Postgraduate Diploma in Performing Arts

Purpose

The Postgraduate Diploma in Performing Arts aims to empower local and international creative arts industries to produce multi-skilled qualifying learners with advanced specialised skills in critical thinking and research. The qualification will prepare qualifying learners for access across a variety of disciplines in the performing arts with opportunities to deepen professional and vocational practice and scholarship in the creative industries. Through greater theoretical rigour within an elected discipline specificity, as well as inter- and multi-disciplinary options, the qualification enhances reflective and reflexive practice across multimodal and practice-led modes of enquiry and maintains an appropriate balance between theoretical, practical and simulated experiential learning.

Qualifying learners will be able to demonstrate advanced knowledge of creative industry regulations and practice, as well as the analysis of the Performing Arts as a cultural phenomenon. This will enhance the production of new knowledge and innovation in the performing arts through producing culturally relevant performing arts research and artefacts. This qualification aims to cultivate diversified and multi-dimensional performing artists and technicians through the integration of discipline specific and inter-disciplinary competencies, as well as harnessing indigenous knowledge systems towards culturally diverse learning and application in the performing arts.

Learners will be able to apply practical and theoretical skills towards professional practice through the development of analytical and critical thinking skills in the performing arts. This is evident in the application of skills within co-operative and experiential learning in simulated workplace practice principles through the development and execution of specialised performances and productions.

Through the cultivation of an appreciation of Africanisation in the performing arts industry, learners will be able to produce informed culturally relevant performance products; apply knowledge and practice of local traditions infused with contemporary trends within the creative industries; embrace the entrepreneurship and small business practice in creative industries; and implement viable performing arts based community enrichment projects.

Through the production of nationally and internationally competitive and innovative culturally diverse and contemporary performance products, qualifying learners of the qualification will not only be able to operate and function as performing arts practitioners within these contexts, but also manage and generate entrepreneurial opportunities within the performing arts creative industry.

Qualifying learners will be able to either broaden their vocational career through entering the industry, or pursue a career in academia.

Rationale

The Performing Arts has a significant focus within both the creative and cultural industries in South Africa. The South African Performing Arts industry has been exulted within these industries and deemed to contribute immensely to the socio-economic growth of the country. The institution offer six cluster programmes in dance, drama, performing arts technology, music, vocal art, and musical theatre. The qualification will enable the learner to continue with inter-and multi-disciplinary study at a Postgraduate level in order to have the option to continue with the Postgraduate qualifications: Master of Performing Arts and Doctor of Performing Arts.

The new performing arts qualifications aim to address the challenge of over-specialisation and duplication across the performing arts cluster by collapsing all the qualifications into coalesced qualifications, which will afford learners more options across the disciplines within performing arts.

Qualifications of this multi-disciplinary nature meet the needs of the South African creative industries as identified by the National Department of Arts and Culture. Furthermore, the focus on multi-disciplinarity strives to offer: collective enquiry that builds on shared inherent and inherited knowledge and reflective practice; and is result-driven towards utilising the evidence of learning to inform and improve practice through multiple skillsets and innovation. The primary reason for the introduction of the qualification is to offer an opportunity for learners to advance their studies to strengthen the professional vocational learning community, whilst providing intensified insight into academia.

The performing arts industry needs, and expectations are integrated into this qualification. The expected contributions were validated and documented in independent departmental advisory committee meetings hosted by the Department of Drama and Film, Department of Entertainment Technology, and the Department of Performing Arts. Departmental advisory committees as well as industry partners in the overarching performing arts sector have not only contributed to the development of the curriculum, but have also expressed their full and unreserved support for the new qualification.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The structure of this qualification makes the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) possible. This qualification may therefore be achieved in part or completely through the RPL learning, which includes formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience. RPL follows the institution's policy and procedures, and is implemented accordingly by means of the Integrated Assessment mentioned below.

Learners are informed regarding the RPL processes as well as being provided with support and guidance. Care is ensured that the mechanism used provides the learners with an opportunity to demonstrate competence and is not as onerous as to prevent a learner from taking up the RPL option towards gaining a qualification or as an entrance assessment. If the learner can demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit for this qualification, the appropriate credits will be assigned to the learner. The learner will be thoroughly briefed on the mechanism to be used and support and guidance will be provided.

Credits achieved through RPL may not exceed 50% of the total credits. Learners admitted via RPL may also not exceed 10% of the total intake cohort. The structured process for the assessment of individual learners against the exit level outcomes of the qualification on a case-by-case basis will be used. The learners are required to provide evidence of meeting the Exit Level Outcomes through the submission of a portfolio deemed to be sufficient, valid and authentic.

