Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE THS1106

 
TITLE Studying Performance

 
UM LEVEL 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Theatre Studies

 
DESCRIPTION This foundational study-unit will (a) contextualise the study of Theatre as a discipline at tertiary level, (b) introduce concepts and practices associated with Performance Studies, (c) instruct in methodologies of writing essays (in assignments and in examination), and (d) direct students to attend and review critically performing arts events. The study-unit will consist of (a) lectures, where information is imparted, (b) seminars, to stimulate discussion amongst students, and (c) tutorials and fieldwork, to enable students to put into practice the knowledge covered during the study-unit.

Study-unit Aims:

- To prepare students for expectations of study and basic research at university level;
- To introduce and contextualise the study of Theatre at this level, including the three fundamental areas of history, theory, and practice in the programme;
- To broaden students' conceptions of what constitutes performance, highlighting the interdisciplinary status of Performance Studies;
- To combine the study of performance with practices of attendance and participation, and therefore of direct involvement, in the phenomena being analysed.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Understand basic concepts of theatre and performance studies;
- Locate theatre within the wider spectrum of their studies;
- Adopt an interdisciplinary attitude to their studies.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Work autonomously and in small groups on directed study at basic tertiary education level;
- Apply basic methodologies of study and writing at university level;
- Have foundational skills in analysing cultural events;
- Make basic interdisciplinary links between various knowledge areas and with cultural phenomena.

Main Text/s:

- C. Balme, The Cambridge Introduction to Theatre Studies (Cambridge: CUP, 2008)
- R. Schechner, Performance Studies: An Introduction, second or third edition (London: Routledge, 2006 or 2013)

Supplementary readings:

- P. Allain and J. Harvie, The Routledge Companion to Theatre and Performance (London: Routledge, 2006)
- T.C Davis, The Cambridge Companion to Performance Studies, Cambridge University Press, 2008
- E. Barba and N. Savarese, A Dictionary of Theatre Anthropology: The Secret Art of the Performer, second edition (London: Routledge, 2006)

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture, Seminar and Tutorial

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Presentation (10 Minutes) SEM1 Yes 40%
Assignment SEM1 Yes 60%

 
LECTURER/S Frank Camilleri

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit