MA Performance Health and Personal Development
Summary
This is a ground-breaking new course on the medical, psychological, health and career aspects of performance. It offers a unique opportunity to gain a recognised university qualification in performance and health, and is taught by leading practitioners and academics.
The Core Curriculum aims to promote and equip the healthier performer to understand what he/she does and how to do it better. This can be achieved by studying the specific health issues which affect performers – stage fright, peak performance, the pursuit of fame, motivation issues, burnout, posture control, medical problems including voice and upper limb, and the wider health and safety issues of the industry. Additionally, students will take part in group-work looking at creativity (such as songwriting) and self development through coaching skills.
This is a field of knowledge which is increasingly being placed at the service of performers through performance clinics in the UK and abroad, and one which is constantly growing and facing a number of exciting new challenges. The importance for the future is that programmes such as this will help to train teachers, instrumentalists and practitioners who will take our present knowledge and expertise to new generations of performers, helping to ensure their health, fulfilment and search for personal development.
Details
Course content
This course aims to give a deeper understanding of those human factors affecting professionals working in the arts and health. Students will be taught to think about the issues raised in terms of their own experience and practice. They will not only be encouraged to think about what they do as performers, teachers and practitioners, but, more importantly, how they are doing it so as to ensure best practice and an up-to-date knowledge of developments in the field.
PgCert/PgDip/MA
Students will study the following compulsory modules:
- Psychology and Human Factors
- Health and Ergonomics
- Creativity and Personal Development.
PgDip/MA
In addition to the modules above, students will also study the following:
- Dissertation or Project
- Research Methods.
MA
In addition to all of the modules above, students will also choose from the following:
- Postgraduate Performance
- Performance (WBL)
- Postgraduate Performance Workshop.
OR
- Artist and Repertoire
- Live Event Management
- Music Management.
Entry criteria
Applicants must have one of the following:
- a suitable undergraduate qualification (to Level 6)
- an undergraduate health or performance-type qualification (eg diploma, performance or creative certificate), together with evidence of written skills at an advanced level (equivalent to undergraduate Level 6) ie an essay of minimum 1,500 words on an appropriate subject relevant to the MA, and a viva voce on this submitted written work
- an appropriate level of professional arts or media achievement, with evidence of written skills at an advanced level (equivalent to undergraduate Level 6) ie an essay of minimum 1,500 words on an appropriate subject relevant to the MA, and a viva voce on this submitted written work. Any other original written work will be taken into consideration.
International entry criteria
International students need to meet our English language requirement at either IELTS at 6.5 or above, TOEFL paper based test score at 575 or above, TOEFL computer based test score at 232 or above, TOEFL internet base test score at 90 or above. Contact our International Office to find out what international qualifications you need to get onto a course www.tvu.ac.uk/international
Entry skills
Honours Degree or an established career working within the music or health profession.
Interview
All applicants will be interviewed prior to being accepted onto the programme. Course leaders will work in collaboration with the Head of Subject for Music and Health and Human Sciences.
During the course
Notable aspects
- A solid foundation for further study (leading to eventual practitioner level through further study) in the field of Performance and Health.
- A range of teaching methods used by many world-renowned experts.
- Performance Tuition (optional).
- The opportunity to pursue contextual studies related to a student’s own particular specialisms and needs.
- An exposure to specific techniques in the field of Performance and Health.
- An opportunity to combine the study of Music and Health with a number of other existing activities within the university, and thereby forge new links with other disciplines.
- Strong tutorial support from staff.
- Many opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to work together creatively.
Special resources
Lectures, seminars, individual tutorials, master classes and individual lessons.
Learning materials
Module study guides, LRC.
Student support
Students are supported throughout the MA programme by regular meetings with staff as well as consultation by appointment.
Students joining the programme are inducted into the London College of Music (FoTA). The induction event takes place during the week prior to the start of the autumn term and is led by the MA programme leader. The purpose of the event is to complete the registration procedure for the university as a whole and to disseminate information to enable students to commence their studies effectively.
University-wide information available at the induction event includes:
• The Postgraduate Student Handbook and module study guides
• A general tour of the Learning Resources Centre (LRC)
• Details of a key skills check
• Details of Smart card facilities
• Student Union support services
• A timetable.
The Programme Team will provide early opportunities for students and staff to get to know each other and for staff to provide support for the student body as a whole.
Staff Availability:
The programme leaders, Dr Robert Sholl and Andy Evans (BA,MA) are responsible for the day-to-day management of the programme. The Head of Subject, Christopher Batchelor, has overall responsibility for the Programme.
