Combining recent developments in drama education and TESOL innovation and methodology
This unique MA programme combines expertise from education studies and applied linguistics in order to develop students’ theoretical understanding and practical skills in the interdisciplinary field of drama education and English Language Teaching and Learning. With a variety of hybrid pedagogic approaches that can be applied to a range of educational and community contexts, you will benefit from expertise from two social sciences departments.
This unique MA programme offers students an in-depth insight into the ways drama and theatre education can enhance teaching and learning in primary, secondary and tertiary education, specifically in the field of English Language Teaching and Learning (TESOL). We introduce you to a range of hybrid pedagogic strategies that are underpinned by rigor and that aspire to make language learning accessible, playful, creative and engaging. You will engage with cutting-edge theory and practice-led research related to the ways drama and theatre can be used as pedagogical tools. This MA is aimed at practitioners working in schools and colleges, and community and educational theatre settings and will be of interest to those working in the area of TESOL.
The course of study provides a planned and structured programme, which is sufficiently flexible to respond to the needs of a wide range of pedagogic and cultural contexts. Practical activities are at the heart of our course structure, so there will be a number of opportunities to work with your peers, collaborating, debating, and researching practical solutions. Your interdisciplinary skill set will be developed throughout the MA, enabling you to pursue a diverse array of career pathways. Many of our alumni have gone go on to:
- Study teacher training courses to become teachers of drama/theatre and/or English language;
- Enhance their profile as classroom drama/theatre and English teachers, many securing promotion;
- Successfully complete Doctoral study, becoming academics in the field of drama and theatre education;
- Work as theatre education and outreach officers for leading arts organisations;
- Develop their portfolio as freelance practitioners/facilitators in the field of drama and theatre in education.
This BA English Literature and Theatre degree enables you to explore a broad range of topics across English literature and theatre, as well as areas where the two subjects overlap.
You will be studying in two departments (English Literature; and Film, Theatre & Television) who collaborate with each other extensively. English Literature was one of the first university departments in the UK to study American and Canadian authors like Margaret Atwood, and we continue this tradition with a curriculum that includes the best of contemporary writing in English from around the globe. The Department of Film, Theatre & Television pioneered the study of film in UK higher education, and we continue to lead in the range and breadth of the modules we offer.
The theatre component of your degree focuses on performance, and so we investigate plays in a variety of settings. You will make regular trips to performances in Reading and London, and will investigate a range of contemporary practices including site specific work and examples of digital technologies in live performance. We study twentieth and twenty-first century dramatists, such as Caryl Churchill, Sarah Kane, and Samuel Beckett. Our teaching is a dynamic mix of theory and practice, and optional modules that include group-based practical projects are available for those who enjoy practice-based study.
We have state-of-the-art facilities, including three theatre spaces, a dedicated recording studio and a mixing suite. You will have access to a studio with a flexible lighting system, multi-camera facilities, a talk-back system and Chroma key and a studio gallery linked to the theatres for live filming and mixing work. We provide industry standard software and support from dedicated technicians, and all spaces are equipped with state-of-the-art multimedia equipment and lighting. Over 100 performances, films, and television programmes are created in the Department of Film, Theatre & Television each year, meaning that there are plenty of opportunities for you to develop your technical or performance skills on an extra-curricular basis.
In your English Literature modules, you will encounter authors and genres that you may already know (from tragedy to Gothic, from Shakespeare and Dickens to Plath and Beckett). You will also explore aspects of literary studies that may be less familiar to you, from children’s literature to publishing studies and the history of the book. Our lecturers and professors have published research on everything from medieval poetry to contemporary Caribbean and American fiction so you will be learning from experts in the field. Everyone in our departments, from new lecturers to professors, teaches at every level of the degree, so you are learning from experts as soon as you begin your first year. 96% of students agreed that our staff are good at explaining things in the Department of English Literature (The National Student Survey, 2021).
