BA

Drama and Theatre / International Relations

BA Drama and Theatre / International Relations Code 42WL Attend an Open Day Attend an Open Day

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You are viewing this course for September start 2024

Studying Drama and Theatre / International Relations at Aberystwyth University will allow you to explore the historic and established forms that have shaped drama, theatre and performance alongside a discipline that will assist you in developing a comprehensive understanding of global politics. Combining these subjects will give you the opportunity to look at theatre from an international perspective and to enrich your understanding of international relations through a cultural lens.

On this course, you will explore a wide range of critical and creative forms and practices while at the same time develop your capacity as an independent theatre-maker, thinker and scholar. You will be able to apply your passion for Theatre to tackling the global challenges of our time. Theatre has the power to question and challenge ideas and beliefs. It helps us to think about the way in which we live, how our actions affect others, our impact upon the world and how we might make changes for the better. By studying International Relations, you will learn how to confront issues from many perspectives and how to think creatively and embrace new opinions. Join us in Aberystwyth and let the staff and students in the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies and Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth inspire you to become an independent, creative thinker.

Course Overview

Why study BA Drama and Theatre / International Relations at Aberystwyth?

  • The department of International Politics is ranked in the top 40 in the world for academic reputation. (QS, 2017).
  • The department of Theatre, Film and Television is vibrant and creative space where drama, theatre, film and media, and scenography and theatre design collide.
  • You will be taught in the world’s first department of international politics, founded in 1919 after the end of World War I to help the world understand the world.
  • You will be taught and mentored by lecturers who are enthusiastic, committed in providing you with an outstanding and dynamic learning environment.
  • As a student on this course, you will have the opportunity to participate in the renowned ‘Crisis Games’; a three day role playing exercise in political, economic and diplomatic manoeuvre, developing negotiation and communication, critical thinking, team work, and problem-solving skills.
  • You will also be able to take advantage of the prestigious Parliamentary Placement Scheme, enabling you to gain valuable experience working alongside an MP (House of Commons, Westminster) or an AM (Welsh Assembly, Cardiff) for a period of 4-6 weeks during the summer. During this time you will write reports and speeches, undertake research projects, and respond to constituency issues. There may be further opportunities for you to get involved in elections and various international issues.
  • The Department of International Politics is also home to Interstate, the oldest student-run international politics journal in the United Kingdom, providing a unique opportunity for you to publish your work (particularly advantageous if you wish to progress to postgraduate study) or gain valuable experience working as part of the editorial team. Stimulating student societies foster a strong sense of community within the department, offering a programme of political debates, visiting speakers, conferences and workshops, alongside numerous social activities such as an annual ball.
  • The Department of Theatre, Film & Television studies has superb facilities and resources for practical work: three fully-equipped performance studios, a television studio and gallery, an analogue film laboratory, a sound recording studio, editing and grading suites, a cinema, three large well equipped rehearsal rooms, costume and wardrobe facilities, a dedicated scenography studio in the centre of town, the surrounding landscape: a resource for creative inspiration. Students also benefit from our close links with Aberystwyth Arts Centre, one of the largest arts centres in Wales, which regularly presents national and international theatre and dance work.
  • Both departments offer a number of degree schemes and modules taught entirely or partially through the medium of Welsh. Check out our module tab for further information.
Our Staff

All academic staff at the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies are research active and/or involved in Knowledge Transfer projects and have either relevant academic qualifications at doctoral level or equivalent professional experience and expertise.

Lecturers in the Department of International Politics are all research active and qualified to PhD level, and most also have a PGCHE.

Modules September start - 2024

Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
International Relations: Perspectives and Debates IP20120 20

