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Drama and Theatre Studies (MA)

MA/PDip (Drama and Theatre Studies) [full-time, part-time]

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Siobhán McKenna Scholarship MA Drama and Theatre Studies Siobhán McKenna Scholarship Siobhán McKenna Scholarship Siobhán McKenna Scholarship Siobhán McKenna Scholarship Siobhán McKenna Scholarship

Course Overview

The MA in Drama and Theatre Studies, housed at the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance, is a world-leading course that combines critical perspectives on the practice of theatre history/theory with theatre-making. A diverse range of modules allows students to build a programme that suits their chosen career trajectory– whether in theatre practice, Irish drama, playwriting, theatre criticism, applied theatre or a blend.

As a student at the O’Donoghue Centre, you will benefit from being immersed in a supportive, invigorating community of world-class practitioners and scholars, whilst also being based in Galway, home to a vibrant arts and theatre scene.

This MA programme blends theoretical and practical approaches to the study of drama, and is particularly suited to applicants who wish to produce theatre publicly, write or review plays, teach drama, or carry out further academic research.  Applicants with a general interest in theatre are also very welcome. As a student on the course, you can benefit from NUI Galway’s unique partnership with Druid Theatre, recently described by The New York Times as “one of the world’s great theatre companies.” Led by Garry Hynes, participation in the Druid Academy involves masterclasses, and workshops as part of your degree.

  • We value finding the balance between theory and practice, historical and contemporary genres, individual work and collective co-creation. 
  • We believe theatre, performance, storytelling and creativity are essential to a vibrant and energised society. 
  • We specialise in contemporary performance practices (including but not limited to devised theatre and collective co-creation), producing, playwriting, applied theatre, archival research, and Irish theatre underpinned by diverse staff research specialisms across the spectrum of theatre history and performance studies. 

Students can opt to take the course on a full-time (one year) basis or a part-time (two year) basis. 



drama and theatre students in costumes

Why choose this course?

Drama and Theatre Studies at University of Galway is ranked in the top 100 Performing Arts subject rankings in the QS World University Rankings for 2024. 

top 100 Performing Arts subject

Our proven track record in scholarship and teaching positions O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance as the most exciting place in the world to study and research Irish theatre.  

Our building also features state of the art facilities in which to study and stage your practice during your postgraduate degree alongside visiting world-class artists and festivals throughout the year including but not limited to the Galway International Arts Festival, Baboró International Arts Festival for Children and Galway Theatre Festival.  

students participating in play

student on stage acting out a scene

We place strong emphasis on interacting with working theatre professionals, as shown by our exciting partnerships with Druid Theatre, Galway International Arts Festival, the Abbey Theatre, the Gate Theatre and many individuals and organisations. You can  take workshops as part of the Druid Academy; attend workshops with visiting practitioners; apply for the opportunity to complete an internship with leading theatre institutions such as the Abbey, Druid, Fishamble, Corn Exchange, or Rough Magic; and visit the theatre, both in Galway and Dublin.

Lecturers on the MA in Drama and Theatre Studies have internationally renowned expertise, especially in Irish drama, theatre, and performance; performance studies; intercultural theatre; theatre and feminisms; popular performance, theatre history and much more. We are also home to the Abbey and Gate Theatre Digital Archives, as well as the Druid, Siobhán McKenna, and Arthur Shields archives. 

Scholarships Available

Find out about our Postgraduate Scholarships here. 

Siobhan McKenna Scholarship: 

  • This scholarship automatically applies to applicants who have accepted and paid their deposit by: Date to be confirmed in May 2025. 
  • €4,500 [Comprising a Bursary of €2,500 and a Fee Waiver of €2,000
  • This scholarship honours Siobhán McKenna, the late world-renowned actress of stage and screen who was also a theatre director, translator and activist. The scholarship is awarded annually based on previous practical experience and academic achievement to one individual whose application materials gives evidence of current and/or future potential in acting, directing, translation, politically engaged arts or/and use of indigenous/native language or languages in the arts.
  • Read about the inaugural Siobhán McKenna scholarship winner, Nouf Rafea, and the history of the award
  • Applicants to our MA in Drama and Theatre Studies who have accepted and paid their deposit by: Date to be confirmed in May 2025, will have their applications considered for this scholarship competition which is adjudicated by a panel of Drama and Theatre Studies staff.


performing in Theatre

Applications and Selections

Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System. 

