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Study Drama and Creative Writing in this boundary-breaking course
Our BA in Drama with Creative Writing will give you a sound knowledge base in Drama along with the skills and tools needed to develop into a writer. In the Drama part of the course, you will gain a deeper understanding of theatre and performance in a variety of cultures and historical periods, and across a wide range of forms - from plays to experimental perfromance to applied theatre, and more.
The Creative Writing section of the course is designed to develop practical writing skills and techniques, and to give you an insight into the process of writing. You will have the opportunity to grow and flourish as a writer, whether in prose fiction, poetry, drama, film or creative non-fiction. You will be taught by some of the world's leading academics and artists, who will help you develop into informed critics, performance makers and writers.
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The programme capitalises on London’s outstanding theatre and performance resources and, particularly, Drama's links with a variety of theatre and other cultural organisations including Artangel, Barbican, Live Art Development Agency, National Theatre, People’s Palace Projects, Project Phakama, Shakespeare’s Globe, and more. It also draws on London's rich writing, publishing and media cultures. These links often bring artists, writers, administrators, managers and other professionals into the programme as guest speakers, workshop leaders and performers. They also facilitate students' participation in the wider cultural sector, and will form the basis for the further development of work-specific learning opportunities.
Year 1 provides an introduction to the study of drama, performance and creative writing. which combines both practical and theoretical approaches. Modules in Year 1 have a strong emphasis on the acquisition of practical (including writing) and research skills that you will use throughout your programme. You will also have the opportunity in Year 1 to explore key practical and theoretical issues around the making of performance. You will take the following modules (all compulsory)
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
You will take the following three compulsory modules:
You then choose two seminar-based modules and one practice-based module from a range of Drama options that change each year. Modules may include:
You will choose one from
You then choose a further 30 credits of Creative Writing modules from a range of options that change each year. Modules may include:
I have really enjoyed learning about the more theoretical aspects of drama, as a practice and as a 'theory'. My favourite module so far was London, Culture, Performance. Understanding the impact of performances, theatres and wider impact that they have was incredibly interesting and insightful and left me with a lot to consider.
You’ll usually attend at least eight hours of classes weekly, mainly in the form of seminars, creative writing workshops and studio-based workshops. Practice-based modules include additional scheduled studio time weekly for student-led practice. Some modules also include tutorials and field trips.
For every hour spent in class, you'll complete approximately three to four further hours of independent study preparing for classes and assignments.
Assessment typically includes a combination of written and practical assignments, such as essays, performances, presentations, portfolios, scripts, programme notes, reviews, feature articles, artist websites, podcasts and dissertations. Some assessment is based around group work, especially for performance projects and presentations.
The School offers on-campus resources to support your studies, including:
Lecturer Dr Isabel Waidner gives a Keynote
Alternative offers may be made to applicants taking the Extended Project Qualification.
For further information please visit: qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry/epq
Our standard contextual offer: BCC at A-Level.
Our enhanced contextual offer: CCC at A-Level.
More information on our contextual offer criteria can be found on our contextualised admissions page.
Please note that General Studies and Critical Thinking are excluded from any A-Level offer and cannot be considered.
We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications. Please visit International Admissions for full details.
If your qualifications are not accepted for direct entry onto this degree, consider applying for a foundation programme.
Find out more about our English language entry requirements, including the types of test we accept and the scores needed for entry to the programme.
You may also be able to meet the English language requirement for your programme by joining a summer pre-sessional programme before starting your degree.
See our general undergraduate entry requirements.
UK students accepted onto this course are eligible to apply for tuition fee and maintenance loans from Student Finance England or other government bodies.
Queen Mary offers a generous package of scholarships and bursaries, which currently benefits around 50 per cent of our undergraduates.
Scholarships are available for home, EU and international students. Specific funding is also available for students from the local area. International students may be eligible for a fee reduction. We offer means-tested funding, as well as subject-specific funding for many degrees.
Find out what scholarships and bursaries are available to you.
We offer specialist support on all financial and welfare issues through our Advice and Counselling Service, which you can access as soon as you have applied for a place at Queen Mary.
Take a look at our Student Advice Guides which cover ways to finance your degree, including:
Theatre and related arts organisations, publishing, digital media, communications, print journalism, and the broadcast media are all popular choices for Drama and Creative Writing students who want to use their communication skills. Others use their ability to think and write critically and persuasively to go into public relations, marketing, and advertising, including in the charity sector. Our graduates are highly experienced in working collaboratively, which makes them especially suited to diverse work environments that depend on collaboration and project delivery. In addition, many of our graduates embark upon professional careers in education, the third sector, law and teaching, whilst every year the Department sees a number of students progress to take higher degrees, both at Queen Mary and elsewhere.
This course gives graduates some particularly sought-after qualities in the workplace. Graduates of the Drama with Creative Writing degree might find employment in areas such as theatre and performance, cultural industries, publishing, business, journalism and the media, education, museums and archives, government or public relations. The BA Drama with Creative Writing programme provides training for those who wish to publish their writing in fictional and non-fictional contexts. The School has developed links with the cultural industries and offers students opportunities to engage with industry professionals and practices through individual modules and careers workshops. Staff teaching on the programme are performance makers and published authors; the establishment and management of links with potential employers, key arts organisations and agents will be an integrated part of the academic content they deliver, particularly in the final year of the degree.
You’ll have access to bespoke careers support during your degree, including access to experts in Drama and Creative Writing through specific modules (e.g. Applied Performance, Drama and Education, Writing about the Arts); School and Department-run careers and professional development workshops; extra-curricular experience with arts organisations; and advice about postgraduate study.
Our Queen Mary careers team can also offer:
Learn more about career support and development at Queen Mary.
Drama with Creative Writing - BA (Hons)
Drama with Creative Writing with Year Abroad - BA (Hons)
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The School of the Arts combines innovation, discovery and excellence in education and research in Drama, Film, Modern Languages, English & Comparative Literature, Creative Writing, Linguistics and Liberal Arts. We rank in the top 100 worldwide for Arts and Humanities (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024)
With our commitment to social justice, inclusivity and social mobility, our collaborations with external organisations, prominent writers and performers, and our facilities that support both academic and practice-based learning, an education in the School of the Arts equips our students with critical thinking and practical skills, unleashes their imagination and enables them to reach the levels of excellence needed in today’s industries.
We regularly host prominent writers and performers and collaborate with leading organisations such as the V&A, the Barbican, the Live Art Development Agency and Shakespeare’s Globe.
We are renowned for the depth and impact of research - which leads our teaching. We rank 1st for drama and in the top 10 for film in the UK for the quality of our research (REF2021). Our multilingual community brings together brilliant minds from across the world to share a wealth of expertise combining research excellence with an unrivalled commitment to social justice and social mobility.