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
A War on the Mind: Propaganda and Secret Intelligence from the Great War to the 21st Century IP28320 20
Acting for Camera TP25920 20
Acting: Process and Performance TP21220 20
Britain and Ireland in War and Peace since 1800 IP28820 20
Britain and World Politics from Global Empire to Brexit: The Diplomacy of Decline IQ22620 20
Capitalism and International Politics IQ22820 20
China From the Opium War to the Present IP29820 20
Climate Change Politics IP21420 20
Climate Change and International Politics in the Anthropocene IP20720 20
Climate Coloniality IP29520 20
Contemporary Latin America IP28720 20
Devised Performance Project TP21620 20
Devolution and Wales IP25020 20
Directors' Theatre TP21820 20
Economic Diplomacy and Leadership IQ24320 20
European Security in 21st Century IP23620 20
Gender, Conflict and Security IP26720 20
Global Politics and the Refugee Regime IQ25520 20
International Politics and Global Development IP29220 20
International Politics and the Nuclear Age IP20420 20
Intervention and Humanitarianism IQ20220 20
Knowing about Violent Conflict in International Politics IQ24420 20
Middle Powers in the Global Political Economy IQ27120 20
Militaries and Crisis: Where Strategy Meets Society IP20820 20
Nationalism in Theory and Practice IP29920 20
New Media Performance TP23820 20
People and Power: Understanding Comparative Politics Today IQ23920 20
Political Theory IP22220 20
Politics in Diverse Societies IQ23720 20
Questions of International Politics IP26820 20
Race in Global Politics IQ20020 20
Refugee Simulation IQ25620 20
Russian Security in the 21st Century IP21820 20
Russian intelligence from Lenin to Putin IQ24920 20
Science, Technology, and International Relations IP23020 20
Shakespeare in Performance TP23220 20
Strategy, Intelligence and Security in International Politics IQ25120 20
Terrorism & Counter Terrorism in the Modern World: Policing, Intelligence & War IP24520 20
The Arab-Israeli Wars IP21320 20
The BRICS in World Politics IQ20320 20
The British Army's Image in Battle, from the Crimean to the Present IQ20920 20
The European Union: Politics, Policies, Problems IP23820 20
The Governance of Climate Change: Simulation Module IP22320 20
The Long Shadow of the Second World War IP22720 20
The Past and Present US Intelligence IP26020 20
The Politics and Paradoxes of International Organisations IQ26020 20
The Second World War in Europe IP26420 20
Theatre Design Project TP22620 20
Theatre Production Project TP24940 40
Theatre and Contemporary Society TP20820 20
Total War, Total Peace IQ23420 20
Trade Wars and the Liberal Order IQ21620 20
UK Politics Today: A Union Under Strain? IQ23820 20
War Crimes IQ25720 20
Warfare after Waterloo: Military History 1815-1918 IP25320 20
Women and Global Development IP29620 20

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Contemporary Drama TP30020 20
Musical Theatre Dramaturgies TP39020 20
Performance and Architecture TP33420 20
Performance and Disability TP30320 20
Place, Space and Landscape TP32820 20
A War on the Mind: Propaganda and Secret Intelligence from the Great War to the 21st Century IP38320 20
Britain and Ireland in War and Peace since 1800 IP38820 20
Britain and World Politics from Global Empire to Brexit: the Diplomacy of Decline: IQ32620 20
Capitalism and International Politics IQ32820 20
China From the Opium War to the Present IP39820 20
Climate Change and International Politics in the Anthropocene IP30720 20
Climate Coloniality IP39520 20
Contemporary Latin America IP38720 20
Devolution and Wales IP35020 20
Dissertation * IP30040 40
Economic Diplomacy and Leadership IQ34320 20
European Security in the 21st Century IP33620 20
Gender, Conflict and Security IP36720 20
Global Politics and the Refugee Regime IQ35520 20
International Politics and the Nuclear Age IP30420 20
Intervention and Humanitarianism IQ30220 20
Knowing about Violent Conflict in International Politics IQ34420 20
Middle Powers in the Global Political Economy IQ37120 20
Militaries and Crisis: Where Strategy Meets Society IP30820 20
Nationalism in Theory and Practice IP39920 20
Political Theory IP32220 20
Politics in Diverse Societies IQ33720 20
Race in Global Politics IQ30020 20
Refugee Simulation IQ35620 20
Russian Security in the 21st Century IP31820 20
Russian intelligence from Lenin to Putin IQ34920 20
Science, Technology, and International Relations IP33020 20
Terrorism & Counter Terrorism in the Modern World: Policing, Intelligence & War IP34520 20
The Arab Israeli Wars IP31320 20
The BRICS in World Politics IQ30320 20
The British Army's Image in Battle, from the Crimean to the Present IQ30920 20
The European Union: Politics, Policies, Problems IP33820 20
The Long Shadow of the Second World War IP32720 20
The Past and Present of US Intelligence IP36020 20
The Politics and Paradoxes of International Organisations IQ36020 20
The Second World War in Europe IP36420 20
Total War, Total Peace IQ33420 20
Trade Wars and the Liberal Order IQ31620 20
UK Politics Today: A Union Under Strain? IQ33820 20
War Crimes IQ35720 20
Women and Global Development IP39620 20
Ensemble Performance Project TP35520 20
Independent Research Project TP36040 40
Playwriting TP33340 40
School Shakespeare Project TP30140 40

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

What are our graduates doing now?

Graduates from our department have pursued careers in:

  • the civil service
  • security services
  • governmental research departments
  • acting and performing
  • script writing
  • set design
  • public affairs
  • education
  • social research.

What job opportunities are there for me while studying at University?

Employability is embedded across our teaching. We teach our students to aim for the career they want, not the job that they can get. Getting involved in as much as you can will look good on your CV and there is plenty of opportunity to take part in all sorts of career boosting activities at Aberystwyth University. As a student on this course, you can take part in the Parliamentary Placement scheme, join the interstate team, and throw yourself into performances of all kinds to get real-life experience.

Studying for this degree in Drama and Theatre / International Relations will equip you with a range of transferable skills which are highly valued by employers. These include:

  • the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
  • effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills
  • the ability to work independently
  • time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
  • self-motivation and self-reliance
  • team-working, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement
  • research skills.

What work experience opportunities exist whilst studying?

Go to the Aberystwyth University Careers Service page to find out about the various opportunities on offer.

Enhance your employability prospects with GO Wales and YES (Year in Employment Scheme) managed by our Careers department.

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn?

The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during the three year degree scheme.

First year:

  • introductory modules in making, thinking and studying
  • political theory & key political ideas
  • the different methodologies to analyse topical issues in international and domestic politics
  • key issues facing the social world
  • contemporary approaches to studio-based and site-based theatre-making
  • the development and progress of international relations during the twentieth century
  • key historical moments, practices and methods in drama and theatre
  • the analysis of drama, theatre and performance.

Second year:

  • contemporary theatre-making through practical, historical and theoretical approaches
  • full-scale production work
  • acting, directing and dramaturgy, devising, and designing
  • the development of modern European theatre
  • globalisation
  • democracy and democracy promotion
  • global inequality and the developing world
  • intelligence and security
  • Shakespeare in contemporary performance
  • theatre and contemporary society
  • new media and performance writing.

Final year:

  • create independent creative work
  • undertake a major research project and engage in advanced theoretical study
  • extend your skills in ensemble and solo production projects
  • learn about BRICS and the global economy
  • explore Latin American Politics
  • learn about the EU & NATO
  • explore politics in Russia, Europe and the USA
  • study British & comparative politics
  • develop your entrepreneurial skills in producing and curating cultural events
  • write your own play script
  • study specialist modules that may address: space; place and landscape; performance and philosophy; performance; politics and protest; theatre; gender and sexuality; performance and architecture; new music theatre; and contemporary British and Irish drama.

How will I be taught?

  • You will be taught through practical workshops, small-group seminars, lectures, production projects and group based project work.
  • Our teaching is frequently mixed-mode, interrogating theory through practical investigation and practice through the lens of various theoretical perspectives.
  • You will be assessed through formal and performed essays, written and practical examinations, critical and creative portfolios, practical productions, seminar presentations and group activities.
  • You will be assigned a personal tutor throughout your degree scheme, who will help you with any problems or queries, whether these are academic-related or personal issues. You are free to contact them at any time for help and advice.

Student Testimonials

The wide range of module choices paired with the wide variety of drama societies means we can easily be prepared for any area of drama and theatre practice. The academic and practical elements are brilliant, allowing us to either focus on one or the other and/or ground ourselves in the theory in order to better our practical exploration. The staff are always friendly and enthusiastic and always encourage us to do more and explore further.

Jemma Rowlston

The Department of International Politics has provided me with a new-found understanding of the world through modules on issues surrounding concepts of globalisation and the lives of women in the Third World. With experts in so many fields it is great having such an approachable set of tutors. My three years here at Aberystwyth have been educational as well as enjoyable and I would recommend studying here to anyone.

Hannah Mitchell

Typical Entry Requirements

UCAS Tariff 120 - 96

A Levels BBB-CCC

GCSE requirements (minimum grade C/4):
English or Welsh

BTEC National Diploma:
DDM-MMM

International Baccalaureate:
30-26

European Baccalaureate:
75%-65% overall

English Language Requirements:
See our Undergraduate English Language Requirements for this course. Pre-sessional English Programmes are also available for students who do not meet our English Language Requirements.

Country Specific Entry Requirements:
International students whose qualification is not listed on this page, can check our Country Specific Entry Requirements for further information.

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level qualifications, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas or T-levels as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.
Our inclusive admissions policy values breadth as well as depth of study. Applicants are selected on their own individual merits and offers can vary. If you would like to check the eligibility of your qualifications before submitting an application, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for advice and guidance.

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