Who Teaches this Course

Dr Máiréad Ní Chróinín is the Druid Artist in Residence. A Galway native, Máiréad Ní Chróinín established Moonfish Theatre, with her sister Ionia, in 2006. Moonfish have also created numerous works for young people, including Moonfish Pop-Up Worlds: Memory Paths, a project commissioned by Riverbank Arts Centre and Kildare Library Services, Tromluí Phinocchio/Pinocchio - a Nightmare, winner of the Stewart Parker New Irish Language Writing Award, and The Secret Garden. Dr Ní Chróinín is also an artist and researcher in the area of theatre and digital technology

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Requirements and Assessment

There is continuous assessment through regular writing assignments, performance work and end-of-semester projects, comprising 60 credits. At the end of the second year, all students will complete a minor dissertation worth 30 credits.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

A university arts degree (minimum standard 2.2, or US GPA 3.0). Students will be accepted on the basis of the degree result, a writing sample (5–6 pages)—which can be an academic essay, creative writing piece or theatre reviews—a personal statement outlining suitability for and interest in the programme, and names and contact details of two references. Applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements may be admitted via a qualifying exam if they have relevant professional experience, please include a professional CV (in theatre, creative arts, and/or other field) or may be admitted to the PDip. Students who do not meet the honours degree requirement but have a Level 7 degree (Merit 2) may be admitted to the PDip course with the possibility of progressing to the MA if they receive a minimum of 60% in their course work during the year.

Additional Requirements

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements may be admitted via a qualifying exam if they have relevant professional experience or be admitted to the PDip.

Duration

1 year, full-time | 2 year, part-time

Next start date

September 2025

A Level Grades ()

Average intake

15 full-time places and 15 part-time places

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

Closing Date

Please see offer rounds website for details

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

90

Award

CAO

Course code

MA-DTS

Course Outline

All students take two core modules covering essential field methodologies for research and theatre practice at the postgraduate level:  

 

  • Critical Methods in Drama, Theatre and Performance 
  • Creative Practices in Drama, Theatre and Performance 

 

 Students then choose optional modules from a variety of key areas, including: 

  • Devising and Theatre making 
  • Playwriting 
  • Theatre business/producing 
  • Applied Theatre 
  • Work Placement 

 

Students can choose a designated emphasis for deeper specialization in “Theatre Practice and Production” or “Playwriting and Dramaturgy” if desired.  

drama and theatre

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year.

Year 1 (90 Credits)

RequiredDT6130: Critical Methods in Drama, Theatre and Performance


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

This course aims to develop students’ critical approaches to writing about theatre and performance. Different modes of ‘seeing’, analysing and writing on performance from semiotics to reception theory will be introduced and examined. Students will confront in class discussion and in essays issues related to writing on theatre such as the role of the critic, gender, globalisation and technology as well as the theoretical perspectives of postmodernism, psychoanalysis and theatre historiography. There will be visits to the theatre regularly (tickets will be provided) and students will be asked to write reviews and performance analysis of these productions. The course is ideally suited to those who wish to develop their writing and research skills, or to people who wish to develop careers in theatre criticism or research.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Survey approaches to analytical writing in the field of theatre and performance studies.
  2. Develop skills of literary and theoretical close-reading working with texts and performances in the field of theatre and performance studies.
  3. Experiment with a range of modes of analytical writing in the field of theatre and performance studies.
  4. Confront through class discussion and essay assignments the role of the critic, gender, globalisation and technology as well as the theoretical perspectives of postmodernism, psychoanalysis and theatre historiography.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

Reading List
  1. "The Cambridge Introduction to Theatre Studies" by Christopher B. Balme
    ISBN: 0521672236.
    Publisher: Cambridge University Press
  2. "Theatre Audiences" by Susan Bennett
    ISBN: 0415157234.
    Publisher: Psychology Press
  3. "The Transformative Power of Performance" by Erika Fischer-Lichte
    ISBN: 0415458560.
The above information outlines module DT6130: "Critical Methods in Drama, Theatre and Performance" and is valid from 2019 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

