Develop your potential for artistic leadership and knowledge of your practice as a director, artist, performance-maker, collaborator and researcher.
The Master of Theatre (Directing) focuses on developing the collaborative creative skills, reflective processes, leadership attributes and industry know how of directors for performance in the broadest sense of the term, including text-based theatre, new writing, devised work, live art and community and cultural development. It is closely interwoven with both the existing Master of Theatre (Writing) and Master of Theatre (Dramaturgy).
The course is built upon core principles of: intellectual rigour, commitment to craft, artistic inquiry and self-reflection, ethical practices, interdisciplinarity and artform innovation.
The program is delivered through lab-based workshops, seminars, lectures, self-directed exercises, tutorials, practical master classes, and national and international internships, taught by our internationally renown teachers.
During the course, students will experience a wide range of collaboration and leadership roles with students from disciplines within the VCA such as design, acting, production, playwriting, dramaturgy, musical composition, film and dance, as well as a range of creative encounters with local, national and international artists, organisations and communities. As such this course also provides a unique opportunity to develop creative partnerships that can lead to future collaborations in the profession.
Who is this course for?
The Master of Theatre (Directing) is designed for graduates and/or professionals in the creative arts industry, who are looking to pursue a career as a director, artistic leader, performance-maker, collaborator and/or researcher.
Networking opportunities
Artistic collaborations with directors, choreographers, designers and other performance makers at the VCA, provide a unique opportunity to develop creative partnerships that can lead to future collaborations in your profession.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, graduates will have developed:
3 March 2025
Southbank Campus
234 St Kilda Road,
SOUTHBANK,
Victoria,
3006, MELBOURNE, Australia
Applicants for the Master of Theatre - Directing must meet the following criteria:
An undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline (such as the performing arts, music, visual arts, film, dance and digital arts), or equivalent; or
An undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline (such as social sciences, architecture, landscape, computer science, cultural studies, applied sciences or international development fields), or equivalent; or
an honours degree, or equivalent, in a relevant discipline, with a weighted average mark of at lease H2B (70%) across the honours year; or
At least six years of documented professional practice in the creative arts industry.
English language requirements:
TOEFL – you need a score from a minimum of 577+ including a score of at least 4.5 in the Test of Written English for a paper-based test. Or a score of at least 79 and scores of at least 21 for writing, 18 for speaking, 13 for reading, 13 for listening for an internet-based test.
IELTS – you need a score from a minimum of 6.5 or more in the Academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with no bands less than 6.0.
Pearson Test of English – you need an overall score from a minimum between 58-64 inclusive and achieve no PTE communicative skills score below 50.
Cambridge English, Advanced/Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) – you need a Cambridge English Score from a minimum 176 with no skill below 169.