School of Performance and Cultural Industries / Postgraduate / Writing for Performance & Publication

MA Culture, Creativity & Entrepreneurship

MA Performance, Culture & Context

MA Writing for Performance & Publication

Module Overview

Writing for Performance & Publication

Course Overview

 

Do you have ambitions to be a produced or published writer?  Do you have a passion to write scripts for theatre, television or radio, or an interest in completing a novel or collection of short stories?  Would you like to be tutored in creative writing by leading and established writers, and study alongside other creative and performing arts students in a fast-growing centre of cultural and research excellence based within one of the UK’s leading universities?

Who is the Programme for?




The MA in Writing for Performance and Publication is designed for students who hope to become writers, or who wish to develop their writing skills, particularly in the field of performance.  It is aimed at:

  • graduates with aspirations to become produced or published writers
  • existing arts or cultural practitioners who wish to understand more about the writer’s craft
  • teachers of Drama or English or related subjects who need time to pursue their own writing projects
  • non-graduates with relevant professional qualifications, for example in theatre and the arts, journalism, advertising and media
 
You can pursue this programme full-time or part-time.

What is the programme about?


  • Emphasis is on scriptwriting for theatre, film, television and/or radio, but there is some opportunity to work in other genres, especially prose fiction.
  • Research methods in relation to imaginative writing are studied, and students are encouraged to reflect and analyse as well as create new work.     
  • The tutors are professional dramatists and academic specialists with expertise in a range of genres, and experience in dealing with theatres, production companies, agents, editors and publishers.
  • Guest speakers from the worlds of theatre, broadcasting, film and publishing offer further insights into writing and the creative industries.
  • Theatre and studio space is available to stage new work.

For more information: contact Programme Director Garry Lyons at g.f.lyons@leeds.ac.uk



Why Study this programme

 

  • Taught by active, established writers and academics engaged in the creative industries, the programme has an unusually strong professionally-focused approach
  • Teaching is highly attuned to new cultural and technical developments, and their impact on contemporary storytelling
  • The programme offers opportunities to collaborate on projects with other post-graduate students within the University, including performers, choreographers, cultural entrepreneurs, musicians, designers and film-makers.
  • Participation in the School’s post-graduate festival, New Stages, is encouraged.
  • The programme has developed a powerful record for developing successful writers and creative leaders, from playwrights and television comedy writers to award-winning novelists, directors, and lecturers.

For more information: contact Programme Director Garry Lyons at g.f.lyons@leeds.ac.uk

 

 

 


Semesters 1 & 2

 

For full time students, Semester One is composed of the following modules:


Second Semester
For full time students, Semester Two consists of the following modules: 

Writing & Performance Projects

 

As part of their MA experience, many of our Writing students get involved in a wide range of creative and literary projects. Examples include:

  • Mounting plays and workshops in a enormous variety of venues and locations including the National Theatre Studio, Soho Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Hull Truck Theatre, Contact Theatre, Red Ladder, Theatre in the Mill, Bradford, Windsor Fringe, and a host of community centres, schools and smaller spaces.
  • Engaging in international projects such as a community radio play with children in India
  • Presenting poetry readings, slams and scratch nights
  • Starting up small publishing houses e.g. Dog Horn
  • Creating and editing literary magazines e.g. Polluto
  • Presenting radio programmes for the BBC and producing student radio programmes
  • Writing and directing short films

Current Student Profiles



Lisa_Mee
Writing for Performance & Publication Part-Time                   
I work as a part-time Performing Arts tutor at a college.This is alongside various acting projects that I undertake for both Television and Theatre. Within my role as a Performing Arts tutor I work to deliver various pieces, directing performances ranging from scripted pieces, physical theatre, Theatre in Education tours and devised work...

 

 


 

 





Writing for Performance & Publication Part-Time 
After completing my BA in English Literature I embarked upon a career as an advertising copywriter, working for several leading agencies before establishing my own creative consultancy. Over the years I have published poems in major publications, appeared in a national poetry anthology and written feature articles...


