MA Philosophy/Theatre Studies

About this course

Philosophy and theatre studies are disciplines that share a concern with some of the deepest questions about human experience: what it means to be conscious and free, how we construct meaning, how we relate to others, and how societies create and negotiate values. Philosophy approaches these questions through systematic argument and analysis, using reason and careful conceptual work to engage with issues of knowledge, ethics, politics, science, and human nature. Theatre studies examines how these same questions have been explored and performed through drama and live art, from ancient Greek tragedy and Elizabethan drama to contemporary devised performance and political theatre. At the University of Glasgow, this part-time degree allows you to develop expertise in both disciplines at a pace that suits your other commitments. You will engage with the major questions and figures of Western philosophy alongside the history, theory, and practice of theatre as an art form and cultural institution. A year abroad is built into the programme, providing the opportunity to study at an international partner institution and to encounter both philosophy and theatre in a different intellectual and cultural environment. Glasgow has strong departments in both disciplines, and the combination develops an unusually rich set of analytical and creative skills. Graduates from Philosophy and Theatre Studies programmes bring together capacities for systematic reasoning, creative expression, and cultural analysis that are valued across a wide range of careers. Many work in theatre, arts education, dramaturgy, arts management, and cultural programming. Others move into teaching, journalism, the civil service, communications, and research, where the combination of philosophical rigour and cultural literacy is a genuine asset. Postgraduate study in philosophy, performance studies, drama, or an applied field such as ethics or law is a natural next step for those who want to develop specialist expertise.

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