Program Overview

Theatre Directing MA

Overview

If you want to pursue a professional career as a theatre director, underpinned by a clear intellectual understanding of your practice, then our exceptional and practical MA course is ideally suited to you.

It provides an opportunity to develop your directing practice through an active engagement with critical thinking so that you will have the tools to become an independent creative artist in the industry.

The diversity of our student intake is our course's strength. It's open to those with professional as well as academic experience.

You will learn from and work with staff who are both academics and professional practitioners with industry knowledge.

You will study a broad range of approaches to performance-making from traditional text-based work to intercultural practice and contemporary devising.

We teach you at our purpose built, industry-standard performing arts studios in Stratford. Beyond the university, you will also have the opportunity to show your work in professional venues.

Course Options

• MA: Full-time, 1 year; Part-time, 2 years
• MFA: Full-time, 2 years; Part-time, 4 years

Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

• Bachelor's degree with minimum Second Class (2:1) or equivalent in Theatre/Performance studies or related subject.
• International Qualifications: We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications.

English Language Requirements

• Overall IELTS 6.0 with minimum 6.0 in writing and speaking, and 5.5 in listening and reading (or recognised equivalent)

Mature Applicants and Those Without Formal Qualifications

• We welcome applications from those who can demonstrate their enthusiasm and commitment to study and have the relevant life/work experience that equips them to succeed on the course.

Interview

• All suitable applicants are required to attend an interview.

Fees

UK/Home Students

• Full-time, 1 year: £10,680
• Part-time, 2 years: £1,780 per 30 credit module

International Students

• Full-time, 1 year: £16,140
• Part-time, 2 years: £1,780 per 30 credit module

Funding

• UK fee status holders: Government funding, UEL funding, External funding
• International fee status holders: UEL scholarships, Ways to pay

Additional Costs

• Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Course Modules

• Director and the Text Core Module: The Director and the Text module focuses on the key building blocks of working as a director, looking at the application of traditional directorial techniques within the era of the postdramatic.
• Contemporary Performance Making Core Module: The Contemporary Performance Making module focuses on developing methods of contemporary theatre and performance, looking at how shifts in form and modes of making can be used to positively inform our practice.
• Devised Project- Stage Core Module: The Devised Project module focuses on less hierarchical methods of developing, directing and devising work.
• Research Methods in Creative Practice Core Module: The Research Methods in Creative Practice module will introduce practice-as-research as key methodology for working towards your final MA project.
• Project Platform - Stage Core Module: The Project Platform module is a public facing platform for you to showcase the development of your practice through your final projects.
• Mental Wealth: Practitioners and Praxis Core Module: The Mental Wealth: Professional Life – Practitioners and Praxis module focuses on preparing you for the contemporary creative industries following your studies.
• Professional Platform Core Module: For students that move onto the MFA year, the Professional Platform module is designed to support you taking further steps into the industry/developing your professional career.
• Creative Practice Core Module: Alongside the above module, MFA students develop their own, discipline specific creative practice in the Creative Practice module.

What We're Researching

• The results of the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), a six-yearly national review of higher education research, underlined the quality and impact of our work.
• An impressive 92 per cent of UEL's overall research was recognised as world-leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised (REF 2021).

Your Future Career

• We offer dedicated career support, and further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking.
• Our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed.

How We Support Your Career Ambitions

• We offer dedicated careers support, further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking.
• Our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed.

How You'll Learn

• You'll be taught by a range of staff, most of whom are active practitioners in the field, which ensures that the practice-led research which is disseminated in the studio, or actually takes place there, is relevant to industry and practice.
• Within each module there is a practical component and support/contextual component with the intention that knowledge and skills are always introduced and developed in relation to studio projects.

How You'll Be Assessed

• This is a practice-based and industry focused programme with a weighting of roughly:
  • 70% process, performance, production
  • 30% critical reflective writing

Campus and Facilities

• University Square Stratford is one of London's most modern and well-equipped campuses.
• Modern facilities include: performing arts spaces; three performance studios; the Harvard lecture theatre, with live lecture capture technology; the multimedia Weston Learning Centre; a dedicated MBA suite and teaching space; a 300-seat specialised tiered lecture; and a simulated courtroom for mooting experience.

Who Teaches This Course

• This course is delivered by the School of Arts and Creative Industries.
• The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers.