Course Description
Become a qualified dramatherapist with this unique programme at Roehampton. It offers a practical and clinical approach, underpinned by Ritual Theatre theory, for working with others to impact healing and a positive change through drama.
The MA Dramatherapy programme at Roehampton offers unique training within the Ritual Theatre process of dramatherapy. Drawing heavily on the theatrical observations of Peter Brook and the experiments of Jerzy Grotowski, as well as anthropological notions of “rites of passage” and the importance of “myth”, the programmes offers a clearly structured developmental process for the clinical application of dramatherapy at various levels.
On this course, you will learn to facilitate an in-depth therapeutic process for a range of client groups, and devise therapeutic performances and workshops. You will also undertake an original piece of research into dramatherapy practice. The course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and leads to a nationally-recognised professional qualification.
The programme consists of three stages, which offers a clearly structured developmental process for the clinical application of dramatherapy. In Stage One, you will be introduced to basic theatre skills and use these creatively to work with established stories and characters. This progresses into an exploration of the personal identifications that we have with stories and myths, and an understanding of the deep foundations within many cultural traditions of using ritual, drama and performance for the enhancement of health. In Stage Two, the focus moves on to employing drama and theatre processes as vehicles for exploring our own inter-personal and internal ‘dramas’.
Stage Three is where you will conduct your own piece of practical investigation or research into the literature and theory-base of dramatherapy practice. The Dramatherapy programme will provide you with a broad range of skills enabling you to pursue your own research interests across a wide spectrum of dramatherapy practice and theory.
Course Content
You will study a range of topics including how to crafting therapeutic drama stories, understanding the individual and group process, Ritual Theatre, working with myths, paratheatrical explorations and the art of structure when working in dramatherapy.
Our research areas include individual dramatherapy in schizophrenia; perception and evaluation of therapeutic outcomes from therapist and client perspectives; the role of race, culture and gender; dramatherapy and “mentalisation” with borderline personality disorder and complex trauma; therapeutic scenarios and resistance; creativity and destructiveness; the dramatherapist; and the multidisciplinary team.
Alongside the experiential focus of the training, the programme also aims to develop the necessary understanding and reflective capacity required to practice as a professional dramatherapist. This is achieved through workshops, lecture series and clinical application seminars, as well as through assessed clinical placements.
We also offer introductory courses which provide a useful background to those working in related professions or anyone simply wishing to find out more about the work. For information on our Introduction Courses, Summer Schools and Foundation Course in Dramatherapy, see the Psychology Short Courses.
Entry Requirements
You should usually hold a second-class honours degree (certain programmes may require a 2:1) from a recognised British or overseas university. Advice on recognition can be obtained from the Admissions Office. Non-graduates with appropriate professional qualifications will be considered on an individual basis by Programme Conveners; contact details can be found on the individual programme page. Applicants will be expected to apply and register for the full master's award.
Language requirements
To follow your chosen programme successfully, you will be expected to satisfy the University's English Language requirement.
We offer intensive English Pre-Sessional courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.
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MA Dramatherapy
University of Roehampton
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MA Dramatherapy
University of Roehampton