Drama, Theatre and Performance

Course Highlights

Drama Theatre and Performance Studies

This degree provides you with a breadth of understanding of theatre and performance around the world, a heightened socio-political awareness, a thorough grounding in rigorous approaches to performance-making and writing. 

Below is a small sample of modules taught on our courses.

Encountering Theatre: Performances in a Global Context (first year module)

In this module, we attend a range of theatre shows across London, seeing a selection of current performances, involving a range of genres and styles, and discuss them in class. The module aims to develop students’ skills in theatre analysis. In addition to analysing the performances themselves, the module considers critical questions, inviting students to think about the audience’s role in the theatre and what it means to write about theatre from the position of the spectator.

Engaging Performance (second year module)

The module is designed as an introduction to the field of Performance Studies, and engages critically with a wide range of artistic, cultural and social phenomena. The module develops student confidence and competence with regard to independent and collaborative study. Students will explore the ways in which performance, in both its theatrical and non-theatrical forms, is bound up with issues of ideology and representation.

Work Placement (third year module)

This module enables final-year students to undertake a sustained work placement with an arts organisation, alongside which they will conduct supervised independent research into the work of the organisation. It gives students the opportunity to utilise and extend the skills, knowledge and methodologies acquired during their previous study, and to apply these to hands-on work experience gained in a relevant organisation.

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Theatre Practices and Production

As well as learning about theatre history and performance, you’ll perform, create and implement designs for sets, lighting and costumes. You will also examine the delivery of theatre and performance festivals, and have the chance to organise your own theatre festival in year 3.

Below is a small sample of modules taught on our courses.

Theatre Festivals (first year module)

This module offers students the opportunity to engage with and critically examine the development, organisation, and delivery of theatre and performance festivals. It introduces students to key aspects of the political, policy and funding context in which arts festivals operate in the UK. At the same time, the module enables students to gain an appreciation for the skills and expertise necessary for working within the festival industry. Students are encouraged to understand the kinds of team work that goes into making a festival including the role of festival curator or artistic director, programming, the importance of social media and marketing, and working with venues, cultural sectors and audiences.

Introduction to Arts Management (second year module)

This module is designed to give students an introduction to management strategies in arts organisations in preparation for employment possibilities in the arts. It exposes students to the function of arts management, how arts organisations are run, the range of employment experiences available within these institutions and organisations, and practical skills and methods needed to engage within arts fields.

Work Placement (third year module)

This module enables final-year students to undertake a sustained work placement with an arts organisation, alongside which they will conduct supervised independent research into the work of the organisation. It gives students the opportunity to utilise and extend the skills, knowledge and methodologies acquired during their previous study, and to apply these to hands-on work experience gained in a relevant organisation.

Find out more