The MA in English and Drama offers an exciting opportunity to specialise in the study of dramatic texts and theatre history while maintaining a range of interests within the field of literary studies more broadly. You will work with leading experts in Shakespeare and early modern drama, theatre history, and modern performance theory and practice.
This MA combines a focus on dramatic texts and theatrical performance and includes the option of a professional placement or an extended practical project. In addition to the core module in Drama and Performance theory, you will study three modules of your choice, and write a dissertation on an (approved) topic with a specialised supervisor.
Core modules
Drama and Performance Theory
This modules introduces you to drama and performance theory by giving you the opportunity to explore and discuss some of the methodologies, debates and conceptual approaches to drama and performance, both current and historical. It will encourage you to consider these methodologies when reading primary material, and primary texts are chosen that encourage dialectical consideration of theory and practice. There will normally be a tie-in theatre trip late in the course.
Dissertation
The Dissertation offers you the opportunity to pursue your own distinct research interests. You can develop any idea you’ve discovered in your modules, or write on a completely new topic that has always fascinated you. Our students choose an array of topics within the broadly-conceived boundaries of ‘literary studies’, although we’ll discuss with you to make sure your subject can be supported by an available member of our teaching staff.
Students often use their MA dissertations as springboards to PhD projects, and have sometimes gone on to publish parts of their work in scholarly journals.
Professional Practice or Practice-as-Research
You may choose one of these options instead of a Dissertation.
The Professional Practice dissertation allows you to undertake a six-week placement with a professional theatre company or similar organisation, developing your knowledge of professional practice in the fields of literature, theatre or performance. You will need to approach the organisation you plan to work with, and the department will support you in this.
You will use your placement to explore clearly-articulated research questions, and reflect critically upon these questions in a written submission.
The Practice-as-Research dissertation, meanwhile, offers the opportunity to undertake a research process that leads to the creation of an artistic output (such as a script or a performance).
For more information, please visit the English and Drama web page on the English website.Link opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window
Optional modules
Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:
- Shakespeare in Performance
- The British Dramatist in Society since 1965
- The Development of English Drama 1558-1659
- Reviewing Shakespeare
- Shakespeare in History