RequiredDT6100: Dissertation


15 months long | Credits: 30

Students carry out a research project, through theatre practice and/or conventional library or archive-based research. They will produce a work of original research on any aspect of Drama, Theatre and/or live performance.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Carry out an independent research project on a topic in the area of drama, theatre, performance
  2. Access and analyse relevant research materials in print and digital format in libraries, public institutions, digital resources, and/or archives
  3. Make use of research conventions in relation to citation and bibliography, in line with best international practice.
  4. write an extended work of up to 15,000 words on an original topic.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

The above information outlines module DT6100: "Dissertation" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

RequiredDT6138: Creative Practices in Drama, Theatre and Performance


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

Creative Practices in Drama, Theatre and Performance builds on key skills for creating and critiquing drama, theatre and performance initiated through a core module running in the first semester, ‘DT6130 Critical Methods in Drama, Theatre and Performance’. While Critical Methods is led by the development of theoretical methodologies for interpreting and analysing plays and performances, Creative Practices is centred on how plays and performances become constructed through essential skills in research, production management and design, and training processes and opportunities. This module will include workshops in theatre archives based at the Hardiman Library, workshops in production management and design (lighting, audio, video) based in the O'Donoghue Theatre, and workshops in the role theatre and performance play in training and teaching, such as the second leave subject in Drama, Film and Performance. This module will ensure MA students are equipped to collaborate and lead creative practice in research, production and education environments.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Demonstrate capacity to source and analyse materials from a wide range of theatre and performance archives and databases, in particular the Abbey Theatre Digital Archive, the Gate Theatre Digital Archive, the Druid Theatre Archive, the Macnas Archive, the Galway International Arts Festival Archive and more.
  2. Demonstrate an ability to create stage lighting and set plans along with video and audio system diagrams.
  3. Produce a draft lesson plan for teaching drama, theatre and performance in an educational setting.
  4. Research, write, and present a dissertation proposal that includes a research question, research context, methodology, literature review, technical requirements, sources, and schedule of work.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

Reading List
  1. "The Production Manager's Toolkit" by Gillett, Cary ; Sheehan, Jay
    ISBN: 1138838845.
    Publisher: Routledge
  2. "Navigating Ireland's Theatre Archive" by Houlihan, Barry
    ISBN: 1787073726.
    Publisher: Peter Lang
  3. "Theatre and Education" by Nicholson, Helen
    ISBN: 978023036463.
    Publisher: Palgrave
  4. "Research Methods in Theatre and Performance" by Baz Kershaw; Helen Nicholson
    ISBN: 978074864157.
    Publisher: Edinburgh UP
The above information outlines module DT6138: "Creative Practices in Drama, Theatre and Performance" and is valid from 2023 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalDT6123: Playwright's Workshop I


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

A weekly writer’s workshop in which students will explore fundamental dramaturgical playwriting strategies and structures through analysis of plays from different genres and in-class writing tasks.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Analyse and identify dramaturgical structures as well as particular genre specific theatrical devises
  2. Develop prompts for starting and completing written work
  3. Plan, structure and complete original short play
  4. Critically reflect on writing and situate it within established genres
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

Reading List
  1. "The Secret Life of Plays" by Steve Waters
    Publisher: Nick Hern Books
  2. "How Plays Work" by David Edgar
    Publisher: Nick Hern
  3. "Playwriting a Practical guide" by Noel Greig
    Publisher: Routledge
The above information outlines module DT6123: "Playwright's Workshop I" and is valid from 2020 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalDT6127: Producing 1


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

This module builds understanding of the role of the producer and the practical skills needed to fulfil that role. It covers such areas as understanding how to set up a company, engaging in strategic planning and development, financial planning, project management, while also focussing on key case studies from the Irish arts sector.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Engage with the role of the Creative Producer as creative, financial, administrative, technical and promotional lead of an artistic project or event.
  2. Understand the steps of successful Project management from concepts and contracts, to monitoring and evaluation
  3. Write a strategic plan for an organisation or collective, that is both costed and viable.
  4. Understand the steps of setting up an artistic company or collective through researching case studies and business models.
  5. Plan and cost a 'season' of artistic events.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

