Course summary
Please apply directly to the College. Full time (15 months) and part time (28 months) routes. The first and only MA of its kind to focus on queer performance, this course offers broad training in a range of queer performance practice, delivered by renowned queer artists, theatre-makers, academics, and researchers. Fiercely socially engaged, political, experimental, and interdisciplinary, the course provides an in-depth, comprehensive examination of queer performance practice, studying its themes, methodologies, and untapped possibilities. By collaborating closely with other queers in a supportive context, the course develops and expands your individual practice by offering opportunities to contextualise your work while collaborating with others. We welcome all students with an interest in engaging with queer performance, whether primarily as maker (in theatre, live art, drag, cabaret, writing, video and moving image, sound art, digital arts), researcher, critic, facilitator or producer. Why choose this course?
- Experimentation and innovation: Be part of the world's first postgraduate training in queer performance practice, building on important histories you will innovate approaches to making theatre, live art, cabaret, digital work and new writing for contemporary audiences.
- Unique approach: Through in-depth training and study in both intensive in-person residencies and online sessions, you will develop your artistic and academic expertise within established contexts alongside dynamic opportunities for making solo and collaborative performance work.
- Expert training: You will be taught, guided and mentored by experienced world-leading queer staff and queer performance practitioners as you explore different processes and develop new skills.
- Research: This course creates a pedagogical culture dedicated to providing advanced, rigorous and challenging learning and development opportunities. Develop key skills in researching and thinking through queer methodologies and articulate how queer approaches inform the creation and reception of performance.
- Sharing work: You will be encouraged to share work with audiences beyond Rose Bruford, including online, in club spaces, galleries, theatres and festivals. You will create and share an original work in any form, supported by a professional mentor.
- Industry contacts and networking: Development of a professional network of creative relationships.
Modules
This course is taught over 15 months (four terms). As a cohort, you will have four intensives together, three in London and normally one residency abroad. In the intensive periods, you will spend 1-2 weeks in the studio together daily. During term time, there will be at least one in-person taught studio class each week. You will also have lectures, seminars, tutorials, mentorship sessions and independent solo or group work which may be conducted in person or online. You can study this course full time (over 15 months) or part time (over 28 months). Accessibility and learning styles: The course is designed with accessibility considerations across all aspects, although we will always strive to improve and collaborate on improving our access provisions. All written assessments have optionality for alternative spoken/performed components. Module 1: Thinking Queerly The programme begins with a 10-day London-based intensive at the start of Autumn term including taught sessions, artist-led practical workshops, sharing and discussion of where we have all come from, our current positions and future aspirations, and to set our pathways for evolving ideas together. This module will examine how performance art, drag, theatre, street performance and cabaret has played a central role in the development of trans, lesbian, bisexual and gay lives in various global cultures. And in turn, how major historical moments for LGTBQI+ communities and queer critical theory has influenced the development of performance strategies. We will use interdisciplinary perspectives to draw connections between artists, historical events, queer social life and theory. Students will be encouraged to question dominant narratives and methodologies of theatre and performance, and think about who has been absent or forgotten in established archives, histories and stages. Module 2: Creatures of the Night Intensive: This module will also be introduced in the 10-day London-based Autumn intensive through practical workshops, shared trips and seminar discussions. It will culminate in the Winter Intensive, where you will create and perform your own cabaret-inspired event as a cohort. Subsequently, you will be encouraged to research, watch and share queer cabaret, drag, durational, one-to-one, music-based, digital, dance and other experimental nightlife performances. in your own local contexts or through digital practice. Via taught studio classes and peer support you will develop performance works for a public cabaret event in a professional venue in London at the end of the module during the second intensive. Module 3: Queer Dramaturgies Residential: This module includes one normally international residency between 7-10 days with leading queer performance practitioners. Intensive practice-based research in making/devising critical and creative performance work in collaboration with each other.
- Including options for creative writing, video, sound, design and digital performance.
- Each group will be mentored by a leading queer performance practitioner.
- The work in progress will be shared with the incoming cohort during the fourth intensive, held at the start of the Autumn Term.
Qualified teacher status (QTS)
To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:
- Course does not award QTS
How to apply
International applicants
Please note that due to the delivery methods of the Queer Performance MA course, with a combination of distance learning and in-person residencies, international students on this course are not eligible to apply for a student visa. International students wishing to undertake their studies predominantly from their home country should ensure they’re able to travel to the UK during specific periods during the course, in order to undertake in-person residencies. For more information on visitor visas when planning travel to the UK visit gov.uk/standard-visitor, or for further guidance please contact our Admissions team on [email protected] Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance is London’s International Drama School. We welcome students from around the world for both BA and MA/MFA degree study in performance, design, management and technical arts, as well as foundation courses, short courses and summer schools. You will be studying close to London and have easy access to the amazing culture, restaurants and theatre there. When you study with us, you will join students from more than 25 different countries, and develop skills that could take your career all over the world. We have links worldwide with partner institutions for student and staff exchanges, collaborative projects and wider research initiatives. You may find our international students web page and guide useful: https://www.bruford.ac.uk/join/international-students/ We run webinars with virtual campus tours for prospective international students, you can register here: https://www.bruford.ac.uk/join/visit-and-experience/
Entry requirements
Applicants for Masters Programmes will be expected to have a good undergraduate degree in a related subject area. The College also encourages applications from those without formal qualifications who may be accepted on the basis of professional experience.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
Channel Islands | £11550 | Whole course |
Republic of Ireland | £11550 | Whole course |
EU | £18900 | Whole course |
England | £11550 | Whole course |
Northern Ireland | £11550 | Whole course |
Scotland | £11550 | Whole course |
Wales | £11550 | Whole course |
International | £18900 | Whole course |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Provider information
Rose Bruford College
Lamorbey Park
Burnt Oak Lane
Bexley
DA15 9DF