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BA Drama and English Literature

Start date
September
Duration
3 Years
UCAS code
WQ43
Course Type
Undergraduate, Single Honours
Fees

Annual tuition fees for 2025/26:
£9,535 (UK)
£23,660 (International)
More detail.

A BA in Drama and English Literature at the University of Birmingham allows you to set the stage for your career, combining performance and practice on the theatre side with the study of literary worlds and writers, from medieval to contemporary.

In your Drama modules, you'll go beyond performance, expanding your knowledge of the historical and political context of theatre, as well as developing your practical theatre-making skills.

Your English Literature modules will guide you to explore a huge range of literary specialisms, from Old English and Gothic Literature to Poetry and Fantasy. Ever wondered how literature has influenced and shaped society? You’ll find this this out with access to our incredible resources, from the Cadbury Research Library to our Shakespeare Institute and beyond.

My favourite module for Drama would be Theatre Practice because it's more practical and we do a lot of exercises. Some of the exercises can be as random as getting a piece of paper, crumpling it up, and then trying to replicate that with our bodies, trying to really focus on how our muscles work and feeling it in our limbs.

Kathryn

Why study this course?

BA Drama and English Literature is for you if you want to:

  • Get a head start in the graduate market - Thanks to our Experience Arts internships and close links with the Birmingham Rep and Royal Shakespeare Company, you could follow in the footsteps of our successful alumni.
  • Enjoy dedicated drama facilities – with studio and performance space, as well as bespoke cultural and creative industry facilities, such as podcasting suites and content creation studios. Our campus facilities provide everything you need to study, rehearse and perform in a professional setting and get the most out of your degree.
  • Get on board with the bard – where better to study Shakespeare than in the town where he was born! Make use of our internationally renowned Shakespeare Institute based in Stratford-upon-Avon and collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company and take part in fun and interactive study trips.
  • Be a part of an active student and staff population – Join DTALiT, the Department’s own creative community, or a wide variety of Drama societies including our own TV station and musical theatre groups. You’re sure to find something you want to get involved with.
  • Have access to great local theatre - Birmingham boasts one of the highest concentrations of live theatre in the country, making it an ideal spot to study Drama!  It is home to many theatres ranging from the Birmingham Hippodrome and the Birmingham Rep, to the MAC (Midlands Arts Centre) and the Old Joint Stock (which is a pub and a theatre), as well as being within a convenient distance of Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick.

Modules

Please note: You will take 120 credits of modules in each year of study. The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2025. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

First year

Compulsory modules 

  • Engaging Performance 
  • Performance: Theory, Practice and Critique 
  • Production Skills
  • Studio Practice
  • English in the World 
  • Poetry 
  • Prose 
  • Reading English 

Detailed descriptions of first year compulsory modules

Second year 

Compulsory modules 

  • Texts in Rehearsal 

Optional modules 

  • 20 credits of Drama optional modules + 80 credits of Literature optional modules; or 40 credits of Drama optional modules + 60 credits of Literature optional modules; or 60 credits of Drama optional modules + 40 credits of Literature optional modules

List of second year compulsory and optional modules

Year Abroad

You can apply to study abroad for a year in an approved university around the world. If you achieve a grade of 2.1 or above in your first year, you will be eligible to apply for a Year Abroad in your second year. If your application is successful, you will go abroad in your third year and return to us for your final year.

More about a Year Abroad

Final year

Compulsory modules 

  • Drama Dissertation or Practical Project in Drama or Dissertation in English Literature 

Optional modules 

  • 80 credits of optional modules, including, if you wish, a work-based placement module 

List of final year compulsory and optional modules

Fees

The University will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year. If your offer is for 2025 year of entry, we expect that the tuition fee for your first year of study will be £9,535. If Parliament agrees on an increase in tuition fees, the University will increase fees for each year of study normally in line with these changes and will communicate any change in the fees to you without delay. If you are applying for 2026 year of entry, you will be advised of the annual tuition fee closer to the time. Visit our tuition fees page for more information.

