Study Theatre Studies at Otago

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 theatremaker, 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. 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. And then there is our unique weekly Lunchtime Theatre programme at Allen Hall Theatre, which is your testing ground as a performer, director or playwright, and in all aspects of stagecraft.

Otago offers a wide selection of papers in Theatre Studies, drawn from the following areas:

• Performance skills: improvisation; principles of actor training, including Shakespeare, voice and movement.
• Analysis and interpretation of drama on stage and screen.
• Theatre and drama of Aotearoa/New Zealand.
• Directing.
• Writing for stage and screen and the creation of new theatre works.
• Theatre history, contemporary drama and performance art.
• Performance analysis and critical theory.
• Theatre technology and design, especially lighting and stage design.

Background required

All students are welcome to enrol in Theatre Studies at Otago. A background in theatre is not necessary.

Major or Minor in Theatre Studies

Theatre Studies is available as both a major and a minor subject of the Bachelor of Arts (BA) programme. Theatre Studies may be combined with another BA major or form part of a double degree e.g. with Law, Commerce or Science degrees.

The major comprises 10 papers from within Theatre Studies, plus an additional 10 papers either from within the programme and/or from other departments. The minor comprises a total of 5 papers from Theatre Studies.

Information for first-year students

As a first-year student, you can enrol in THEA 122 Drama on Stage and Screen, THEA 151 Improvisation, THEA 152 Theatre Technology, and THEA 153 Voice and Movement, all of which provide an excellent grounding for higher-level papers.

Honours and postgraduate study

Theatre Studies offers a 4th-year Honours programme for which the entry is a B plus average at 300-level. An Honours degree makes you more employable in the workforce, and it may also be a steppingstone to a higher degree such as a Master of Arts (MA), a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) (Theatre Studies), or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). These degrees may all include a significant creative component.

Class formats

Classes variously involve lectures, tutorials, seminars and practical workshops. Most classes are relatively small, and students have many opportunities to pursue independent projects in groups and individually.

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 and 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.

Qualifications

Explore your study options further. Refer to enrolment information found on the following qualification pages.

• Bachelor of Arts (BA)
• Bachelor of Arts and Commerce (BACom)
• Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc)
• Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons))
• Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts)
• Master of Arts (Coursework) (MA(Coursework))
• Master of Arts (Thesis) (MA(Thesis))
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Theatre Studies

Key information for students

• Domestic students
• International students

Contact details

School of Performing Arts
Email spa@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 8885
Website otago.ac.nz/performing-arts

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Regulations on this page are taken from the 2023 Calendar and supplementary material.