Masters Compare - Find your perfect masters course.
Masters Compare - Find your perfect masters course.
Study Details: MA: 1 year full-time OR 2 years part-time. MFA: 2 years full-time
MA/MFA Performance is an exciting taught masters programme that offers a practical, versatile and interdisciplinary approach to performance-making and training. The programme provides you with an advanced and practical understanding of current performance practices, drawing on a broad range of artistic and theoretical influences. The development of new creative practice is at the core of the programme, as well as how this work might be developed and profiled in a professional context.
Furthermore, MA/MFA Performance offers you the chance to specialise in either of the distinctive areas of laboratory theatre or contemporary performance. The experience of these options is fed through a further process of critical and professional contextualisation, before you embark on the creation of your own major project as the culmination of the degree.
The Laboratory Theatre specialism focuses on performer training, dramaturgy and socially-engaged cultural actions. The Contemporary Performance specialism focusses on the creation of innovative and experimental performance practice, within or across the categories of radical theatre, contemporary dance and performance art/live art.
The programme draws particularly on the acclaimed interdisciplinary ethos and context of the Manchester School of English and Manchester’s international arts networks.
Normally applicants will have a good undergraduate UK honours degree (minimum 2:2) in a related subject (or international equivalent), or a degree-equivalent postgraduate diploma, or a professional qualification, or relevant professional practice.
IELTS overall requirement 6.5 with no less than 5.5. in any category.
Progression onto the MFA requires that all 180 credits of the MA are passed, with at least a mark of 50% in each unit.
Interview may be required.
See our website for fees.
MA/MFA Performance graduates will leave the programme able to operate as performance practitioners at a professional level, whilst understanding the vocational and critical contexts in which the field operates. This will empower them to develop a career as freelance theatre artists, or as other professionals in the sector (producers, programmers, facilitators, curators, pedagogues etc.) or to combine these identities based on their own interests/skill-sets, as is increasingly common practice in the portfolio careers built by performance artists.
You'll follow a hands-on, practice-led approach to performance-making, encouraging you to push boundaries and develop your creative voice. Through your core modules you'll explore the artistic and theoretical contexts of contemporary performance, dive into physical and vocal training traditions, and learn how to self-produce and profile your work within real-world performance settings.
Progression onto the MFA requires that all 180 credits of the MA are passed, with at least a mark of 50% in each module.
Core modules:
Performer as Maker
Professional Practices
Major Project
The Contemporary Laboratory
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Wed 20 May 2026