Fees for 2025/26 are as follows:

  • UK: £9,535
  • International: £23,660

Eligibility for fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students.

For further information on tuition fees, living costs and available financial support, please see our pages on undergraduate fees and funding.

Tuition fees when studying abroad

For those spending a whole academic year abroad (where available):

  • Students who are classed as UK for fees purposes are required to pay 15% of their normal annual tuition fee
  • Students who are classed as International for fee purposes are required to pay 50% of their normal annual tuition fee

For those studying abroad for just one semester (where available), normal annual tuition fees apply.

Note - Study abroad opportunities vary between courses; please see the course description for details of study abroad options offered.

How To Apply

Standard offer

International Requirements



Number of A levels required:
3
Typical offer:
AAB

A Level English Literature or English Language and Literature is required.

IB Diploma:
6,6,5 in Higher level subjects plus 32 points overall, including higher level English Literature or English Language and Literature. 

BTEC qualifications:

  • BTEC Extended Diploma: DDM, plus a B at A level in the required subject/s mentioned above.
  • BTEC Diploma: DD, plus a B at A level in the required subject/s mentioned above.
  • BTEC Subsidiary Diploma: D, plus AB at A level, including the required subject/s mentioned above.

Other qualifications are considered - learn more about entry requirements.

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

International Students

We welcome applications from international students and invite you to join our vibrant community of over 4500 international students who represent 150 different countries. We accept a range of qualifications, our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

Support

You will have access to a comprehensive support system to help you make the transition to higher education when you start at Birmingham. 

Personal tutors – You will be assigned your own personal tutor who will get to know you as you progress through your studies. They will provide academic support and advice to enable you to make the most of your time here at Birmingham.

Wellbeing Officers –You will also have access to dedicated wellbeing officers who provide professional support, advice and guidance to students across a range of issues. They can meet with you to discuss extensions, disabilities, reasonable adjustments, extenuating circumstances, or to talk through any problems you might be experiencing, and help you access wider support on campus and beyond if you need it.

Our Academic Skills Centre helps you to become a more effective and independent learner through a range of high-quality support services. The centre offers workshops on a range of topics, such as note-taking, reading, academic writing and presentation skills.

The Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) provides guidance on writing essays and dissertations if you need it. You can receive individual support from an academic writing advisor and meet with postgraduate tutors who specialise in particular subjects too.

Our Student Experience Team will help you get the most out of your academic experience. They offer research opportunities, study skills support, and help you prepare for your post-university career. They also organise social events, including trips.

Teaching staff

Students at the University of Birmingham are taught by a mixture of professors, senior lecturers, lecturers and doctoral researchers, thereby receiving a rich diversity of academic knowledge and experience. Many of our teaching staff have published important works about their areas of expertise, whilst others have taught at international institutions and can offer unique perspectives of their subjects.

You can find out more about the members of staff (including their qualifications, publication history and specific areas of interest) in their academic profiles linked below.

Contact Hours

All Birmingham degrees are set within a credit framework designed to measure your academic achievements. We expect all students to accumulate 120 credits in each full year of study which is equivalent to 40 hours of learning a week. Learning is considered to include contact learning (lectures and seminars), private study, revision and assessment.

For this programme, those 40 hours are estimated to be broken down and split into lectures, seminars and other guided teaching opportunities and then independent study. This is a general rule across the entire academic year and may change week by week.

  • Year 1: 20% Lectures, seminars or similar and 80% Independent study
  • Year 2: 15% Lectures, seminars or similar and 85% Independent study
  • Year 3: 15% Lectures, seminars or similar and 85% Independent study

Assessment Methods

Assessments - you will be assessed in a variety of ways to help you transition to a new style of learning. At the beginning of each module, you will be given information on how and when you will be assessed. Assessments methods will vary with each module and could include:

  • coursework, such as essays
  • group and individual presentations
  • and exams

Feedback - you will receive feedback on each assessment within three weeks, so you can learn from each assignment. You will also be given feedback on any exams that you take. If you should fail an exam, we will ensure that particularly detailed feedback is provided to help you prepare for future exams.

