Social & Public Policy/Theatre Studies

Social and public policy combined with theatre studies is a degree that brings together analytical engagement with the structures of contemporary society and the creative, interpretive, and collaborative practice of theatre. Social and public policy examines how governments and institutions address the challenges of modern life, asking how policy is made, what it achieves, and how the distribution of welfare, education, health, housing, and employment shapes people's chances. Theatre studies explores performance as an art form and a social practice, examining how plays and productions create meaning, how theatre relates to its cultural and political context, and how the act of performance can illuminate, challenge, or reinforce social realities.

At the University of Glasgow, this four-year, full-time programme offers close connections with the theatre industry, giving you opportunities to engage with practitioners of national and international standing. You will develop skills in policy analysis, social research, and critical theory alongside the practical and interpretive work of theatre study, and you will encounter the many ways in which theatre and social life interact, from verbatim theatre and community performance to the policy environments that fund and regulate the arts. A year abroad is included in the programme, broadening both your academic and cultural experience.

A typical entry tariff of 232 points reflects the high academic standard of this programme at one of Scotland's leading research universities.

Graduates of this combination go on to work in social policy research, public services, arts administration, theatre production, community arts, journalism, broadcasting, and the third sector. The combination of policy analysis and cultural practice is unusual and valuable in organisations that work at the intersection of arts, education, and social change. Postgraduate study in social policy, theatre, applied theatre, or public administration is a natural further step.