Ordinarily these members of staff are available to students during specified office hours throughout term-time. Wherever possible students are advised to make appointments to see members of staff.
Part-time staff responsible for particular modules are on site on agreed specified days of the week as necessary. Module study guides will include these details.
The Programme Handbook includes contact details for members of staff as follows:
• Full-time members of staff – TVU telephone extension and e-mail address
• Part-time Module Leaders – e-mail address
Disabled Students at Thames Valley University
TVU's policy is a simple one: to remove disadvantage without conferring advantage.
Disability information and support is provided by the university through the Disability Team located in Student Services, in the Disability Handbook, the Policies, Procedures and Forms Booklet, the student handbook and through the web site.
When a student discloses a disability, referral needs to be made as soon as possible to the Disability Team. Students can refer themselves prior to registration or at any point during their studies. The faculty can also refer students to the Disability Team with the permission of the student. Before making a referral the faculty needs to ascertain whether the student has already been in touch with the Disability Team.
The student does not need to have a diagnosis of a disability for a referral to be made, if a member of staff has reason to believe that a student may have a disability that has not been diagnosed, for example dyslexia, they can refer the student to the Disability Team who will assist the student to seek a diagnosis. Furthermore, if the student does not want the Disability Team to know about his/her disability, it may still be possible for the Disability Team to provide general advice to the academic staff in an anonymous manner, without personal details being revealed.
Referrals need to be made to:
The Disability Team: 020 8231 2739 email disabilityteam@tvu.ac.uk
All such calls and e-mails will be answered by a member of Student Services Frontline staff and will be passed to a member of the Disability Team as appropriate. Students will be allocated a Disability Advisor who will then work with them for the remainder of their time at Thames Valley University.
The Disability Team is:
Caroline Rusack - Disability Advisor
Rachel Stanley - Disability Advisor
Dr Robert Sholl - Faculty of the Arts disability liaison officer
Support for students covers the following areas:
• Diagnosis of the disability
• Needs Assessment
• The establishment of funding for the disabled student
• Dyslexia tutoring
• The provision of Non-medical helpers for example, communicators and note takers
• IT support
• Alternative examination provision
• The setting up of an Individual Learning Plan
• The establishment of a supportive teaching and learning environment
• Ongoing Liaison with the Student and faculty if appropriate
• Support with mitigation
The Disability Team will advise and work in partnership with the faculty to facilitate appropriate support within the remit of the Disability Discrimination Act and best practice.
Coursework
Written assessment, presentation, project and dissertation and performances, as relevant to the pathway chosen.
On course completion
Exit skills
The MA in Performance, Health and Personal Development will provide, according to the pathway taken:
- A systematic understanding of key aspects of Performance, Health and Personal Development, including specialised areas, and including the acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge, some of which is at the forefront of the discipline.
- An ability to understand and apply (but not to practise professionally) a number of established techniques in the performance, health and personal development arena.
- The ability to use these ideas and techniques and to understand and reflect on their own needs in the areas of Performance, Health and Personal Development and in the wider arena of the arts and media.
- The development of a knowledge and experience based learning that will lead to careers involving performance, health and personal development.
- The opportunity to perform at the highest level
- The development of knowledge of business aspects of the arts that will enhance the career prospects of those involved in performance, health and personal development.
- The ability to manage their own learning: to be self-critical and autonomous.
A conceptual understanding which enables them:
- To devise and sustain arguments and/or to solve problems, using ideas and techniques, some of which are at the forefront of the field of Performance, Health and Personal Development.
- An appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge.
- The ability to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources.
- To describe and comment upon discrete areas of current research or equivalent advanced scholarship in the field of performance, health and personal development.
Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to:
- Apply the methods and techniques that they have learned to review, consolidate, extend and increase their knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out their own learning in the field of performance, health and personal development.
- Understand specialist Performance, Health and Personal development skills.
- Communicate with both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- Critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data, such as to make judgements, frame appropriate questions and identify a range of solutions to a problem.
- Use their knowledge and transferable skills necessary for problem solving that will benefit future employment that requires: the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility, decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts, the learning ability needed to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature, the ability to work in a team and undertake a leadership role.
Career progression
Graduates will be able to work within the performance, arts or health professions and forge links between them. They will be able to work with greater awareness and knowledge in music, performance situations, arts administration and management, or teach an awareness of this field in educational, freelance, private instrumental and classroom contexts, including peripatetic teaching. They will also be able to use basic coaching skills in the field of performance health (eg as teachers to help students with performance issues), and may later wish to take further study leading to coaching accreditation.
Study progression
- To continue academic studies at PhD level at TVU or elsewhere.