Theatre Making, MA, at University of Kent

Theatre Making, MA, University of Kent

the United Kingdom

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Study options for this course

The award	How you will study	Study duration	Course start	Domestic course fees	International course fees
MA	Full-time	1 year	September	0	find out

About Theatre Making, MA - at University of Kent

The MA Theatre Making is intended for graduates from theatre and performing arts degrees and other related subjects, as well as emerging theatre artists who want to further pursue their experimentation with advanced theatre-making practices as an individual and/or company.

The challenging interdisciplinary curriculum will help you develop skills in a range of approaches to making performance, drawing on techniques from directing, devising, ensemble performance and performance art.

You will test ideas and various creative roles through intensive laboratory projects; conceive, develop and manage a full-scale creative project at an advanced level; and engage in critical discourse through academic study to support your work as a 'thinking practitioner'.

The course also equips you with the ability to document and reflect on your practice, provides you with industry knowledge such as fundraising strategies and marketing, and gives you the opportunity to develop a portfolio with which to launch into professional artistic work.

A wide range of expertise

You will benefit from studying with a staff team of leading specialists in the field of theatre and performance, whose teaching is informed by their own creative practice and world-leading research across subjects such as contemporary performance practice, community/participatory performance, arts and health, physical theatre, comedy and popular performance, theatre and conflict, Shakespeare, and European theatre.

Students regularly connect with the Department's exciting activities in a range of areas, including participatory dance theatre (Moving Memory); autism, identities and creativity (Playing A/Part); Chekhov technique in and beyond theatre (The Chekhov Collective UK); activities and performance projects linked to the European Theatre Research Network; our Funny Rabbit Comedy Club; performance opportunities offered by the Gulbenkian Theatre; and much more.

Join a supportive creative community

Drama at Kent is distinctive for developing and supporting innovative arts professionals, both through our programmes and our bespoke Graduate Theatre Company Scheme. We celebrate our alumni's achievements and contributions to the arts and to communities, including Olivier Award winners, companies leading in inclusive practice, internationally recognised playwrights and actors, industry-shaping producers, and so much more. You can hear from our alumni directly via our ProperJob Gradcast, the podcast that asks how Kent Drama alumni have built their career as artists.

Become part of a vibrant academic network

Postgraduate Drama and Theatre studies at Kent is a vibrant hub for the development and supervision of creative practice and research. We encourage postgraduate students to make use of our close links and contacts with local, national and international (especially European) theatre companies, venues, artists and research projects, to enhance their research- and professional development.

Drama at Kent was amongst the first Departments in the UK to offer, since the late 1990s, MA and PhD degrees by practice-as-research. Our international staff team of leading and emerging researchers and practitioners has an excellent reputation for research and supervision, ranking in the top ten of UK institutions for research excellence in our subject in 2022.

Excellent facilities

The School of Arts' award-winning Jarman Building offers professional standard drama facilities, along with social spaces and a dedicated centre for postgraduate students. In addition to the two performance studios and the Gallery in the Jarman Building, Drama & Theatre facilities across the Canterbury campus include two further theatre spaces - the 113-seat Aphra Theatre (a courtyard-type gallery theatre space) and the Lumley Theatre, which is a flexible and adaptable studio space - as well as further rehearsal facilities in Eliot College and an extensively equipped construction workshop and costume collection.

Postgraduate Drama and Theatre studies at Kent has a very strong reputation for research and supervision in contemporary theatre and performance. We are the home of two renowned international research centres, the European Theatre Research Network (ETRN) and the Centre for Cognition, Kinesthetics and Performance (CKP).

The wide-ranging interests of our international team of leading and emerging researchers (from the UK, Australia, Greece, Germany, France and other countries) include research strengths in contemporary performance, applied theatre, Shakespeare, 18th-century theatre, multimedia performance, popular performance, theatre directing and dramaturgy, and physical acting.

Our distinctive focus at Kent is on theatre as practice, whatever the topic, area, mode and methodology of research. We were the first department in the country to offer, since the late 1990s, MA and PhD degrees by practice-as-research. We encourage postgraduate students to make use of our close links and contacts with local, national and international (especially European) theatre companies, venues, schools and artists, both for research and to encourage professional development.

The School of Arts' award-winning Jarman Building offers professional standard drama facilities, along with social spaces and a dedicated centre for postgraduate students. In addition to the two performance studios and the Gallery in the Jarman Building, Drama & Theatre facilities across the Canterbury campus include two further theatre spaces - the 113-seat Aphra Theatre (a courtyard-type gallery theatre space) and the Lumley Theatre, which is a flexible and adaptable studio space - as well as further rehearsal facilities in Eliot College, a sound and simulation suite, and an extensively equipped construction workshop and costume collection.

Course location:

Canterbury

Learn more about Theatre Making, MA - at University of Kent

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Entry requirements

Contact University of Kent to find course entry requirements.

Fees, Funding and Scholarships at University of Kent

Kent offers a range of funding opportunities, including full awards to support doctoral researchers and students undertaking a taught Master’s at our locations in the UK and Europe. We also offer several scholarships to support our international students including GREAT British Council and Chevening Scholarship awards. Our Research Council doctoral training partnerships give you access to a range of funding and research networks. Check out our bursaries and scholarships and see if you’re eligible.

For students starting a postgraduate taught course in  January 2025 or September 2025  at one of our UK campuses, we have several scholarships available. Check if you are eligible to apply and get more information on our scholarship’s webpages

Student reviews of University of Kent

Find out what students say about University of Kent

Inspirational teaching - Patrique Tanque from Brazil is studying for a BSc in Forensic Chemistry.

“Choosing Kent was an easy decision. The forensic programmes are ranked among the best in the UK and have a high graduate employment rate.

“The teachers bring fresh ideas and up-to-date materials from real cases to enrich the lectures. They are keen to help out and always make sure we are getting plenty of support.

“I was very fortunate to be awarded an International Scholarship, which meant I could dedicate myself to my studies.”

Academic excellence - Stephanie Bourgeois from France is studying for a BSc in Biochemistry.

“I like the approach to teaching here; academics are happy to answer questions and to interact with students. I find the lectures very motivational, they pique your curiosity and for me the exciting bit is going to the library and pursuing the things you are interested in.

“The lecturers at Kent are excellent. You get to know them well and, as you move through the course, they are able to guide you towards projects, ideas or career paths that they think you will like.”

Specialist research - Sally Gao from China is studying for a PhD in Electronic Engineering.

“I have been very lucky with my supervisor, Professor Yong Yan, who is a world-class expert and the first IEEE Fellow in the UK in instrumentation and measurement.

“Professor Yong Yan has helped me to become a better researcher. I am inspired by his novel ideas and constructive suggestions. Under his supervision, my confidence has grown through such milestones as my first set of experiments, writing my first research paper and attending my first conference.”