BA (Hons) Drama and Creative Writing with a Placement Year
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Arts
- UCAS Course Code
- WW4P
- Typical Offer
- AAB
- Contextual Offer
- BBB
- Course Length
- 4 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2027
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Course Overview
Why BA Drama and Creative Writing with a Placement Year at UEA?
Combine performance and storytelling to create powerful, imaginative work that engages audiences and readers. Develop your creative voice while exploring how text and performance interact and gain real-world experience in a placement year.
Why choose UEA?
- Dual expertise: Study across Creative Writing and Drama with leading academics, practitioners, and researchers
- Creative opportunities: Write for stage, screen, and beyond, exploring multiple forms
- Production experience: Create and stage your original work in our Drama Studio and with our student-run Minotaur Theatre Company
What is BA Drama and Creative Writing?
Explore acting, theatre-making, and innovative playwrights alongside creative writing for stage and screen. Your studies will be informed by contemporary practice, criticism, and global theatre and literary traditions. You’ll learn how writing and performance connect to create powerful, original work.
Experienced artists, writers, and researchers will guide you in developing your creative voice and performance skills. Teaching combines practical workshops with critical and reflective study to develop you as an imaginative, independent creator.
You’ll work in UEA’s professional Drama Studio and get involved with the student-run Minotaur Theatre Company. You’ll gain experience in performance, technical production, and scriptwriting through hands-on opportunities.
Your third year will be spent on a placement gaining real world experience before returning to UEA to complete your studies.
Studying in Norwich also connects you to a rich cultural landscape, including Norwich Theatre, Norwich Arts Centre, UEA Live and the National Centre for Writing.
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Placement Year
You’ll gain real-world experience through a 9–12-month placement in your third year. This experience will help you apply your learning and develop valuable professional skills to boost your future career.
You’ll secure your own placement with guidance from Career Central and your academic school.
Find out more about this exciting opportunity at placement years in Arts and Humanities.
Careers
Career Pathways
With BA Drama and Creative Writing, you could launch a career as a:
- Screenwriter: Create scripts and original stories for film and television
- Playwright: Develop new dramatic work for performance, from initial idea through to production
- Script editor: Work with writers and production teams to shape and refine scripts for stage or screen
- Casting director: Identify and select performers for theatre, film and television productions
- Theatre-maker: Lead your own theatre company, programming work and steering its creative and strategic direction
Career Support
You’ll be supported throughout your degree by UEA’s award-winning Careers Service, which offers guidance on CV writing, applications, internships, and professional development. Each year, the Working with Words event connects you with successful UEA alumni from across the creative industries, giving you insight into different career paths and valuable networking opportunities. You’ll also be able to gain practical experience through initiatives such as the in-house student publishing project Egg Box, alongside opportunities arising from your work in the Drama Studio and with the Minotaur Theatre Company, helping you build a strong portfolio of creative work while you study.
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
After the Course
After graduating from our BA Drama and Creative Writing with a Placement Year course, you’ll be well placed to move directly into careers in film, theatre, radio or scriptwriting as a writer, developer, agent, casting director or creative leader. Alternatively, your combined skills in writing, performance, collaboration and critical thinking will equip you to pursue careers in arts and media, publishing, teaching, politics, charities, NGOs or the commercial sector.
