Drama with Secondary Education (QTS)

You will study a broad range of topics including applied drama, popular performance, physical theatre, text, devising, scriptwriting and performance analysis. You will do this through an engagement with a range of significant 20th and 21st century play texts, performance practitioners, directors and theatre companies.

We take a radical approach to teaching that mirrors industry practice; you will have the opportunity to take part in key production modules, which are rehearsed and performed within an intensive three week period.

Year 1. You will begin by developing a portfolio of performance skills through weekly sessions designed to develop both vocal and physical ability. You will also study a range of key texts and explore directorial approaches and appropriate performance strategies in order to transition these texts from page to stage. In addition you will study Education topics such as ‘Subject Specific Pedagogy – Justifying the Specialist Subject’.

Year 2. You will be introduced to a range of key theatre and performance practitioners and have the opportunity to explore a variety of approaches to performance making through practice. You will take part in an intensive production module that will require you to work as part of an ensemble to devise, rehearse and stage a performance using a specific genre of theatre such as physical theatre or popular performance. In addition you will study Education topics such as ‘Subject Specific Pedagogy – Teaching the Specialist Subject’ and ‘Professional Development – The Beginning Teacher’.

Year 3. You will have the opportunity to work in professional settings such as Birmingham REP and the Black Country Living Museum. You will develop your skills of independent research by conducting an intense subject specific project that explores an area of performance or drama pedagogy in considerable detail. The educational content on offer will include ‘Subject Specific Pedagogy – Investigating Practise’ and ‘Professional Development – The Developing Teacher’.

The three years will be spent both in University based learning and an amount of time each year will be spent in school. You will have one school attachment each year and these will vary in length.

Your University Tutor will be available to assist you throughout your training, and every effort is made to ensure you have a high quality school placement, where you can learn from experienced teachers. We will try to take your geographical location into account when placing you in schools.