Drama and Creative Writing in Education
Drama and Creative Writing in Education
Drama and Creative Writing in Education
Drama and Creative Writing in Education
Drama and Creative Writing in Education
Overview
By studying literary texts, performance pedagogy and theatre in education, you will develop innovative approaches to the teaching of drama and creative writing in a range of educational and community settings. You will challenge young learners to create powerful and transformative imaginary worlds to spark their creativity.
This course will help you to become a creative educator, who places students at the centre of their learning through the creation of lived-through drama experiences, cultivating a fertile ground for your creative writing and a supportive environment in which young people will feel encouraged to also write creatively.
Working with an experienced team of published educators and theatre-based organisations in Leeds, you will develop the confidence and skills to work with and inspire young people.
You will also have the opportunity to study an option module from one of our other masters courses.
Academic staff from the course are engaged in a number of research projects linked to this course. One current project focuses on teachers using drama to engage children in writing. You can read more about the project by clicking
You will be taught by a highly skilled and experienced team, including Senior Lecturer Dr Tom Dobson, a former secondary English teacher whose current research into English pedagogy focuses on the identity of the teacher as a writer. Our tutors also have links with arts organisations such as Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Kirkstall Abbey Museum and Leeds Art Gallery, as well as a range of community theatre groups, which will feed into your learning and help you to develop creatively.
In addition, you will have the chance to network with industry professionals, such as Professor Cathy Burnett a Professor of Literacy and Education, during our guest lecture series. Previous speakers have included contemporary writers such as award-winning romantic and paranormal fiction writer Kate Johnson, and novelist and critic Professor Manju Jaidka.
We understand that full-time study does not suit everyone. That’s why we offer courses which give you the opportunity to decide where, when and how you can get involved in learning. Studying a distance learning course offers the convenience and flexibility to make education work for you. Whether you’d like to fit your studies around childcare, develop your skills while working or, quite simply, want to learn from the comfort of your own home, we can help you gain a qualification at a time and pace that suits your lifestyle.
Like our students on campus, you will have the same excellent teaching and learning resources, however you’ll find these online instead of in a lecture theatre. Not only are all the modules taught online, but you will also have access to an online community and more than 140,000 books and journals in our online library.
To study this course, you will require broadband internet connection with a speed of 2mbps and working speakers. You will need Windows 7 / Mac OSX 10.8 or above and have access to Chrome v63 or higher (recommended), Edge v42+, Firefox v57+ or Safari v6+. Java and Adobe Acrobat Reader will need to be enabled and you will need a minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768.
Complete technical requirements are detailed in the full guide here.
Course Features
- Placements
- Access to guest lectures
- Industry expertise
- Industry links
- Part-time study available
- Dedicated in-school student advice/coaching service
Postgraduate Study - Invest in yourself
Entry Requirements
Applicants should either have at least a second class honours degree or have equivalent experience or training, normally from within the work environment. All applications should be supported by a reference, either academic or professional; a template can be accessed at this link. All applicants should satisfy our University English language requirements, please access further details at this link.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
We may use selection criteria based on your personal attributes; experience and/or commitment to the area of study. This information will be derived from your personal statement and reference and will only be used if you have met the general entry requirements.
IELTS:
IELTS 6.5 with no skills below 6.5, or an equivalent qualification. The University provides excellent support for any applicant who may be required to undertake additional English language courses.
ENHANCED CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECKS:
Satisfactory enhanced criminal history checks will be required by all applicants prior to acceptance on the course, (processed through the University only). The University is unable to accept DBS checks obtained through another institution (this includes those registered with the DBS Update Service); the checks undertaken by the University are appropriate to the course of study and relevant regulated activity placements. For important information on the UK Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check process click here.
SELF DECLARATION:
You will be asked to complete this online form as part of the DBS check process. You will be asked to identify on the self-declaration form if you have any cautions/convictions that would not be filtered out on a DBS certificate. For details on filtering, please click here. The form will also ask if you have resided outside of the UK after the age of 16, to establish if an Overseas Police Record check may be required.
