Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, MA, Music Theatre

The course is for performers and creators who have appropriate experience and wish to explore the gamut of music theatre in its many forms; the course combines a practical approach emphasising process and performance alongside an academic research base; it alternates between intense periods of rehearsal and production with times when the emphasis is on personal skills development or research; in addition to creating 4 performance projects students may be invited to take part in an international music theatre event which might contribute to the course work; term 1 begins with individual singing, voice, acting, performance, movement and physical skills classes alongside seminars on socio-historical perspectives of music theatre; opportunities to develop composition, writing, choreography and instrumental performance are integrated into the curriculum where required; the culmination is a devised project, in which students learn to collaborate with colleagues as a company and perform in front of an invited audience; term 2 includes a larger-scale music theatre production, explores presentation and audition techniques, and ends with a showcase for professional practitioners and specialists; these are interspersed with professional development opportunities and activities that are designed to help develop students' specialist work as a performer or creator; term 3 allows time for discussion, tutorials and evaluation processes designed to help students to prepare, execute and deliver the final written element of the course: a 12,000 word personal portfolio which combines personal research and reflection, contributing to 30 per cent of the degree.