Playwriting and Dramaturgy

The Playwriting and Dramaturgy program of the University of Glasgow gives you a practical and theoretical engagement with the many forms of writing and production for theatre. Blending practice, theory and history, the program is designed for those wishing to develop playwriting skills and knowledge of script development and support, opening the way to many theatre roles, including dramaturgy.

Key facts

• Theatre Studies at Glasgow is one of the longest-established theatre programs in the UK. Our internationally renowned reputation for research, practice and teaching – and specialist knowledge of practice-as-research – ensures an ideal environment for the pursuit of Masters study.

• You will work with a mix of professional writers, theatre-makers and world-class scholars, ensuring you engage with a wide variety of practices and that the program content is relevant and up to date with the latest trends in theatre.

• The Playwriting and Dramaturgy program of the University of Glasgow includes the opportunity for playwrights to develop a major script, through workshops and staged readings with professional actors and directors.

• In addition to masterclasses and workshops with external specialists, the work placement option and visiting speaker series builds on our long-term links and collaborations with an extensive number of theatre practitioners and arts organisations, including the National Theatre of Scotland, the Playwrights’ Studio, the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), The Tron and the Citizens’ Theatre.

• You will have access to a range of theatre and production facilities including a black-box studio theatre, rehearsal/workshop space and the large flexible-stage James Arnott theatre seating over 180 spectators, allowing you to enhance and extend your historical and theoretical inquiries through practice.

• The University of Glasgow is home to the Scottish Theatre Archive, a unique collection of contemporary and historical production materials, photographs and ephemera encompassing internationally significant theatre companies such as Untitled Projects and Suspect Culture alongside the personal papers of major artists such as Adrian Howells as well the BBC Radio Scotland and Scottish Society of Playwrights script collections.

Career prospects

The role of the dramaturg is becoming increasingly recognised within the theatre industries, as is the capacity of playwrights to apply their skills and knowledge to other tasks (including, for example, providing script development support for emerging writers). This program aims to equip playwrights and potential dramaturges with knowledge of other writing roles in theatre.

The critical components of this program also provide a good foundation for students wishing to progress to doctoral study.

Graduates of this program have gone on to become commissioned playwrights, production dramaturges, theatre critics, literary advisors, doctoral students, theatre makers and academics.

Courses include:

• Research Methods

• Playwriting

• Debating Dramaturgy

• Contemporary Dramaturgical Practices

• Reading and Interpreting Performance