Mature Applicants:
Our University welcomes applications from mature applicants who demonstrate academic potential. All students will be considered through the contextual admissions policy described above. If you do not meet the requirements through the contextual admissions policy, we may still be able to make you an offer if you have recent relevant work experience through our ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ policy. Please ensure that you list both your qualifications and any relevant work experience in your application so that we can consider you under both schemes where applicable..
All applicants to our University are required to meet our standard English language requirement of GCSE grade C or equivalent, for example we accept some Functional Skills Tests.
Applicants should either have at least a second class honours degree or have equivalent experience or training, normally from within the work environment. All applications should be supported by a reference, either academic or professional; a template can be accessed at this link. All applicants should satisfy our University English language requirements, please access further details at this link.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
We may use selection criteria based on your personal attributes; experience and/or commitment to the area of study. This information will be derived from your personal statement and reference and will only be used if you have met the general entry requirements.
IELTS:
IELTS 6.5 with no skills below 6.5, or an equivalent qualification. The University provides excellent support for any applicant who may be required to undertake additional English language courses.
ENHANCED CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECKS:
Satisfactory enhanced criminal history checks will be required by all applicants prior to acceptance on the course, (processed through the University only). The University is unable to accept DBS checks obtained through another institution (this includes those registered with the DBS Update Service); the checks undertaken by the University are appropriate to the course of study and relevant regulated activity placements. For important information on the UK Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check process click here.
SELF DECLARATION:
You will be asked to complete this online form as part of the DBS check process. You will be asked to identify on the self-declaration form if you have any cautions/convictions that would not be filtered out on a DBS certificate. For details on filtering, please click here. The form will also ask if you have resided outside of the UK after the age of 16, to establish if an Overseas Police Record check may be required.
Overseas Police Checks/Letter of Good Conduct
The DBS in the UK is currently not able to conduct overseas criminal record checks. International applicants; those without British Citizenship and British Citizens with a significant period of overseas residency of 12 months or more after the age of 16; therefore, require a criminal records check or certificate of good conduct from their home/overseas country(ies) prior to entry on to the course. A UK DBS check will also be required prior to enrolment; the DBS team will send you guidance on how to apply following your offer of a place. The application process and timeframes for Overseas Police checks can differ from country to country and so it is recommended that you start the process as soon as possible after you have been made a conditional/Unconditional offer to ensure you have enough lead in time to obtain the check prior to enrolment. For some countries, an individual can only apply in person and so it is preferable for those applicants still resident in the relevant country, to apply before entering the UK.ADDITIONAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
Verify your qualifications
If you are an international student, we can help you to compare and verify your qualifications. Please contact our International Office on +44 (0)113 812 1111 09.00 to 17.00 Mon-Thurs / 09.00 to 16.30 Fri GMT or email internationaloffice@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.Need to improve your English Language skills?
Don't worry if you don't have the level of English required for your chosen course. We offer a wide range of courses which have been designed to help you to improve your qualifications and English language ability, most of which are accredited by the British Council. Check your English and find out more about our English courses.More questions?
No matter what your questions, we are here to answer them, visit our International website to get more information and find out about our online open days.Careers
Careers
MA Childhood Studies & Early Years
“After doing my Masters, I have a much broader knowledge of the psychological and developmental stages of young audiences. From that, I have gained a deeper understanding as to why they respond in the ways they do.
Teaching and learning
- Making Drama
Critically examine a wide range of historical and contemporary drama pedagogy in educational, community and social settings. National and international theatre companies will also provide an innovative insight to their practice through seminar opportunities.
- Creative Writing Pedagogies
This module aims to provide you with first-hand practical experience of writing and producing a range of creative texts.