Reading List
  1. "So You Want to be a Theatre Producer?" by James Seabright
    ISBN: 9781854595379.
  2. "Introduction to Arts Management" by Bloomsbury
    ISBN: 978147423979.
    Publisher: Bloomsbury
The above information outlines module DT6127: "Producing 1" and is valid from 2020 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalDT6120: Ensemble Acting and Devising


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

A practical and theoretical introduction to twentieth-century acting and performance techniques with special emphasis on Artaud, Grotowski, and Peter Brook.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Engage in practical ensemble-based activities for devising theatre practice.
  2. Describe and put into practice modern and contemporary theories of ensemble
  3. Describe and put into practice the ideas of key practitioners, such as Boal, Brook and Chekhov.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

Reading List
  1. "The Empty Space" by Peter Brook
  2. "Towards a Poor Theatre" by Jerzy Grotowski
The above information outlines module DT6120: "Ensemble Acting and Devising" and is valid from 2021 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalDT6134: Creative Arts Ideas Lab


Semester 1 | Credits: 10

In this module, students work through phases of developing a project that will aim to find innovative solutions to key problems in the creative arts. Established methodologies for working through a project from an idea to its realization are explored through weekly seminars and practical sessions. While the module involves the development of key skills (structuring workshops, pitching for a project) and critical thinking, it will also place strong emphasis on learning through doing. There will be a presentation of the project at the end of the semester. The project developed will form the basis for the larger project explored in the practice as research dissertation.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Develop a critical understanding and engagement with key theoretical frameworks and methodologies.
  2. Application of methodologies and theories in the field of creative arts in the development of an idea to its realisation.
  3. Develop a pitch presentation that persuasively communicates ideas with a foundation in implementation strategy.
  4. Write a research plan for larger practice as research project.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (50%)
  • Oral, Audio Visual or Practical Assessment (50%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

Reading List
  1. "New Media in the White Cube and Beyond" by Christiane Paul
    ISBN: 9780520243972.
  2. "Why are artists poor?: The Exceptional Economy of the Arts" by Hans Abbing
    ISBN: 9053565655.
    Publisher: Leiden University Press
  3. "Performance Theory" by Richard Schechner
    Publisher: Routledge
  4. "Art and its Institutions: Current Conflicts, Critique and Collaborations" by Nina Montmann
    Publisher: Black Dog Publishing
The above information outlines module DT6134: "Creative Arts Ideas Lab " and is valid from 2022 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalDT6140: Designated Emphasis in Playwriting and Dramaturgy


Semester 1 and Semester 2 | Credits: 0

This pathway is a designated emphasis in Playwriting and Dramaturgy within the MA in Drama and Theatre Studies at University of Galway.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Demonstrate basic to advanced skills in playwriting including the creation of original plays and/or shorter dramatic texts of multiple lengths, forms and genres across the required programme playwriting modules and final playwriting dissertation project
  2. Articulate and reflect on the role of dramaturgy in understanding and practicing the playwright's craft, including the ability to situate the learner's original work within theatrical and/or cultural lineages of practice and discuss the relationship between form, genre, and audience impact/reception in historical and theoretical contexts
  3. Connect learning in core skills or other optional modules within the wider MA in Drama and Theatre Studies programme or related areas to the development of individual playwriting craft, focus and/or development of understanding of theatrical dramaturgy and/or critical reflection skills necessary for the playwright
  4. Plan and execute a playwriting dissertation project with critical reflection component as the capstone academic experience of the MA designated emphasis in Playwriting and Dramaturgy
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

The above information outlines module DT6140: "Designated Emphasis in Playwriting and Dramaturgy" and is valid from 2023 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalDT6139: Designated Emphasis in Theatre Practice and Production


