BA (Hons) Drama Course

Program Overview

This comprehensive Theatre degree program provides hands-on training in all aspects of theatre production, including performance, design, and technical management. Students develop essential skills through ensemble settings, practical projects, and major productions. The program fosters a close-knit community of theatre enthusiasts and prepares graduates for successful careers in the theatre industry.

Program Outline

Outline:

• Year 1
• Introductory Performance Techniques: Develop practical and theoretical skills in theatre making.
You'll work with your peers to create short devised performances, responding to plays from classical, Renaissance and contemporary theatre.
• Production Project: In this module you will be introduced to the processes and expectations of production practice and will have an opportunity to shape your first production to meet consolidate the experience you have gained before coming to University.
• Safe Working Practices: Develop competency in specialist areas of theatre production.
• Introductory Production Technique: This module builds your skills in areas of specialism like lighting, sound, stage management, design and scenic construction, wardrobe, and theatre and performance technologies.
• Approaches to Theatre 2: This module loosely follows on from Approaches to Theatre 1, exploring play texts theoretically and practically with a view to a particular theme.
• Year 2
• Theatre Practice: Research and Development: How should I plan for a major creative project?
In this module you will bring together specialist skills that you have developed in techniques modules with culture making skills that you have looked at in Performance Perspectives modules to propose and plan a production project that you will complete next semester.
• Theatre Practice: Production: In this module you'll work with other students to create a fully resourced production project, in line with the proposal that you developed in the Research and Development module.
• Performance Perspectives: Making Meaning: What intellectual and conceptual skills do we need to develop to become well rounded creative practitioners?
How is meaning made in performance? You will consider how theatre communicates with audiences by constructing meaning. You’ll focus on making meaning in performance and how theatre practitioners construct meaning.
• Performance Perspectives: Contexts and Criticism: What intellectual and conceptual skills do we need to develop to become well rounded creative practitioners?
What use is context and criticism if you are only interested in making performance? Examine frameworks for understanding performance from a range of perspectives. You'll explore theatre historiography, cultural theory, sociopolitical analysis and aesthetics.
• Intermediate Technique: Develop your skills and understanding in one of the following production areas: scenography; stage management; play and scriptwriting.
• Exploratory Practices 1: This module focuses on the skills for developing a production, including textual and thematic context, practical methodology, creative concept, planning and time management.
• Year 3
• Making Performance: Research and Development: Work independently to bring together specialist skills that you have developed in techniques modules with culture making skills that you have looked at in Performance Perspectives modules to propose and plan a production project that you will complete next semester.
• Making Performance: Production: Are you ready yet?
It’s time for your final large scale show. In this module you'll work independently to produce a fully resourced production project, in line with the proposal that you developed in the Research and Development module. It’s your final rehearsal for your career in the creative industries.
• Dissertation (Drama): Broaden your understanding of theatre and performance in an area of your own interest.. You'll design and engage with research in your area, supervised by a member of staff.
• Advanced Technique: Refine and develop your core area of production practice.
You'll develop advanced skills of design/management and finish your continuing professional development portfolio, preparing you for the world of work.
• Exploratory Practice 2: Through experimental practice, you’ll come to understand a range of range of styles and techniques connected to developing individual and collaborative theatre skills.
• Performance Perspectives: Approaching Audiences: What intellectual and conceptual skills do we need to develop to become well rounded creative practitioners?
Consider how theatre of different eras, genres, locations and aesthetics has approached audiences, and how the relationship between audience and performance can function.

Assessment:

• Throughout your degree, you’re expected to study for 1,200 hours per year.
That’s based on 200 hours per 20 credit module. And it includes scheduled hours, time spent on placement and independent study. How this time is divided across the year varies and depends on the module you are studying.
• How you'll be assessed depends on the course you study, and the modules you choose.
You may be assessed through a mix of examinations, coursework, presentations and group projects.

Teaching:

• As well as exploring the theories behind performance, you learn on the job in ensemble settings and practical projects.
We teach you how to be a well-balanced theatre maker, while you develop your talents in a specialism you love. Whether it's as a performer, designer, creative technician, producer, writer or teacher. Every week, you get the chance to make theatre. From classical to experimental, by way of digital, educational and participatory performance. You also take part in at least two major productions each year. And you form a small theatre company in your final year. Like leading theatre companies Hull Truck, Middle Child and New Diorama. As well as Davy and Kristin McGuire, and our artists-in-residence The Roaring Girls. And we’ll continue to support your career even after you graduate.

Careers:

• Our students go on to work for some of the world’s most prestigious theatres and companies: The Royal Court Theatre, the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Opera House, the Bouffes du Nord in Paris, and more.
Many go into broadcasting for the BBC, Channel 4 and Sky.
• 100% of our graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating.2
James Graham OBE, Olivier Award-winning playwright, graduated from Hull in 2003. His writing credits include This House (National Theatre), Sherwood (BBC One), and Brexit: The Uncivil War (Channel 4). Other Hull graduates include theatre director Marianne Elliott, and musical director Martin Lowe, as well as David Byrne, artistic director of London’s New Diorama Theatre.

Other:

• When you join Hull, you join a close-knit community of like-minded performers, producers, designers, writers, technicians and theatre makers.
• You’ll take part in at least two major productions each year.
And you’ll get the chance to form a small theatre company in your final year.

UK

Tuition fees £9,250 per year The amount you pay may increase each year, in line with inflation - but capped to the Retail Price Index (RPI). Additional costs you may have to pay Your tuition fees will cover most costs associated with your programme. There are some extra costs that you might have to pay, or choose to pay, depending on your programme of study and the decisions you make: Books (you can borrow books on your reading lists from the library, but you may buy your own) Optional field trips Study abroad (incl. travel costs, accommodation, visas, immunisation) Placement costs (incl. travel costs and accommodation) Student visas (international students) Laptop (you’ll have access to laptops and computers on campus, but you may want your own) Printing and photocopying Professional-body membership Graduation (gown hire and photography) Remember, you’ll still need to take into account your living costs. This could include accommodation, travel, food and more. You can take out a tuition fee loan to cover the full cost of your course. One you’ve successfully applied for this, you don’t need to do anything else – the money is sent straight to us. You can also take out a maintenance loan of up to £10,227 a year to cover your living costs, depending on your household income. Remember, you won’t start paying your loans back until you’ve left University and earn more than £25,000 per year.

International

Tuition fees £16,500 per year Additional costs you may have to pay Your tuition fees will cover most costs associated with your programme. There are some extra costs that you might have to pay, or choose to pay, depending on your programme of study and the decisions you make: Books (you can borrow books on your reading lists from the library, but you may buy your own) Optional field trips Study abroad (incl. travel costs, accommodation, visas, immunisation) Placement costs (incl. travel costs and accommodation) Student visas (international students) Laptop (you’ll have access to laptops and computers on campus, but you may want your own) Printing and photocopying Professional-body membership Graduation (gown hire and photography) Remember, you’ll still need to take into account your living costs. This could include accommodation, travel, food and more. Discounts are available for International students.