- Drama & Creative Writing in Practice
A unique practical opportunity to align your developing understanding of drama and creative writing processes in an educational setting. During this collaborative project, you will develop skills in emergent and responsive planning in order to develop rich and complex social, cultural and educational communities of practice.
- Major Project in an Educational Setting
You will undertake a second placement in an educational setting (different from the placement undertaken in Drama and Creative Writing in Practice) and then develop a context specific research project aligned to creative writing, process drama or a combination of the two.
- Literature & Childhood
This module provides an introduction to a range of key critical perspectives in the analysis of literature; an historical and critical look at representations of childhood in English literature; and a critical consideration of the development of children's literature and the representation of childhood.
- Drama for Social Change
This introduction to applied drama will focus on using dramatic story and ritual as a means to inspire possibilities for social change when working with young people in challenging educational / community settings.
- Journeys & Discoveries
Consider journeys, voyages and discoveries as recounted in travel journals, guidebooks, colonial texts, memoirs, fiction, letters and ethnographic studies, against the backdrop of the dynamic field of histories of travel, tourism and exploration.
- Social History of Education
Examine the evolving nature of the social history of education and its practices (from early childhood to higher education and professional education), focusing on what goes in the spaces in which teachers, learners, and the curriculum interact with each other.
- The Festival Project
Visit a national or international performance festival with and take the opportunity to collaborate in talk-back sessions with artists, directors, critics and academics. You will submit a written report on your experience.
- Coaching & Mentoring
Develop a critical awareness of models of coaching and mentoring as applied in educational settings.
- Researching Practice with/through Story
Through introduction to the use of creative writing as a method for conducting research, you will take a practical approach by writing and using your own fictional stories as a medium for exploring and changing practice.
- Playful Learning & Playful Pedagogies
You will be encouraged to think about children's interests and priorities as expressed through their playful engagements.
- South Asian Story Telling
Explore the use of Abhinaya (mime and expression) as a technique for enhancing and amplifying your storytelling.
- Education for Democratic Citizenship: Principles & Practice
- Making Drama
Critically examine a wide range of historical and contemporary drama pedagogy in educational, community and social settings. National and international theatre companies will also provide an innovative insight to their practice through seminar opportunities.
- Creative Writing Pedagogies
This module aims to provide you with first-hand practical experience of writing and producing a range of creative texts.
- Drama & Creative Writing in Practice
A unique practical opportunity to align your developing understanding of drama and creative writing processes in an educational setting. During this collaborative project, you will develop skills in emergent and responsive planning in order to develop rich and complex social, cultural and educational communities of practice.
- Major Project in an Educational Setting
You will undertake a second placement in an educational setting (different from the placement undertaken in Drama and Creative Writing in Practice) and then develop a context specific research project aligned to creative writing, process drama or a combination of the two.
- Literature & Childhood
This module provides an introduction to a range of key critical perspectives in the analysis of literature; an historical and critical look at representations of childhood in English literature; and a critical consideration of the development of children's literature and the representation of childhood.
- Drama for Social Change
This introduction to applied drama will focus on using dramatic story and ritual as a means to inspire possibilities for social change when working with young people in challenging educational / community settings.
- Journeys & Discoveries
Consider journeys, voyages and discoveries as recounted in travel journals, guidebooks, colonial texts, memoirs, fiction, letters and ethnographic studies, against the backdrop of the dynamic field of histories of travel, tourism and exploration.
- Social History of Education
Examine the evolving nature of the social history of education and its practices (from early childhood to higher education and professional education), focusing on what goes in the spaces in which teachers, learners, and the curriculum interact with each other.
- The Festival Project
Visit a national or international performance festival with and take the opportunity to collaborate in talk-back sessions with artists, directors, critics and academics. You will submit a written report on your experience.
- Coaching & Mentoring
Develop a critical awareness of models of coaching and mentoring as applied in educational settings.
- Researching Practice with/through Story
Through introduction to the use of creative writing as a method for conducting research, you will take a practical approach by writing and using your own fictional stories as a medium for exploring and changing practice.