Study and Modules
Structure
Your first year sets up a conversation between writing, doing, and thinking that continues throughout your degree. On the Drama side, you'll develop your on-stage skills through actor training, exploring different acting techniques, and encounter theatre and performance practices from around the world. You'll also begin your training in technical theatre, which will allow you to work independently in the drama studio throughout your studies. On the Creative Writing side, you'll begin by experimenting with different forms, including prose, poetry, and script. You'll then go on to explore the thrilling possibilities of genre, from fantasy to crime fiction.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Structure
In your second year, you'll learn about theatre and the creative industries, exploring the range of work done in theatre both within and outside of traditional theatre buildings, and how theatre is funded, programmed, and advertised. You’ll continue to refine your creative writing skills, learning how to write for stage, radio, film, and television, or focusing on poetry or prose fiction in dedicated workshops. You’ll also continue to hone your dramatic work by taking modules to build your performance skills for stage and screen, or by trying your hand at directing or devising. You can also choose to study modules in journalism or publishing, or in literary, film or cultural criticism, or opt to do a short-term work experience placement.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Min Credits: 0, Max Credits: 60)Optional B Modules
(Min Credits: 40, Max Credits: 60)Optional C Modules
(Min Credits: 40, Max Credits: 60)Optional D Modules
(Min Credits: 0, Max Credits: 20)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Structure
Your third year will be spent on your placement, providing you with the opportunity to experience the world of work. You’ll apply some of the skills and knowledge you’ve developed during your first two years of study.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Structure
By your final year, you’ll have found your voice as a writer. You'll continue to refine your writing, focusing on prose, poetry, or script, or exploring creative work in the media industries. You’ll also have the chance to write a creative dissertation, in which you produce a substantial piece with one-to-one support from a tutor. Alongside this you can choose from a range of exciting Drama options, throwing yourself into production, exploring the intersection of identity and performance, learning about experimental and bold practice, or honing your work as an actor.
Optional A Modules
(Min Credits: 60, Max Credits: 90)Optional B Modules
(Min Credits: 30, Max Credits: 60)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning, and Assessment
Teaching and Learning
You’ll learn through creative writing and drama workshops, rehearsals, seminars, and independent study. Teaching is interactive and practice-led, combining creative work with critical understanding of theatre and storytelling. Writers, practitioner-academics, and visiting artists will teach you, supported by academic advisers and university services.
In year one, teaching combines lectures, seminars, and practical drama classes.
In year two, your learning becomes more specialised and mentorship-led. In Creative Writing, you’ll begin workshopping, giving and receiving peer feedback with guidance from expert tutors. In Drama, you’ll experiment across theatre forms with support from practising filmmakers and theatre-makers.
You’ll spend your third year on placement, gaining valuable experience in a professional working environment. You’ll secure your own placement with guidance from UEA’s strong network of employers across the UK and beyond. During your placement, a mentor will support you and regularly review your progress. You’ll also receive ongoing guidance from UEA to help you make the most of your placement year.
In your final year, teaching focuses on advanced, independent creative work. You may complete a Creative Writing dissertation, developing an extended piece of original work. You can also spend a semester working with a professional-level theatre company. This experience is led by Drama staff and supported by mentoring from industry professionals.
Assessment
Assessment is mainly coursework and practice-based, with no traditional exams, except for one technical theatre test. You’ll be assessed through creative writing, performances, technical tasks, reflective work, and essays. Regular feedback supports your development throughout the course.
In year one, you’ll complete creative work alongside practical drama and technical tasks such as set models or costume designs. Your performance work and contribution to creative processes will also be assessed.
In year two, you’ll produce more advanced creative writing, including scripts, prose, or poetry portfolios. You may also write critical essays on texts or performances and continue practical drama assessments.
At the end of your placement year, you’ll be asked to reflect on your experience, including your learning and understanding of the sector. You’ll also evaluate your skills and development, demonstrating your commercial awareness and readiness for future careers.
In your final year, you’ll create a major piece of creative writing with a reflective commentary. In Drama, you’ll be assessed on performances or technical contributions, including final-year production work.
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
AAB
Contextual offer: BBB
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: DDD
Contextual offer: DDM
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 36 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 9 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
Distinction.
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
33 points overall
Irish Leaving Certificate
4 subjects at H2, 2 subjects at H3
Scottish Highers
AAAAA
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
Scottish Advanced Highers
BBC.
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
- Non-Academic Entry Requirements
Candidates who are shortlisted will be asked to provide a sample of their creative writing: we ask for around 5-7 pages of work, which can be on any subject and in any genre of the candidate's choice. Most choose to send poetry, prose, or a mixture of the two.
- 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
AAB
International Baccalaureate
33 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: 6.0 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:
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- Non-Academic Entry Requirements
Candidates who are shortlisted will be asked to provide a sample of their creative writing: we ask for around 5-7 pages of work, which can be on any subject and in any genre of the candidate's choice. Most choose to send poetry, prose, or a mixture of the two.
- 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.
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Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2027/28 are:
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UK Students: £10,050
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International Students: £24,250
We estimate living expenses at £1,171 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here(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.
How to Apply
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information: