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The information on this page relates to September 2019 entry. For 2020 information, including grade requirements, please check our prospectus.
If you are looking for an exciting, diverse and challenging programme combining theory and practice, then our Drama and Theatre Studies degree is for you. Our degree is designed to empower you to develop your skills and capacities as a theatre-maker and creative thinker, supported by internationally-recognised staff with a wide range of expertise. You will look beyond historic and established forms to explore what drama, theatre and performance can be now and in the future.
Across the four years of the degree, we will engage you in a process of investigation and questioning that extends your critical and creative capacities and builds your practical skills. You will encounter and explore a wide range of contemporary theatre practices, from scripted drama to site-specific performance and from Shakespeare to experiments in new media.
Studying Drama and Theatre Studies at Aberystwyth will prepare you for a variety of careers in the creative arts and beyond.
95% of students agree staff are good at explaining things in the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies. (NSS 2019)
98% of our graduates were in work or further study within 6 months, 4% more than Creative Arts and Design graduates nationally (HESA 2018*)
Overview
Why study Drama and Theatre Studies at Aberystwyth?
This course is an opportunity to study a unique combination of theory and practice.
Students on this course can take part in two performances or production projects each year of the course.
There is three hours per week scheduled for dedicated performance training in the first year.
You will be taught and mentored by excellent teaching staff who have a wealth of expertise in professional theatre-making.
You will be part of a department that is creative and vibrant where drama, theatre, film, media, scenography and theatre design collide.
The department has connections with key industry partners, such as National Theatre Wales, Music Theatre Wales, Quarantine Theatre Company, and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru.
All students have access to superb facilities and resources for practical work: three rehearsal studios, each with flexible technical facilities; 2 large professionally-equipped studios with digital lighting rigs controlled via ETC Congo and Strand Lighting consoles, Yamaha and Soundcraft PAs, Sanyo AV systems and Strand lighting and two NXAMP; and costume and wardrobe facilities.
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.
Modules
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.
What can I do with a Drama and Theatre Studies degree?
One of our notable and esteemed alumni is Alex Jones who is currently the longest running female presenter on the One Show. During her time at Aberystwyth University, Alex Jones studied Drama and Theatre Studies.
Many of our students have been successful in obtaining employment in these fields:
Acting and performing;
Directing;
Designing;
Script writing;
Teaching and education;
Arts administration;
Marketing;
Management;
Public Relations.
What skills do I gain from this degree?
Students in Drama and Theatre Studies gain the following valuable skills that are sought after by employers. These include the ability to:
Work effectively in group settings to develop, rehearse and produce live events;
Apply creative, imaginative and problem-solving skills in a variety of situations;
Research, evaluate and organise information;
Structure and communicate ideas effectively in a variety of situations and using a variety of means;
Work independently and with others;
Effectively organise your time and deploy your skills;
Listen to and make use of critical advice;
Be self-motivated and self-disciplined;
Use a range of information technology skills and resources;
Be entrepreneurial in developing cultural projects.
What experience opportunities exist whilst studying?
Click here to find out about the various opportunities that our Aberystwyth University Careers team offer.
The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you may study during the three year degree scheme.
The first year is regarded as the foundation year. During this period, you will be introduced to the core components and themes in Drama and Theatre Studies.
In your second year you will discover:
Contemporary approaches to studio-based and site-based theatre-making;
Key historical moments, practices and methods in drama and theatre;
The analysis of drama, theatre and performance.
In your third year, you will explore:
Contemporary theatre-making through practical, historical and theoretical approaches;
Full-scale theatre production;
Acting techniques for stage and screen;
Directors' theatre and modern European drama;
Shakespeare in performance;
Theatre and contemporary society;
New media performance.
In your final year, you will have the opportunity:
To create independent creative work;
To undertake a major research project and engage in advanced theoretical study;
To extend your skills in ensemble and solo production projects;
To develop your entrepreneurial skills in producing and curating cultural events;
To write your own play script;
To 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.
