Drama St Mary’s Launches Unique Technical Theatre Degree

St Mary’s University, Twickenham has announced the launch of a unique two-year BA Technical Theatre programme, the first higher education institution in the UK to do so. The new programme, which will welcome its first cohort in September 2015, will add to Drama St Mary’s existing portfolio of successful three-year actor training degree programmes in BA Theatre Arts, Physical Theatre and Applied Theatre. With an additional eight weeks’ teaching per academic year, students who enrol on the course will not miss out on teaching hours and contact time, but will benefit from paying just two years’ tuition fee. The vocational course has been designed to be an intensive programme which will equip students with the skills they need to work in stage management, costume and set design. Along with modules in TV production; lighting and sound; costume and set design; and production management, students will also become crew to the 20 shows produced by Drama St Mary’s both on campus and in London venues. This experience will quickly provide students with employable skills that they can use immediately within the creative arts industry and will equip them with ‘hands on’ technical skills as well as enhancing their aesthetic and functional awareness of the process involved in designing for the theatre. St Mary’s Academic Director Mark Griffin said, “We’ve been very successful in finding real employment opportunities for our graduates and this new fast track degree will offer a new way for talented students to gain an initial job in the theatre. “It’s designed to be full on but will ultimately provide great rewards for those who want to make this investment in their future career.” St Mary’s two-year BA Technical Theatre programme will enrole its first cohort of students in September 2015, subject to degree validation. Students wishing to find out more or registering their interest should contact Mark Griffin on mark.griffin@stmarys.ac.uk