MA Performance: Writing

at University of the Arts London

Performance: Writing explores the theory and practice of writing for a variety of different dramatic outlets, live performance, film, television, audio and digital media. It will provide you with a challenging, supportive and inclusive postgraduate learning environment in which to develop your writing. The course is embedded within the Performance programme at Central Saint Martins and, as such, you will encounter and work alongside students and staff with diverse interests, motives and experiences. This is critical to learning in an art school; you are encouraged to embrace opportunity and alternative perspectives whilst remaining centrally focused on your own individual development.

Unit 1: Skills and Practices 1

Unit 1 explores dramaturgy. It examines the techniques, issues and debates surrounding the theory and practice of dramatic writing and writing for performance. It covers different forms including theatre, TV, audio and digital media.

Unit 2: Skills and Practices 2

Building on the dramaturgical and compositional strategies developed in Unit 1 this Unit explores the cinematic experience, film theory and writing for Film, and how to structure and format a screen play. It also introduces you to writing for animation.

Unit 3: Professional Preparation

Unit 3 prepares you for professional practice and what it means to forge and have a career as writer. This it does, by encouraging you to identify your writer’s voice by reflecting on your ideas, vision and personality expressed in your work. You will research and choose ‘outlets’ for their work. You will be shown how to construct a personal and professional development plan. You will be taught pitching skills, and approaches to self-production. You will explore complementary opportunities available to you as a professional writer, including script reading, editing, development and facilitation.

Unit 4: Final Portfolio

Unit 4 constitutes an intensive writing period in which you will complete a major project for one medium, as well as two proposals for different media. Combined with the work you have created in in Units 1 and 2 this will complete your portfolio of ‘writing for performance’.

The standard entry requirements for this course are as follows:
 

• An honours degree 

• Or an equivalent EU/international qualification.

Who we are looking for: 

We are looking for applicants with a background or demonstrable interest in scriptwriting for live performance, theatre, film, television, audio and digital media; writers who are interested in exploring time-based-narrative, as well as non-narrative dramaturgy. Writers who want to develop their voice alongside their craft.  

AP(E)L – Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning

Exceptionally applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:
 

• Related academic or work experience

• The quality of the personal statement

• A strong academic or other professional reference

Or a combination of these factors.

Each application will be considered on its own merit but cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English language requirements

IELTS level 7.0 or above, with at least 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking

Home fee
£6,045 per year

International fee
£15,165 per year

Graduates from MA Performance: Writing will be equipped to work with creativity and focus in diverse environments, and to design and explore their own ways of working, confident in building and maintaining working relationships, yet also aware of their unique role in being the ‘champions’ of the story.

The aspiration for graduates is that they are prepared to embark on professional practice as dramatic writers and storytellers with:
 

• a knowledge of dramatic media and forms, an understanding of the landscape and practice of dramatic writing, and an insight into what constitutes successful writing and writers
• a range of technical facilities and capabilities, such as script formatting, project planning, dramatic structure and re-writing
• a body of practice-based projects, experience, and finished scripted works
• an appreciation of their developing voice as an artist, with the imagination and confidence that such self-reflection can afford
• a body of connections and experience with leading industry practitioners, projects and ideas.