Department of Theatre Studies

Testimonials

Testimonials

Get a feel of what our alumni and students think of us

Graduated 2008 and 2010
My undergraduate and postgraduate studies in theatre at the University of Malta provided me with the necessary tools to develop my aptitude for artistic appreciation and understanding. Moreover, the experience gave me the opportunity to meet new people whilst learning from experts in the field. The programmes are designed around the various needs required by whoever is seeking a professional career in the cultural sector. My years spent as a Theatre Studies student equipped me with the appropriate skills to fulfill my duties at Spazju Kreattiv where I am currently employed as Programme Manager for Fondazzjoni Kreattivita.

Graduated 2005
As a young soprano with a passion for singing and opera, reading for a BA (Hons) degree in Theatre Studies allowed me to transform my passions into proper academic studies. The course provided me with the ideal platform to develop further my knowledge and skills in perfecting my art as an opera singer and also to develop a sense of discipline and self-awareness that are fundamental when working within the performing arts sector. Theatre Studies also equipped me with skills in human relations that proved to be hugely beneficial to my current activity as a director in a family business within the hospitality industry which branches across hospitality, property management, and project finishing.

Graduated 2017
The decision to pursue a degree in Theatre Studies came from a genuine and personal interest in the arts combined with a desire to develop organisational skills related to arts management and cultural policy that could lead me to pursue a career in the cultural sector. The department’s support, the structure of the course itself, and the endless opportunities for personal and professional development, allowed me to achieve this. The staff’s encouragement went beyond the academic sphere and supported us students to initiate the University Students of Performing Arts Association which was an excellent opportunity to discover the opportunities and challenges that exist in the field. Upon graduating, I was equipped with the knowledge, relevant skills, and motivation that are proving to be essential in my current professional engagements with public cultural organisations and private entities in the field of arts and cultural management.

Graduated 2007
Theatre Studies raised many curtains for me. I discovered so much more than I thought could happen on stage, behind it, and everywhere around it. What theatre can be, what theatre can do, how and why. The BA (Hons) which I followed revealed a number of paths and helped me determine which ones I wanted to pursue. Theatre Studies taught me that you cannot fake loving what you do. You cannot fake a genuine interest. My engagement as a student kept growing day after day to eventually lead me to build a career out of it all, including performing as an actor and directing plays. My studies of theatre were definitely crucial in allowing me to shape theatrical ideas that I can now develop further in my current role as artistic director of Teatru Malta, Malta’s first National theatre company.

Graduated 2014
After graduating with a B.A. (Hons.) in Theatre Studies I was fortunate to be able to further my studies with a full-time MA in Arts Management, Policy and Practice at the University of Manchester. I was able to put into practice what I had learnt in my undergraduate studies to guide me further in my master’s degree. My undergraduate degree provided the boost and inspiration I needed to work towards achieving my career goals. Since coming back to Malta, I have worked as an events and theatre workshops coordinator and continued my work as a drama teacher at Masquerade Malta, after achieving my teaching diploma from Trinity College London. My BA (Hons) has allowed me to explore core areas of theatre and education. I am now taking this further and reading for my second masters in teaching drama. I have also had the opportunity of lecturing and working with students in Theatre and Performance at G.F. Abela Junior College.

Graduated 2017
Looking back, I can safely say that my decision to read for a BA (Hons) in Theatre Studies was one of the best I could have made. In the three years spent as students, my colleagues and I were given the freedom and skills to have frank discussions about current issues related to the performing arts and to research those areas which were of interest to us as individuals. All this occurred within a carefully structured programme designed by a team of dedicated lecturers. Following my graduation, I worked as a freelancer in events management with Arts Council Malta, and am now working as administrative manager within a performing arts school. It is very satisfying to see myself apply in my work not only the knowledge of theatre, but also skills related to critical thinking and analysis which are two fundamental pillars of this degree.

