MA Dramatherapy

A relevant undergraduate degree such as BA (Hons) Drama, BA (Hons) Theatre Arts, BA (Hons) Creative Expressive Arts, Health and Wellbeing. Or, you might hold an undergraduate degree or training in other areas such as psychology, occupational therapy, social work, nursing and have current evidence of theatre experience.

You’ll usually need one year’s full time (or equivalent) relevant work experience in a health and social care environment. This can be paid or voluntary and can include areas such as mental health, learning disabilities, older people, children who have experienced trauma, physical disabilities or working with asylum seekers.

If your first language is not English, you’ll need to ensure that you have reached the required standards for English Language as recommended by the Health Professions Council. This is set at IELTS 7.0.

You will also be required to submit two (2) recommendation letters and take the Academic Interview with the Programme Leader.

The Master of Arts in Dramatherapy is the first postgraduate program in Dramatherapy in Greece. The therapeutic effects of the use of drama as a method of psychotherapy, are widely recognized and are underpinned by a theoretical framework, in order to work therapeutically in a creative and alternative way to traditional treatment methods. Dramatherapy is applicable in many contexts and addresses most groups of patients, in individual or group settings. The dynamics of theatre, storytelling and acting, promote mental health and personal growth, as they use simulations of the lives of clients, who verbally and non-verbally externalize their sensitive inner matters.

The program is offered in collaboration with the University of Derby – TOP 32 British university (Guardian 2023) in Health Professions. It combines scientific knowledge with professional training, as it includes clinical placement and experiential workshops, through which students gain empirical knowledge of formulating therapeutic processes, based on theater and improvisation, in the wider theoretical framework of art therapy.

What you will learn
With this program you will understand the therapeutic processes of the use of drama in psychotherapy and you will learn to formulate in-depth therapeutic plans, devising therapeutic performances and experiential workshops. You will discover the beneficial role of improvisation and you will learn to adapt therapeutic interventions in the individual or group environment. Research and independent study focus on the personal interests of the trainees and, alongside the practical training, self-evaluation skills in practice are developed to continually improve and involve, for the benefit of the patients. Specifically, the trainees practice:

• planning and coordinating dramatherapy sessions for different groups of patients,
• choosing appropriate interventions,
• on professionalism and ethical issues,
• the use of cognitive, emotional and therapeutic skills in relation to the needs of the patients,
• the use of supervision for the development of practice.

The content of this programme is determined by professional and academic criteria and therefore needs to be considered in the contexts of phases one, two and three leading to the award of MA in Dramatherapy. The programme consists of three phases which are spaced over two years.

• Phase one (60 credits) provides a foundation in which you can locate previous experience of using drama with vulnerable people and begin to develop the academic and professional competencies which will enable you to undertake dramatherapy It also includes the first clinical placement.
• Phase two (120 credits) builds on the foundation of phase one in order for you to further develop professional and academic competencies and to do so particularly in terms of managing a caseload, and in assessment and delivery of longer-term Dramatherapy with individuals and groups whose need is located in social, psychological and emotional It includes the second clinical placement, which will be qualitatively different from the first. Taken together they ensure that you are familiar with Dramatherapy in a range of community and mental health settings.
• Phase three (180 credits) has been designed to enable you to assimilate and confirm all the necessary skills, reflective capacities and professional standards of proficiency. It also offers you the opportunity to demonstrate a capacity to work at Masters. Here you build on their clinical, academic and research skills in order to justify, design and implement a project which critically scrutinises an aspect of Dramatherapy practice.

Modules

• Arts Therapies Theory and Research in Relation to Practice Ι
• Dramatherapy Practice (Studio)
• Dramatherapy Clinical Placement I
• Dramatherapy Experiential Group
• Arts Therapies Theory and Research in Relation to Practice ΙΙ
• Dramatherapy Clinical Placement II
• Arts Therapies Independent Scholarship: Body of Work

Why choose this course

• The title is awarded by the University of Derby – TOP 32 UK university (Guardian 2023) in Health Professions studies.
• It is the only postgraduate program in Dramatherapy in Greece, combining scientific knowledge with practical training.
• The learning experience is promoted through innovative teaching and learning methods that enhance the personal and professional development of learners, while cultivating the concept and need for lifelong learning and development.
• The teaching staff consists of experienced dramatherapists and arts professionals.
• Learning is active and experiential, through experiential workshops, role plays & performances, participation in College activities and simulated sessions with visiting professionals.
• The experiential classes are held in the modern Dramatherapy Studio of the College.
• Clinical Placement takes place in a number of settings and the trainees have the opportunity to contribute substantially to actions of social contribution to sensitive social groups.