Course summary

On this MA you’ll examine performance and digital media within a contemporary society, that has become increasingly technologised. Focusing on the latest technologies, you'll delve into a wide array of stage, screen, audio, and intermedial possibilities. You'll gain extensive hands-on experience that will support your career development in this dynamic and diverse industry. Why study MA Performance and Digital Media at BNU? Comprehensive degree Performance and digital media is a global industry with a rich history in entertainment and innovation. To stand out in this sector you must stay current and extend you knowledge with an ever-changing society. On this course you’ll explore these topics, experiment with lots of ideas and learn about how contemporary practitioners and writers create and understand performance. As part of the Art, Design and Performance School at BNU, you’ll benefit from a practiced-based course, supported by contextual studies. You’ll also have the opportunity to work collaboratively across the university with other courses, ensuring during your studies you are building a varied network, like you would in the real world. Previous joint projects have seen students working with film and TV production and audio and music students. Facilities At BNU we ensure you have creative spaces to bring your ideas to life. On this course you’ll have access to drama studios. Each space brings with it unique features, from moving lights and fully equipped sound systems and projection to mirrors, a tiered seating bank and sprung floors. You’ll also have access to our props store where you can find everything you’ll need to bring your performances to life, from costumes and wigs, to lamps and even a coffin. You’ll also have access to high quality camera equipment, a greenscreen room and lighting rigs and sound recording facilities, all suitable for film and TV screening. What will I study? Create work that pushes the boundaries between performances and contemporary life, and the boundaries between performance and other disciplines. This course focuses on contemporary cutting-edge practice. At the centre of the programme is practical work with industry professionals at the forefront of contemporary UK performance. You will work with them practically and learn about their professional practices. You will then go on to study thinkers who have written about the possibilities of performance and explore concepts discussing what performance is and could be. You’ll explore the application of live and digital performance to a contemporary society that has become increasingly technologised. You will learn to view performance as both performing – a skill which can be applied in a variety of contexts – and as an art form that can accommodate a range of media, including film, screen, and digital platforms. You will gain hands-on experience with the latest technology, allowing you to explore the full range of stage, screen, audio and intermedial possibilities. During the course you’ll increasingly move towards independent study as you adopt the role of performer / director / creator as well as academic. You'll run workshops and lead group productions and the course will conclude with a project led by you, in which you'll creatively develop ideas explored during the course. This MA in Performance and Digital Media puts a particular focus on the range of skills involved in small scale theatre and setting up your own theatre companies, which aims to simulate industry practice. The range of leadership roles you’ll take on will help you develop as a creative and innovative thinker. The high level of academic knowledge and ability to do independent research paves the way for you to embark on a step-up in your career or PhD study after this programme.