Subjects at A level

Theatre/Drama
Visual Arts
Music
Dance

Learning Resources

Research Writing

Academic Writing

Choosing & Applying for University

CV Writing

Navigating Career Path Options

Business School

Interviews

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Description:

Introduction to degree course was developed in response to high dropout and failure rates of university students. The program fully supports successful progression of students from high school to undergraduate study and beyond. This course introduces students to a degree, giving students a frame work and direction in their area of study. We are well aware that if students fail to understand the foundation of the subject they are likely to lose interest in the subject that is why this course was designed to make it easier for students. The course is equipped with most of the learning materials required by students to understand their degree program.

This course was developed in consultation with universities at global. The course is designed to give students a deeper knowledge and understanding of the degree. The course is designed to enhance the creativity and critical thinking skills that are needed by students to develop their own ideas at University standard. Taking students step by step, to simplify and to explain the degree.

The course equips students with the knowledge needed to make an informed decision before starting and during your studies enabling students to plan ahead, minimizing student failure rates. The process makes knowledge transfer easier between students, universities, professionals, employers and research institutes The aim of this course is not just to make learning easier, but also to help put qualification in to use. We understand that most students at Universities fail not because they are “dumb” but, because they don’t get to understand what they are required to do.

Key Modules:

1: Theory and Trends in African theatre

This module deals with various theories about the nature, origins and functions of theatre in African society. It also looks at trends in African theatre, focusing on African childhood play, music, dance, ritual and African comedies of the colonial and post-colonial eras.

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2: Theories and Trends in African Cinema

This module familiarizes students to theories and development of cinema in Africa. Students will study how oral narratives, Marxist theories, realism and audience ?reception theories have informed an understanding of African cinema. The students will trace the history of cinema in Africa with specific reference to west, north, east and southern Africa. They critique the factors that have inhibited some developmental projects in specific African countries.

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3: Film Development in Zimbabwe

The module provides an overview of the history of film in Zimbabwe from the early twentieth century to present day. This overview places emphasis on the socio- political contexts, which influenced the evolution of each stage of Zimbabwean film. The relationship between film production and context is examined.

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4: Genres of Film and Theatre

The module gives an overview of forms of film. These include black film aesthetics, the feature film, documentary, comedy and action film among others. An appreciation of the roles or functions of these genres, as well as understanding the techniques employed, provides the student with a wide variety of options of film production. Genres of theatre will also be examined as above, for example, Theatre for development, Children?s Theatre, Theatre of the Oppressed, among others.

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5: Theory of Acting

This module examines the development of physical, emotional and imaginative awareness as it applies to acting. The methods of creating character, text analysis, and performance techniques will be emphasized. Students are introduced to different styles of acting and improvisation. Material may focus on classic or contemporary drama or original creations which include scene and monologue study and presentation.

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6: Community Theatre in Zimbabwe

This module acquaints students with the emergence of community theatre groups in Zimbabwe.? Students are expected to familiarize themselves with colonial cultural institutions like NTO, Reps Theatre etc and the role they played in the life of the nation.? A comparative analysis of the colonial cultural institutions and the community theatre groups emerging in the post- colonial era will be done.? Students are also expected to acquaint themselves with the work of Zimbabwe Association of Community Theatre (ZACT) and to compare the work of community theatre in Zimbabwe with the work of other international organizations with similar goals and functions.? Relationship with government and NGOs, challenges and achievements, sustainability and strategies for the future, are aspects to be considered as well.

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7: Production Practicum (Play Making)

This is a practical module which offers practical skills and experience to actor training and emphasizes the creation and production of new theatre and embraces a multicultural and multi-disciplined methodology. Students take classes and workshops in voice, movement, dance, acting (including script-based work, storytelling and devised work), improvisation and devising skills. They explore the expressive potential of the voice and body through observation of the natural world, space, poetry, paintings and people.

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8: Film and Theatre as Multimedia Communication

This module introduces students to theories of intertexuality. These theories explain how film and theatre combine different modes of expression as multimedia communication. The module will also introduce to students, theories of hypertextuality.

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9: Theories and Trends in Western Theatre

Students explore theories and trends that underpin various modes of acting in increasingly evolved performance contexts particularly in Western theatre. They work on acting projects in a diverse range of styles including clown, realism, mask and tragedy. As they progress through the course, the collaborative working structures will become more complex and they will work creatively with theatre practitioners from other disciplines.

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10: Script Writing

The module teaches students script writing of dramatic texts and/ or ideas of performance. Focus may be placed on the conventions required for the theatrical performance of dramatic texts and/or the explorations of putting performance theory into practice and historical context. In consultation with the instructor, the student will develop a study and work plan appropriate to their interests.

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11: Principles of Film Directing

The module introduces to students the principles of film directing. It outlines and discusses the responsibilities of a director during preparation and shooting stages. Students will familiarize themselves with principles such as directing, budgeting, managing cast and channels of communication between director and producer.

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12: Drama for Development

The module examines the role of theatre in maintaining and fostering development in society through theatrical performances. The study focuses on the Zimbabwean society especially the community in which the students are based. The performances are based on the issues that are geared on developing the society in terms of awareness. An examined performance done through the collaboration of students and the community in which they live is done every semester.

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13: Film and Literary Studies

The module explores the interface of film and written literary forms such as literary drama, the novel and poetry. Areas of emphasis include the adaptation of literary productions to film and theoretical productions.

