In the academic year 1992/93, the very first deaf students began their studies in the studio of the Drama Education for the Deaf at the Faculty of Theatre JAMU in Brno

The studies are conceived as three-year bachelor’s degree studies. Graduates receive the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BcA) degree.

Graduates find employment in the field of education and culture. It has been confirmed in practice that illustration and personal experience are irreplaceable principles in the teaching of deaf children and youth. Creation of children or youth productions has a pedagogical, social and therapeutic impact.

The aim of the extending the Drama Education for the Deaf bachelor’s degree studies with a follow-up master’s degree field was to allow our graduates to be accepted as full-fledged teachers in the field of drama education and to allow those who were already working to defend their professional positions by obtaining the MgA degree.

After successfully completing the demanding bachelor’s degree studies of Drama Education for the Deaf, where the personal growth of each student is emphasised and his or her ability to be a communicative creative personality developed, especially in the field of pedagogy, the master’s studies developed and examine above all the theatrical area of this field and the possibilities to use theatre as an educational tool. This is done by active creation of productions performed by hearing-impaired children and youth and also by creation of productions for children and youth.

These productions can communicate with deaf and hearing audiences alike, while maintaining the specificity of productions. The realisation of such a production has an impact on the pedagogical and social level.

In the master’s degree studies of Drama Education for the Deaf, the students develop their pedagogical competencies and acquire new knowledge in the field of dramaturgical preparation of a production, screenwriting and direction. They improve their skills in the field of acting and become acquainted with the basics of scenography. Emphasis is placed on the specifics that result from the “disability”, or rather the specific peculiarities of this minority.

Social orientation is important and emphasis is placed on finding adequate means of expression corresponding to the age of children and young people. The means also have to take into account the nature of the institution for which the production is created (schools, extracurricular facilities, art schools, clubs, associations, civic educational associations, etc.).

Theatrical production is an artistic activity and at the same time an educational tool. For the Deaf, it is a tool of self-awareness, therapy, and communication.

The field prepares graduates for professional and amateur theatre production for children and youth. It explores the possibilities of active involvement of young spectators in theatrical performances and develops the possibilities of offering full-fledged experience for hearing-impaired children and youth.

The aim of the field is to develop the field of theatre for the deaf at university level, to prepare competent personalities who will be able to apply their knowledge in practice and to develop the field of theatre for children and youth. The master’s degree entitles our graduates to work as full-fledged teachers in the field of drama education for the Deaf.