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Email academic.registry@tcd.ieThe Master of Fine Art in Theatre Directing programme is the first entirely practice-based masters programme of its kind in Ireland. It was introduced following extensive consultation with the Irish theatre community and is a direct response to the stated needs of the industry and of talented emerging artists. This innovative course is taught in The Lir, National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin, which is the professional training institution of the School of Creative Arts.
Throughout the training, students will also develop an understanding of the skills of practitioners of theatre other than the theatre director, with a view to becoming proficient in and conversant with the creativity of others, and to enhance the craft of the student director by broadening their experience of theatre making. Students will explore the crafts of the actor, designer, stage manager, production manager and stage technician through workshops with teachers and professionals in the various disciplines.
If you have a passion for theatre and are interested in the collaborative process of creating a production, from concept to completion, you should consider the MFA in Theatre Directing. Theatre Directing combines the skills of leadership, management, and artistic creativity to bring a production to life.
This programme is tailored to provide talented individuals with the necessary skills to pursue a career in the professional theatre and related industries as a theatre director. Graduates may also pursue work as practitioners in the creative industries in other roles such as playwrights, producers, performers, artistic directors and facilitators; others go onto further study at PhD level and begin careers in academia. Graduates are also eminently suited to fields such as publishing, broadcasting, or education.
Students can opt to take this course either part-time (over 24 months) or full-time (over 12 months).
Full-time and part-time students will take three concurrent modules in the first two terms. The final module will be taught in the third term and subsequent summer months (for full-time students) or in the second year of the course (for part-time students) and will culminate with a professional production staged in one of The Lir’s performance studios. Term Three will be supplemented by an ongoing series of masterclasses from professional directors and theatre-makers.
Students on the MFA in Theatre Directing will take five compulsory modules, Theatre in Context, Contemporary Theatre Practice, Directing Workshop Theatre Production and Dramaturgy for Theatre Directing.
In addition to the core classes and workshops, individual and group tuition from the Course Director for Theatre Directing will be a key feature of the training. In addition, masterclasses by visiting practitioners will supplement the student experience. Professional placements are a key feature of the programme and all students will showcase their work in public performances at the culmination of the course.
For further information on modules/subjects, click here.
September 2027
Annabelle Comyn, MFA Course Director of Theatre Directing
Gavin O'Donoghue, Director of Actor Training and Postgraduate Programmes
01 March 2027
Applicants are required to possess a minimum 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree or equivalent. In place of traditional academic qualifications, applicants may be assessed for Recognition of Prior Learning.
References: applicants are normally expected to submit one academic and one professional reference. Where an academic reference is not available, candidates may submit two professional references for consideration.
Applicants must fill out all the information required on the online form, which includes the submission of two references, copies of the transcripts of previously completed education levels, and a CV.
The Lir Academy requires the documents listed below to assess an application for the course. Please note that your application cannot be assessed if we do not have these documents. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the required documents have been attached to their application.
a) Letter of application – a letter that outlines the applicant's theatre education and theatre directing experience to date (this may also include experience in other areas of theatre as well as directing in film). Applicants are required to have some theatre directing experience to be accepted onto the course.
b) Statement of purpose – a statement outlining the applicant’s ambitions in terms of theatre directing. Applicants should describe the role of theatre in their life, justify the choice of a career in theatre directing, the work they want to make, why they wish to pursue further education.
c) Portfolio – a portfolio of the applicant’s theatre and directing work. The Lir Academy accepts portfolios as PDFs, websites or in any other convenient format.
d) Critical assessment – a critical assessment of recently directed work. This is an analysis of a production directed by the applicant. It is an overall evaluation of the process; from the initial artistic impulse, the ambitions for the work, pre-production plans and the development of the work, an analyses of their process when working with designers, actors, and the production team, and finally a reflection and critical analyses of the work achieved and any learning outcomes.
All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements for their application to be considered for shortlisting to the programme. For more details of qualifications that meet Band B, see the English Language Requirements page here.
For a full list of postgraduate fees, click here.
To apply to this course, click on the relevant Apply Link below. Please note that places on the course may fill before the application deadline, so early application is encouraged. Eligible applicants may be added to a waitlist if all places are currently filled.
Register your interest in studying at Ireland’s leading university, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.