Graduated 2020
After having been active in the Maltese theatre scene for a number of years, my intention was to invest seriously in a future career in the arts as a theatre practitioner. To this end I wanted to get a wider perspective of theatre, especially in terms of the combination between theory and practice. The B.Theatre programme at the University of Malta is giving me this opportunity. It combines performance work with technical staging skills within an academic framework which allows me to understand better the dynamics of theatre making. In my first year alone I was involved in the creation of three fully-fledged performances: Wander, Revolution and Anansi-8. I now look forward to my second year during which I will broaden my horizons by studying aboard through the Erasmus+ exchange programme.

Graduated 2017
The M.A. in Theatre and Performance (C21 Studies and Perspectives) is a brilliant course, one which I found enriching in its diverse areas of contemporary performance while still addressing issues pertinent to historic and social implications. The taught structure was crucial to help me diversify in areas of research that I might not have previously considered. The result was a holistic and expansive research that opened doors for future research and equipped me with the necessary tools to further my studies at doctoral level. Other experiences, beyond academia, also presented themselves. As an actor, I found myself experimenting theoretical frameworks in my practice. A crucial part of it all was the unwavering support I found from the whole department, who were always ready to clear any self-imposed barricades, pushing boundaries that I wouldn’t have thought were there in the first place.

Graduated 2019
I decided to move to Malta to read for my undergraduate degree after the University of Malta provided me with the opportunity to combine theatre with psychology. The Theatre Studies programme is designed in a stimulating way which caters for theory and practice in equal measure. The department provides students with theatre facilities at the University’s Valletta Campus situated in a most beautiful historic building where students are engaged in devising performances as part of their studies. Further to this, apart from the highly committed staff, we are given the opportunity to work with leading international scholars and practitioners.

Graduated 2018
The B.A. (Hons) in Theatre Studies at University of Malta gives students a broad perspective of the performing arts sector from a practical and theoretical point of view. Apart from the possibility to be involved in performance work as performer and technical assistant as part of my programme of studies, the Theatre department also gave me the opportunity to spend a whole semester of my second year at Bishop’s University in Quebec, Canada. Theatre Studies also provided me with a good foundation in Arts and Culture Management including a placement with Teatru Malta which gave me the unique opportunity of first-hand experience in theatre management. Thanks to this I am now in a position to further my studies with an MA degree in Cultural Management as from next year.

Graduated 2004
Although my main degree is in Communications, Theatre Studies was my secondary area of studies. Initially unsure of what to expect, it became clear that the theatre programme was meticulously packed with insights into the world of the arts, human cultures, theatre theory, and practices related to theatrical skills and performance techniques. This contributed to my development as an artist and filmmaker, widening my understanding of the creative industries and their importance to society. As owner/director of The Bigger Picture and Stargate Studios Malta, today I operate as Producer, Director of Photography, and Visual Effects Supervisor and have contributed to multiple local and foreign award winning productions.

Graduated 2018
As a former Erasmus student, I completed the second year of my undergraduate course at the University of Malta. The experienced and dedicated professors and diverse range of modules made the University of Malta my first choice when deciding to read for a Master’s degree. I have been performing theatre for many years and later became interested in directing. The MA in Theatre Studies (by research) offered a Practice as Research route which allowed me to use my practical experience to investigate relevant academic topics. The theoretical modules helped me acquire research skills and exposed me to appropriate theoretical frameworks which guided my research. I would highly recommend this course for any theatre practitioner who wishes to conduct research via practice in a supportive and encouraging environment.

Graduated 1993 and 2011
I have been teaching drama within State schools for twenty years. I did  my undergraduate course in Theatre Studies at the University of Malta  and around seven years ago I decided to pursue a Master’s degree with  the same department because I wanted to stay in touch with the practices  and theories of theatre-making. I have been involved in theatre as a performer as well as a director for the past thirty-four years and I feel both degrees have provided me with an excellent opportunity to enhance and develop my own practice as a teacher and as a theatre practitioner. I am pleased to have read for an MA degree because it gave me the necessary skills to conduct theoretical research as well as to  strengthen critical tools that have deepened my insight into theatre practice.


https://www.um.edu.mt/performingarts/theatre/careerstestimonials/testimonials/