- Playful Learning & Playful Pedagogies
You will be encouraged to think about children's interests and priorities as expressed through their playful engagements.
- South Asian Story Telling
Explore the use of Abhinaya (mime and expression) as a technique for enhancing and amplifying your storytelling.
- Education for Democratic Citizenship: Principles & Practice
- Making Drama
Critically examine a wide range of historical and contemporary drama pedagogy in educational, community and social settings. National and international theatre companies will also provide an innovative insight to their practice through seminar opportunities.
- Creative Writing Pedagogies
This module aims to provide you with first-hand practical experience of writing and producing a range of creative texts.
- Drama & Creative Writing in Practice
A unique practical opportunity to align your developing understanding of drama and creative writing processes in an educational setting. During this collaborative project, you will develop skills in emergent and responsive planning in order to develop rich and complex social, cultural and educational communities of practice.
- Major Project in an Educational Setting
You will undertake a second placement in an educational setting (different from the placement undertaken in Drama and Creative Writing in Practice) and then develop a context specific research project aligned to creative writing, process drama or a combination of the two.
- Literature & Childhood
This module provides an introduction to a range of key critical perspectives in the analysis of literature; an historical and critical look at representations of childhood in English literature; and a critical consideration of the development of children's literature and the representation of childhood.
- Drama for Social Change
This introduction to applied drama will focus on using dramatic story and ritual as a means to inspire possibilities for social change when working with young people in challenging educational / community settings.
- Journeys & Discoveries
Consider journeys, voyages and discoveries as recounted in travel journals, guidebooks, colonial texts, memoirs, fiction, letters and ethnographic studies, against the backdrop of the dynamic field of histories of travel, tourism and exploration.
- Social History of Education
Examine the evolving nature of the social history of education and its practices (from early childhood to higher education and professional education), focusing on what goes in the spaces in which teachers, learners, and the curriculum interact with each other.
- The Festival Project
Visit a national or international performance festival with and take the opportunity to collaborate in talk-back sessions with artists, directors, critics and academics. You will submit a written report on your experience.
- Coaching & Mentoring
Develop a critical awareness of models of coaching and mentoring as applied in educational settings.
- Researching Practice with/through Story
Through introduction to the use of creative writing as a method for conducting research, you will take a practical approach by writing and using your own fictional stories as a medium for exploring and changing practice.
- Playful Learning & Playful Pedagogies
You will be encouraged to think about children's interests and priorities as expressed through their playful engagements.
- South Asian Story Telling
Explore the use of Abhinaya (mime and expression) as a technique for enhancing and amplifying your storytelling.
- Education for Democratic Citizenship: Principles & Practice
- Making Drama
Critically examine a wide range of historical and contemporary drama pedagogy in educational, community and social settings. National and international theatre companies will also provide an innovative insight to their practice through seminar opportunities.
- Creative Writing Pedagogies
This module aims to provide you with first-hand practical experience of writing and producing a range of creative texts.
- Drama & Creative Writing in Practice
A unique practical opportunity to align your developing understanding of drama and creative writing processes in an educational setting. During this collaborative project, you will develop skills in emergent and responsive planning in order to develop rich and complex social, cultural and educational communities of practice.
- Major Project in an Educational Setting
You will undertake a second placement in an educational setting (different from the placement undertaken in Drama and Creative Writing in Practice) and then develop a context specific research project aligned to creative writing, process drama or a combination of the two.
- Literature & Childhood
This module provides an introduction to a range of key critical perspectives in the analysis of literature; an historical and critical look at representations of childhood in English literature; and a critical consideration of the development of children's literature and the representation of childhood.
- Drama for Social Change
This introduction to applied drama will focus on using dramatic story and ritual as a means to inspire possibilities for social change when working with young people in challenging educational / community settings.
