Theatre & Performance

Course Overview

The M.Phil. in Theatre and Performance offers a dynamic fusion of theory and practice to nurture the development of future practitioners, researchers, innovators, and leaders of theatre and performance. Its rigorous taught programme is designed to strengthen students’ analytic, critical, and practical approaches, with teaching occurring across lecture, small-group seminars / tutorials, and studio-based formats, as well as through one-on-one supervision of placements and independent projects.



Situated in the heart of Dublin's lively theatre scene (but stretching far beyond it), the course features numerous outbound opportunities to connect with contemporary international theatre practitioners (at the Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival, and the Brussels Kunstenfestivaldesarts), to engage directly with working members of the Irish theatre community (via the Abbey Theatre, numerous alumni-run companies, and the Arts Council), and to develop deeper connections tailored to students' specific interests within the field.



Students will be taught by staff with international reputations in scholarship and performance, who have produced ground- breaking books and editions, award-winning productions, and innovations in teaching theatre. Staff specialisms include early modern theatre and Shakespeare, interculturalism, Irish theatre, gender and performance, Samuel Beckett, practice-as-research, and dramaturgy.



Is This Course For Me?

The M.Phil. in Theatre and Performance is perfect for anyone interested in the past, present, and future of drama, equipping its graduates with the tools to enrich, re-imagine, and re-shape the field of Theatre and Performance Studies.

Students take a range of core and elective modules.



The degree programme culminates in an independent research project, comprising either a 15,000-word dissertation or a practice-as-research mixed-media submission with academic, reflective, and practical components.

Candidates should have a good Honours 1st class or 2.1 B.A. degree (minimum 'B', average 3.0 or above for North American students) or equivalent qualification with a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 with no individual band below 6. Applicants will be asked to submit writing samples and to interview before admission.

Closing Date: 30th June 2025

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time.

Next Intake: September 2025

Career Opportunities

Graduates of this programme go on to a variety of careers in theatre or the arts more widely. Many now work as practitioners in the creative industries (playwrights, producers, performers, facilitators); others go onto further study at Ph.D. level and begin careers in academia. Graduates are also eminently suited to fields such as publishing, broadcasting, or education.