Semester 1 and Semester 2 | Credits: 0

This pathway is a designated emphasis in Theatre Practice and Production within the MA in Drama and Theatre Studies at University of Galway.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Demonstrate practical techniques and skills across a range of theatrical forms and genres
  2. Execute a variety of practice-based assessment tasks
  3. Work collaboratively in a group and solo in the development of practice-based projects and tasks
Assessments
  • Department-based Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

The above information outlines module DT6139: "Designated Emphasis in Theatre Practice and Production " and is valid from 2023 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalDT6122: Performance Lab


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This course explores the relationship between theory and practice in a laboratory format that combines making and staging work with critical investigation. The purpose of this course is to provide students with a critical vocabulary for approaching practice as research that will result in the creation of new devised or staged work guided by student's shared intellectual and artistic interests. The first part of the semester will be focused on a survey of divergent approaches to the creative process in contemporary performance practice by way of artist accounts, film viewings and performance outings, and engagement with critical theory focused in theatre and performance studies. In the second half of the semester, students will work in groups with instructor supervision to create or stage a collective work that engages a research problem or question resulting in public performance of these works. Students will also complete a final research paper locating their performance project and its desired interventions in genealogies of theatre and performance practice. Assessment: Weekly written assignments, practical classroom exercises, group performance project and final research paper.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Compare and contrast varying methods of contemporary theatre making
  2. Experiment actively with contemporary physical theatre and devising techniques in a collaborative workshop format
  3. Create an original performance or stage an original interpretation of a piece for performance
  4. Demonstrate advanced skills of group collaboration
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

Reading List
  1. "Frantic Assembly Book of Devising Theatre" by Frantic Assembly
    ISBN: 978-113877701.
  2. "A Director Prepares" by Anne Bogart
    ISBN: 978-041523832.
  3. "Postdramatic theatre" by Hans-Thies Lehmann; translated and with an introduction by Karen J?urs-Munby
    ISBN: 0415268133.
    Publisher: London ; Routledge, 2006.
The above information outlines module DT6122: "Performance Lab" and is valid from 2019 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalDT6109: Applied Theatre


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This course introduces students to core concepts and practices in the field of applied theatre techniques which includes but is not limited to educational theatre, Theatre for Social Change, community arts/theatre,Theatre of the Oppressed and other Boalian techniques, theatre for development, and prison theatre.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Identify key working methods and genres in the practice of applied theatre.
  2. Distinguish between different working methodologies and genres within the larger field of applied theatre.
  3. Analyse key debates over ethics and collaboration in this field of practice.
  4. Building on our practical classroom exercises, lead basic exercises from each major genre of applied theatre discussed in class.
  5. Interrogate the role of the faciliator in applied theatre work.
  6. Propose a framework for their own independent applied theatre project.
  7. Demonstrate knowledge of a more advanced repertoire of activities and techinques from one targeted area of specialisation in applied theatre.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

Reading List
  1. "The Applied Theatre Reader" by Sheila Preston and Tim Prentki
  2. "Theatre of Good Intentions: Challenges and Hopes for Theatre and Social Change" by Dani Snyder-Young
  3. "Games for Actors and Non-Actors" by Augusto Boal
  4. "Community Performance: An Introduction" by Petra Kuppers
  5. "Local Acts: Community-Based Performance in the United States" by Jan Cohen-Cruz
The above information outlines module DT6109: "Applied Theatre" and is valid from 2021 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

OptionalDT6141: Drama and Theatre Studies Work Placement


Semester 2 | Credits: 10

This module is centred on a work placement and addresses professionalisation strategies and processes in the field of drama and theatre studies at large. Topics covered in preparatory work placement workshops will address personal development and professional career planning.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Identify a range of roles and professional areas in the field of theatre and performing arts.
  2. Exhibit knowledge of the scope and interrelationship of major organisations in the field of theatre and performing arts in Ireland.
  3. Create and implement a plan for individual professional development in the field of theatre and performing arts.
  4. Critically reflect on a work experience with an organisation in the field of theatre and performing arts.
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers & Administrators

Click a name to search for their researcher profile. Note: Only teachers publish research profiles.