 

 




 

 


MA Writing for Performance and Publication
I’m a 51 year old RTS award winning Journalist and father of two. I’ve spent a career in regional and national TV news and features writing, producing and directing daily news bulletins and more than 60 hours of TV features and documentaries. I enjoy reading,
film, music and theatre. I love walking, camping and canoeing.

 

 

 

 

 



Graduate Destinations






  • Many students will wish to go on to become professional writers. Though we cannot guarantee such an outcome in a fiercely competitive field, the degree is designed to try to help students realise these ambitions
  • Other students may wish to remain in their present jobs, using their additional experience and qualification to progress their careers
  • The degree is also suitable for a future in education, arts administration, script editing and literary management, broadcasting and the media, advertising, journalism, publishing, literary agencies, public relations, marketing etc.

    Recent students include:

    KACHI OZUMBA won the African section of the Commonwealth Short Story Competition 2009, and has had work broadcast on BBC Radio 4. His debut novel, The Shadow of a Smile (Alma Books) was listed as one of The Observer’s Books of 2009. He recently completed a Creative Writing PhD at Newcastle University.

    JONATHAN BRIDLE is a comedy scriptwriter for television and radio.  He writes regularly for the Bafta-winning comedy duo Mitchell and Webb.  His other credits include Scallywagga (BBC 3) and School of Comedy (Channel 4).

    AISHA KHAN won an Arts Council bursary to gain experience in the literary department at West Yorkshire Playhouse.  Her play Road Trip was broadcast by BBC Radio 4, and her new play No Man’s Land will be premiered at West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2011.

    ADAM LOWE has started his own independent publishing imprint, Dog Horn. His debut novel, Troglodyte Rose, was published by Crossing Chaos in Canada.

    RICHARD MILBURN was appointed Programme Leader for the foundation degree in Performing Arts at Cumbria University. His award-winning play Material Boy was performed at the Duke's Theatre, Lancaster and the Theatre by the Lake, Keswick. .

    PRAVEENA SHIVRAM was a winner of the Commonwealth Short Story Competition 2009 with her story, Neer, and is now a magazine editor in Chenai, India.

    STEPHANIE HALL was appointed Artistic Director of Libra, a disability arts group.

    ANNA CLARKSON was a runner-up in Amnesty International’s Protest the Human playwriting competition. Her play Love You Short-Time was presented at the Soho Theatre, London before receiving a three-day workshop at the National Theatre Studio.

    GRACE CUNNINGTON has been commissioned to write a touring play for Red Ladder. JAN PERRY won the Windsor Fringe Marriott Award for New Drama with her play Click.

 

 

 

 

How to apply?




•You can apply online at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/info/20022/postgraduate_taught/81/applying_for_taught_programmes If you require further details and want to speak to a member of the Post graduate Admissions staff please contact: admissions-pci@leeds.ac.uk or Ms Jane Richardson Admissions Secretary 0113 343 8714

• When the School receives your application, we will contact you. Wherever possible, we call candidates for interview. For international students, this can be a telephone interview. We will let you know the result of your application as soon as possible
• For more information: contact Programme Director at Garry Lyons g.f.lyons@leeds.ac.uk or 00 (44) 113 343 8735





Entry Requirements:

 

University Admissions Policy can be found here

Please note: Applicants should hold an Honours degrees of at least upper second class or equivalent. Exceptions to this academic requirement may be made when applicants can demonstrate significant relevant industry experience. In addition to this, applications for the Writing for Performance and Publication degree require a portfolio of 2 -3,000 words of creative writing.

For international students, it is likely that if English is your second language, you will need to prove English proficiency (see link above for more information).  This can be demonstrated in a number of ways, including:
1.  IELTS: an overall band 6.5 with not less than 6.0 in all components
2.   TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) internet-based test: a total score of 94, with not less than: 21 in listening, 23 in reading and speaking, and 24 in writing



Content 7