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Playwriting

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MSc Playwriting - 1 Year (Full-time)

MSc Playwriting - 2 Years (Part-time)

Information on fees & costs

Individual programme fees are linked above. For detailed information on fee status, policies, payment and funding opportunities see:

Contact information: Postgraduate Administrator
Phone: +44 (0)131 650 3030
Email: llc.postgrad@ed.ac.uk; Nicola McCartney (Programme Director)
Email: nmccartn@staffmail.ed.ac.uk; Address: Graduate School
Room 12.16 David Hume Tower
Edinburgh
EH8 9JX

Entry requirements

The deadline for applications to this programme is 30th June.

Applicants require a good honours degree or equivalent professional experience. Applicants must supply a portfolio of writing for live performance of around 45 minutes playing time: you should make a selection of extracts from your writing rather than sending full scripts.

This should be accompanied by a personal statement outlining relevant experience, particular writing interests and why you want to study writing for theatre.

Work in other forms (e.g. journalism, fiction or poetry) will not be considered a valid sample.

International students

All applicants must meet our general entry and language requirements. Detailed advice for international students is available here:

Programme description

Led by a professional playwright, this is a unique programme which focuses on the practical exploration of the theory and craft of writing for performance. It focuses on how a script is written to be interpreted by the key creative artists in theatre and how that script plays out in real space and time in front of an audience.

Programme structure

The programme will be taught through a combination of seminars, workshops, independent study, one to one supervision and professional master-classes led by some of Europe’s leading playwrights and theatre artists. There will also be regular theatre visits.

A core component of the programme will be development workshops with professional actors and established directors, focusing on students’ own work. Students will also work with the Performing Artists in Residence, who will offer workshops in each semester.

The academic year will culminate in a public, professional reading of the students’ work-in-progress at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this programme will:

be introduced to and become skilled in a range of applied methods for the development and structuring of dramatic script for live performance;
develop a knowledge and understanding of writing for different kinds of performance contexts from the single-authored play to devised work;
develop a knowledge and understanding of the theory, methodology and practice of writing different genres from tragedy and comedy to political theatre;
develop self-motivation and the focus necessary to work as an independent artist within the theatre industry;
develop their critical skills as readers of their own and others’ work and as creators and consumers of live performance;
develop a familiarity with the professional development and production processes of live performance and how these impact on the making of script.

Funding

Please see Scholarships and Student Funding Services for information about funding opportunities:

Scholarships and Student Funding Services

Further Information

This article was published on Apr 25, 2013