Learners applying for RPL completes the application form and submit it together with a prescribed application fee and their portfolio of evidence and the candidate will be informed accordingly of the outcome thereafter. An applicant may appeal against a decision if dissatisfied with the process or decision.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Arts in the related field or equivalent, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of compulsory and elective modules at Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 90 Credits

• Critical Analysis, 20 Credits.
• Research Methods: Advanced II, 20 Credits.
• Multi-disciplinary Professional Practice: Project III, 20 Credits.
• Work Integrated Learning (WIL): Production IV, 30 Credits.

Elective Modules, 30 Credits (Choose/Select one module)

• Performance and Dance Techniques IV, 30 Credits.
• Discipline Elective: Choreography and Studio Practice IV, 30 Credits.
• Theatre Design and Implementation IV, 30 Credits.
• Theatre Technique: Construction and Execution IV, 30 Credits.
• Acting Techniques IV, 30 Credits.
• Theatre for Community Engagement IV, 30 Credits.
• Advanced Directing IV, 30 Credits.
• Applied Voice and Media Performance IV, 30 Credits.
• Musical Theatre IV, 30 Credits.
• Applied Physical Theatre Making IV, 30 Credits.
• Advanced Scriptwriting IV, 30 Credits.
• Jazz Studies IV, 30 Credits.
• Voice and Practical Musicianship IV, 30 Credits.
• Choral Studies and Conducting IV, 30 Credits.

1. Demonstrate complex knowledge and engagement within the Africanisation of performing arts and creative industries contexts, towards understanding and applying relevant theories, applied research methodologies, methods and techniques.
2. Demonstrate the ability to apply discipline specificity, or inter- and multi-disciplinary application towards, critically reflecting, analysing and addressing complex or abstract problems within the performing arts and creative industries.
3. Critically review information gathering and synthesis of data for the processing and management of information towards developing creative responses to objectives and challenges in Performing Arts.
4. Develop, present and communicate academic, professional or occupational ideas and applied projects effectively to a range of audiences, which may contribute to the Africanisation of discipline specificity or inter-and multi-disciplinary performing arts practice.
5. Explicitly address the professional and on-going learning needs of self and others through critically applied learning strategies.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Demonstrate complex knowledge and engagement within the Africanisation of performing arts and creative industries contexts.
• Establish contextual understanding and the application of relevant theories, applied research methodologies, methods and techniques.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Identify, analyse and address complex or abstract problems within the performing arts and creative industries.
• The ability to apply discipline specificity, or inter-and multi-disciplinary application to complex or abstract problems within the performing arts and creative industries will be clearly established.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Develop creative responses to objectives and challenges in Performing Arts through critically reviewing information gathering and synthesizing data for the processing and management of information.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Effectively develop, present and communicate academic, professional or occupational ideas and applied projects, which may contribute to the Africanisation of discipline specificity or inter-and multi-disciplinary performing arts practice.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Effectively address the professional and on-going learning needs of self and others through critically applied learning strategies.

Integrated Assessment

The method of assessment for all modules within this qualification is exam-terminating. This is reflected in accordance to the institution's assessment policy definitions, where one module within this qualification is a Theoretical Assessment, and all others are Practical Evaluations.

The qualification predominantly favours reflective, reflexive and applied enquiry towards learning. The ratio of experiential and praxis-oriented assessments ensure that every module is incorporating a practical application underpinned by theoretical investigation/enquiry. Further, the assessments reflect the multimodal and experiential learning modes applied within the qualification.

Formative assessments include feedback discussions in class to clarify and promote continued self-awareness and development. The lecturer, the peer group, as well as the individual will do baseline and observation assessment on a continual basis. Each learner will be required to journal their project planning and developmental processes, and will have the opportunity to discuss their work in class to discover where more research is needed and to resolve any technical/interpretative difficulties that may arise. All assessments will be followed by critical discussion based on the marking rubric and includes self-feedback.

For summative assessments a detailed and discipline specific rubric will be utilised.

As a compulsory component within the discipline electives, Work Integrated Learning in this qualification is through simulation and experiential learning and applied to performance and productions.

The following assessment methods are being used in this learning qualification

- Practical Evaluation

• Applied assignments.
• Class presentations.
• Coaching Project.
• Critical review essay.
• Peer-group and individual discussions.
• Performance Application.
• Practical application.
• Practical Project.
• Project Proposal.
• Projects.
• Reflective Essay.
• Reflective Presentation.
• Reflective Report.
• Theoretical Assessment:
• Applied Assignments.
• Applied Written Assignment (a full-length script).
• Assignments.
• Tests.
• Written Critical Reflection.