I chose to study at Loughborough University because of the reputation of the Storytelling Academy and the reputation of Loughborough University generally.
At the time, Loughborough was the only university offering this subject as a qualification and I had completed my undergraduate here.
You could tell that you were being taught by world class academics. Their wealth of knowledge coupled with their approachability resulted in a combination of learning that was both accessible but very challenging. The theatre spaces were wonderful spaces for lectures and assessments.
I have learnt skills around academic research, such as different areas of research and how to approach research. In the first semester, I took Research Methods as a module, which opened my eyes and brain to whole new world of thinking which I was then able to practically build on through Semester 2 and my final major project at the end. That really was the foundation module required to get the most out of the masters and it was taught in a way that genuinely interesting.
There is such a variety of skills covered in the masters programme which means you are able to tailor the programme to some extent to how you want to develop as a practitioner. I would come with some ideas of how you want to develop through the course in order to utilise the opportunities available but also be open minded because you will come across so many new things that will interest you.
Loughborough has grown my love of different disciplines working together to tell story’s. It has equipped me in the practical skills I did not possess in arts management should I go back self-employed/set up a theatre company. And it gave me the skills to approach research in an open minded way. Overall it has refined skills and equipped me in others so that I can now confidently move forward in the next stage of my career.
The community of people (both lecturers and other course mates) made the experience fabulous. The best module memory will be my major project where all the skills I had learnt from the course came together in a creative way.
Since graduating, I have been successful in receiving funding support to do my PhD. My master's has also given me the practical skills to start set up a theatre company which is something I would love to do at some point.