Drama at The University of Manchester

Drama at Manchester has an international reputation for the quality of our teaching and research in Theatre Studies, Performance, Applied Theatre and Screen Studies. We consider drama as a cultural process as well as a practice and our innovative approaches to learning are central to our undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. Drama was the second highest scoring Drama department for research in the UK in the last Research Assessment Exercise (2008).

Our undergraduate degree is delivered through a range of lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical group project, with courses ranging from video making, playwriting and physical theatre to studio production and documentaries. We have an integrated approach to study, research and practice and much of your academic work will be carried out through practice and performance work in our fully equipped John Thaw Studio Theatre.

Our undergraduate degree programme consists of core courses in year one, and then becomes more choice-based in years two and three. In your second year, you will have the chance to spend a semester in a university in Australia or the United States on one of our exchange programmes. In your third year, you will specialise in an area of practice, such as Directing, Writing for Performance, Studio Production, Video Documentary or Theatre in Prisons and Probation. You will also choose an area of research for your final year dissertation project.

Why study Drama with us?

Studying Drama at The University of Manchester gives you the wide variety of skills you need to become the creative professionals of the future. Many of our graduates find employment in the cultural sector as writers, producers, directors, performers and administrators. Many also develop careers in education and management.

We pride ourselves on keeping our course relevant and at the cutting edge of the intellectual discourse around the subject.

Our staff have won both University and external awards for excellence in teaching and research.

We also offer an exciting portfolio of postgraduate programmes and a number of our graduates stay with Drama for a fourth year of study.