You will develop fantastic skills for your future career, such as presentation delivery, confidence, communication, teamwork, intellectual analysis, critical thinking and articulate expression.

These are skills that last a lifetime and qualify you for many possible careers. Our graduates can be found in roles such as:

  • Journalist
  • Corporate fundraiser
  • Copyrighter
  • Healthcare professional
  • Marketing manager
  • Teacher
  • Publisher
  • Account manager
  • Technician
  • Dramatherapist
  • Videographer
  • Lawyer

Our graduates also gain employment with well-known employers such as:

  • NHS
  • Royal Shakespeare Company
  • The Ministry of Justice
  • Amazon
  • Birmingham Children's Hospital
  • McCann PR
  • Macmillan Publishing
  • Birmingham Royal Ballet
  • Birmingham REP Theatre
  • Bloomsbury Publishing Group

Of course, we also have professional actors and theatre practitioners amongst our alumni community, including:

  • Tamsin Greig, BA Drama and Theatre Arts, 1998: Olivier-winning actor.
  • Matthew Goode, BA Drama and Theatre Arts, 1999: actor in British and American film and TV including The Imitation Game, Watchmen, Downton Abbey and The Good Wife.
  • Phyllida Lloyd, BA English and Drama, 1979: director of plays, opera and film including Mamma Mia! on stage and screen and the recent film The Iron Lady.
  • Victoria Wood, BA Drama and Theatre Arts, 1974: comedian, actor, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and director.
  • Ben Shephard, BA Drama and Theatre Arts, 1997: television presenter currently working for Sky Sports and ITV.
  • Stuart Blackburn, BA Drama and Theatre Arts, 1987: current series producer of Emmerdale at ITV.
  • Pippa Evans, BA Drama and Theatre Arts, 2004: comedian - arrived on the Edinburgh Fringe in 2008 and nominated for Best Newcomer.
  • Patsy Ferran, BA Drama and Theatre Arts, 2011: stage actor, including playing Jim in the 2014 National Theatre production of Treasure Island and Portia in the 2015 Royal Shakespeare production of The Merchant of Venice.

Developing your career

The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report. Our Careers Network are here to offer you tailored, expert advice on your career plans and support you with finding and applying for jobs, internships and further study. There are hundreds of events to help you meet potential employers and learn more about the breadth of opportunities and career sectors available to you.

Support will be offered to you covering the whole job application process, including CVs, LinkedIn, application forms, interviews and assessment centres.  You can also email our experienced Careers Advisors and College Teams to review your applications or answer any careers related question, alongside our on campus and online 1:1 appointments.

We have a number of exclusive work experience programmes such as our B-Experienced programme, which will give you professional experience to set you apart in the graduate market. We also offer work experience bursaries, which allow you to apply for funding to support you during any unpaid internships in the UK and rest of the world.

First years can take part in The Birmingham Project, with themes including celebrating arts and culture and shaping a global society. There’s also a successful Mentoring Programme, where you can gain access to experienced Mentors who can empower, inspire and inform you about their experiences.  As a University of Birmingham student you will also be given access to LinkedIn Learning giving free access to real world training courses to kick-start your careers.

If you want to earn money WorkLink advertises convenient part-time job opportunities on campus to fit round your studies.  

Extra-curricular activities

To enhance your career prospects even further, you may want to engage in extra-curricular activities to broaden your skills and your network of contacts. The Birmingham Award is the University of Birmingham’s employability programme, supporting you to develop and recognise the attributes you gain through extra-curricular activities. The award is supported by graduate employers and offers you an opportunity to showcase participation in activities outside of your degree programme.’

There are 300+ student groups and volunteering opportunities offered by the Guild of Students (our Students’ Union) so you’re bound to find activities that you want to be involved in whilst meeting friends who share your interests.