MA Performance: Design and Practice

MA Performance: Design and Practice is focussed on the individual student’s practice and the development of this practice within a collaborative context.

The 2 models of collaboration which frame the course are;

1.    Where artists work together to realise a shared creative vision.
2.    Where artists work together to support and realise an individual artist’s creative vision.

These models are intended to reflect the realities of professional practice. 

The standard entry requirements for this course are as follows 

• An honours degree
• Or an equivalent EU/international qualification.

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:

• A portfolio of creative practice or relevant experience
• The quality of the personal statement
• Recommendations from employers or professionals in relevant fields of practice. 
• Or a combination of these factors.

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

For fees and funding information, please see website 

MA Performance: Design and Practice prepares you particularly for independent professional practice. Many of our graduates form their own creative companies and partnerships. MA Performance: Design and Practice graduates have gone on to work in art, design and performance in a range of roles, producing and presenting work in many creative contexts including festivals, art centres and venues around the world.

MA Performance: Design and Practice students leave with a specialist individual understanding of performance practice from a chosen perspective. The experience you gain on the postgraduate course enables you to progress to professional practice, working, for example, in theatre, television, film, opera or dance. Some students go on to direct, write or produce. Others progress to research degree study. MA Performance: Design and Practice supports its graduates via a company that offers initial professional experience and publicity.

Recent alumni activity demonstrates the breadth of student activity within the subject. Many graduates from MA Performance: Design and Practice have gone on to achieve professional success. For example, 2010 graduate Catrin Osborne has been appointed Director in Residence at Circus Space, London, 2010 graduate Ruchita Madhok has an Internship at the V&A Museum, London, 2010 graduate Payal Wadhwa has gained a place on the Royal Court Theatre's writing programme. 2009 graduate successes include Susan Leen on a Studio internship with Lucy Orta and David Shearing, appointed to a teaching and research post at Leeds University. 2008 graduate Ingwill Fossheim has a Design Internship at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Unit 1: Collaborative Practices

The first part of the course the primary focus is on those collaborative processes Where artists work together to realise a shared creative vision.

During this unit, you will be asked to engage in a number of collaborative projects, normally 3, each of which culminates in a public presentation. The secondary focus of the unit is on exploring the resources available to you as you move towards individual practice, among these are your teachers, the programme technical team and particularly your fellow students.

Each project comes with a brief which suggests a theoretical lens. These theoretical perspectives, unpacked through seminars and workshops will normally be expected to impact on the development of the practical work

Overall, this unit gives you the opportunity to develop your experience of collaborative working, and importantly it fosters creative relationships that will support you though units 2 and 3.

Unit 2: Performance as Dialogue

The second part of the course places more emphasis on developing your individual practice and expands its focus to include processes where artists work alone or together to support and realise an individual artist’s creative vision. 

Alongside the development of your practice the key question that underpins this unit is; What is the socio-political context for contemporary performance? What is its purpose? Who is it for? What might it be?

This unit focusses on how the work you make together and the performance language you use can be understood and further developed.  To do this the unit looks into how the work you are making is likely be encountered interpreted and understood by an audience, viewer or participants. Throughout the unit you are asked to present proposals for performance-based projects; these may be presentations of performance fragments or short form experimental works. Your critical position, as a practitioner, and your developing concerns are expanded on through a deeper engagement with research or practice enquiry. The proposals that you conceive and develop through this unit will be further explored or realised in the final unit.

Through a programme of studio critiques, you will be supported in an interrogation of how you and your peers, as well as more established artists, communicate ideas and elicit emotional responses.

Unit 3: Independent Project

This final part of the course will ask you to define your specific area of practice performer/director/designer for example. Bringing your ideas and skills to a conclusion; you will be required to contribute to a body of independent  collaborative practice for presentation, alongside a written research document. 

Critical skills and methodologies

You will focus on practice-based research, including the theoretical context surrounding practice. The course also aims to facilitate greater insight into debates around contemporary art and performance.

Independence and professional preparation

MA Performance: Design and Practice encourages independent practice within collaborative frameworks supported by seminars and discussions. In developing your individual practice will be able to draw on the wide professional and academic experience of the course team and others within the university.

Important note concerning academic progression through your course: If you are required to retake a unit you will need to cease further study on the course until you have passed the unit concerned. Once you have successfully passed this unit, you will be able to proceed onto the next unit. Retaking a unit might require you to take time out of study, which could affect other things such as student loans or the visa status for international students.