Advanced Professional Theatre Practice

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Academic Year of Entry: 2024/25
Course overview
(MA) Master of Arts
Advanced Professional Theatre Practice
Current
University of Essex
University of Essex
East 15 Acting School
East15 (Loughton) Campus
Masters
Part-time
MA W40E24
08/05/2024

Details

Professional accreditation

None

Admission criteria

A 2:2 degree, or equivalent, in a relevant field such as acting, directing, dance, design, producing, performance or theatre and relevant professional experience;

OR

An established professional profile (including formal or informal training) in live performance which may include: actors and other performers, directors, designers, stage and production managers;

OR

Practitioners holding a Diploma in any subject from an accredited conservatoire (FDS membership) and relevant professional experience.

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) code

IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.

Course qualifiers

A course qualifier is a bracketed addition to your course title to denote a specialisation or pathway that you have achieved via the completion of specific modules during your course. The specific module requirements for each qualifier title are noted below. Eligibility for any selected qualifier will be determined by the department and confirmed by the final year Board of Examiners. If the required modules are not successfully completed, your course title will remain as described above without any bracketed addition. Selection of a course qualifier is optional and student can register preferences or opt-out via Online Module Enrolment (eNROL).

None

Rules of assessment

Rules of assessment are the rules, principles and frameworks which the University uses to calculate your course progression and final results.

Additional notes

You must complete all core and compulsory modules and the required number of optional modules (as noted on the full-time version of this course) during your two years of study. When you start your course, please contact your School or Department office to agree on the sequence in which you will take your core, compulsory and optional modules.

External examiners

External Examiners provide an independent overview of our courses, offering their expertise and help towards our continual improvement of course content, teaching, learning, and assessment. External Examiners are normally academics from other higher education institutions, but may be from the industry, business or the profession as appropriate for the course. They comment on how well courses align with national standards, and on how well the teaching, learning and assessment methods allow students to develop and demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills needed to achieve their awards. External Examiners who are responsible for awards are key members of Boards of Examiners. These boards make decisions about student progression within their course and about whether students can receive their final award.

eNROL, the module enrolment system, is now open until Monday 27 January 2025 8:59AM, for students wishing to make changes to their module options.

Key

Core You must take this module.
You must pass this module. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options You can choose which module to study.
You must pass this module. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory You must take this module.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.
Compulsory with Options You can choose which module to study.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.
Optional You can choose which module to study.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.

Year 1 - 2024/25

Exit Award Status
Component Number Module Code Module Title Status Credits PG Diploma PG Certificate
01 Options from list Optional 90 Optional Optional

Year 2 - 2025/26

Exit Award Status
Component Number Module Code Module Title Status Credits PG Diploma PG Certificate
01 EA724-7-SU or EA725-7-SU Core with Options 60 Compulsory with Options
02 Options from list Optional 90 Optional Optional

Exit awards

A module is given one of the following statuses: 'core' – meaning it must be taken and passed; 'compulsory' – meaning it must be taken; or 'optional' – meaning that students can choose the module from a designated list. The rules of assessment may allow for limited condonement of fails in 'compulsory' or 'optional' modules, but 'core' modules cannot be failed. The status of the module may be different in any exit awards which are available for the course. Exam Boards will consider students' eligibility for an exit award if they fail the main award or do not complete their studies.

Programme aims

The course is designed for established professionals working or teaching in the performing arts and aims to allow students to integrate their professional practice and knowledge with academic and practical learning. The programme will develop approaches to extended and reflective learning by updating students’ knowledge and understanding of research processes.

1. Reflect on previous experience as a preparation for study and development planning.
2. Identify and respond critically to a range of theories relevant to contemporary performance practice and develop an individual appreciation of how they can enhance and enrich their own practice.
3. Locate their own professional work in the context of contemporary and recent practitioners in a variety of theatrical forms.
4. Collaborate with their cohort to create and perform a short piece of original devised theatre or film.
5. Consider the professional skills and knowledge they can offer as a teacher and facilitator and translate their own creative practice into engaging and effective learning sessions.
6. Apply a range of the knowledge, skills and approaches explored during taught modules to develop and present a substantial written or practical project.

Learning outcomes and learning, teaching and assessment methods

On successful completion of the programme a graduate should demonstrate knowledge and skills as follows:

A: Knowledge and understanding

A1: Insightful knowledge of contemporary practice in mainstream live performance.

A2: A detailed understanding of a range of techniques for sharing professional practice as a teacher or workshop leader working with a specific participant group.

A3: A comprehensive knowledge of relevant theoretical ideas as part of the context for performance-making.

