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1. Study
2. Postgraduate
3. Taught Courses
4. Higher Diploma
5. Theatre and Performative Practices

Course Fact File

Code	HDATPP
Duration	1 Year Full-time; 2 Years Part-time
Teaching Mode	Full-time, Part-Time. See Additional Teaching Mode Information for more info.
Qualifications	HDip in Arts
NFQ Level	Level 8
Closing Date	Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.
Non-EU Closing Date	Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.
Start Date	8 September 2025

Course Outline

The Higher Diploma in Arts (Theatre & Performative Practices) is a conversion course to Theatre-related studies for students with degrees in subjects other than Theatre or with Theatre as a minor subject. Completion of the Higher Diploma in Theatre & Performative Practices effectively converts your degree to the equivalent of an honours degree with Theatre as the main subject.  It is designed for non-theatre graduates who wish to upskill, gain an additional qualification in the area of Theatre & Performative Practices which will pave the way to further study at MA or PhD level.

The course is ideal for those who have acquired theatre-related skills in previous years, for example in a youth or community theatre setting, and now wish to build on that experience and advance it to professional levels with the potential for a career in the professional theatre or specific areas of applied theatre, including drama in education.

The Higher Diploma in Arts (Theatre & Performative Practices) shall consist of modules to the value of 60 credits taken from a range of existing Second and Final Year modules in Drama and Theatre Studies. Suitable modules as well as attendance requirements and coursework are determined by the relevant departments/schools and approved by the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences. For any given subject, the programme of study to be followed may differ for each individual student, depending on the individual's background and preferred area of specialisation

Areas taught on the programme include:

• Theatre and Performative Practices
• Cultures of Voicing
• Cultures of Movement and Place
• Performance Technologies
• Applied Drama and Theatre
• Performative Writing
• Practical Internship Work Placement

The modules are selected from the modules designed for UCC’s Drama & Theatre Studies Joint and Single Honours degree courses. Students will select 30 credits from year 2, and 30 credits from the final year. 

Additional Teaching Mode Information

The part-time option will be taught during weekday working hours over 2 years.

Course Practicalities

The commitment in terms of hours would be 300 for a full-time student (spread over 24 teaching weeks). Part-time students work out a suitable timetable once they have applied for and been accepted onto the Higher Diploma programme. This would involve a commitment of around 150 hours over the teaching year (more or less depending on what modules are taken in each of the four years).

The Department of Drama & Theatre Studies employs a wide range of assessment methods, matching the nature and requirements of its various course options. They include: continuous assessment and practical examinations for performance options; a portfolio of written texts; written responses to set texts and to seminars and coursework that ranges from formal essays to learning journals. Full details and regulations governing Examinations for this programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards Book and for each module in the Book of Modules.

Staff in the Department of Drama and Theatre Studies; for a list of staff members visit the Department’s website at: https://www.ucc.ie/en/fmt/theatre/dtspeople/; for detailed module descriptions see the UCC Book of Modules.

Why Choose This Course

You will construct your knowledge of theatre through testing out ideas and theories in practice. The collaborative, cooperative and creative nature of the work is facilitated by small class sizes, so you will learn with and from your group and in close contact with the teaching staff who are trained not only as drama lecturers but also as (applied) theatre practitioners.

Placement or Study Abroad Information

Students have the opportunity to do a Practical Internship Work Placement in the Creative Arts Industry

Skills and Careers Information

Occupations associated with a HDip in Arts (Theatre & Performative Practice)

Graduates can move directly into careers as: actors/performers, directors, writers, producers, technicians, educators, practitioners in various fields of applied drama and theatre.

Career sectors include theatre, film, television communications, education and arts and cultural management.

What are our graduates doing?

Stefanie Preissner is a screenwriter, playwright and actor. Her six-part comedy-drama series, Can’t Cope/Won’t Cope (RTE, Northern Ireland Screen, Deadpan Pictures) was broadcast in 2016: “A series so well written it was hard to watch” Irish Times Oct 17, 2016. Stefanie graduated with a BA in Drama & Theatre Studies & Spanish in 2008.

Julie Kelleher was the Artistic Director of the Everyman Theatre in Cork. She was one of the youngest venue producers in the country and was responsible for dynamically raising the profile of the Everyman. Julie was among the first cohort of students to study Drama & Theatre Studies at UCC, graduating with a BA in 2004, and an MA in 2007.

Requirements

• Applications will be considered from graduates in any subject other than Drama and Theatre Studies.
• Applicants will normally have a Second Class Honours Grade II in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) or above. 
• Applicants with significant professional-level drama and theatre experience will also be considered. 
• Applicants will be asked to attend a workshop and/or interview with staff from Drama and Theatre Studies.  Screen arrangements may be made in the case of applications from international students. 

Fees and Costs

How To Apply

Additional Requirements (All Applicants)

Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

• You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.

• In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme.

• Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.

• Please detail your computing/technical/IT skills.

• Please upload a portfolio of relevant work or achievements, if applicable

• Please upload your CV. 

• Please enter the names and email addresses of 2 referees. 

 

Please note that the Higher Diploma in Arts programme is not a teacher training programme.  Graduates must complete the Professional Master of Education to qualify as a secondary school teacher.  Please see www.ucc.ie/en/pec01 for further details.

The closing date for non-EU applications is Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

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