Theatre, Culture and Media

Are you intrigued by theatre and the performing arts? Would you like to explore the social and cultural role of theatre within a globalized world? Do you want to delve into the diverse forms performances take within our contemporary mediatized cultures? Then the Master track specializing in Theatre, Culture and Media is exactly right for you.

Within a year, you can acquire an MA degree from one of the World’s Top 100 universities in a vibrant city with a thriving theatre and festival scene. Groningen hosts the internationally renowned and innovative theatre festivals Jonge Harten and Noorderzon Festival of Performing Arts & Society, and it houses key performing art institutions such as the Noord Nederlands Toneel and the Club Guy & Roni dance company. Our students enjoy theatre experiences ranging from the regular productions at the Stadsschouwburg Groningen and the Grand Theater to pop-up events in alternative venues.

Our program equips students with skills that will enable them to take leading roles within the arts and media industries, as dramaturges, theatre critics, or theatre curators. We have standing affiliations with theatre and arts institutions across Europe, and our internship scheme provides students hands-on experience in the arts industry and enhances their future employability in the professional sector.

Our program offers a unique opportunity to study innovative and groundbreaking theatre theories and practices, and to directly apply your theoretical and critical insight to practical work. You will work closely with our academic staff, who will introduce you into the latest theoretical debates in theatre and performance studies. Learning at the cutting edge of theatre studies, you will engage with approaches such as performance philosophy, reception aesthetics, gender performativity, intermediality, theatre ecology, and immersivity. Our focus on contemporary political performances allows us to engage with current, urgent issues in the theatre world, from environmental theatre to theatre in the public sphere, participatory events and performative protests.

In the first semester you will undertake an in-depth study of theatre theory and practice, following courses on dramaturgy, theories of performativity, adaptation theory and practice, and sonic environments in music theatre. Apart from the theatre-specific courses offered as part of this track, you have the flexibility to customize your studies taking a further 10-15 ECTS in music, film, cultural policy, or arts criticism. In the second semester you will work on an MA thesis on a topic of your choice, whilst doing an internship within a theatre or cultural institution under the combined supervision of a professional in the field and a member of academic staff.

Our students have done internships in big and small theatre and dance companies in the Netherlands (e.g., Toneelgroep Amsterdam, Theater Den Haag, De Warme Winkel, Orkater), festivals (e.g., Oerol, Holland Festival), governmental bodies (e.g., Ministry of Culture, Funding for the Performing Arts), and media agencies (Volkskrant, Theaterkrant.nl, Nieuwsblad van het Noorden) On top of our collaborations with Dutch organizations, we offer a large number of international placements (e.g., Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Under the Radar in New York). Our students are welcome to keep expanding our international network by establishing contacts with organizations in their home countries and elsewhere.

Please visit our social media pages for more information, including the current line-up of guest lectures and special events.

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