linguistics and Language Learning
Corpus Assisted Language Learning
Corpus Linguistics
English as a Global Language
Issues and Approaches in English for Academic Purposes
Intercultural Communication
Language and Gesture
Language and New Media
Language and the Senses
Language, Gender and Identity
Language Teaching Observation and Practice
Psycholinguistics in TESOL
Teacher Training
Vocabulary and Phraseology

About the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies

"Welcome to the School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies, in the College of Arts and Law. This is one of the largest Schools in the College, and variety is our watchword. We offer one of the most extensive ranges of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the country. Our research expertise is equally diverse, and we welcome students and researchers from all over the world." - Professor Andrzej Gasiorek, Head of School

We particularly encourage creative thinking, with a range of pioneering programmes including Masters opportunities in Creative Writing, Film and Television and Shakespeare and Creativity. Our creative offerings are also strengthened by the development of our Department of Film and Creative Writing – established in 2015 – which has opened up exciting new opportunities for postgraduates to benefit from synergies between the two fields.

Our well-established Departments also provide an excellent environment for postgraduate study. The Department of Drama and Theatre Arts has a highly respected national and international reputation for excellence in teaching and research. We are also one of the leading centres for the postgraduate study of English in the UK, spanning language and literature. The Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics is a world-leading centre of excellence for both teaching and research in this field.

We are also proud to be home to the world-renowned Shakespeare Institute, based in Stratford-upon-Avon. Situated within walking distance of Shakespeare’s birthplace, school and grave, and the theatres of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), the Shakespeare Institute offers postgraduate students and scholars an academic experience unrivalled by any other university.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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