Performance Design

University of Leeds
Postgraduate MA Full-time 12 Months Drama

About this course

The MA Performance Design course explores scenography and performance-making from various perspectives informed by current research and innovative practices including immersive and participatory forms of performance design, design-led performance, audience experience and contemporary spectatorship.

On this course, you'll experiment with the creative application of design elements, including space, light, sound, costume and digital media, discovering how to shape live performance and generate meaning for contemporary audiences.

This course allows you to extend your own creative practice through developing an understanding of the theories and concepts of scenography and designing for live performance.

You’ll use our specialist facilities to explore the performance experiences that can be created with space, light, objects, costume, sound, projection and other digital technologies like virtual and mixed reality, creating original performance work that is design-led

You’ll work collaboratively to create dynamic cutting-edge work and you’ll develop skills in documentation and reflection so that you can develop your individual creative practice. 

You’ll devise and carry out an independent research project into an aspect of performance design that interests you. You’ll also examine contemporary performance practices, from immersive and participatory experiences to site-specific work staged outside of traditional theatre spaces and locate these within their wider social and cultural contexts.

Study Options

This course is available in 2 study options:

Part-time

Duration: 24 Months

Qualification: MA

Location: Leeds

Full-time Shown above

Duration: 12 Months

Qualification: MA

Location: Leeds

Career Prospects

Graduates from this course typically go into the following occupations:

2317 Teachers of English as a foreign language
7125 Visual merchandisers and related occupations
3416 Arts officers, producers and directors
3417 Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators
2319 Teaching professionals
3414 Dancers and choreographers

Course Details

Qualification
MA
Study Mode
Full-time
Duration
12 Months
Start Date
2025
Academic Year
2025
Campus / Location
Leeds
Scheme
Postgraduate
Subjects
Drama