Course summary
This is a unique opportunity to work intensively with Katie Mitchell OBE, one of the most acclaimed, important and innovative directors in Europe. You will combine your professional training with academic research providing you with complementary creative and intellectual skills. This course is a rigorous, intensive, demanding training in theatre directing where you will work with professional actors to develop your directing skills. You will have the chance to direct in our new purpose-build performance space, the Caryl Churchill Theatre, a 150-seat flexible theatre on three levels, designed by award-winning theatre architects Foster-Wilson. Royal Holloway's Department of Drama, Theatre and Dance is internationally recognised for the quality of its creative arts programmes. The Department has produced several theatre companies with a growing international reputation, including Ad Infinitum, Forest Fringe, non zero one and Analogue. Please be aware that this course commences in July. When applying through our online applicant system (Royal Holloway Direct), please select the academic year 2019/20 in order to start the Masters Course in July 2020 or select the academic year 2020/21 in order to start the Masters Course in July 2021.
Modules
Please visit our website. https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-here/postgraduate/drama-theatre-and-dance/theatre-directing/
Assessment method
Teaching and learning are primarily by means of intensive summer workshops, including eight hours of collaborative workshop and up to three hours of supervised rehearsal time a day for three weeks. These typically combine periods of seminar discussion with practical exploration and workshops. Where possible, these are student-led, with participants being encouraged to devise exercises engaging with the relevant issues and to direct their fellow-students. Opportunities to visit theatrical performances and rehearsal rooms are also an important part of the programme, and you will be encouraged to use these as a basis for discussion and to deconstruct the performances they have seen from a variety of critical positions. Assessment is by a variety of means including essays (both theoretical and critical) and etudes (practical directing exercises), practical projects as well as a final dissertation of 10-14,000 words. Practical projects are sometimes carried out in a group and may include an element of assessment for an individual’s contribution to group working and direction.
Entry requirements
2:1 Relevant professional qualifications and relevant experience in an associated area will be considered. Extensive and recent practical theatre experience might compensate for a lack of the normal academic qualifications, however applicants should be aware that completing a dissertation is an important part of this degree. Normally we require a UK 2:1 (Honours) or equivalent in relevant subjects but we will consider high 2:2 or relevant work experience. Candidates with professional qualifications in an associated area may be considered. Where a ‘high 2:2’ is considered, we would normally define this as reflecting a profile of 57% or above. Applicants will be required to submit one academic essay that they have submitted for assessment on a previous course or an analysis of any theatre production that they have recently seen (2000 words). Suitable applicants are interviewed.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Republic of Ireland | £10600 | Year 1 |
| EU | £23900 | Year 1 |
| England | £10600 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £10600 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £10600 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £10600 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £10600 | Year 1 |
| International | £23900 | Year 1 |
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
These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis. Students studying on the standard part-time course structure over two years are charged 50% of the full-time applicable fee for each study year.
All postgraduate fees are subject to inflationary increases. Please be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration). This means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year.
This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2024/25. Find out more (https://royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-here/fees-and-funding/postgraduate/tuition-fees/)
These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2024/25 academic year, and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included.
Provider information
Royal Holloway, University of London
Egham
TW20 0EX