MA Performance, Screen and Visual Cultures: The University of Manchester

Course description

The University of Manchester has real, and growing, strengths in the three areas which constitute this interdisciplinary MA.

The subject area of Art History within SAHC has recently been reconstituted as Art History and Visual Studies, in recognition of the importance of new critical methods of study and of the transformation of the contemporary scene of visual arts practice. Contemporary art practice increasingly blurs the boundaries between theatre/performance, art/visual culture, and cinema, and this MA is founded on the recognition of this historical development and cultural reality. It will have some similarities with cultural studies, visual studies, and performance studies programmes, but is unique - and trail-blazing - in its particular combination, as this interdisciplinary field of study is very new.

The core course will provide a theoretical, methodological, and historiographic introduction to the study of performing, screen-based, and visual arts practices (with readings drawn from philosophy, drama, theatre studies, performance studies, dance, film history and theory, television and media studies, art history, and visual culture studies), as well as addressing the interconnected development of these disciplines and the arts they seek to study since the early modern period.  The course will also encourage students to think critically about social, political, intellectual and historical contexts.  Through the dissertation the student will work under the close supervision of an appropriate specialist and will have the opportunity to explore a chosen topic in depth.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview: A First or Upper Second class honours degree or its overseas equivalent in relevant Humanities or Social Science area.

English language: Students whose first language is not English are required to take either the IELTS or TOEFL test.  On the IELTS test applicants are normally expected to score a minimum of 7.0 overall; on the TOEFL test a minimum score of 600 (paper test) or 250 (computer test) is expected.