- Journeys & Discoveries
Consider journeys, voyages and discoveries as recounted in travel journals, guidebooks, colonial texts, memoirs, fiction, letters and ethnographic studies, against the backdrop of the dynamic field of histories of travel, tourism and exploration.
- Social History of Education
Examine the evolving nature of the social history of education and its practices (from early childhood to higher education and professional education), focusing on what goes in the spaces in which teachers, learners, and the curriculum interact with each other.
- The Festival Project
Visit a national or international performance festival with and take the opportunity to collaborate in talk-back sessions with artists, directors, critics and academics. You will submit a written report on your experience.
- Coaching & Mentoring
Develop a critical awareness of models of coaching and mentoring as applied in educational settings.
- Researching Practice with/through Story
Through introduction to the use of creative writing as a method for conducting research, you will take a practical approach by writing and using your own fictional stories as a medium for exploring and changing practice.
- Playful Learning & Playful Pedagogies
You will be encouraged to think about children's interests and priorities as expressed through their playful engagements.
- South Asian Story Telling
Explore the use of Abhinaya (mime and expression) as a technique for enhancing and amplifying your storytelling.
- Education for Democratic Citizenship: Principles & Practice
Course Leader for the MA in Drama and Creative Writing in Education, Lisa's specialist area is Drama pedagogy. She works in partnership with schools and communities to develop meaningful and motivational learning opportunities for children. As Director of the Story Makers Company, she also works with a wide range of Theatre and Arts Practitioners developing research opportunities in areas such as Social Change, Critical Pedagogy and Mental Well-being.
This course provides a research-informed approach to creative learning through writing and drama practices, which bring learning to life and place the child at the centre of the learning experience.
Postgraduate Study - Invest in yourself
Fees & funding
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2020/21 is £6500. The amount you will pay may increase each year to take into account the effects of inflation.
Additional course costs
Tuition fees
Your tuition fees cover the cost of registration, tuition, academic supervision, assessments and examinations. The following is also included in the cost of your course:
- 24/7 Library and student IT support
- Free wifi via eduroam
- Skills workshops and resources
- Library membership, giving access to more than 500,000 printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to software, including five free copies of Microsoft Office 365 to install on your PC, laptop and MAC, and access to free high-end software via the Leeds Beckett remote app
- Loan of high-end media equipment to support your studies
Other study-related expenses to consider: materials that you will need to complete your course such as books (the library stocks books from your module reading list and can order books from other locations for you if a copy isn’t available but you may wish to purchase copies for yourself); placement costs (these may include travel expenses and living costs); student visas (international students only); printing, photocopying and stationery (you will need to pay for multiple copies of your dissertation or final project to be printed and bound); events associated with your course such as field trips; study abroad opportunities (travel costs and accommodation, visas and immunisations). Other costs could include academic conferences (travel costs) and professional-body membership (where applicable). The costs you will need to cover for graduation will include gown hire and guest tickets, and optional extras such as professional photography.
You may prefer to have your own mobile phone/tablet (to access university online services) but you can book and borrow AV equipment through the media equipment service accessed online via the student hub and located in the library at each campus. Equipment includes: such as 360 Cameras, iPads, GoPros, MacBooks, portable data projectors, portable projection screens, flipchart stands, remote presenters, digital cameras and camcorders, SLR cameras, speakers, microphones, headphones, headsets, tripods, digital audio recorders and PC/laptops (a laptop loans service is provided on campus in social learning spaces and in the library on both campuses). Student laptops are also available from the laptop lockers located on the ground floor of the libraries.
This list is not exhaustive and costs will vary depending on the choices you make during your course. Any rental, travel or living costs are also in addition to your course fees.
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2020/21 is £13000. The amount you will pay is fixed at this level for each year of your course.
