Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PGDipArts) in Theatre Studies
University of Otago
Key Information
Campus location
Dunedin, New Zealand
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 year
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
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Application deadline
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Earliest start date
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Introduction
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PGDipArts) in Theatre Studies
The Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PGDipArts) requires two semesters of full-time study. It entails a structured Program of postgraduate coursework and, in some instances, a piece of supervised research that counts for one or two of the required papers. The normal admission requirement is a completed Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in the major of the proposed Program.
Graduates are employed in administration, business, education, government, industry and journalism where their advanced knowledge of an academic area, ability to solve problems, research and writing skills are valued. It is also a recognised qualification for admission as a candidate for the Master of Arts (MA) and, if a dissertation is included, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Why study Theatre Studies at Otago?
Theatre Studies is a subject that is easy to become passionate about. It provides an understanding of the nature of performance, allows you access to the tools of a theatre-maker, and looks at performance using critical and analytical skills.
You’ll study different times and cultures from a theatre perspective, ranging from Shakespeare to performance art and all points in-between. Practice and analytical investigation inform and support one another.
Your lecturers have professional as well as academic expertise in the fields of acting, producing, directing, criticism, stage design, lighting and sound design, playwriting and translation.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the university website for more information.
Curriculum
- Every Program of study shall consist of approved 400- or 500- level papers worth 120 points in a subject listed in the PGDipArts Schedule or as prescribed for a taught masters degree that the candidate is exiting from.
- With the permission of the Heads of Schools or Programs concerned, a candidate may substitute a paper of another subject for one of the subject-specific papers. When such permission is granted, prerequisite and corequisite requirements laid down in the Prescriptions may be waived.
Subjects for the Diploma
- Anthropology
- Chinese
- Classics (including Classical Studies, Greek and Latin)
- Communication Studies
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Education
- English
- Film and Media Studies
- Gender Studies
- Geography
- German
- History
- Information Science
- Japanese
- Linguistics
- Mathematics
- Music
- Philosophy
- Philosophy, Politics and Economics
- Politics
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Statistics
- Theatre Studies
Program Outcome
Level of Award of the Diploma
The diploma may be awarded with distinction or with credit.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Theatre Studies graduates work as actors, directors, publicists, script-writers, TV/radio journalists, film-makers, comedians, designers, teachers, musicians and theatre technicians. Others take up careers in arts administration, advertising and marketing, or undertake further training in theatre-related fields.
Some choose to combine Theatre Studies with another subject (e.g. English, Music, Dance, Anthropology, Film & Media, Psychology, Māori Studies and many more) or with another degree, such as Law, Marketing or Education.
Theatre papers teach personal and professional skills which are widely applicable across a range of careers and disciplines. They include critical analysis, research, creativity, confidence, team-building techniques and the ability to communicate in diverse ways. These attributes are highly valued in many professions, as are cultural sensitivity and the ability to think laterally and independently. They are skills for a career, and skills for life-long learning.
Program delivery
Application details
Applicants should submit their online application form along with the following supporting documents: scanned copies of their previous official academic transcripts (awards gained, marks, grades); a certified copy of the personal details page of their passport or a birth certificate (in English); Educational Credential Evaluators report (ECE); and certified/notarised translations of original documents which are not in English. After completion of online application, applicant’s proof of identity document must be posted to: International Office, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. International student applications for semester 1/summer school study close: Oct-31; Semester 2 study close: Apr-30.