Drama

Drama at university level integrates the study of theatre history and theory with practical performance and creative work, developing both critical rigour and artistic craft. It asks fundamental questions about what theatre is, how it has functioned across different cultures and historical periods, and what live performance can do that no other art form can. At its best, drama education produces students who can think and make simultaneously, who understand the intellectual tradition behind the work they create and the cultural context in which it lands.

The three-year full-time Drama programme at Queen's University of Belfast offers a lively approach that integrates practical exploration with research-based learning to advance both creative practice and critical inquiry. The programme is industry-responsive and interdisciplinary, providing many opportunities to connect with industry professionals through guest lectures, workshops, and placement experiences, as well as through attending professional theatre productions. Through embodied learning you will engage with a broad sweep of historical and contemporary theatre analysis, with specialist areas including contemporary performance, Irish studies, and post-conflict drama.

These specialisms reflect Belfast's particular position: a city with a rich and complex theatre culture shaped by its own history of division and reconciliation, which gives students access to a creative environment unlike any other in the UK.

With a typical entry tariff of 136 points, the programme is accessible to students who bring both intellectual curiosity and a commitment to creative practice. Graduates from drama programmes work as performers, directors, theatre makers, community arts practitioners, drama teachers, arts administrators, and in roles across broadcasting, film, and the cultural sector. Many also pursue postgraduate study in theatre practice, applied theatre, or related disciplines.