Additional course costs
Tuition fees
Your tuition fees cover the cost of registration, tuition, academic supervision, assessments and examinations. The following is also included in the cost of your course:
- 24/7 Library and student IT support
- Free wifi via eduroam
- Skills workshops and resources
- Library membership, giving access to more than 500,000 printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to software, including five free copies of Microsoft Office 365 to install on your PC, laptop and MAC, and access to free high-end software via the Leeds Beckett remote app
- Loan of high-end media equipment to support your studies
Other study-related expenses to consider: materials that you will need to complete your course such as books (the library stocks books from your module reading list and can order books from other locations for you if a copy isn’t available but you may wish to purchase copies for yourself); placement costs (these may include travel expenses and living costs); student visas (international students only); printing, photocopying and stationery (you will need to pay for multiple copies of your dissertation or final project to be printed and bound); events associated with your course such as field trips; study abroad opportunities (travel costs and accommodation, visas and immunisations). Other costs could include academic conferences (travel costs) and professional-body membership (where applicable). The costs you will need to cover for graduation will include gown hire and guest tickets, and optional extras such as professional photography.
You may prefer to have your own mobile phone/tablet (to access university online services) but you can book and borrow AV equipment through the media equipment service accessed online via the student hub and located in the library at each campus. Equipment includes: such as 360 Cameras, iPads, GoPros, MacBooks, portable data projectors, portable projection screens, flipchart stands, remote presenters, digital cameras and camcorders, SLR cameras, speakers, microphones, headphones, headsets, tripods, digital audio recorders and PC/laptops (a laptop loans service is provided on campus in social learning spaces and in the library on both campuses). Student laptops are also available from the laptop lockers located on the ground floor of the libraries.
This list is not exhaustive and costs will vary depending on the choices you make during your course. Any rental, travel or living costs are also in addition to your course fees.
Additional information
For further information on financing your studies or information about whether you may qualify for one of our bursaries and scholarships, follow the links below:
Facilities
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![Performance spaces]()
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![Library and online resources]()
Library and online resourcesOur Library is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year, providing you with access to specialist books and journals, learning spaces, computers, multimedia facilities and media equipment hire. Tens of thousands of our Library's digital resources, including ebooks, ejournals and databases, can be accessed online at a time and place to suit you.
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Once you've decided what course to study, here is a step-by-step guide of what to do next.
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1EXPLOREExplore your full range of options on our Online Prospectus at courses.leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
Call us on +44(0)113 812 3113 or email admissionsenquiries@leedsbeckett.ac.uk if you have any questions. International students can phone +44(0)113 812 1111 or email internationaloffice@leedsbeckett.ac.uk. -
2POSTGRADUATE AND RESEARCH OPEN DAYVisit us for a Postgraduate and Research Open Day to speak to teaching staff and students, see our facilities and find out more about your chosen course.
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3APPLY
Apply directly to us via our online application site *.
* Exceptions to this are:
- Teacher Training (PGCE & EYTS)
- PG Dip Legal Practice PG Dip Law
- Chartered Institute of PR (CIPR): Advanced Certificate & Advanced Diploma
- MA Social Work
- MA Art Psychotherapy
- PGCert/PGDip/MA Play Therapy
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4YOUR OFFERReceive your offer - remember, the sooner you apply the sooner an offer can be made. Please note that certain courses do have set application deadlines so you should check before applying. Some courses may require you to attend an interview or submit a portfolio before an offer can be made.
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5SEND US YOUR RESULTSIf we make you a conditional offer, send us your results as soon as you have these so we can confirm your place.
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6ACCOMMODATIONApply for our university accommodation if you need it.
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7INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSCheck visa regulations and apply for your CAS number if necessary.
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8FEES & FUNDINGDiscover more about your funding options and set up your fee payments.
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9ONLINE REGISTRATION & ENROLMENTReceive your online registration and enrolment information.
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10WELCOME WEEKAttend Welcome Week and begin your course.
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+44 (0)113 812 0000
Contact Details
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Leeds Beckett University
City Campus, Leeds
LS1 3HE
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