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BA (Hons) Placement year available

Drama and English Literature

Discover how our societies have shaped and been shaped by English literature, and explore different modes of performance.

Performing is at the core of our Drama and English Literature degree at ARU.

Grow into a confident, versatile and exciting drama practitioner, while exploring classic literature and genres ranging from sci-fi to children’s books.

You’ll work on public productions and smaller-scale projects, exploring drama practices and texts from the 20th century onwards as well as working on original pieces. Alongside this, you’ll explore many other subjects including history, politics, philosophy and religion as well as developing your literacy and communication skills.

Your deeper understanding of literary texts will improve your ability to interpret dramatic texts and your performance skills.

Our BA (Hons) Drama and English Literature degree lets you weight your studies to your own interests and career goals. Prepare for a career in the arts or fields such as teaching – and get ready to change the way others see the world.

Our English courses ranked 3rd in the UK for organisation and management in the National Student Survey 2024, and our English courses ranked 12th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2025, while our Drama and Dance courses ranked 13th in the UK with 92% for “satisfied with teaching”.

Our Drama courses also scored 90% for “The Teaching on my course” and 92% for “Freedom of students to express ideas, opinions and beliefs” in the National Student Survey 2024.

Why ARU?
  • Our English courses ranked 3rd in the UK for organisation and management in the National Student Survey 2024

  • Our Drama courses scored 90% for Teaching on my course and 92% for Freedom of students to express ideas, opinions and beliefs in the National Student Survey 2024

  • Develop a deep understanding of literature to improve your interpretation of dramatic texts and your performance skills

  • Train in professional-standard facilities including our 260-seater Mumford Theatre

  • Perform in public venues around Cambridge as well as on campus

  • Graduate with a professional CV, headshots and showreel

Logo: THE Awards 2023
 

Study at an award-winning university

We were named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2023. We've also been awarded a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework – a reflection of the outstanding education we offer our students.

Course options

Course options

Key facts

Looking for different course options?

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1
  • Fundamentals for Acting
  • Researching Performance
  • Reading Critically, Old English to Enlightenment
  • Studio Project
  • Introduction to the Study of Literature and Writing
  • Into ARU
Year 2
  • Nineteenth Century Afterlives and Adaptations
  • Making Performance
  • Community Theatre Performance
  • Ruskin Module (15 credits)
  • Principles of Dramatherapy *
  • Physical Theatre *
  • Science Fiction *
  • Performing Shakespeare *
  • Practice as Research *
  • Performing New Writing *
  • Crocodiles, Pirates and Moon-men: Renaissance Encounters *
  • Anglia Language Programme (15 credits) *
Year 3
  • Festival of Performance
  • Undergraduate Major Project *
  • Undergraduate Major Project in English *
  • Spectacle and Representation in Renaissance Drama *
  • Elizabeth Gaskell and the Brontës *
  • Renaissance Magic *
  • Site Specific and Immersive Theatre *
  • Screen Drama Production *
  • Careers with English *
  • Literature and Exile: Displacement, Identity, Self *
  • Romantic Ideals *
  • Writing and the Present *
  • New Media Discourse *
  • Forbidden Stories: Banned Children's Books *
  • Workshop Facilitation *
  • Provocations *
  • Anglia Language Programme (15 credits) *
Module details

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.

Year 1
  • Foundation in Humanities, English, Media, Social Sciences and Education
Module details

You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.

Placement year
  • Work Placement - Cambridge School of Creative Industries
Module details

Read profiles of teaching and research staff on this course.

Facilities

You'll have full access to all our creative industries facilities including:

  • the Mumford Theatre, a 260-seater on-campus professional theatre
  • dedicated drama studio, with highly flexible black-box performance space
  • large rehearsal space with audio playback facilities, piano, LED lighting rig, portable dance mirrors, gym mats and rostra/modular staging
  • Students’ Union-run dance studio
  • podcast and video capture system.

Careers

Our Drama and English Literature BA (Hons) degree will give you practical experience as a performer or technician, and the academic understanding to be a director or a teacher.

Graduation doesn’t need to be the end of your time with us, of course. You might decide to stay at ARU and study for a Masters, such as our dramatherapy or MA English Literature. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.

Employability and personal career development

Informed by employers, our courses support an integrated approach to employability. You’ll have opportunities to develop the skills and abilities they are looking for and gain a deeper understanding of how your academic learning relates to the world of work through Live Briefs and Ruskin Modules.

To amplify your career ambition, you will need to actively dedicate time outside of your studies, whether you choose to explore placements, internships or volunteering. Or you could make a social impact by collaborating with our partner organisations through our volunteer scheme Students at the Heart of Knowledge Exchange (SHoKE). These all give you an edge, providing you with experience that you will be able to evidence on your CV and talk about in interviews.

Our Employability and Careers Service offers a range of expert advice and support to build your unique professional profile, including tailored career appointments, advice on writing your CV, and help to complete job applications. You’ll have 24/7 access to the Careers Centre, our comprehensive online digital resource, which empowers you to start building a Personal Career Development Plan from the very start. Design your future at ARU.

Illustration of statue of naked man

Interactive fiction

Dr Jon Stone considers the medium of interactive fiction: what it is, how to write it, and its potential future.

Learn more about interactive fiction

Entry Requirements

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