Bachelor of Arts Honours in Drama and Theatre Studies

Purpose and Rationale of the Qualification

• To extend and deepen the student's familiarity with the content of theatre, drama and performance studies as a field of research and debate in the humanities (including the social sciences) equipping them with the advanced intellectual and cognitive skills to solve relatively complex problems, utilising appropriate methods and theories.
• To ensure that South Africa has sufficient specialist theatre practitioners by equipping students with a comprehensive set of specialised and focused performance, technical and administrative skills applicable to a chosen area of within the broader field the performing arts and entertainment industry and related field.
• To provide students with advanced academic and skills, in order to equip them for more specialised further study at Master's level.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

• Access may be gained to the qualification through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Entry Requirements

Bachelor of Arts or a qualification that is regarded as equivalent by Senate, Level 7.

Critical cross-field outcomes

Cross-field outcomes

The successful Bachelor of Arts Honours in Drama and Theatre Studies (BDram Hons) student will have

1. The ability to ask appropriate questions, analyse data and map new information, under guidance, into a coherent understanding of the discipline, and the ability to solve more complex problems using appropriate methods and theories.
2. Well-developed ability to organise and manage oneself and one's activities effectively.
3. Well-developed ability to work with others as a member of a team, and to take responsibility for participation in such a team.
4. Well-developed ability to organise ideas and communicate them effectively using visual, language and kinetic skills in oral, written and media formats.

Specific outcomes

The successful BDram Hons student will have

1. Knowledge and insight into the nature, history and processes of drama, theatre, performance and their contexts, and the research methods applicable to the field.
2. Proficiency in the application of advanced scholarly, creative, technical and performance skills in practical production (e.g. stage, radio, TV and/or film).
3. Extensive knowledge of and some practical experience in the use of specific performance and or performance-related skills (depending on area of specialisation).

The assessment of the Bachelor of Arts Honours in Drama and Theatre Studies (BDram Hons) falls into two broad but related categories:

• The assessment of scholastic skills and knowledge, which takes the form of written and oral examinations, essays and research projects. Competence in this category will be demonstrated if the information and conceptual content of the work submitted by the student is correct, and demonstrates a clear ability to interpret questions, to analyse and utilise information, to communicate the resulting deductions clearly and logically, utilising the appropriate discipline-specific conventions.
• The assessment of creative, performance, technical, administrative and other practical skills, which takes the form of an assessment of practical work assignments. Competence in the category will be demonstrated if the student demonstrates a high degree of proficiency in the specific skills taught, a clear knowledge of related theoretical concepts and conventions, and a well-developed ability to apply these skills, theories and conventions in a practical performance context.

Integrated Assessment

• Integrated Assessment takes place by means of the evaluation of one (or more) practical and/or research projects in which students work either in teams to create a theatre production for examination purposes and or undertake a supervised research project (s) on a theatre or performance topic.
• The project entails the application of all the skills (imaginative, cognitive, writing, voice, movement, acting and technical) worked on in class during the year, and competence will be demonstrated by the student's ability to integrate and activate such skills and knowledge in a comprehensive work of theatrical communication.