MA Theatre Directing: Text and Production (Part time)
Course options
Key Details
- Attendance
- Part Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Arts
- Course Length
- 2 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2025
Course Overview
Kick-start your passion for directing and dramaturgy at UEA, with one of the UK’s longest-standing Master's courses in Theatre Directing. Based in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing our MA Theatre Directing Text and Production boasts an interdisciplinary approach. Whether you want to pursue a career as a theatre-maker, writer or director or continue in academic research, this part-time course is for you.
Your tutors include acclaimed contemporary playwrights, working directors and acting specialists. You’ll learn lighting, sound and stage management fundamentals with our studio technical staff. You’ll be supported by one-to-one mentorship with the course director. You’ll benefit from visiting professionals and theatre practitioners throughout the year, creating an unparalleled balance of philosophical, technical and practical learning. You’ll also have opportunities for work-shadowing with regional and national companies and venues, which helps you gain a knowledge of production, management and funding processes. Your final dissertation could be a full production, a written research or creative project, or a combination of them, all supported by academic and technical staff.
In the close, collaborative and non-hierarchical environment at UEA you’ll also gain from working with undergraduate actors and postgraduate scriptwriters throughout the year.
Graduates from the course are resident directors with national theatre companies, or are touring shows that they have written, directed, and produced themselves. Many have obtained funding for their projects, in partnership with UEA Enterprise or from Arts Council England. Recent alumni include producer, writer and director Sky Carver; Artistic Director of the Relish Theatre Company Rob Ellis; Artistic Director of Norwich Puppet Theatre; Peter Beck; and Julia Sowerbutts, Artistic Director of INK Festival of New Writing.
Study and Modules
Structure
In your first autumn semester, you’ll be integrated into the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing in two ways. First, you’ll study studio skills course alongside undergraduates – including health and safety, sound, lighting and stage management. Once you’ve successfully completed this you’ll be certified to work alone in the building, at any time, by arrangement. You’ll continue to consolidate your familiarity with the technical resources of the UEA theatre throughout the two years.
You’ll apply the techniques you study in class to a series of scenes, casting undergraduate students and rehearsing out of hours.
In parallel, you’ll take part in a weekly group tutorial, discussing both the techniques of the moment and their genesis in theatre practice and theory.
For the Spring core module, in your weekly tutorial, you’ll explore wider themes of genre, theatrical style and tone, and conceptualisation. Here you may encounter Artaud, Brecht, Meyerhold, Grotowski, and other practitioners who incite a non-naturalistic energy on stage and offer an alternative view of theatrical function and form: LePage, Wilson, Bausch, Forced Entertainment, among others. You’ll grow your frame of reference through guest lecturers and practitioners, some with practical workshops and others with close examination of theatre practice and philosophy.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
You’ll be taught by academics and practitioners, many of whom are world experts in their field. Our modules are informed by their specialisms, which means you’ll benefit from access to the latest thinking and research. The expertise of our teaching staff ranges from professional actors and directors to television writers and West End playwrights and experienced research academics.
For most modules, you’ll test your knowledge and practical skills in practice (formative) assignments before your summative assessments, which count towards your final grades. You’ll discuss your formative feedback with your teachers as part of a deepening self-reflective journey through your studies.
You’ll also spend time in independent study at UEA’s state-of-the-art library, writing essays or carrying out practical work or projects. This course will give you an excellent balance of independent thinking and study skills, helping you deepen your skills as a self-motivated learner, an expert researcher and analytical thinker.
Your accuracy and precision in analysis in your written work will be developed through self-directed study and highly responsive feedback and tutorial sessions. The MA will sharpen your time management and organisational skills, as well as your sensitivity in interpersonal dynamics.
To make sure you get the most from your studies and help you reach your full potential, our Learning Enhancement team, based in the Student Support Service, are on hand to help in the following areas:
- Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)
- Writing skills (including punctuation and grammatical accuracy)
- Academic writing (including how to reference)
- Research skills (including how to use the library and online resources)
- Critical thinking and understanding arguments
- Revision, assessment and examination skills (including time management)
Assessment
For each module, you’ll be assessed through coursework (which could be an essay or a directorial or scriptwriting project) and creative project results. The balance of assessment by written and practical coursework is 50/50 on average, depending on your modules.
