Drama and Theatre

Drama and theatre is a discipline that takes performance seriously as both an art form and a site for exploring the ideas, politics, and stories that define human experience. As Royal Holloway describes it, the degree is about more than the stage: it is about how performance engages with big ideas including identity, politics, power, and protest. Theatre has always been a place where societies examine themselves, and studying it at degree level means learning to think critically about what performance does, how it does it, and why it matters in the world.

At Royal Holloway, this three-year full-time programme gives you both practical and academic training in drama and theatre. You will develop skills in performance, directing, dramaturgy, and production alongside the scholarly frameworks that theatre studies demands, engaging with drama across historical periods, geographical contexts, and performance forms. The programme includes a sandwich placement year, a year abroad, and work placement opportunities, giving you professional experience in the theatre industry and international exposure that broadens your understanding of how theatre works in different cultural contexts.

Royal Holloway's location near London gives you access to one of the world's most active theatre scenes.

Drama and theatre graduates go on to work as actors, directors, dramaturgs, stage managers, arts administrators, producers, teachers, community theatre practitioners, and arts journalists. Many build portfolio careers that combine performance, education, and other creative work. The analytical, communication, and collaborative skills the degree develops are also valued in sectors beyond the arts, including education, public relations, training, and community development.

Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in theatre practice, performance studies, or related creative disciplines.