MA Theatre and Performance
Establish your artistic identity on our artist-led course
Establish your artistic identity on our artist-led course
- Define and refine your individual practice with the support of professional artists
- Create a new piece of work, an artist’s portfolio, a business plan, and a practice-led-research project
- Learn from experienced and expert theatre practitioners
- Utilise our strong industry links with national events, venues, and festivals
Overview
Join an artist-led master's programme open to theatre makers of all styles and disciplines
Important
This course has been renamed from MA Performance: Theatre or Theatre Collectives for 2024 entry.
Our MA Theatre and Performance course defines and develop your critical and creative performance practice with options to study full-time or part-time.
Define your practice with the support of professional artists
This artist led theatre-making programme is particularly suited to practitioners (emerging or established) looking to define and/or refine their professional practice, artistic identity, and portfolio.
You will work to create a new piece of work, an artist’s portfolio, business plan, and a practice-led-research project with the support of masterclasses and mentorship from professional artists.
Shape your practical skills through practice-led research
Throughout the course, you will develop your practical and study skills to postgraduate level as you take part in interdisciplinary practice-led research methodologies and contribute the development of new work.
Aaron
Learn from experienced and expert theatre practitioners
Our team of internationally reputed theatre and performance artists, practitioners, and researchers are here to help support your practical and personal growth, as you join an artist-led theatre-making department.
Join a community of theatre-makers with strong industry links
Our vibrant and collaborative departmental community of artists, practitioners, and performers, with the opportunity to benefit from strong links with venues and regional, national, and international festivals.
Access our range of excellent theatre resources and spaces
Our range of performance and rehearsal spaces and resources ensure that you have access to everything you need to support your creative practice.
On this course you will:
- Define and refine your individual practice with the support of professional artists.
- Create a new piece of work, an artist’s portfolio, business plan, and a practice-led-research project
- Join a vibrant and connected environment and community for making contemporary theatre and performance.
- Utilise our strong industry links with national events, venues, and festivals.
- Learn from our experienced team of contemporary theatre experts.
- Use our range of excellent performance and rehearsal spaces and resources.
The Course
Define and refine your professional practice and artistic identity
Throughout the course, you will engage in a selection of both core and specialist modules that develop your knowledge of theatre-making and performance.
Indicative modules
- Research Methodologies
- An Introduction to Postgraduate Study and Research
- Cultural Identity and Performance
- Critical/Practical Research Project
- Developmental Project
- Practice-led Research and Development Project (including written dissertation)
- Professional Portfolio
- Performance Project
Andy Roberts
Teaching and Assessment
Feel the support of our expert and experienced teaching staff
Teaching
Our team of expert teaching staff will provide you with the core skills and knowledge you will need to excel within devised and collaborative theatre making, as you develop your own research and practical ideas.
Feel supported to develop your own artistic identity
You will be encouraged to work further afield – across the region, UK, Europe, and beyond – and externalise your work and identity.
You will have opportunities to establish a professional artistic and/or academic identity, and platform your own work in national and international contexts, which will help develop prospects for continuing education, in terms of teaching or continuing studies to MPhil and PhD, and in terms of your professional identity as a practitioner.
Assessment
You will be assessed through a range of assignments including:
- The creation of practical (public) performances
- Sharing your work in progress and ‘scratch’ presentations
- Practical workshops and interactive/participatory research activities
- Monographs and artists books
- Business models and plans
- Research papers and presentations
- A written thesis
Facilities
Discover dedicated performance spaces, specialist equipment, and extensive resources
Assembly Theatre
Located on our Bognor Regis campus, the Assembly Theatre is used by Theatre students for rehearsals and performance, alongside a range of other spaces and sites to make and present work.
The Chapel
Our Chapel is also a fantastic venue for performances and rehearsals, and is the centre piece of the campus.
Practice and rehearsal spaces
We also have a number of soundproofed practice rooms for rehearsals and lessons, as well as lecture and seminar rooms.
Digital Technology Park
Our Tech Park hosts industry standard digital, film, and music resources too.
Learning Resource Centre
The Learning Resource Centre (LRC) contains the library, a café, IT/teaching rooms, and the Support and Information Zone (SIZ).
Library
Our campus library holds more than 200,000 books and over 500,000 eBooks.
The Showroom
The ShowRoom is recognised nationally for presenting some of the most exciting companies touring on the UK circuit, and the programme is shaped to support the learning of students.
We often run workshops and post-show discussion for Theatre students with visiting artists. We believe that one of the best ways to learn about professional theatre is by watching a training with arts industry professionals. This is at the heart of the ShowRoom’s ambition.
The ShowRoom is highly adaptable, with retractable seating, making it an excellent teaching and workshop space in addition to its role as a venue. It is run by our Theatre Manager and Department Technician, who work closely with our students, helping them to realise creative and adventurous ideas in a professional working space.
Other facilities include:
- Studio spaces exclusive to the department
- Rehearsal Rooms
- Recording studio
- Editing facilities
- Audio/visual equipment
- In-house lighting and sound technicians to assist student projects
Careers
Where you could go after your studies
Our MA/MFA Devised Theatre leads to various outcomes and opportunities for performer, practitioners, and researchers.
Over the years we have established and supported students as independent practitioners and touring arts companies/collectives, teaching (at all levels), and of course; PhD and further academic study and careers.
We also produce and support students looking to establish and develop careers in producing, creative writing, and arts management.
Other Theatre Options
Explore our range of postgraduate theatre courses
MA/MFA Performance and Environment
Explore performance as a form of ecological thinking as you develop your individual practice through collaborative projects.
MA/MFA Scriptwriting and Performance
Learn innovative approaches and strategies for writing, develop your own treatments, test your ideas with young performers, and publish your work.
Course Costs
Course Fees 2024/25
UK fee
International fee
For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fee page.
For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.
University of Chichester alumni who have completed a full undergraduate degree at the University will receive a 15% discount on their postgraduate fees.
Entry Requirements
Typical offer (individual offers may vary):
Applicants will ideally have a 2.1 degree and dissertation in Theatre / Performing Arts or related subject.
We welcome applications from or any other degree subject who have relevant professional experience, or an academic qualification equivalent to a degree plus relevant professional experience.