Structure
In your second year, you’ll choose two optional modules to continue your work.
For the Autumn semester of your second year, you'll choose a module from a range of options, such as contemporary and world theatre, scriptwriting and dramaturgy.
For the Spring semester of your second year, you'll choose your final module, also from the optional range..
Throughout this second year, you’ll consider research and eventually choose your own practical research project. You’ll discuss your development path and choices in tutorials and your project will take the form of a written dissertation, a public production, or potentially a portfolio combination of the two. If you choose to do a production, this will usually take place in October at the end of your second year, allowing for a late summer rehearsal period.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)Optional B Modules
(Credits: 20)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Throughout your second year, you’ll continue to benefit from all the rich teaching resources described in ‘Year 1’ as you embark on your choice of a range of optional modules (one in each of the Autumn and Spring Semesters). You’ll also be supported by our staff throughout the whole process of developing your Drama Dissertation, from the initial approval of your idea to the development of your project and the writing of your reflective report on it.
Assessment
In the second year, you’ll undertake your optional modules, whose assessments will feature a similar balance of practical and written work, depending on the module that you choose.
Your research and methodology training requires attendance and participation in visiting workshops and seminars, but only one submission: a proposal for your dissertation project, which forms the basis for an ongoing discussion throughout the year.
The dissertation is usually completed by the end of your second year. This develops your own interests in greater depth in a concentrated study on a topic of your choice, as agreed with your lecturers. Several versions of this exist, the most popular of which is the dissertation/production, which is a public performance, with responsibility for all elements of stagecraft, technical, and artistic direction taken by the student director and supervised by the module leader. Following the production and viva, you’ll produce a critical-reflective essay as a commentary on the aims, research and rehearsal experience of the production. The work will be attended where possible by an External Examiner, who’ll take part in a viva meeting following the submission.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
Degree classification
Bachelors degree - 2.2
Degree Subject
Literary or Humanities
- Interviews
Promising candidates will be invited for an interview. If you are living overseas, the interview will be online at a mutually convenient time. Successful candidates will either be offered a place for the forthcoming academic year or a place for the following academic year (if it is felt that more time is needed to develop as a director). Once the forthcoming year is full candidates will be added to a reserve list with a guaranteed place for the following academic year if space does not become available.Unsuccessful candidates are welcome to re-apply, though not within the same academic year.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
Degree classification
UK Bachelors degree - 2.2 or equivalent
Degree Subject
Literary or Humanities
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
IELTS: 7 overall (minimum 7 in Writing, 6 in Speaking, Reading and Listening)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the required English skills.
- Interviews
Promising candidates will be invited for an interview. If you are living overseas, the interview will be online at a mutually convenient time. Successful candidates will either be offered a place for the forthcoming academic year or a place for the following academic year (if it is felt that more time is needed to develop as a director). Once the forthcoming year is full candidates will be added to a reserve list with a guaranteed place for the following academic year if space does not become available.Unsuccessful candidates are welcome to re-apply, though not within the same academic year.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2025/26 are:
-
UK Students: £10,675
-
International Students: £22,700
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).
We estimate living expenses at £1,136 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
How to apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form.
Further information
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students section of our website.
Employability
After the Course
Follow in the footsteps of past graduates and go into the theatre or film industries as a director or writer – or you could start your own theatre company. Through our collaboration with the MA scriptwriters, you’ll have a ready-made network of relationships and professional contacts in East Anglia and London. UEA Drama’s Alumnus Ensemble LAB meets regularly to read new work, engage in continued training and develop its own projects, in collaboration with local partners. UEA Drama has a close relationship with HighTide Theatre, Norwich Theatre, The Garage, Sewell Barn Theatre, Maddermarket Theatre and Norwich Puppet Theatre, with work from both BA and MA students frequently appearing in these various venues.
There have also been opportunities in arts administration for local and national government, venue management, and the heritage and tourism sector. Or you could continue your studies with a PhD.
For inspiration and advice, our award-winning Careers Service runs an Arts and Humanities events programme, which includes alumni-led presentations and workshops, and which remains available to all alumni after graduation.
Careers
Example of careers that you could enter include:
- Theatre director
- Film director
- Scriptwriter
- Dramaturgy
- Arts administrator
- Teacher
- Discover more on our Careers webpages.