View the full course entry on our website : www . qmu . ac . uk / Drama
BA / BA ( Hons ) Drama
Are you passionate about theatre ? This course is a route to careers such as director , performer , playwright , deviser , stage manager , scenographer , workshop leader or producer .
On this course you will :
• Learn the collaborative skills and process involved in creating and staging plays .
• Experiment with key contemporary performance practices .
• Explore all aspects of theatre , front and backstage , including the audience . Who are they ? What do they want from a performance ? How can you reach your audience ? We challenge conventional assumptions of what the performing arts can be and who they are for , from both a practitioner and audience perspective .
• Engage with a vibrant diversity of practical and theoretical approaches that balance practice , history , research , critical thinking and employability skills .
What is theatre ? Why did it develop ? What role does it play in society ? To have a successful career in the theatre , you need to understand its historical context , techniques and craft . Whether you intend to be a theatre maker , scholar or teacher , this course will guide you in the development of your creative and critical prowess while providing very distinct routes into the professional world . When you graduate you will know how and why a theatre team brings a performance to life , and the many ways in which drama can be understood and made relevant to contemporary audiences .
You can opt to study for an honours degree over four years or an ordinary degree over three years .
Modules
Year One : Play and Performance / Introduction to the Study of Theatre and Performance / Introduction to Theatre Production / The Origins of Theatre / Analysing Texts and Performance / Performance Practices
Year Two : Theatre of Ideas and the Stage ( From Romanticism to Theatre of Absurd )/ Making Theatre / Contemporary
Scottish Theatre in Context / Practitioner Researchers / British Theatre Since 1945 / Creative Writing for New Media
Year Three : Devising Practices / Current Debates in Performance Theory OR Arts Funding in its Policy Context / Performance Project / Designing a Research Project / Plus two options *
Year Four : Creative Practice and Enterprise / Honours Project / Plus two options *
* Check the full course entry on our website for module options
The modules listed here are correct at time of print ( March 2022 ) but may differ slightly to those offered in 2023 . Please check the website for any updates .
* Subject to availability Careers
You may know that you want to work in the performing arts , yet do not know exactly which route you can take to achieve this . This course will literally take you behind the scenes and open your eyes to a broad range of theatre-based careers , including playwriting , directing , scenography , producing , screen industries , acting , community theatre , contemporary performance practice , and drama teaching , as well as communications professions and postgraduate study .
Creative entrepreneurship and employability is something we are passionate about and it is embedded throughout this course . Many of our students have formed their own theatre companies and are supported by QMU as they set up their businesses , including the chance to be located in our graduate start-up space called the BIZ . Many students successfully perform , produce or get involved in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe - the world ’ s largest arts festival .
Entry requirements Scottish Higher : A Level : BBB
Standard : AABB Minimum : BBBB
Irish Leaving Certificate : H2 H3 H3 H3
Why QMU ?
UCAS code : W490 Duration : 3 / 4 years full-time
Placement : Optional Exchange opportunities : Yes *
H3 International Baccalaureate : 30 points
International : IELTS of 6.0 with no element lower than 5.5
Required subjects : English and / or Drama at Higher / A Level preferred . English required and Maths preferred at Nat 5 / GCSE .
Mature / Access : Related Access course , see : www . qmu . ac . uk / college-qualifications . We welcome applications from mature students with relevant qualifications and / or experience .
Direct Entry : Year Two
• HNC / HND in related subject with B / CB in the graded unit
• Scottish Higher : BC at Advanced Higher in relevant subjects plus BB at Higher
• A Level : BBB in relevant subjects
For details of related HNC and HND courses , see www . qmu . ac . uk / college-qualifications
• The ‘ Festival City ’ of Edinburgh is home to the world ’ s biggest annual arts festival and one of the best possible places to start your theatre career .
• Your career path will be unique , and the module options in Years Three and Four allow you to focus your interests to suit your own career aspirations .
• Our graduates play an active role in theatre in Scotland - whether you see them performing , hear the words of their script or view their artistry as director , scenographer or producer , they are building a successful and exciting career thanks to their time at QMU .
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