Directing

You’ll explore approaches to directing through seminars and practical work. Alongside this, you’ll develop an advanced understanding of actor training.

We’ll be dedicated to your individual development. You’ll receive support through tutorials, and will embark on your own production work.

Trimester one
The first production module supports directors and actors as they work on selected speeches and scenes while also collaborating on larger productions. Weekly research seminars bring together history and current practice of directing, along with advancing research skills needed for directors.

Trimester two
The second production module provides an opportunity to create original work, working either with your own chosen cast or with a University or professional production. Additionally, you’ll take a Professional Collaboration module that provides both tools and experience to work with a wide range of artists.

Trimester three
You can choose to undertake a more traditional written dissertation, a performance based dissertation, or a mixture of the two. You might direct a production, lead workshops, or research areas relating to directing as part of your dissertation.

This course includes or offers the following modules. Please check the programme document for more information on which modules are core, required or optional.

• Research Methodologies and Context
• Production One: Directing Actors
• Professional Collaboration
• Production Two: Directing a Company
• Major Project.

Assessments could include performances, essays, literature reviews, written documentation of work, presentations, portfolios, leading workshops, written evaluations, rehearsal and practice blogs, written dissertations, practical dissertation projects, and critical play reviews.

The degree is delivered through a variety of workshops, lectures, seminars, masterclasses, off-site visits, performance and production work, and through the Virtual Learning Environment, Minerva. We get professional actors and directors in to work with you; we have ever-expanding list of lecturers, specialists, artists and guest scholars.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

You’ll have the opportunity to visit museums and theatres and experience theatre perfomances.

Previous destinations have included Bath, Bristol, Stratford-upon-Avon and London. Other field trips may give you the chance to work with professional theatre groups and actors; we’ve previously rented studios in London for this purpose.

Some trips are subsidised, however, you may have to contribute to fund travel and tickets.

You’ll have access to performance studios and spaces such as the University Theatre at Newton Park, and Corsham Court. We also have links with the Theatre Royal Bath, the Rondo Theatre, The Egg, The Ustinov, the Tobacco Factory, Circomedia, The Scoop @More London, and the Salisbury Playhouse.

As a student you'll also be able to take advantage of our:

• Newton Park Library
• Virtual learning environment, Minerva.

As an MA Directing student, you’ll be able to hire out equipment using SISO, Bath Spa University’s free equipment loan service.