Postgraduate (24 months full-time)
September
There are 15 places available on this training course. These will be filled in order of acceptance after which, if your application is successful, you will be offered a place on a waiting list.
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Get professional training in dramatherapy on this Health and Care Professions Council-accredited course. Our emphasis on clinical placements and a range of dramatherapy approaches will prepare you for work in the arts therapies. When you graduate, you will be qualified to work as a dramatherapist in the UK and overseas, and eligible for registration with the HCPC in the UK.
The course teaching is rich and diverse, and encompasses workshops and seminars from professional dramatherapists and other health professionals
As a qualified dramatherapist you will be able to work in many different areas, such as the NHS, social services, education, or community projects. You may also choose to work privately or on a freelance basis, with a client base from prisoners to children with learning difficulties.
Successful completion of this course will allow you to register with the Health and Care Professions Council – a legal requirement for practising dramatherapists in the UK.
You will also benefit from our links with the British Association of Dramatherapists and other allied health professions and practitioners, such as psychotherapists, arts therapists and psychiatrists.
Modules are subject to change and availability.
You will demonstrate your learning in a number of ways, including essays, live presentations and practical tasks such as improvisation and performance. You will also be asked to undertake some self-analysis and reflection in discussion with your personal tutor.
Half-way through the course, your progress will be assessed by an examiner.
Your final piece of written work will be a Major Project which involves clinical evaluation. In the final oral assessment, you will present a piece of clinical work to two examiners, who will assess your overall clinical skills and readiness to practice.
One of our modules includes music therapy, and covers content from our Music Therapy MA course as well as this Dramatherapy MA. On more generic subjects, such as psychoanalytic studies, psychiatry and psychology, you will work with our music therapy students; where techniques and approaches are specific to each profession you will be taught separately.
Using our creative expertise and industry connections in Cambridge and beyond, we create experiences that entertain, educate, inspire and improve lives.
At Cambridge School of Creative Industries, we believe in the importance of experimentation and risk-taking to create experiences that entertain, educate, inspire and improve lives.
Whether writing bestselling fiction, creating challenging documentaries or sharing a piano with people on the autism spectrum, the expertise of our staff goes far beyond teaching. Their research produces significant funding success, leading to important publications and international conferences.
Our campus is close to the centre of Cambridge, often described as the perfect student city.
You will spend much of your time on clinical placements in a range of settings, such as schools, hospitals, hospices and other community settings.
You will work in our purpose-built therapy centre, which includes state-of-the-art therapy rooms and a large hall. The centre is used for all of our teaching and for our professional therapy consultations. You will also have access to the extensive range of facilities offered by Cambridge School of Creative Industries, including a fully-equipped drama studio, two other large drama rehearsal spaces, a recital hall, a suite of computer music studios and music practice rooms and a full range of specialised dramatherapy props and equipment. Our Cambridge campus also houses the Mumford Theatre, a full-size venue for professional touring companies.
Our dramatherapy staff are internationally renowned researchers and consultants and our music, dramatherapy and performing arts research is recognised as 'world-leading' (Research Excellence Framework, 2014). We hold regular international conferences and support a vigorous community of research students.
£9,200
£14,500
Personal therapy sessions:
Budget £1,300-£2,500
External supervision during placements:
Budget £700-£1,200
Travelling to placements:
Budget £500-£2,500
Student membership of British Association of Dramatherapists:
£50
You can pay your fees upfront, in full or in instalments – though you won't need to pay until you've accepted an offer to study with us. This information also applies to EU students starting a course before 1 August 2021.
How to pay your fees directlyYou can pay your fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will also ask you for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter. Details will be in your offer letter.
Paying your feesIt’s important to decide how to fund your course before applying. Use our finance guide for postgraduate students to learn more about postgraduate loans and other funding options.
We offer a fantastic range of ARU scholarships and bursaries, which provide extra financial support while you're at university.
As well as a number of scholarships, we offer an early payment discount. Explore your options:
As this is professional therapy training, if you’re shortlisted we'll ask you to attend an interview that will include experiential dramatherapy group work with other candidates, as well as an individual interview and discussion with lecturers. This will allow us to consider your suitability and readiness for training, but also give you the chance to experience some of the teaching methods we use on our course and decide whether they’re appropriate for your needs.
PreparationFor the individual and group interview, you’ll need to be ready to improvise and work in drama workshops as directed on the day, and to discuss your motivation for, and expectations of, becoming a dramatherapist.
Video conference interviewIn exceptional cases, we may consider interviewing you by video conference. You’ll only be offered this if you give clear reasons why it’s impossible for you to attend the interview and audition, and if you have access to professional video conferencing equipment.
Whether you're studying entirely online or through a blend of face-to-face and online learning in September 2020, you'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course. Before starting the course, we recommend that you check our technical requirements for online learning.
We welcome applications from international and EU students, and accept a range of international qualifications.
Whether you're studying entirely online or through a blend of face-to-face and online learning from September 2020, you'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course. Before starting the course, we recommend that you check our technical requirements for online learning.
If English is not your first language, you'll need to make sure you meet our English language requirements for postgraduate courses.
If you don't meet our English language requirements, we offer a range of courses which could help you achieve the level required for entry.
We also provide our own English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) in the UK and overseas. To find out if we are planning to hold an ELPT in your country, contact our country managers.
Do you want to know more about this course, or student life at ARU more generally? Send a message to our Student Ambassador - they'll be happy to answer any questions you have.
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