Drama and Screen Studies

Drama and screen studies bring together two of the most powerful and culturally significant art forms, examining performance, theatre, film and television as both creative practices and objects of critical analysis. Drama has shaped human culture for thousands of years, creating spaces for the exploration of emotion, conflict, identity and society. Screen media, from cinema to streaming, have become the dominant storytelling forms of contemporary life.

Studying both at the University of Manchester means developing a sophisticated understanding of how these forms work, what they mean and how they have evolved.

This three-year full-time programme develops your skills in critical analysis and your knowledge of theatrical and cinematic history and theory. You will study performance history, theatre aesthetics and practice, film form and genre, screen industries, representation and identity in drama and film, and the social and political contexts in which these art forms have been produced and received. You will develop your ability to analyse texts closely, to construct sustained critical arguments and to engage with a wide range of theoretical perspectives on performance and screen.

The programme may also offer opportunities to engage with your own creative practice, depending on the modules you choose.

Graduates from drama and screen studies move into careers in theatre, film and television production, arts administration, cultural policy, education, journalism and media, communications and the creative industries. The critical and analytical skills developed are valuable across a wide range of sectors, and the specific knowledge of screen and performance industries is useful in roles within the creative economy. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in film, theatre, media or cultural studies, or pursue professional training in performance, directing or screen production.