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Writing for Performance at University of Cambridge - UCAS

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2025 - 20262026 - 2027
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Course summary

The Master of Studies (MSt) in Writing for Performance is designed for postgraduate students who wish to develop high-level theoretical skills and a vibrant and innovative creative practice within writing for a wide range of performance mediums. Writing for performance is defined as making scripts or text for:

  • theatre
  • film/TV
  • radio drama
  • performance art podcasts
  • digital platforms
  • stand-up comedy
You’ll develop skills initially in all mediums and then be guided to choose a specific genre of script-making for the final project. You’ll develop the capacity to critically reflect on your own work, the work of your peer-group, and that of other professional writers. This course is designed for people wishing to develop as dramatists to improve their professional careers in the entertainment industry as writers or directors, or to enhance their skills as dramaturgs/script editors to follow a career in literary management, publishing or agenting. You may also be interested in this course if you wish to enrich your creative writing/drama teaching practice at GCSE or on A-Level English Language or Literature courses. Students on the MSt in Writing for Performance could include those currently working, or wishing to work, in the creative industries. This might include teachers, publishers, dramaturgs, literary managers, journalists and broadcasters. The overall aims of the MSt in Writing for Performance are to:
  • enable students to develop high levels of expertise as writers of performance through engagement with forms of ‘embodied knowledge’, and ‘learning through doing’, within both group and individual contexts
  • facilitate students’ creative practice, and to encourage originality and experimentation with narrative structures and story-telling
  • use theory and philosophy to develop and enhance students’ creative practice through engagement with performance theory and the critical history of performance
  • identify, encourage, and consolidate the distinct and individual strengths within students’ work
  • explore, both critically and creatively, the world of dramatic writing across a range of performance genres and mediums
  • develop skills relevant to professional development for those working in creative, pedagogic, or industry contexts
  • create a safe and empathetic teaching environment that students can trust, in order that they may produce their most innovative creative work

Modules

The MSt in Writing for Performance is structured around 4 modules taught during year 1 of the course and a presentation module during year 2, each of which students must attend. Each of the 4 modules is preceded by guided preparatory reading and other activities, and followed by 2 writing assignments: one formative and one summative. Modules studies in Year 1 may include 'The Fundamentals of Dramatic Writing', 'Writing for Audio and Other Digital Media', 'Writing for Theatre, Comedy or Performance' and 'Writing for Film and TV'.

Assessment method

In Year 1, students will be required to submit:

  • 20 minutes of script/screenplay/performance text
  • 2 critical essays of 3,000 words each
  • a piece of reflective writing of 2,000 words
In Year 2, students will be required to submit a dissertation which consists of:
  • A major creative project of 90 minutes of writing for performance.
  • A synopsis and/or synopses: Where the submitted script is an extract of a longer piece, a one-page synopsis of the remaining script must be submitted which clearly indicates where in the story the extract comes from, and/or a synopsis of 150 words maximum for each of the remaining episodes.
  • A one-page industry strategy document of 400 words (formatively assessed)
  • A written reflective and critical commentary of 5,000 words
Students are given formal written feedback on their assignments and informal feedback throughout the course, including during tutorials and supervisions. Tutors produce a report for each student at the end of Year 1 and supervisors produce termly reports for each student during Year 2.

How to apply

International applicants

Our courses are taught in English and require a good level of fluency. If English is not your first language, you'll need to prove you have sufficient fluency before admission. If we offer you a place, it will be subject to you meeting this requirement. As a minimum, you will be required to demonstrate an overall score of 7.5 in IELTS Academic with a minimum of 7.0 in each individual component (or equivalent). We welcome applications from international students. If you're coming from overseas, you would attend the in-person teaching sessions for this course with visitor immigration permission. It's important to be aware that entering the UK as a visitor for study purposes comes with certain expectations and restrictions, and you should fully understand the requirements.

Entry requirements

Applicants for this course will normally have achieved a good UK 2.i honours degree or overseas equivalent. There is provision to accept non-standard applicants who do not satisfy the standard academic criterion. Such applicants must produce evidence of relevant and equivalent experience and their suitability for the course. Language requirement IELTS Academic: Overall band score of 7.5 (with a minimum of 7.0 in each individual component) CAE: Grade A or B (with at least 193 in each individual element) plus a language centre assessment CPE: Grade A, B, or C (with at least 200 in each individual element) TOEFL iBT: Overall score of at least 110 with no element below 25

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £25494 Whole course
Northern Ireland £25494 Whole course
Scotland £25494 Whole course
Wales £25494 Whole course
International £50988 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

There is a £85 application fee.
Writing for Performance at University of Cambridge - UCAS