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14: Film, Theatre and Advertising

The module interrogates the role of film and theatre in advertising. Focus is on film and theatre in relation to the history of advertising as an ideology, advertising as a cultural industry and marketing function. Forms of advertising in cultural and critical theory as well as ethical concerns in advertising will be examined.

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15: Comparative Theatre

The module traces the history and development of theatre activities in different regions. It focuses on the pre-colonial theatre to contemporary theatre assessing the similarities, differences and influences that different regions had to the present day. Students are expected to analyze the different levels of development and the possible causes in the disparities.

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16: Film, Theatre and Ideology

This module enables students to familiarize themselves with theories of ideology. A critical analysis of the dominant theories that perceive film and theatre as ideological state apparatuses (Althusser) will be studied. The module introduce to students, Gramsci?s theory of hegemony to explain the contradictory ways in which state ideology can respond to film and theatrical messages. This Neo-Marxist approach unlocks the key to the understanding of the theories of Audience-reception and the multiple ways in which audiences respond to the dominant ideology.

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17: Radio Drama

The module introduces to students principles of radio drama. It establishes similarities and differences between radio and television drama. Students will be expected to make a critical evaluation of radio drama using theories of inter-textuality and critical criticism. The module also provide factors that make radio drama less popular than television drama in addition to outlining and critiquing the role of language in radio drama.

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18: Film Directing (Practical)

The module is a practical course and introduces to students the principles of film directing. It outlines and discusses the responsibilities of a director during preparation and shooting stages and students will familiarize themselves with principles such as directing, budgeting, managing cast and the relationship between the director, producer and other crew members and cast.

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19: Film, Theatre and HIV/AIDS

The module sensitizes students to the dangers of HIV/AIDS through performances. It explores the role of film and theatre in curbing the spread of HIV and AIDS and how the adaptation of classical themes in modern film and theatre could be done. The influence of African expressionism through theatre in response to the deadly pandemic and the philosophical and technological innovations of modern film and theatrical forms will closely examined.

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20: Choreography and Dance Production

This is a practical module that explores dance aesthetics from different historical periods to contemporary times. It explores the fundamental concerns of the performer?s art: relaxation, concentration, movement, voice production, space and expression. It is designed to provide a detailed overview of all aspects of dance movements, encompassing lighting, sound, set, props, and costume procedures.

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21: Stagecraft

The module explores fundamentals and techniques used in theatre/performance and performance spaces. Students are introduced to basic stagecraft i.e lighting, models of performance spaces and stage anatomy. Material may focus on classic or contemporary drama or original creations.

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22: Managing Institutions of Film and Theatre

The thrust of this module is to prepare students to be entrepreneurs in film and theatre industry. They will be equipped with skills on how to develop and run theatre and film production companies. Aspects such as concept design, constitution formulation, management theories, recruitment and selection, motivation theories, advertising and marketing will be examined.

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23: Film and Video Production

This is a practical module that helps students with hands on approach in film and video production. Students are expected to come up with their own low budget production(s) by the end of the semester.

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24: Development of Film in Africa

The module provides an overview of the history of film in Africa from the early twentieth century to present day. This overview places emphasis on the socio- political contexts, which influenced the evolution of each stage of the African film. The relationship between film production and context is carefully examined.

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25: Film, Theatre and Globalisation

The module introduces students to intercultural studies and it covers the concept of globalization and convergence of culture. It link film and theatre studies to the concept of globalization and discuss the pros and cons of the impact of globalization on local film and theatrical productions. Students should be encouraged to suggest ways in which positive attributes of globalization can be harnessed to improve local film and theatrical productions.

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26: Gender Issues in Theatre and Film

This is an identity based module, which focuses on the influence and role of masculinities and feminities in theatre and film productions. Emphasis is on gendered portrayals of selected themes. It also focuses on the impact of societal stereotypes and assumptions of gender roles in script development as well as the impact of theatre and film in either reinforcing or subverting the above stereotypes.

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27: Film, Theatre and Society

The module examines the roles of film and theatre as agents of socialization and cultural tools. The symbolic relationship between culture, politics and economics is also integrated. Emphasis is on the role of film and theatre as popular culture. Attention is given to identifying components of popular culture, principles and characteristics of popular culture, theories and perspectives of popular culture as well as advertising as popular culture.

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28: Children's Drama and Animation

This module introduces to students characteristics of children?s drama. The module discusses the role of folktales in children?s drama. Students are also introduced to the theories of animation and will be expected to analyze the ideological underpinnings of selected animated products and suggest factors that inhibit the growth of the animation film industry in Zimbabwe.

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29: Television Drama

The module introduces to students the technical aspects of television drama including staging, arrangement of props etc. Students are introduced to intertextual theories that explain how theatrical performance and visual aspects of television magnify cultural meanings in intertext. The module also introduce to students the fundamental differences between radio and television drama.

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30: Theatre in Education

This module looks at theatre in the field of education. It examines a whole range of theatrical performances there are in Africa that engage young Africans. It will deal with children?s theatre in education written by adults for them to perform. Complementary to this is the amount of theatrical performances by students in high schools, colleges and universities. This module also requires students to acquaint themselves with the activities in the education system such as drama festivals and the use of drama across the curriculum in the classroom.

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