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On this degree you will study what theatre has been, explore what it is, and imagine all that it can be. Through an innovative combination of theory and practice, you will develop your skills as a theatre-maker and creative thinker and prepare yourself for work in the creative industries and beyond. The integrated year in professional practice will enable you to gain hands-on experience in a professional setting whilst at the same time develop some key contacts in preparation for your time after graduation.
Theatre asks questions and opens up experimental spaces for things to unfold and happen, all in the excitement of shared time. Supported by internationally-recognised staff with a wide range of expertise, on this degree you will experiment with texts, practices and production work and encounter a wide range of historic and contemporary theatre forms, from scripted drama to site-specific performance and from Shakespeare to experiments in new media.
Student Satisfaction and Employability Results
90% overall student satisfaction for the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies (NSS 2020).
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 (with integrated year in professional practice) at Aberystwyth?
You will be taught and mentored by staff who possess a wealth of expertise in re-search and/or professional theatre-making
You will take part in two performance or production projects each year.
You will be part of a vibrant and exciting department where drama, theatre, film, media, scenography and theatre design collide
You will benefit from our connections with key industry partners, such as National Theatre Wales, Music Theatre Wales, Quarantine Theatre Company, and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
You will have access to superb facilities and resources for practical work: three rehearsal studios, each with flexible technical facilities; 2 large profes-sionally-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
We have close links with Aberystwyth Arts Centre, one of the largest arts centres in Wales, which regularly presents national and international theatre and dance work
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.
* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh
Employability
What can I do with a Drama and Theatre Studies degree?
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 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
Learning & Teaching
What will I learn?
The breakdown below will provide you with an illustration of what you
may study during the three year degree scheme.
In your first 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 second 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 third year you will undertake your year in professional
practice.
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.
Student Views
Drama & Theatre at Aberystwyth University is dynamic, challenging, engaging and exciting. It offers students a broad range of practical modules which take place in a controlled and encouraging environment. The facilities of the Parry Williams building are second to none and offer a chance to perform a range of theatrical concepts. The course offers theoretical modules which are also engaging and offer a deeper insight into the world around us and society's relationship with the arts. The most rewarding aspect of the academic modules is that you can transfer the skills learned from study to practical work. The theory work often enhances the skills on a practical level. Working together between practical and theoretical modules the course offers students many useful skills.
Daniel Andrew Radbourne
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, always encouraging us to do more and explore further.
