A London theatre school is launching the UK’s first Master’s degree in the writing of musicals.

Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts is starting the MA in Musical Theatre, which the organisers believe to be only the second course of its kind in the world.

Jenifer Toksvig, one of the course leaders and a writer and lyricist, said: “I’ve been trying to start this course for quite some time. Nobody had really said it fits in really well with our courses and things.

“It was the right time and the right place, and I graduated from Mountview so it felt like coming home.

“We’ve had positive responses all round. We’ve had great feedback initially, and people want to know more details about it. It’s really exciting that people have engaged with it so immediately.”

The course will include practical training, and experience in writing for the stage.

It will also teach the business side of getting a piece of musical theatre developed and produced.

Rob Hartman, another course leader, and a writer and composer, said: “Its funny people do often lump writing musicals in with everything else.

“There is a very specific craft, and some techniques that are almost opposites of writing plays. Obviously you have music involved and the idea of collaboration or working with someone else.

“I have taught some classes, and it takes playwrights a while to wrap their mind around how musicals are different than plays.”

Teachers on the course include professional musical theatre writers, composers and musicians.

It also has connections with the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, from New York University, and Uterus, a similar course from Denmark.

William Harris, Mountview’s Academic Director, said: “Mountview is committed to helping talented individuals from all backgrounds achieve their goals of working creatively in the arts industry by providing the very highest standard of vocational training.

“Our students not only graduate with finely honed creative skills, but also with a network of multi-disciplined colleagues to help them with the next steps.”

Applications are now open for the MA in Writing Musicals at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. For more information, and to apply, click here.