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theatrestudentblog · 6 years ago

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Musings on: “I want to study theatre, do I need to go to drama school?” and other related questions

In this article: Drama School vs University, what’s the difference? and which one is for me?

Young thespians. There’s lots of us, and most of us are broke.

I know, I know. I’m sorry for the sweeping statement, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that for many of us, drama school isn’t a viable option. There’s a huge price tag and a hefty audition process, meaning you’ll be spending at the very least an audition fee just for a shot at getting in.

Thankfully, if you’re wanting to study theatre, it is possible to do this through a University as opposed to a specialist school, and there is a plethora of routes into this.

It goes without saying that, just as every drama school may have a different method of teaching someone how to act - each individual University hosting a theatre degree will tackle this from a different angle. I want to drill this into you - the prospective student - so you’re prepared to find exactly what you want from your further education in theatre. Whereas some Universities may have you sat in a lecture hall analysing every little detail of Shakespeare’s Hamlet with an academic mindset, other Universities may have you on your feet performing it. And some Universities, should this be what you’re looking for, will have you doing both. By looking at Universities through this very “binary opposite” lens – and sussing out which end of the spectrum better suits your learning style – you can find a course well suited to you pretty easily.

In this article, I hope to help you narrow down your options. This is as I found from personal experience that researching theatre degrees is almost impossible – most guides or webpages out there on the internet skip straight to acting schools and conservatories (which are NOT your only option). And because of this, I think it’s almost too easy to forget that studying theatre at a university IS an option. You do not have to go to a school, academy or performing arts institution to receive education in an arts subject.

In my first little “series” on my blog, I’d like to utilise the student experience I’ve had so far to help you, the reader, develop your own. The ability to study theatre, for me, is a blessing, and so nothing should stop you from getting started. I’m not an expert, but hopefully, this little guide can help you find the course for you. It also goes without saying that I think drama schools are an exceptional mode of study for some – but as an undergraduate, they could not provide me with the theatre education I desired to get me started on my career path.

So let’s start with some common thoughts that might be floating around your head.

I’d like to study theatre from an academic standpoint

I believe this is often where the distinction between THEATRE and THEATRE STUDIES starts to appear - which as a high school student you often won’t immediately grasp. You need to take time and understand which one is for you.

When looking at degrees, if you want a more academic theatre course, you may want to avoid course descriptions that heavily stress an element of “performance” and instead, look for courses that will assess heavily on exams and coursework. More often than not, it seems courses that do this will class themselves as THEATRE STUDIES.

Whilst you may find a course that offers a 50/50 split between performance and analysis of texts, it is important to note that it is extremely difficult to find University courses that incorporate absolutely no performance element. Whilst you may not be examined/graded on your acting ability, you may be required to perform or contribute to a performance at some level. My course, BA English and Theatre Studies at the University of Leeds is a strong example of this, and likewise with the BA Theatre and Performance course at Leeds, too.

To help you understand this, here are some examples of theatre courses where the subject of ‘theatre’ is strictly approached from an academic, theoretical perspective in at least 50% of the course:

- Royal Holloway, University of London. Drama and Theatre Studies BA. ‘You'll create performances, analyse texts, and bring a range of critical ideas��to bear on both. On this course the text and the body, thinking and doing, work together. There's no barrier between theory and practice: theory helps you understand and make the most of practice, while practise sheds light on theory’. (From their website). Students are able to choose their own modules after the first year, meaning you can tailor this course more to your needs after you have completed the core modules in your first year of study.

- The University of York, York. BA (Hons) Theatre: Writing, Directing and Performance. York seems intent on giving you the skills to “make it” in any area of the industry. For example, in your first year, you will encounter both the modules ‘Introduction to Play Analysis’ and ‘Introduction to Performance’, both of which are of equal weight. York says: ‘This undergraduate degree draws the key roles of director, performer and playwright together, in order to provide you with an in-depth knowledge of theatre practice’.

- Lancaster University, Lancaster. BA Drama, Theatre and Performance. Lancaster teaches theatre through a mix of both ‘practical and academic approaches’.

I personally study a course that I feel partly fits under this category, as the theatre element of my course is taught with an approach that is both academic and uses performance to explore texts and prompt creative thought. When I write a post about my course, BA English Literature and Theatre Studies, I’ll link it here!

I’d like to study theatre as a joint honours degree

Firstly, you need to find a subject that compliments theatre. If it doesn’t, it will become more and more impossible to find a University that allows you to take your secondary subject in partnership with theatre.

Typically, the subjects matched with theatre seem to be English (more often LITERATURE than LANGUAGE), film, creative writing, fine art/art, business and media. If you cannot find a course that offers both of the subjects you would like to study, more and more Universities are offering the option to study liberal arts. This will allow you to study a greater breadth of subjects, which would be great for the student that wants a creative, flexible and custom-made-for-them degree.

I personally study Joint Honours and find that even though I prefer theatre, pairing it with English has allowed me to discover more areas of interest and has opened more career paths up to me in the future. If I could go back in time however, I do feel I would like to study Theatre and Business. As I currently already take two subjects, I have found it difficult to get to explore business - something I’ve always wanted to dip my foot into, but my course doesn’t grant me the flexibility to.

Universities that I found of interest when I approached looking at a joint honours degree were WARWICK, BIRMINGHAM and LEEDS. In fact, an open day at Warwick was how I discovered that joint honours were even an availability. By studying English and Theatre Studies, I feel that I have made myself more employable, and for the most part, I have been able to sustain my interest in both subjects for my first two years of study. As I enter my third year, I feel content that I have grasped a good understanding of key areas of both subjects, and I feel ready to specialise in one-or-the-other in my dissertation. Furthermore, studying English has really helped improve my written expression, which translates across to essays that I must do for my theatre studies modules.

I’d like to study acting - but at a University rather than a drama school

Here is where things get a little tricky - albeit not impossible! You will most likely be looking at courses such as BA Acting - and a quick google search will let you see that your options are mainly at Drama Schools... with some exceptions!

Different universities will have different approaches to teaching acting, as there is no set way for the perfect actor to be trained. Decide why you want to study acting, as this may help you carve your path towards finding at University that caters for your needs. Some courses I found that may be of interest to you are:

Acting BA (Hons), University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN). Mainly, this was as it is a local university to me. In Year One, UCLAN begins by teaching you the fundamentals of acting, so you’ll learn about ‘Stanislavski, but also Shakespeare’. UCLAN also teaches ‘clowning and animal studies, immediately introducing you to the breadth of the acting world’. I was also impressed that UCLAN does showcases in second and third year for their students in cities such as Manchester and London.

I’m not sure whether to study at a drama school or university. How should I decide?

Without trying to influence your decision, here are some bullet points to consider when making this choice.

Will you be prepared to audition? It is easier to be sure of what grades you will achieve in your A-Levels (or similar qualifications) then how the audition will turn out.

Where are the drama schools that you are interested in located? Can you afford the cost of living in these areas?

I’d like to thank Imogen Sarre’s brilliant post on the Theatre Scenes at UK Universities for being an invaluable help with this article. Her post is also worth checking out if you need more help with your University research. A link to her post can be found here.

#drama school #theatre

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