Applied Theatre and Social Change MA

Course overview

This course is centred on the belief that applied theatre has the ability to create individual, community and social change. As a student on the course you will explore the application of theatre practice as a tool to effect social change. You will also develop your own practice with a specific focus on the role of the facilitator in community contexts. You will have opportunities to apply your learning through workshops and practice-led research.

In addition to this, your practice will be supported with expert guidance from established practitioners. The course aims to introduce students to the wide array of practices that form applied theatre including Theatre in Education, Theatre with Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Intergenerational Theatre and Theatre for Development.

As well as practice, you will investigate current issues, debates and theories around applied theatre in diverse contexts such as education, health and mental health, community work and the criminal justice system. You’ll gain a critical understanding of issues relating to applied theatre such as ethics, boundaries and evaluation, alongside structures of good practice in workshop and project planning.

Facilitation training is a core element of the master’s degree. You will undertake facilitation training as part of your induction process to the course, and one-to-one support will be offered throughout the year by staff with expertise in theatre for social change. Leading practitioners from the field will also hold sessions throughout the year to share their experiences, practices and learning.

Leeds has a thriving applied theatre scene, and we have partnerships with many organisations that are engaged in applied theatre practice including Leeds Playhouse, Mind the Gap, Mafwa Theatre, and Fall into Place. We also work closely with local institutions like schools, hospitals, and Leeds City Council, as well as a range of third sector organisations. You will have the opportunity to deliver a project in collaboration with an external partner, allowing you to focus on a particular form of applied theatre practice and its implementation.

Applying

Entry requirements

A bachelor undergraduate degree with a 2:1 (hons) or higher.

You may have a first degree in theatre and performance, media, education, social work, sociology, liberal arts or languages. Applicants would benefit from an existing interest in, or experience of, socially engaged pedagogies or arts, in community or educational contexts.

Applicants must demonstrate understanding of the course by responding to the five questions in the personal statement section of their online application. Please ensure you respond to the questions asked in the supporting statement section of the application. On occasion, we will invite you for interview with the programme leader.

Applicants without a degree may also be considered, if they can demonstrate significant relevant industry experience.

An offer of a place on this programme is subject to meeting our academic entry requirements, as well as your submission of satisfactory responses to the questions we ask in the supporting statement section of the application form.

On occasion, we will invite you for interview with the programme leader.

International

Our admissions team are experienced in considering a wide range of international qualifications. If you wish to discuss whether your qualifications will meet the necessary entry criteria, contact the School’s admissions team.

You can also check the accepted qualifications for your country or region.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Arts and Humanities (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Arts and Humanities (10 weeks).

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional and our 10 week online pre-sessional.

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

Career opportunities

You’ll be able to set up, lead and facilitate workshops as an applied theatre practitioner with diverse groups of people in a variety of contexts. Applied theatre is a wide field that is constantly developing in response to social and economic changes, and there is a growing jobs market in learning and participation in cultural organisations worldwide for freelance practitioners and for full time employees. A freelance career is also very feasible with a wide range of partnerships available due to applied theatre practice working beyond the cultural sector and working with colleagues in health, education and the criminal justice system.

This course will equip you with a range of skills within the area of applied theatre. You’ll have an understanding of applied theatre and its use to effect social change as well as advanced skills in communication, collaboration, presentation, analysis and research.

You may decide to apply your learning in the context of arts administration or arts policy work. You may wish to further your understanding by undertaking specialist professional training in areas like arts therapy. Graduates from this degree would be well suited to teaching, or to pursue research interests at PhD level.

Previous graduates have gone on to work for highly reputable companies such as Collective Encounters, develop their own companies like Bradford-based company Bloomin Buds or worked as freelance facilitators.