Course description
Drama at Newman is a richly diverse programme with prepares students for using their drama knowledge and skills in a professional theatre environment and the wider community. The course has four main strands:
- a Drama strand which traces the development of the art form from Greek Drama to Postmodern plays
and develops students’ critical thinking; - a theatre performance element in which students take part in major performance
productions that usually take place in professional venues such as the Midlands Arts Centre, The Crescent
Theatre and The Blue Orange Theatre; - a strand devoted to applied performance in contexts such as education, in
which students learn skills as community actors and artists-in-residence;
A work placement strand in year 2 in which all students have the opportunity to apply theory to practice, develop networks and clarify on career decisions. All students have the opportunity to conduct a final year dissertation and they can choose from three types: a traditional written dissertation, a practical performance-based dissertation and a work placement-based dissertation.
We continue to accept applications for September 2023. Applications to join us in 2024 can be submitted on UCAS from this September.
Training Course Content
During the course you will work practically through a wide range of dramatic structures covering both improvisational and scripted work and take part in three major productions. You will explore how Drama began, with the tragedies and comedies of the Ancient Greeks, devise your own work and examine how Applied Drama can be used in a variety of settings.
The course focuses on how Drama has developed over the past 150 years, including examining approaches to Music and Theatre, the turbulence of the Modernist era, through to the violence and shock of present-day Postmodern theatre. In the final year you can choose whether to do a practical or written dissertation, take part in your Final Production, and decide how you would wish to use Drama as you begin to set out on your own path.
Course delivery details
- Drama at Newman offers students the opportunity to learn in a way which dissolves the traditional distinctions between ‘theory’ and ‘practice’. Students work on their feet, actively exploring and applying a range of dramatic ideas and approaches, then pausing at key moments to reflect upon what (and how) they are learning.
- All students have opportunities to take part in productions
- Students can learn about and participate in a range of Applied drama approaches.
- Students receive specialist training from professionals with particular expertise.
- Students can choose between a traditional written dissertation and a practical dissertation.
- Students can develop their critical thinking skills and deepen their knowledge and understanding of Drama as an art form exploring what it is to be human.
- Our performance facilities ensure students devise, rehearse and perform in an appropriate environment.
This course is for students who enjoy drama and want to understand more about how the art form has developed over time and is used in various ways to reflect and explore some of the most important questions in society today. Visit the SCUDD website to learn about Drama graduates’ career prospects and the wide-ranging benefits of a Drama degree. You can also watch a video on the importance of a drama degree in the working world.
Find out about our Drama Studio
One of the main attractions for students on this course is the close personal attention you receive from tutors. As classes and workshops are held in small groups, the tutors can observe your development and help you to improve your skills an individual basis. The lecturers have experience of both the academic and theoretical sides of drama and its practice. In addition, Newman has excellent links with a wide variety of people currently working in the industry, who advise students and know what is required to be successful in the theatre. For example, the internationally renowned playwright Edward Bond has previously given workshops and lectures to students and Newman students presented the British premier of his play Born.
This course is one of the few drama degrees in the UK which is vocation centred. Modules offered include the history of drama. Live theatre is seen as a vital aspect of the course and the whole department will when possible make a visit to the theatre at least once a term. There is a large element of practical work such as workshops, and work experience to help you define your career plans and gain vital work experience in the theatre. In recent years, Drama students have taken placements at the Birmingham Rep, Birmingham Hippodrome and Midland Actors Theatre, amongst others.
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Birmingham Newman University
Founded in 1968, Birmingham Newman University is a community-focused institution based in Bartley Green, Birmingham. It has built strong partnerships with many local businesses, charities and schools, making it an ideal choice for students wishing to gain practical experience during...