MA/MFA Creative Practice - Directing

Subject to validation by University of East Anglia

Duration: MA 1 Year (Full-Time) / MFA 2 Years (Full-Time)
Application Deadline: Jul 4 2025 at 9:00AM

2025/26 Course Fees

Interview fee : £20
UK/ROI students (Year 1) : £13,250
UK/ROI students (MFA Year 2) : £10,750
International students (Year 1) : £19,250
International students (MFA Year 2) : £10,750
APPLY FOR THIS COURSE

Explore the course:

Course Overview
Course Content
Graduates
Entry
Fees
Auditions and interviews

Course Overview

Study an intensive and practical course, committed to developing your distinctive voice. Graduate career-ready and become part of the next wave of innovative directors.

This course is newly designed to cultivate multi-hyphenate practitioners who can meet the demands of the twenty-first century creative industries. Hone rigorous directing skills and techniques through classes, seminars and assisting and directing your own work. Engage with creative enterprise, critical contexts and structures of dramatic writing, in collaborative modules shared with Producing and Dramatic Writing students, forging creative partnerships.

We aim to equip graduates for rewarding and sustained artistic careers. You’ll be taught by top industry practitioners and gain experience through working with professional directors. You’ll also have the opportunity to create your own work. 

This course will run subject to approval by the University of East Anglia (UEA). This means the course is currently going through UEA’s review process to confirm the course meets required standards and will lead to a UEA award. Course validation will take place in late Spring 2025.

Course Content

2025/26 Term Dates
Autumn term 9 September – 19 December 2025
Spring term 5 January – 3 April 2026
Summer term 10 April – 17 July 2026

DELIVERY

This is a full-time course, requiring a commitment of five days per week, over three terms in the first year. All modules are compulsory. Learning and teaching modes include:

  • Tutorials
  • Seminars
  • Workshops
  • Work-based learning
  • Independent study

This course of study culminates in a public facing postgraduate festival of new work.

YEAR 1
  • Critical Contexts
  • Business Principles, Values and Creative Enterprise
  • Structures of Dramatic Writing
  • Developing Professional Practice
  • Collaboration
  • Reflexive Practitioner

YEAR 2

The option to undertake an MFA is available through a second year of study. MFA modules are designed to deepen student knowledge and skills as a practitioner through pedagogy laboratories and independent practice and research. Building on skills and knowledge developed in the first year, year two of the MFA places an emphasis on independence and developing individual practice, teaching and learning. This second year can largely be undertaken as distance learning, with MFA students required to attend the Mountview in-person at specific scheduled moments, for teaching labs and the performing research event.

  • Advanced Praxis
  • Critical Pedagogies

Our Graduates

Mountview’s directing students have gone on to work for the UK’s leading theatre companies, in the West End and on Broadway. Graduates have a reputation for clarity, imaginative engagement and leadership and include:

  • EMILY ABOUD – Winner of the Evening Standard Future Theatre Award. Associate Artist at the Bush Theatre. Artistic Director of Lagahoo Productions.
  • DENZEL WESTLEY-SANDERSON – Winner of the Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2023, nominated for Best Director at the Stage Debut Awards and the Black British Theatre Awards in 2023, also Associate Director A Strange Loop Barbican and Small Island (National Theatre).
  • RACHEL BAGSHAW – Artistic Director of the Unicorn Theatre.
  • MICHAEL FENTIMAN – Amelie The Musical (Watermill Theatre, West End and Tour. Nominated for three Olivier Awards including Best New Musical)
  • EDWARD HALL – Blithe Spirit (StudioCanal), Gentleman Jack (BBC), The Durrells (ITV). Founding Artistic Director of Propeller Theatre Company. Previously Artistic Director of Hampstead Theatre.
  • MICHAEL LONGHURST– Previously Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, where he directed Next to Normal (four Olivier Award nominations; also, West End), The Band’s Visit (six Olivier Award nominations) Constellations (Donmar Warehouse, West End and Broadway. Winner of the Olivier Award for Best Revival).

Entry Information

Admission onto the course is by interview. Applicants must be aged 21 years or over at the start of the course. Students who do not hold an undergraduate degree will need to undertake an access assignment to establish suitability for undertaking the MA.

If an applicant requires a student visa and their first language is not English, they will need to prove their knowledge of the English language before applying for their student visa. This must be demonstrated by passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider or having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that they began when they were under 18.

Mountview welcomes applications from people with disabilities and is keen to support all applicants to achieve their best. If applicants have any special requirements or access needs, these should be discussed with the course leader/administrator.

Mountview is committed to a comprehensive policy of equal opportunities for students in which individuals are selected and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. No applicant will receive less or more favourable treatment on grounds of sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnic origin, disability, religion and marital/parental status or any comparable grounds.

Upon offer, students must be sure that they are prepared to engage with a wide range of material that may challenge their personal ethical, religious, spiritual or moral beliefs, and present it in a wide range of settings.

Fees

Interview fee£20
UK/ROI students (Year 1)£13,250
UK/ROI students (MFA Year 2)£10,750
International students (Year 1)£19,250
International students (MFA Year 2)£10,750

All fees shown are for 2025/26 entry. Fees are subject to annual review. One term’s notice will be given of any increases.

Limited interview fee waivers and reductions are available for candidates with a household income of less than £21,000.

Funding and Scholarships

Interview Information

You will be asked to submit a portfolio, further details of which you can find on the Auditions and Interviews link below. Following your portfolio submission, you will be notified by the Admissions team if you have been shortlisted for an interview with the course leader, which will be held at Mountview.

For international candidates and those with exceptional circumstances, the option of an online interview is available.

Please be aware that due to the limited amount of places available, this course may become full before June and in this event applications will close early. Please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Auditions and Interviews