BA (Hons) Drama
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Arts
- UCAS Course Code
- W400
- Typical Offer
- ABB
- Contextual Offer
- BBC
- Course Length
- 3 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2026
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Why you should choose us
Course Overview
Drama is a powerful, captivating, and collaborative artform. It invites us to reflect on ourselves and the world around us, to tell compelling stories, and to explore bold new ideas. Whether on page, stage, or screen, drama sparks our imagination. It offers rich forms of expression and provides us with frameworks for understanding – and changing – the world.
Drama at UEA offers a dynamic combination of practical, historical, and critical study, with an emphasis on practical skills and exploration. As a UEA Drama graduate, you’ll leave with a rich skill set that demonstrates your adaptability, resilience and versatility. These are qualities that open doors to a wide range of career paths. You’ll learn from experienced artists and researchers who’ll support you in developing both your critical thinking and creative practice, whether your passion lies in acting, directing, design, technical theatre, writing or theatre-making.
You can choose to study specialist pathways in acting, theatre-making, or technical theatre, or explore a mixture of them all. You’ll study a range of theatre from around the world, engaging with major theoretical approaches, with actor- and director-training, and with techniques for creating your own work. You’ll learn about cutting-edge theatre companies and innovative writers. Through all this, you’ll become an engaged, reflective, and creative thinker and theatre-maker.
You’ll work in our professional Drama Studio and will benefit from our highly regarded student-run Minotaur Theatre Company. This will give you the chance to gain even more performance, technical, and scriptwriting experience. Studying in Norwich means you’ll have access to a rich arts scene, including Norwich Theatre, Norwich Arts Centre, and Maddermarket Theatre.
You’ll develop skills for a fulfilling career in the creative industries, such as in theatre, film, or radio. Or you might take your skills in collaboration, presentation, and critical thinking into a host of other professions.
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Study Abroad
You’ll have the option to apply to study abroad for one semester of your second year. Studying abroad is a wonderfully enriching life experience – you’ll develop confidence and adaptability and will have the chance to deepen your understanding of drama while learning about another culture. At UEA, you’ll also be surrounded by the many students we welcome from around the world to study with us.
For further details, visit the Study Abroad section of our website.
Careers
Career Pathways
Examples of careers you could enter include:
- Theatre and film
- Journalism
- Media
- Teaching
- Finance
- Publishing
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
After the Course
Some of our BA Drama graduates go into careers in theatre, film, television, or radio, as performers, writers, directors, developers, agents, casting directors, or artistic directors of their own companies. Graduates from our drama degrees include the actors Matt Smith (famous for his portrayal of Doctor Who and his leading roles in Netflix's The Crown and HBO’s House of the Dragon) and Olivia Vinall (a prolific stage, screen and voice actor), as well as the presenter of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, Greg James.
For others, the BA Drama degree is a stepping-stone towards careers in the arts, media, publishing, politics, charities, NGOs, teaching and the commercial sector. Our award-winning Careers Service is here to support you in launching your career by advising with CV writing, internships, and much more. Every year we run an event, ‘Working with Words’, which gives you the chance to meet and hear from successful UEA alumni from across the creative industries. UEA also has its own in-house student publishing project, Egg Box, along with many other exciting initiatives that give you opportunities to turn your love of drama into a foundation for your future career.
Study and Modules
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade C or grade 4.
In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider Functional Skills Level 2 Mathematics.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies(opens in a new window) page.
- Contextual Offers
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes(opens in a new window).
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
A levels
ABB
Contextual offer: BBC
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: DDM
Contextual offer: DMM
BTEC in Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration are all excluded from our BTEC offers.
Access to HE Diploma
Access to Humanities and Social Sciences Pathway. Pass Access to HE Diploma with Distinction in 30 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 15 credits at Level 3.
Contextual offer: Access to Humanities and Social Sciences Pathway. Pass the Access to HE Diploma with Merit in 30 credits at Level 3 and pass in 15 credits at Level 3.
T levels
Merit.
Foundation Year options:
If you do not meet the academic requirements for direct entry, you may be interested in one of our Foundation Year programmes such as BA Drama with a Foundation Year(opens in a new window)
- Further Examples of Typical Entry Requirements
International Baccalaureate
32 points overall
Irish Leaving Certificate
3 subjects at H2, 3 subjects at H3
Scottish Highers
AAABB
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
Scottish Advanced Highers
BCC.
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Progression
Once enrolled onto a course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement, or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade C or grade 4.
In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider Functional Skills Level 2 Mathematics.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies(opens in a new window) page.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
A levels
ABB
International Baccalaureate
32 points overall.
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. For specific details about your country, view our information for International Students(opens in a new window).
- UEA International Study Centre
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, UEA International Study Centre offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
-
IELTS: 6.5 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies(opens in a new window) for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, UEA International Study Centre offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
-
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Progression
Once enrolled onto a course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement, or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.
)
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees(opens in a new window).
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships(opens in a new window) for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
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The Judith Robinson Scholarship
Apply for the Judith Robinson Scholarship, open to undergraduates on BA Drama, BA Drama & Creative Writing, or BA English Literature & Drama...
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The David and Jo Spinks Scholarship
The David and Jo Spinks Scholarship is open to undergraduate students starting the BA Drama or BA Drama with a Year Abroad course in Septemb...
How to Apply
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The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
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