Writing for Performance and Digital Media

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons). If you don’t meet this requirement, an exception can be made if you can demonstrate significant relevant industry experience.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Develop your unique voice as a writer and storyteller in the context of the School of Performance and Cultural Industries’ outstanding research in the fields of contemporary performance practice, creative and adaptive writing, digital and intermedial art, audience studies and cultural engagement.

On this Masters course, you’ll think critically about narrative, storytelling and performance in contemporary culture, developing your creative writing skills and knowledge across a range of genres, forms and media. You’ll have opportunities to pursue areas of interest, including tailored pathways in writing for theatre, performance, screen and new media.

Our diverse but close-knit community of professional writers, creative practitioners and innovative researchers is dedicated to developing new and emerging talent. You’ll be encouraged to test the limits of style, form and genre, and to explore how your work connects with our increasingly complex world.

Leeds has a thriving cultural scene, and the University has many connections to local arts organisations, allowing you to engage closely with the region’s theatres, museums, radio stations, film and television studios, and more. Our partnership with Leeds Playhouse offers a programme of specially created events and workshops every year, connecting you with one of the region’s most important centres for new writing.

Specialist facilities

Our School is based in stage@leeds, a purpose-built landmark building that sits at the heart of campus. As our student, you’ll have access to its two professional standard, publicly licensed theatres: the main space seats 180 and is equipped with the latest technologies, and the theatre studio provides a technically advanced performance research facility.

stage@leeds hosts a range of work by students and visiting theatre companies all year round. Within the building you’ll also find rehearsal rooms, two black-box studios, costume construction and wardrobe stores, a design studio, a scenic workshop, computer aided design facilities, video-editing and sound recording. We also have a digital performance platform, stage@leeds digital, where you can access our work.

Information for international students

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Arts and Humanities (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Arts and Humanities (10 weeks).

If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.

Fees and funding

We have a generous range of funding available for postgraduate study. Find out more on the University of Leeds Postgraduate Scholarships database here.