Advanced Diploma in Drama

Purpose

The primary purpose of this qualification is to facilitate the progress of learners into postgraduate study through a deepening of their knowledge, research competencies and practical skills in the field.

Rationale

The Advanced Diploma in Drama facilitates the onward development of learners exiting with an undergraduate Diploma in Theatre and Performance. Currently such learners cannot readily move on to advanced postgraduate qualifications and this limits their career choices and employability. The Advanced Diploma in Drama will make it possible for learners to proceed into postgraduate qualifications such as Honours NQF Level 8) and Postgraduate Certificate in Education. There is a need to create a learning pathway for Diploma learners in order to facilitate their development into postgraduate study.

Currently, while the Diploma and Bachelor of Arts (BA) stream learners study alongside each other for three years the BA learners go on to a fourth year while the diploma learner exit at the end of third year and their modules often overlap, the ratio of practical to academic courses in the BA stream overall is 6:4, and in the diploma stream overall it is 8:2. The diploma learners therefore require additional academic input if they are to move on to postgraduate study, hence the need for the Advanced Diploma in Drama.

The Diploma learners enter the university with a diploma endorsement from the National Senior Certificate (NSC). The department provides diploma learners with additional academic support in order to help them to succeed in their academic modules. However, the fact that diploma learners enter the university with only an NSC Diploma endorsement makes it impossible for those who adapt well and show great improvement and are succeeding at university with the option of moving to a BA and qualifying at NQF Level 7. This seems counter to the need for academic redress and therefore the Advanced Diploma is intended to facilitate such learners' onward mobility by providing them with an opportunity to achieve NQF Level 7 qualification.

Completion of the Advanced Diploma will also open up further opportunities for career development and will enable those who qualify to use their skills more flexibly in the job market particularly in priority areas such as education and social development.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

A learner who demonstrates in a portfolio of evidence that includes at least five years relevant experience post Matric will be eligible to apply on the basis of RPL. The portfolio of evidence must also include evidence of non formal learning. As the Advanced Diploma in Drama is orientated towards developing learners' academic competencies, the applicant would also need to complete a theoretical course at NQF 6 or an academic essay task at the discretion of the head of department.

Entry Requirements

• A Diploma in Theatre and Performance, Level 6.

This qualification comprises compulsory modules at Level 7 totalling 120 Credits.

• Contemporary Performance, 30 Credits.
• Introduction to Directing, 30 Credits.
• T&P Studiowork 3C: Advanced Practice, 30 Credits.
• Research Methods and Writing, 30 Credits.

• Demonstrate advanced content-knowledge in the theatre and performance studies.
• Develop practical theatre arts and performance skills and capacities.
• Produce solutions to both familiar and novel creative problems as they arise in the course of professional activity.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria will be assessed in an integrated manner across the Exit Level Outcomes

• Develop skills in a specific professional area of choice and should be in line with the available resources in the department at the time.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly to others in a professional context.
• Show an appreciation of the specific context in which particular professional activity occurs and an ability to adapt and apply competencies to match issues arising as a result of such contextual particularities.
• Show an appreciation of the ethical behaviours and issues related to work in the theatre.
• Demonstrate the ability to receive and give critical comment on work activities.
• Demonstrate the ability to function in a professional context as an individual and as part of a team.

Integrated Assessment

The field of Theatre and Performance requires a complex mix of assessment strategies that includes ongoing assessment of the process of practical skills acquisition over time (formative assessment); the assessment of practical application of skills in particular assignments at a specific point in time (summative assessment); assessment by means of writing tasks such as essays and written projects; oral presentations; as well as more formal written examinations. The following breakdown indicates the different assessment strategies in the different courses.

Contemporary Performance and Introduction to Directing modules are existing courses in the Bachelor of Arts (BA) Theatre and Performance programme and the Drama major of the general BA Degree. Assessment for these modules includes a combination of practical assignments (group or solo performance presentations based on a particular task in line with the content of the course), essay tasks, and written examinations on theory. For Contemporary Performance module: (i) Coursework counts for 50% of the final mark; (ii) a two-hour examination counts for 50%. A sub-minimum of 50% must be achieved in each of (i) and (ii). For Introduction to Directing module: (i) Coursework counts for 65% of the final mark. A portion of this work is submitted to the external examiner. (ii) A two-hour written examination counts for 35%. A sub-minimum of 50% must be achieved in the coursework and the examination.

Research Methods and Writing will be assessed by means of oral presentation, short writing tasks and an extended research essay. Coursework will count 40% of the overall mark and the extended essay 60%.

T and P Studiowork 3C: Advanced Practice will be assessed by means of small group practical assignments (for example a scene study or performed monologue) and participation in production projects (the role in such projects to be determined by the area of focus the learner has identified). (i) Coursework during the first three quarters, classwork and in-house performances count 50% of the final mark. (ii) Final practical examination counts 50% of the final mark. In order to pass, learners must obtain at least 50% in both (i) and (ii) above.