A4: A deep knowledge of a range of research methods applicable to the creation and analysis of live performance.

Learning methods

Modules EA720 and EA721 enable students to identify and respond critically to a range of theories relevant to contemporary performance practice, and to develop an individual appreciation of how such theories can enhance and enrich their own practice. They will include skills in reflection, introduction to Masters level study in professional arts practice, including reading and research methods, approaches to writing, the autonomous learner, working with peers and supervisors, selection of material for portfolio and personal development and collaborative working.

The modules contain a series of structured exercises weekly prior to lectures and workshops, and are further supported by interactive contact with an assigned tutor twice per term. Students will also follow guided reading, complete online exercises and participate in tutorials to allow the student to develop an authoritative approach to understanding their own practice as learners. This includes participation in scheduled on-line student forums.

Assessment methods

Methods of assessment take into account different learning styles and abilities and are accessible and able to be completed remotely and will include case studies drawn from students own prior learning and experience, blog posts, critical essays, application of theoretical frameworks to examples of performance, video blog post or podcast.

B: Intellectual and cognitive skills

B1: Ability to interpret and apply key aspects of performance theory both discursively and in practice, including for participants in workshop or educational settings.

B2: Ability to design and execute a creative project through practice-based methods.

B3: Ability to design, implement and facilitate creative workshop activities for participant groups.

B4: Ability to analyse complex text and critically discuss theoretical sources.

B5: Communication with peers and clients.

Learning methods

Modules EA720 and EA721 enable students to identify and respond critically to a range of theories relevant to contemporary performance practice.

EA722, EA723, EA724 and EA725 will build on the theory to introduce students to collaborative creative processes, planning tools, reflective practice and skills for documenting live performance. The teaching and learning strategy will include lectures, tutorials and preparatory online forum discussions; workshops on stimulus material; group devising, rehearsal and design sessions; performance and feedback from peers and tutors, structured feedback sessions with supervisors and independent study.

Assessment methods

B1 and B4 will be addressed via critical essays and blog posts/podcasts.
B2, B3 and B5 will be assessed through the design of teaching resources and workshops, reflective writing including collecting and presenting evidence, using real life case studies and performance to critically analyse theory and the creation of a practical theatre project or film.

C: Practical skills

C1: Ability to work collaboratively to create professional quality live performance, deploying specialist skills appropriate to role and discipline.

C2: Design and leading of workshops.

C3: Communication of research outcomes.

C4: Ability to learn and to develop own practice through research, reflection, and feedback from others.

Learning methods

The teaching and learning strategy for EA722, EA723, EA724 and EA725 will include lectures, tutorials and preparatory online forum discussions; workshops on stimulus material; group devising, rehearsal and design sessions; performance and feedback from peers and tutors, structured feedback sessions with supervisors and independent study. EA723 will contain an intensive block of teaching leading to a group devised creative project.

Assessment methods

C1 will be assessed through the creation of a practical theatre project or film.
C2 will be assessed via the design of teaching resources, design of workshops and reflective writing including collecting and presenting evidence into a portfolio.
C3 will be assessed through the creation of a final creative project or prose dissertation.
C4 will be assessed through the development of a personal learning plan, and blog posts or podcasts used as a means to record, comment on and communicate professional practice.

D: Key skills

D1: Ability to understand and communicate with peers and clients.

D2: Ability to engage with online sources, develop online podcasts, video blogs, etc.

D3: Ability to propose creative, original solutions to complex directing problems

D4: Ability to work collaboratively to create professional quality live performance, deploying specialist skills appropriate to role and discipline.

D5: Ability to learn and to develop own practice through research.

Learning methods

• Lectures, seminars and tutorials.
• Structured exercises.
• Interactive contact with an assigned tutor.
• Guided reading.
• Online learning sessions.
• Compulsory student fora.
• Observation of live sessions.

Assessment methods

• Design of teaching resources.
• Design of workshops.
• Reflective writing including collecting and presenting evidence.
• Case studies.
• Development of a personal learning plan.
• Critical essay writing.
• Development of a blog/podcasts as a means to record and comment on professional practice.
• Practical theatre projects and reflective workbooks / portfolio.


Note

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

Contact

If you are thinking of studying at Essex and have questions about the course, please contact Undergraduate Admissions by emailing admit@essex.ac.uk, or Postgraduate Admissions by emailing pgadmit@essex.ac.uk.

If you're a current student and have questions about your course or specific modules, please contact your department.

If you think there might be an error on this page, please contact the Course Records Team by emailing crt@essex.ac.uk.