Theatre | MA | University of Lincoln

Dr Jacqueline Bolton - Programme Leader

Dr Jacqueline Bolton is a Senior Lecturer of Theatre in the College of Arts. Her research explores practices of contemporary theatre-making in Britain and is increasingly motivated by the reading of plays and performances as cultural texts that reflect political positions/relations/identities. She has published widely on the plays of Simon Stephens and her monograph, The Theatre of Simon Stephens (London: Methuen, 2021) will be published next year.

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Welcome to MA Theatre

The course aims to provide a 360-degree perspective on performance to reflect the need for a portfolio career in the 21st Century, with a designated focus on dramaturgy.

MA Theatre places an emphasis on the vast range of recent developments in drama, theatre, and performance practice and research. The programme makes full use of the expertise of staff across the Lincoln School of Creative Arts, which embodies in-depth knowledge of contemporary theatre-making.

Staff have expertise in running professional touring companies, playwriting, dramaturgy, theatre criticism, and writing successful research grant applications and funding bids. Our research-active team publish on dramaturgy and theatre-making in academic literature.

Students have the opportunity to benefit from a combination of practical experience and theoretical study. This approach is designed to enhance career prospects by preparing students for a variety of roles in theatre, media production, management, research, and education.

How You Study

MA Theatre is taught across the academic year through lectures, seminars, group workshops, and blended learning strategies. It utilises facilities including the performance studios of Lincoln Arts Centre, the University's online learning platform BlackBoard, and the latest digital technologies, allowing the School to engage diverse learners through a variety of means.

In between scheduled sessions, students are expected to engage in self-directed study, supported by academic staff. This includes allocated and autonomously researched journal articles, book chapters, and relevant journalism, as well as watching video content and engaging with other materials, often suggested or made accessible through each module's online learning site. Students can also undertake regular formative assignments that are not assessed as part of their final grade, but are designed to have significant benefits to their learning.

Programme Structure:

Semester A
Perspectives on Performance
Dramaturgy in Practice
Writing about Theatre

Semester B
Perspectives on Performance
Research Territories
Writing for Theatre

Semester C
Research Project (Dissertation or Practice as Research)

Contact Hours and Independent Study:

Weekly contact hours on this programme may vary depending on the individual modules and the stage of study. Postgraduate-level study also involves a significant proportion of independent study exploring the material covered in lectures and seminars. As a general guide, for every hour spent in class, students are expected to spend at least four to five hours in independent study.

An Introduction to Your Modules

† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.

Dramaturgy in Practice 2023-24DRA9030MLevel 72023-24Why are critical skills important within contemporary theatre-making contexts? In what ways might those skills feed into theatre-making processes? How might we market ourselves as critical theatre-makers to attract the interest of arts-based educational institutes, organisations and industries? And how might we contribute meaningfully to the work of such bodies? This module provides opportunities to apply critical practice to creative processes in mutually beneficial ways.CorePerspectives on Performance 2023-24DRA9031MLevel 72023-24What features characterise contemporary theatre and performance practices? What factors have shaped their development in comparative national and international contexts? How have theatre and performance responded to contemporary society? What are the key issues facing arts practitioners and institutions today? And which theoretical frameworks might help us to understand the contemporary landscapes of theatre and performance? This module examines these questions by offering a range of perspectives on performance from experts within and beyond the University of Lincoln.CoreResearch Methods 2023-24DRA9034MLevel 72023-24How can we deepen our approaches to research? How might deep and specific approaches to research enrich the critical and creative work that we produce? What are the distinctions and overlaps between various research methodologies and the different final projects that they are capable of producing? This module provides opportunities to see research practices anew: as creative and intellectual stimuli, and as integral to the production of original work.CoreWriting about Theatre 2023-24DRA9035MLevel 72023-24What do different professional, cultural and theoretical contexts lend to our understanding of theatre? How might we analyse a piece of theatre deeply and communicate that deep knowledge in a range of ways? How might we write about theatre with clarity and precision for different readers? This module examines and puts into practice a range of professional modes of writing about theatre: as scholars, as critics and as theatre-makers.CoreWriting for Theatre 2023-24DRA9036MLevel 72023-24How do we write for theatre? How do we perform writing and how does our writing perform? How does what we write reflect who we are and the world in which we live? How might we give voice to the unspoken and speak truth to power? How might we find the words that events make us speak? How might words paint a thousand pictures? Taking questions such as these, students have the chance to write a new piece of theatre and reflect on that process with a view to becoming a critical theatre-maker.CoreCollaborative Project 2023-24DRA9029MLevel 72023-24OptionalMaking Theatre for Young Audiences 2023-24DRA9043MLevel 72023-24Making Theatre for Young Audiences challenges students to discover and develop through studio-based, collaborative making the fundamental methodologies of their own unique artistic practices, leading to a full-length performance at a professional venue.Making Theatre for Young Audiences aims to help students answer the following questions of their practice: How can we explore and extend the boundaries of contemporary TYA performance making? What are the significant conceptual and methodological questions that arise through making? What does it mean to collaborate? What are the ethics and aesthetics of the ensemble? How can practical methodologies be developed through studio practice to deliver a venue-based performance for young audiences?OptionalPractice as Research Project 2023-24DRA9032MLevel 72023-24This module gives students the opportunity to pursue a self-initiated Practice as Research project, based on an area of their choice, resulting in a piece of practical work and a critical reflection. Working under the supervision of a member of staff, each student undertakes a project which may be informed by their experience on the course. Their Practice as Research Project should demonstrate a deep understanding of the issues central to their chosen subject.OptionalResearch Project 2023-24DRA9033MLevel 72023-24This module gives students the opportunity to pursue a research project, based on an area of their choice, resulting in a conventional dissertation taking the form of an extended piece of academic writing. Working under the supervision of a member of staff, each student undertakes a project which may be informed by their experience on the course. Their Research Project should demonstrate a deep understanding of the issues central to their chosen subject.Optional

