Dramaturgy
Entry requirements
A second-class honours degree (2:2) or above, and/or relevant practical experience in the creative industries.
All suitable applicants will be interviewed either personally or by telephone.
Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.
Months of entry
October
Course content
- academic study
- dramaturgical practice
- writing for and about theatre and performance
- theatre composition
- performance-making.
You will work practically with a host of leading artists, who share their diverse approaches to creating and dramaturging performance, from collaborative theatre-making and live art to queer performance and ecological theatre. You will engage in scholarly examination of practices, histories and theories regarding the research and development of drama, theatre and performance works inside and outside the rehearsal room. Further enhancing your practice-based and scholarly skills and knowledge, you will produce a dramaturgical exhibition for a production, originate a playwriting project, and engage in an industry-led examination of audience development, arts education and producing.
This MA Dramaturgy is unique in approaching dramaturgy from multiple standpoints: practical, theoretical and institutional. It is offered in association with guest artists, recently including Zoe Svendsen, Tim Crouch, Karen Christopher, Sarah Sigal, Dickie Beau and Lou Cope. Another exciting feature of this course is the opportunity to present practice-based dissertation projects in Camden People's Theatre as part of a graduation festival. This MA Dramaturgy is supported by the creative and critical interests of Birkbeck staff and the expertise of associate artists that include Birkbeck Centre for Contemporary Theatre Fellows.
This course will prepare you to enter the world of creative industries with specialist theoretical and practical knowledge, and an informed overview of the creative process and its components. Throughout your degree, you will develop research skills, enriched by the Graduate Research in Theatre (GRiT) seminar series. MA Dramaturgy’s well-balanced academic and industry focus also offers you access to invaluable resources, including professional development workshops and career opportunities.
If you love to make, facilitate, think and write about theatre, but do not wish to be in the spotlight as a performer yourself, MA Dramaturgy is ideal.
- This MA draws on the research interests, professional practice and expertise of our academics and visiting artists and scholars. Internationally renowned artists and practitioners teaching on the course include Karen Christopher, Sarah Sigal, Tim Crouch, David Eldridge, Anna Himali Howard, Dickie Beau, Anthony Simpson-Pike and Myah Jeffers.
- MA Dramaturgy students can also benefit from informal academic and creative enhancement opportunities. You will be invited to Graduate Research in Theatre seminars run each term by Birkbeck’s Centre for Contemporary Theatre, which also hosts regular talks, workshops, performances and masterclasses. You can also share your work in progress as part of Scratch Night, during our summer Arts Week festival.
- We collaborate with Dramaturgs’ Network (D'N) which provides each of our students with networking and professional development opportunities and exchange events, plus a year’s free D’N membership, as well as other exclusive opportunities.
- You will have the chance to attend a special seminar on programming, audience outreach and other dramaturgical practices at Battersea Arts Centre.
- Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
- We offer a number of bursaries for postgraduate students.
This MA Dramaturgy combines the practical and academic exploration of the promising field of dramaturgy to equip our students with a wide range of highly employable skills, ideal for working in or undertaking further academic study. Graduates can also find ongoing support via the Birkbeck Theatre Alumni network, which is dedicated to creating networking opportunities for graduates of Birkbeck’s theatre programmes and celebrating their achievements.
Our graduates can be found pursuing a broad range of career paths, including in:
- literary departments
- dramaturging and producing
- theatre and performance practice
- academia and education
- opera and dance
- playwriting
- stage combat and fight choreography
- arts administration and outreach.
Some of our recent graduates include:
- Emily Brown (theatre-maker)
- Rachel Gemaehling (dramaturg, theatre-maker)
- Artemis Grympla (dramaturg, director, writer)
- Manyang Hu (theatre-maker, theatre administrator)
- Matthew Jameson (director, theatre-maker, theatre management)
- Sarah Knop (theatre-maker, teacher, choreographer)
- Clement Lee (dramaturg, teacher)
- Olga Macrinici (writer, director, academic)
- Nicky Napier (dramaturg, producer)
- Liesa Refflinghaus (theatre administrator, theatre maker)
- Erica Nicole Rothman (dramaturg, literary adviser)
- Stephen Ryan (BASSC-certified stage combat teacher, writer, researcher)
- Robert Mark Temple (playwright)
- Renata Wilson (theatre maker).
We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.
Information for international students
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests
If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.
Qualification, course duration and attendance options
- MA
- part time24 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
- full time12 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
Course contact details
- Name
- Student Advice Service
- studentadvice@bbk.ac.uk
- Phone
- +44 (0)20 3907 0700