We place a strong emphasis on small-group learning within a friendly and supportive environment, because we believe that the study of literature and theatre is a discursive process where we learn by sharing ideas. We provide detailed and thorough feedback on your written work within 15 working days: this is crucial to your development as a writer, whether you intend a career in creative or professional writing.
Develop and hone your writing skills, and explore the important relationships between film and theatre, in our BA Creative Writing and Film & Theatre course.
Taught jointly by the Department of English Literature and the Department of Film, Theatre and Television, this multi-faceted course will:
- develop your creative writing in a small-group environment
- explore a variety of literary, dramatic and film texts
- provide practical and theoretical approaches to film and theatre.
Creative writing, film and theatre complement each other perfectly. Developing characters and narratives in your creative writing, and working to improve and refine them, will make you a better writer. This will enhance your ability to create compelling characters and narratives in your filmmaking and theatre work.
Marketing is about so much more than advertising. Through this broad degree you'll understand what makes a brand, you'll develop a new product, learn how to understand consumer psychology and improve your ability to make a sale.
Marketing is a key part of every business and this degree looks closely at how marketing works with other specialisms such as finance, operations and public relations. When you finish this degree you'll have a deep understanding of how marketing interacts with all the working parts of a business and you'll be able to apply your skills as a marketing specialist in any sector that interests you.
Course highlights:
- Explore all the key concepts of marketing, sales, digital marketing, brand and advertising and then focus on the areas that really interest you as the course progresses
- Apply your learning in a 1-year paid work placement, or through working with a real client in our marketing consultancy module
- Get additional certifications in tools, software and specific skills like SEO, Google Ads and Google Analytics as part of your degree
- Learn to interpret data to inform your decisions and present that data to a variety of different audiences
- Benefit from expert industry speakers, from companies such as O2, TK Maxx and Gartner
- Learn from teaching staff who have worked in the industry and are actively researching the rapidly changing world of marketing
The Diploma in Professional Marketing gives you the required knowledge, skills and understanding at management level to take a strategic approach to marketing planning. By understanding key marketing metrics and measurement techniques you will be able to interpret relevant insight and make informed strategic decisions.
This is a one year provision but you can start in September, January or April.
This Course is aimed at individuals who have an interest in working within make-up or hair in the TV, film or theatre industry or would like to progress onto University on a relevant Beauty Therapy course.
Although not crucial, it is preferred that you have completed the Level 2 Media Make-up & Hair course or a Level 2 in Hairdressing or Beauty Therapy course before progressing onto this Level 3 course, as this will provide you with a skill set in readiness for the Level 3 course and it’s more challenging content.
On completion of the course you will not only gain a Level 3 diploma from City and Guilds - you will also be awarded 32 UCAS points which can be used to assist entry into University.
This Level 2 course in make-up will introduce you to the skills and knowledge required to apply make-up techniques, taking into account skin types, face shapes, styles of make-up and corrective techniques
You will also study associated health and safety along with client care and providing lash and brow treatments that can also enhance the make-up looks you create.
On completion of this course you will achieve a City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in Make-Up.
This course costs £241, including exam fees.
You may be eligible for free study if you are 23 or under and this is your first full Level 2 or 3 course. Alternatively, if you are unemployed, receiving an eligible benefit, and taking the course to help you find employment.
On successful completion of this course, you will be able to progress to Level 3 Hair and Media Make-up or to another course in the department (Hair or Beauty) Level 2 or 3 (course requirements and interview depending) then onto university to study a media make-up or special effects make-up degree. You could also enter employment in theatres, TV studios, cosmetic counters and on cruise ships.
This course provides an excellent grounding for those wishing to build a career as a make-up artist. This course consists of both hair and make-up modules including: make-up applications, hair preparation services, dressing and finishing hair, face and body art painting. You will have the opportunity to complete work for various competitions locally and nationally which have seen previous students take home numerous awards for their amazing designs. You will gain work experience in either a hairdressing salon or as a make-up artist.
You will study a range of units including:
Cost: Free for 16 to 18-year-olds. For age 19+, various funding options are available.
