MA by Research Performing Arts

Module: 7SW008

Credits: 180

Period: 1

Type: Core

Locations: University of Wolverhampton in Stafford; Walsall Campus

The dissertation/portfolio is the sole means by which this Masters degree will be assessed. As this is a multi-disciplinary programme, the precise nature of the content and structure of the project will be determined by the individual. The Learning Contract will be negotiated and agreed by the student and the supervising team during the course of admission to the programme.

We have a strong postgraduate community with opportunities to attend events and encounter students across the full range of disciplines within the Faculty of Arts including Studio and Digital Art, Theatre, Music and Performance. You will also be invited to attend all guest lectures, performances and field trips that constitute a vibrant student experience at the University.

We continue to develop state of the art facilities which will greatly enhance your learning experience. Our state-of-the-art performing arts and learning centre; The Performance Hub, opened in 2011 and is the home for all of our performance courses. The hub features

• two bespoke drama studios that are ideal for rehearsals and small performances, a diverse range of fully equipped music teaching, performance and practice rooms (accommodating single person to large band / ensemble);
• five performance studios with semi-sprung floors that are ideal for rehearsals and small performances;
• excellent dance studios;
• two high-end professional recording studios;
• two bespoke technology suites boasting sixty Apple iMacs running industry standard software including Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Max, Pure Data and SuperCollider

The studios feature audio/visual equipment and facilities for hanging lighting for performances.

The university is proud to be an All Steinway School and home to 17 Steinway pianos, five of which are in rehearsal studio spaces. Our 108 seat Black Box Theatre is one of the most technically advanced small theatres in the country and is ideal for a range of performing arts activities.

We are a thriving department of research active academics in drama, dance, music and musical theatre. If you are interested in a specific research area please contact Dr Aglaia Foteinou for further discussion. Some of the academic staff who supervise on this course are listed below;

Dr Richard Glover ():

• Composition;
• Experimental and contemporary music;
• Minimalism and reductionism;
• Psychoacoustic, perception and cognition;
• Experimental approaches to notation;
• Microtonality and tuning systems;
• Contemporary performance practice.

Claire Hampton ():

• Popular culture and performance;
• Trauma and performance;
• Selfie Culture;
• The body in performance;
• Physical Theatre;
• Gender and performance;
• Performativity.

Dr Sarah Browne ():

• Musical Theatre; Identity politics;
• Feminist musicology;
• Film theory and the musical;
• Off-Broadway practices of the sixties;
• Subsidised musicals and revisals;
• African-American influences on musical theatre.

Dr Sarah Whitfield ():

• Musical theatre;
• Labour;
• Theatre historiography and theatre history;
• Cultural materialism;
• Collaborative practice;
• Site specific theatre;
• Postcolonial responses to the musical.

The course will provide you with the knowledge and key abilities and strategies to further your artistic career independently.

At the end of this course you will be able to demonstrate:

1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of a variety of topical viewpoint in performing arts (including dance, drama, music or musical theatre), taking an independent and holistic perspective;
2. Select, interpret, develop and apply a variety of research methodologies and techniques appropriate for the research topic;
3. Explore, develop and refine problem-solving techniques for performance arts, from the technical to the expressive, in a wide range of performance environments and situations;
4. Develop analytical, critical, evaluative, and creative skills appropriate to the performing arts disciplines, through a selection of appropriate methodologies and technologies;
5. Exercise personal autonomy in learning through effective self-organisation and management of workload.

Location Mode Fee Year Home/EU Full-time £6400 per year 2020-21 Home/EU Part-time £3200 per year 2020-21 Home Full-time £6550 per year 2021-22 Home Part-time £3275 per year 2021-22 International Full-time £13350 per year 2020-21 International Full-time £13950 per year 2021-22

These fees relate to new entrants only for the academic year indicated for entry onto the course, any subsequent years study may be subject to an annual increase, usually in line with inflation.

Students will have a good undergraduate degree in a relevant subject field. If you have relevant work experience in your subject area, this can also help you to get a place on a course. All students will be interviewed to assess their suitability and preparedness for the course. All applicants must submit an initial “Proposal for Study” upon which the learning contract can be agreed as a condition of admission.

Sample research proposal - English Literature

A good standard of written and spoken English is an important pre-requisite for postgraduate study. Students whose first language is not English, are required to hold an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.5 or equivalent (

Postgraduate Loan (Home Fee Status):

You may be able to get a postgraduate student loan from Student Finance England of up to £11,750 to help pay for a Master’s degree. Applications are made through Student Finance England and more information on the regulations and eligibility criteria can be found at Masters Loans gov.uk.

* Any RPL will invalidate your eligibility as you must study a minimum of 180 credits

Changes for EU students:

The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as Overseas (International) students for fee purposes. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:

EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) click here.

Postgraduate Loyalty Discount:

You can get 20% discount on a taught on-site postgraduate course if you’re a University of Wolverhampton Graduate.

The University offers a generous 20% Loyalty Discount to students progressing from an undergraduate programme to a taught postgraduate programme, where both courses are University of Wolverhampton Awards.

There is no time limit on how long ago you completed your degree as long as this is your first Masters level qualification.

The discount applies to the first year of enrolment only. Students who receive a loyalty discount are not entitled to any further tuition discount or bursary. For full terms and conditions click here.

Self-funded:

If you are paying for the fees yourself then the fees can be paid in 3 instalments: November, January and April. More information can be found by clicking here.

Sponsored - Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees:

Your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.

We must receive notification of sponsorship in writing as soon as possible, and before enrolment, confirming that the sponsor will pay your tuition fees.

Financial Hardship:

Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.

Charitable Funding:

You might also want to explore the possibility of funding from charitable trusts; please see the following websites Association of Charitable Foundations, Directory of Social Change or Family Action. Most charities and trust funds offer limited bursaries targeted to specific groups of students so you will need to research whether any of them are relevant to your situation.

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

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