How you are assessed

Modules are assessed by a combination of written essay, critical portfolio, student blog, funding form, learning agreement, prospective journal article, pitch, panel discussion, individual and group presentation, and/or focused practical workshop or performance. Student progress is subject to continuous assessments on all modules in the programme in addition to final assessed outputs.

Assessment will focus on: demonstration of practical and theoretical engagement with research; articulation and demonstration of knowledge regarding a wide range of theatre performance; critical enquiry and analysis; and contextualising students' own work and the work of others within the field of historical or contemporary performance practice and scholarship.

Students on the MA Theatre play an active role in choosing the focus and, in some cases, even the modes of their assessments in consultation with relevant module tutors and in ways that align with their individual career goals.

Assessment Feedback

The University of Lincoln's policy on assessment feedback aims to ensure that academics will return in-course assessments to students promptly - usually within 15 working days of the submission date.

Fees and Funding

For eligible students, there are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, UK students can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study. Learn how Master's and PhD loans, scholarships, and studentships can help you fund your studies on our Postgraduate Fees and Funding pages.

Programme Fees

Programme-Specific Additional Costs

For each course you may find that there are additional costs. These may be with regard to the specific clothing, materials, or equipment required.

With regards to text books, the University provides students who enrol with a comprehensive reading list and you will find that our extensive library holds either material or virtual versions of the core texts that you are required to read. However, you may prefer to purchase some of these for yourself and you will be responsible for this cost.

Entry Requirements 2023-24

Lower second class honours degree or above or equivalent professional experience. Professional experience in the industry might include five years as a theatre-maker/ playwright or working in the theatre industry.

If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.

Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/.

If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses. Find out more: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/pre-sessionalenglishandacademicstudyskills/

These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study.

Research Areas, Projects and Topics

MA Theatre has benefitted from close links with the School and College expertise-sharing initiatives Critical Encounters and Tower Talks, and the programme leaders aim to nurture these and other such opportunities going forward.

Features

In the past, MA Theatre students have taken part in study trips to Nottingham, Sheffield, and Leeds. There may be opportunities to attend professional and peer networking events such as Critical Encounters, hosted by the School, and the Tower Talks event for postgraduate students and staff across the College of Arts.

There is potential for students to get involved with extracurricular activities with The Lincoln Company which regularly takes shows to the Edinburgh Fringe every year.

Students may also have the opportunity to engage in Horizons, a blended learing initiative deisgned to help them develop subject specific employability skills, and interdisciplinary and digital skills, drawing on the University of Lincoln’s six research themes.

Placements

The core work-based learning module, Dramaturgy in Practice, offers a choice of three placement pathways - industry, pedagogy, or online - giving students the opportunity to engage with artistic works in progress through placements in the industry regionally; with drama lecturers on practical undergraduate modules; or through digital collaborations.

A list of possible placement hosts will be provided, but students are welcome to source their own. It will be up to the student to liaise with their host, negotiate how they will work with them, and cover additional travel costs incurred.

Interviews and Applicant Days

Applicants may be asked to attend an interview in person, via telephone, or online. Written evidence will be required in the form of a recent sample of critical or creative writing. It is expected that prospective candidates will have researched the course and be prepared to speak about it. Please contact Programme Leaders for further information:

Dr Siobhan O'Gorman (sogorman@lincoln.ac.uk)
Dr Jacqueline Bolton (jbolton@lincoln.ac.uk)

"MA Theatre offered me the opportunity to write a play and take it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016, where my work was viewed critically on a national scale. It is by far the proudest achievement of my life and something that never would have been possible without the MA course."

Kate Newman

Career and Personal Development

Theatre graduates from this programme have gone on to work in the theatre industry in areas such as writing, devising, performing, dramaturgy, and otherwise making theatre. Graduates have formed theatre companies and worked with arts venues, either in administration, marketing, or backstage. Some have gone on to postgraduate research to become lecturers in further and higher education.

The University Careers and Employability Team offer qualified advisors who can work with you to provide tailored, individual support and careers advice during your time at the University. As a member of our alumni we also offer one-to-one support in the first year after completing your course, including access to events, vacancy information and website resources; with access to online vacancies and virtual and website resources for the following two years.

This service can include one-to-one coaching, CV advice and interview preparation to help you maximise your future opportunities. The service works closely with local, national and international employers, acting as a gateway to the business world.

Postgraduate Events

Find out more about how postgraduate study can help further your career, develop your knowledge, or even prepare you to start your own business at one of our postgraduate events.

Find out More

Key Information

MA Theatre