Contemporary Directing Practice

What you'll study

This advanced and rigorous MA/ MFA Contemporary Directing Practice programme offers an experiential two-year course, where students will develop their vocabulary and find their own voice and vision as a director, while acquiring and honing a diverse variety of skills, techniques, tools and devices.

The fully-taught MA programme is 13 months long, and graduates qualify in October of year two with the presentation of their Independent Research Project.

MFA students commence their year two with a fully resourced production of a One-Act Play, followed by a Professional Placement Module and, notably, Writing & Directing for Camera (resulting in the writing of a short film, learning the film language of making a film and directing actors for screen). MFA concludes with the Independent Professional Directing Project to be delivered at the end of the programme.

Students are supported by continuous assessment and regular tutorials with the Programme Director, and feedback from Visiting Tutors.

Expert training: A playground for personal and professional growth, and experimentation under the mentorship and instruction from established artists; professional encounters, talks and seminars with leading British and international theatre-makers. It is an exceptional opportunity to join and collaborate with a diverse and vibrant group of emerging theatre practitioners across the postgraduate school.

Unique approach: Master your directing techniques, tools and psycho-physical vocabulary on this experiential journey of discovery, developing the director’s individual voice and vision.

Resources and facilities: Be part of Rose Bruford’s creative student community. Collaborate with students and practitioners from other courses and disciplines across both postgraduate and undergraduate schools, with access to vast College resources and facilities, both online and on-campus.

Industry contacts and networking: Develop a professional network of creative relationships. Visiting lecturers, tutors and mentors have included: Annabel Arden, co-founder of Complicite; Walter Meierjohann, theatre director; Tinuke Craig, theatre director; Amy Hodge, theatre & film director; Sam Curtis Lindsay, Artistic Director Hackney Showroom; Jay Skelton; Sophie Fiennes, film-maker; Barbara Houseman; Timothy Sheader, Artistic Director Open Air Theatre; Emma Baggott, theatre director; Nikolai Foster, Artistic Director Curve, Leicester; Abigail Graham, theatre director; Jaz Woodstock-Stewart, theatre director; Mita Pujara and many others.