Offered as a full-time and part-time course, on this MA you’ll explore performance and digital media within to a contemporary society that has become increasingly technologised. With a focus on the latest technology, allowing you to explore the full range of stage, screen, audio and intermedial possibilities, you’ll gain hands-on experience which can help kick-start your career in this fast-paced and diverse industry.

Why study this subject?

Performance and digital media is a global industry with a rich history in entertainment and innovation. To stand out in this sector you must stay current and extend you knowledge with an ever-changing society. On this course you’ll explore these topics, experiment with lots of ideas and learn about how contemporary practitioners and writers create and understand performance.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

With a track-record of producing industry-ready alumni, BNU is the perfect place for you to kick-start your career.

As part of the Art, Design and Performance School at BNU, you’ll benefit from a practiced-based course, supported by contextual studies. You’ll also have the opportunity to work collaboratively across the university with other courses, ensuring during your studies you are building a varied network, like you would in the real world. Previous joint projects have seen students working with film and TV production and audio and music students.

We’ll support you to find an approach to performance and digital media that’s uniquely yours and alongside this set you up with the real-world skills you need to secure work when you graduate.

Led by a dedicated and experienced course team, you’ll benefit from their industry knowledge and the industry links they bring to the course. Many of our guest lecturers are specialists within the industry and with lecturers will nurture your learning and professional development throughout your time with BNU.

As well as this we seek to bring your work into the wider world and to bring the world into the university. During your time at BNU you’ll have the opportunity to perform at external venues and take part in workshops with leading companies, both on and off campus.

With London only a short train ride away, you are only a stones-throw away from the hustle and bustle of the world-renowned West End.

What facilities can I use?

At BNU we ensure you have creative spaces to bring your ideas to life. On this course you’ll have access to three drama studios. Each space brings with it unique features to bring your performance to life, from moving lights and fully equipped sound systems and projection to mirrors, a tiered seating bank and sprung floors. On occasion you could also find yourself using the professional venue at Wycombe Town Hall, which is less than two minutes from our campus.

You’ll also have access to high quality camera equipment, a greenscreen room and lighting rigs and sound recording facilities, all suitable for film and TV screening.

What will I study?

This MA course is offered as both a full-time and part-time course. Create work that pushes the boundaries between performances and contemporary life, and the boundaries between performance and other disciplines. This course focuses on contemporary cutting-edge practice. You'll be guided in your studies by skilled practitioners and experienced academics.

As the course goes on, you’ll increasingly move towards independent study as you adopt the role of performer / director / creator as well as academic. You'll run workshops and lead group productions and the course will conclude with a project led by you, in which you'll creatively develop ideas explored during the course.

You will explore the application of live and digital performance to a contemporary society that has become increasingly technologised. You will learn to view performance as both performing – a skill which can be applied in a variety of contexts – and as an art form that can accommodate a range of media, including film, screen, and digital platforms. You will gain hands-on experience with the latest technology, allowing you to explore the full range of stage, screen, audio and intermedial possibilities.

There is a particular focus on the range of skills involved in small scale theatre and setting up your own theatre companies, which aims to simulate industry practice. The range of leadership roles will develop creative and innovative thinkers on this programme by drawing on collaborative, ensemble and directing working practices. The high level of academic knowledge and ability to do independent research paves the way for you to embark on PhD study after this programme.

At the centre of the programme is practical work with industry professionals at the forefront of contemporary UK performance. You will work with them practically and learn about their professional practices. You will then go on to study thinkers who have written about the possibilities of performance and explore concepts discussing what performance is and could be.

Modules

This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.

Year 1

Core Modules

• Contemporary Practice
• Creative Explorations: Development and Reflection
• Creative Explorations: Production
• Creative Impact
• Interrogating Performance
• Residency: Contemporary Contexts

Optional Modules

• Practical Dissertation OR
• Written Dissertation

* Scholarships available for international students.