Drama Degree

After graduating with a drama degree, your next choices take centre stage. In this section, we look at all the different acting and performance career options you might consider, and then in the following section (‘What can you do with a drama degree?’) we put the spotlight on other types of drama degree jobs, outside of performance.

What to do with a drama degree

Becoming a professional actor is notoriously challenging, with many someday-stars taking other roles in office temping or catering jobs to do with a drama degree to fill the gaps between auditions and paid roles. However, if you’re tenacious, passionate and patient, then you might land the career of your dreams on stage or on screen.

An actor can work in numerous settings, including theatre acting, TV or radio roles, and in film. But your drama degree can take you to other places too, including voiceover work for adverts, video games or animations. If you love working with people and have a sunny disposition, you might also enjoy an ‘in-character’ interactive job such as being a pirate at a theme park, a princess for party hire, or a Tudor peasant at a historical experience site.

With the appropriate dancing skills, you could become a dancer on stage or in music videos, and with an unshakeable nerve, you could become a presenter of TV, radio or web programming for news, entertainment or documentary shows.

If you have social issues at the heart of your motivation, you could use your drama degree UK to go into the charity sector and become a community arts worker, performing for schools and marginalised or vulnerable groups, spreading positive messages through your work.

A degree drama or even a drama and theatre studies degree have multiple employment avenues open to students.

What can you do with a drama degree?

The drama degree jobs don’t stop on the stage, of course. There are lots of other exciting options. Have you considered working behind the scenes in the performance world? In TV, you could become a runner or researcher, and in stage you could go into theatre direction or stage management - or perhaps even set design, even with a part time drama degree.

Your love of performance and staging could be a valuable asset if you become an events organiser, or you could earn a postgraduate counselling qualification and try your hand at drama therapy or music therapy.

How about studying for an extra year to get a PGCE so that you can teach drama in schools and colleges? If you have an English and drama degree then you could also become an English teacher or a private tutor, especially with a drama teacher degree. Another interesting English literature and drama degree job could be to go into advertising or PR.

If you choose careers with a drama degree that requires further study, just check in with the uni to find out their postgraduate drama degree entry requirements, or counselling or teaching entry requirements for a drama and education degree or a drama teaching degree. Finally, someone with a degree in drama could make a great arts administrator, programming festivals and organising music, art and drama performances for special events.

Dance, however, is the performance of a series of movements that construct a form of art, while Cinematics is the performance of drama and dance designed for the cinema. Theatre, which is usually paired with drama or performing arts isn’t the same as studying drama at A-Level or GCSE – it will focus on playwrights, acting techniques and styles and the way the theatre as a whole, has developed over time.

If your desire is to become the next Kate Winslet or Brad Pitt, then acting school may better suit you, whereas studying a degree in any of the four areas above is more focused on the theoretical side, which means a drama degree online is unlikely to help you either.

What A Levels for Drama degree?

Some degrees, which are more practical in nature may ask students to provide a portfolio or to attend an audition as part of the admission interview process. Whereas degree courses that have more emphasis on the theoretical aspect will have universities asking for at least 240 UCAS tariff points and it will help if you have A levels in subjects related to the degree, such as theatre, performing arts or drama. You can search UK courses here and search Drama degree courses here.

Research is important when interested in a degree in drama, dance, cinematics or theatre to determine if students wish to study a more theoretical or practical based degree.

University reassurance is essential for students, they are advised to check with their chosen university or desired courses to establish what they need to secure admission to the course.

What are my study options?

There are many different degree courses that students can choose from, and most universities offer joint degrees allowing candidates to study in more than one area of discipline.

Some examples include Bachelors in; drama and dance, drama visual culture, drama and a modern foreign language and drama and English. While some degrees focus on the production side of the theatre, and other courses look into the writing aspect, the key is to conduct plenty of research to ensure individuals are applying for the right course suited to them.

Certain students try to conquer the job market, while others may continue with their studies to gain specialised training.

What should I expect from studying Drama?

Degrees in these areas are varied and mix practical performance, written theory and workshops, even in a master's degree in drama. There will be performances to prepare for – for assessment and during the learning process – which will keep students on their toes and continually work on their skills.

Studying in these areas can be draining, though, with late-night rehearsals and line learning which are expected to be completed alongside class hours and the degree, there is a lot of work required for these degrees; therefore, preparation is key.

How will I be assessed?

The methods of assessments for a degree in dance, drama, theatre or cinematics will depend on the module and course that candidates are studying.

There will be written and practical assessments throughout, such as essays, seminars, tests, logs and work diaries, peer assessment, physical performance, written analysis and group work. There may also be a third-year project and dissertation waiting for individuals.

What skills will I learn from studying Drama?

Students will be physically, mentally and creatively tested through their studies, and skills will be gained in these areas as well, which is why a degree in drama therapy might be useful too. Skills in Set Design, Stage Management, Lighting, Directing and Design will be available through specific modules as well as what it takes to put a performance together on the stage.

Students who attend and move away to university will gain skills that they can implement throughout life and employment when they graduate, from organisation skills with assessments and social skills learned through group work and presentations.

Why study Drama?

Universities allow students to choose optional modules, and some institutions let individuals choose modules in similar degree courses, meaning if you are studying Drama and Dance degree but fancy a module in cinematics you’re able to pursue those interests.

These means that students can tailor their degree into what interests them and specialise in areas that they enjoy, which makes choosing the right university an important factor with this degree especially.

Those who enjoy English literature, Drama and Dance will enjoy a degree in these areas. From working behind the scenes of a play to writing the words and watching actors perform your work – there is so much to do within these degrees, even a drama and psychology degree is possible!

University reassurance is essential for students, they are advised to check with their chosen university or desired courses to establish what they need to secure admission to the course.

What happens after I graduate?

Certain students try to conquer the job market, while others may continue with their studies to gain specialised training. Talent and luck will aid any individual within the drama and performing arts sector as it can be quite difficult to secure the job of your dreams from the day after graduation.

While some students try to complete full-time work through acting or freelancing, others can supplement their income by working part-time. Additionally, there is the option to study in acting schools after that.

Although it is not adamant that individuals find many celebrities have within the performing arts sector – some candidates find work and implement their skills in careers such as PR, publicity, marketing, publishing, events and journalism.

Will it help me get a job?

There are many options out there for students, from teaching, acting, or working within the industry, from being a runner for the BBC or a set designer for Doctor Who!

What jobs can you do with a drama degree?

A degree drama or even a drama and theatre studies degree have multiple employment avenues open to students.

Drama, dance, cinematics and theatre are tough industries to try and break into – although they are not impossible at all.

There are areas of employment that graduates seek and enjoy when they finish studying from, dancing, drama therapy, theatre, actor, community worker, film and television directing, teaching and lecturing (maybe even a drama teaching degree online), stage management and presenting.

What can I study after Drama?

However, for those individuals wishing to continue their studies after graduation can choose any kinds of postgraduate degrees, like a drama masters degree, such as; choreography, advanced performance, ballet studies, vocal studies, dramatic therapy and applied theatre.

An actor can work in numerous settings, including theatre acting, TV or radio roles, and in film.

Famous Drama studies alumni

There are many celebrities who have studied drama at college and university! Tina Fey, from Saturday Night Live and Mean Girls studied a Bachelor’s in Drama at the University of Virginia.

While Sandra Bullock obtained a BA in Drama at East Carolina University, and Meryl Streep earned a BA in Drama and an MA in Fine Arts and Drama at Vassar College and Yale University respectively. Finally, Oprah Winfrey gained a BA in Speech and Drama at Tennessee State University!