Are you passionate about theatre? See
yourself as a future director, performer,
playwright, deviser, stage manager,
scenographer, workshop leader or
producer? Our exciting and innovative
mix of theoretical and practical
modules will enable you to try out all of
these roles and then focus on your
career aspirations.
BA/BA (Hons)
Drama
Visit the theatre in Scotland and
you will likely see the work of a
QMU graduate. Whether you see
them performing, hear the words
of their script or view their
artistry as director, scenographer
or producer, they are building a
successful and exciting career in
drama thanks to their time at
QMU.
What is theatre? Why did it develop?
What role does it play in society? To have
a successful career in the theatre, you
need to understand the theoretical and
practical aspects of its historical context,
techniques and craft. On this course
you’ll learn the collaborative skills and
process involved in creating and staging
plays, and will experiment with key
contemporary performance practices.
You’ll explore all aspects of theatre both
front and back stage, including the
audience. Who are they? (They may not
be like you!) What do they want from a
performance? How can you reach your
audience? We challenge conventional
assumptions of what the performing arts
can be and who they are for – from both
a practitioner and audience perspective.
You’ll engage with a vibrant diversity of
practical and theoretical approaches that
balance practice, history, research,
critical thinking and employability skills.
Whether you intend to be a theatre
maker, scholar or teacher, the course will
guide you in the development of your
creative and critical prowess while
providing very distinct routes into the
professional world.
Creative entrepreneurship and
employability is something we are
passionate about and it is embedded
throughout our course. Many of our
students have formed their own theatre
companies and are supported by QMU
as they set up their businesses –
including the chance to be located in our
graduate start-up space called the
Business Innovation Zone. The world’s
largest arts festival happens right here in
Edinburgh and many students
successfully perform, produce or get
involved in the Festival Fringe.
By the time you graduate you will know
how and why a theatre team brings a
performance to life, and of the many ways
in which drama can be understood and
made relevant to contemporary audiences.
In Years One and Two you will work in
collaborative experimental workshops,
finding creative solutions to the staging
and performance of classic and
contemporary genres and texts. Bringing
a range of interests and skills (performing,
directing, playwriting, dramaturgy and
scenography), students will share their
different perspectives and insights.
Lectures will also cover theatre history
and critical and performance theory,
which will inform the decisions students
make in their creative work.
In Years Three and Four you will study
core modules plus optional modules
allowing you to focus your interests in
specific areas. You’ll also have the
opportunity to study abroad* or go on
placements. In Year Four you will
complete a personal final project, which
can be a practical or a written
dissertation.
Teaching, learning and assessment
You will be taught in lectures, seminars
and through practical workshops. There
is a strong focus on group work and on
independent study outside timetabled
sessions. You will be assessed in a
variety of ways, including essays,
reports, portfolios, vivas, post-show
discussions and exams. You will also
complete a Year Four honours project.
There will be individual and group
assessments. Please check the course
entry on our website for full details.
Modules
Year One
Play and Performance/ Introduction to
Performance Theory and Theatre
Studies/ Analysing Text and
Performance/ The Origins of Theatre/
Performance Practices/ Theatre
Production Practices
Year Two
Theatre of Ideas and the Stage/ Creative
Writing for New Media/ Foundational
Theory and Performance/ Practitioner
Researchers/ British Theatre Since 1945/
Making Theatre
Year Three
Structure
You can study for an honours degree
over four years or an ordinary degree
over three years. You will complete a
range of modules each year as outlined.
Performance Project/ Contemporary
Scottish Theatre in Debate OR Arts
Funding in its Policy Context/ Current
Debates in Performance Theory/
Independent Research Project/ plus two
options
Year Four
Creative Entrepreneurship/ Creative
Practice/ Honours Project/ plus two
options
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