Program Overview

Lancaster’s joint Theatre and Chinese Studies degree is taught by the School of Global Affairs in conjunction with Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA). This degree includes an international placement in year 3.

Your Chinese Studies programme gives you the opportunity to acquire high-level language skills while gaining a thorough understanding of China's historical, cultural, social and political backgrounds in a global context. Chinese may be studied at either beginner or advanced level. In Theatre, you’ll learn about innovative 20th and 21st century drama, theatre, dance and performance through an exciting and varied mix of practical and academic approaches.

Your first year comprises an exploration of the Chinese language and its cultural context as well as an introduction to theatre’s key concepts and practical tools that culminates in a group performance project. Alongside this, you will study a minor subject from a list of courses provided to you.

Building on your language skills in Year 2, you will study the culture, politics and history of the Chinese-speaking world in more depth in the module 'Shaping Chinese Society: Moments and Movements', as well as selecting one module which is international in scope and promotes comparative understanding at a global level. You will combine these with modules such as ‘Devised Theatre’, ‘Theatre for Social Change’ and ‘Theatre Practice’.

Spending your third year - the International Placement Year - abroad in a Chinese-speaking country gives you the opportunity to improve your language proficiency while deepening your intercultural sensitivity. You can study at a partner institution or conduct a work placement. Staff members within the department will work with you to ensure that you are fully prepared before embarking on your placement in a Chinese-speaking country.

In your final year, you will consolidate your Chinese language skills, and study specialist culture and comparative modules, such as 'Sinophone Literature and Film', 'Contemporary Cities in Literature and Film'. You will also select LICA modules such as ‘Contemporary European Postdramatic Theatre’, ‘Creative Enterprise’ and ‘Advanced Theatre Practice’. You will have opportunities to combine your interests in both subjects in longer, supervised projects.