Reading List
  1. "So You Want To Be A Theatre Producer?" by James Seabright
    ISBN: 978185459537.
  2. "How To Start Your Own Theatre Company" by Reginald Nelson
    ISBN: 978155652813.
The above information outlines module DT6141: "Drama and Theatre Studies Work Placement" and is valid from 2023 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Recent graduates have gone on to work with many theatre companies including the Abbey Theatre, Baboró, Branar, the Gate Theatre, the Galway International Arts Festival, Rough Magic, the Young Vic (London) and others. They have also found employment in education, the heritage and tourist industries, arts organisations, business and the public service. Many have progressed to PhD study, often winning scholarships in support of their studies and continuing on to work in academia in the UK, Ireland and the United States.  

 

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Between May and mid-July, students can do an internship of approximately three weeks with a professional theatre company or arts institution in Ireland or abroad. University of Galway's partnerships with theatre companies are an important part of the course during this experience and throughout.

Galway International Arts Festival SELECTED Participants with the festival team (Paul Fahy, John Crumlish and Rena Bryson), Drama staff member Marianne Kennedy and University President Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh

Galway International Arts Festival SELECTED Participants with the festival team (Paul Fahy, John Crumlish and Rena Bryson), Drama staff member Marianne Kennedy and University President Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€7,890 p.a. full-time; €4,070 p.a. part-time (including levy) 2025/26

Fees: Tuition

€7,750 p.a. full-time; €4,000 p.a. part-time 2025/26

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. full-time; €70 p.a. part-time 2025/26

Fees: Non EU

€19,500 p.a. (€19,640 p.a. including levy) 2025/26


For 25/26 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 3.4% per annum for continuing years fees.

Postgraduate students in receipt of a SUSI grant – please note an F4 grant is where SUSI will pay €4,000 towards your tuition (2025/26).  You will be liable for the remainder of the total fee.  A P1 grant is where SUSI will pay tuition up to a maximum of €6,270. SUSI will not cover the student levy of €140.

Note to non-EU students: learn about the 24-month Stayback Visa here. 

Find out More

Dr Charlotte McIvor 
E: charlotte.mcivor@universityofgalway.ie  
www.universityofgalway.ie/drama 

Quick Links

 

What Our Students Say

Rui

Rui Chen |   2024 Siobhan McKenna Scholarship Recipient

What truly drew me to Galway is its thriving artistic community, brimming with opportunities to learn both on and off the stage. The university’s impressive facilities provide hands-on experiences that are crucial for my development, while collaborations with Irish theatres offer a unique chance to engage directly with Ireland’s living theatre tradition.  The University of Galway’s extensive resources, including its dedicated archive and connections to professional theatres, allow for a truly immersive experience that goes beyond traditional classroom learning.  The program’s emphasis on Drama Practice and Production, along with Research in Practice, uniquely equips me to deepen my understanding of theatre and explore its potential as a powerful medium for expression, creativity, and social impact   Studying in Galway will not only deepen my understanding of theatre but also empower me to weave my own perspectives into the vibrant fabric of cross-cultural theatre.  I am thrilled to be part of this program that not only prepares me for the future but also empowers me to contribute to this field
Rachel

Rachel Baltz |   2020 Graduate

My classmates and I are thriving. We each carved out really distinct paths and yet get to work together. It just shows the fertile ground of the Masters programme because there are so many career paths that can come out of that, and that is inspiring. To a prospective student I would say University of Galway is so ingrained and integral to the greater Galway arts scene, and as someone who is studying and to have access to that in the very place that they're studying - it's incredibly valuable. You're going to make connections that incredible things will come out of them.
in Connect with Rachel
Noel

Noel Minogue |   2021 Graduate

Getting to know some of the staff during the MA was honestly a highlight. They were all so encouraging in every aspect of the MA and I generally just felt like I could talk to them about anything. They had such an interest in the subjects that they were teaching, and you really are as an equal, recognising that you know what you're doing and they're just there to be a guiding hand. During the MA I developed many skills which I use in my job now, where I am currently working for Branar, a local theatre company in Galway. I got to learn about marketing for arts organisations during some of the modules in this course and only for those, that's the reason I got the job I have now.
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