Humanities and Social Sciences

Theatre and Drama Program

Honours Program & M.A Prelim

The Honours course is a fourth year (full-time) of study and is only available at the Melbourne (Bundoora) campus. La Trobe students accepted for Honours would normally be qualified for the Bachelor of Arts Degree and would enrol directly into the Honours year without taking out a pass degree. Students who are from other institutions would normally have acquired a pass degree or equivalent and would be accepted for Honours or M.A (Preliminary), depending on the individual circumstances. The M.A. (Preliminary) is a qualifying course for students wishing to undertake research towards a Masters degree; it is normally the same as the Honours course, but special arrangements may be required for individual students.

At the end of their course, both Honours and M.A (Preliminary) students are eligible to apply for postgraduate scholarships. For information about financial support during the Honours course, students are advised to see the Student Welfare Officer.

Honours degrees are classified: First Class, Second Class (Division A), Second Class (Division B), Third Class. M.A. Prelim results are similarly classified. The class of the result is important for admission to postgraduate study and especially for scholarship applicants.

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Prerequisites

The normal requirement for LaTrobe students entering Honours is a major in Drama of six units including core studies in modern drama and historical drama. To be accepted, students will normally be expected to have at least an average "B" result in three Drama subjects; written work and classwork.

Students from other institutions will normally be expected to have a B.A degree which includes the equivalent of a major in drama, including some study of modern and historical drama, at an equivalent standard, together with theoretical components. Other students may be admitted as M.A (Prelim.) students with special prerequisite conditions, depending on the individual case.

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Nature and aim of the Honours course

While the Honours course at La Trobe is an academic course based on extensive reading, seminar discussion and writing, practical work can be negotiated as part of the course. Its aims are:

• To introduce ideas of performance as research.
• To introduce students to forms of drama and theatre-culture in greater detail than the undergraduate course, particularly less familiar forms, and the drama/theatre of other times and cultures as well as contemporary Australian society. The particular areas of study may vary from year to year according to availability and interests of staff.
• To develop students' knowledge of theoretical and critical issues and different forms of discourse about Theatre and Drama, and their skills in debating such issues.
  
• To develop students' research skills through a supervised research project leading to a dissertation or performance project equivalent.

Dissertation length 15,000 words or equivalence, depending on the nature of the project.

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Dissertation or Performance Project

As the proportion of assessment indicates, the dissertation/performance project (worth 50%) is the most important single element of the Honours course. Students are introduced to the nature of research in the discipline, and this is necessary for those thinking of going on to postgraduate work.

Prospective students should think about what they would like to do for the dissertation/performance project and discuss the ideas with the Honours co-ordinator and any other interested staff. Enrolment in Honours involves a general one-page proposal for the dissertation/performance project and for this a member of staff must be available and willing to supervise the proposed dissertation/performance project. Students are welcome to discuss their general interests with any member of staff.

"Research" for the Honours dissertation can involve studying the work of a particular dramatist, or a significant figure or movement in theatrical history, or a group of plays, with the object of achieving a general evaluation. Or there may be a particular set of questions about performance to explore. Practically-based projects can be negotiated, but begin from a specific question (or questions) that can be answered through the practical work.

Students are required to see their supervisors monthly from the beginning of semester one, in order to refine the particular nature of their topic and to determine a definite programme of work. The supervisor may require substantial reading as preparation. In semester two, students see their supervisor at least fortnightly; supervisors may require progressive reports and other written work during this period. A full draft of the dissertation or performance project schedule should be submitted to the supervisor before the semester two break. Supervisors may not be willing to provide detailed help or criticism on drafts which do not meet this deadline. The due date for submission will be first Monday in October. Extensions are rarely given and the work is to be submitted on that date, complete or not.

The program's interpretation of a thesis/project is as follows:

A. A Thesis of 3-4 chapters about 15,000 words in length of (i) analysis of written plays; (ii) analysis of theatre (performed) texts; (iii) a combination of both; (iv) commentary/analysis of an aspect of theatre history or culture.

B. A performance as research project (a STUDIO PERFORMANCE) with supplementary theoretical written component of up to 8,000 words (a MINOR THESIS) including a visual record on video (and possibly photographs), the recording of which is the student's responsibility. The research question might be (i) about the process of performing addressed in the doing of a performance; (ii) an intellectual concept addressed through a performative mode.

The dissertation/performance project will be examined by two examiners (not including the supervisor); reports will normally be made available to the student.

For further information about Honours or M.A (Prelim) studies, contact the Honours and Postgraduate Co-ordinator:

Professor Peta Tait: Phone +61 3 9479 1712, Fax +61 3 9479 3037, Email:P.Tait@latrobe.edu.au

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