Program Overview

Overview of Drama Studies

Drama Studies is a four-year, full-time course that provides students with a comprehensive understanding of drama and theatre. The course is designed to develop students' analytical, creative, and practical skills, and to prepare them for a career in the theatre industry or related fields.

Course Details

• Awards: B.A. Honours Bachelor Degree (NFQ Level 8)
• CAO Information: CAO Points 419-613 (2024)
• Number of Places: 24 Places

Course Options

Drama Studies can be taken as a Joint Honours subject with one of the following options:

• English Studies
• Film Studies
• Modern Language (Early Irish, German, Irish, Italian, Russian, Spanish)
• Middle Eastern, Jewish & Islamic Civilisations
• Music
• History of Art and Architecture

Admission Requirements

• Restricted Entry: Applications must be submitted to the CAO by 1st February of the proposed year of entry.
• Questionnaire: Applicants will be sent a questionnaire to complete in March.
• English Language Requirements: All applicants must meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements.

Course Fees

For a full list of undergraduate fees, please refer to the relevant section.

Course Structure

The course is divided into four years, with a focus on developing students' analytical, creative, and practical skills.

• First and Second Years: Students will study the skills and vocabularies of the theatre historian, analyst, and practitioner, and will be introduced to drama, theatre, and performance.
• Third and Fourth Years: Students will choose from a wide range of optional modules, striking a balance between the academic and practical nature of the course.

Assessment

Assessment is by a combination of essays, reflections, practical assignments, class presentations, and oral examinations. Students exiting through Drama via Major, Joint Honours, or Single Honours subject are required to complete a Capstone project.

Study Abroad

Students may apply to spend their third year studying abroad at a European university as part of the Erasmus exchange programme or outside Europe at one of Trinity's non-EU partner universities.

Graduate Skills and Career Opportunities

Many graduates seek employment in theatre or related professions, while others opt for further training or apprenticeships. Some graduates have formed their own theatre companies, and many have won awards. The core skills of research, writing, organisation, collaboration, and interpersonal communication gained on the course last a lifetime.

Research Areas

The course covers a wide range of research areas, including:

• Theatre History
• Performance Analysis
• Contemporary Performance Research
• Semiotics
• Feminism and Gender
• Dramaturgy
• Postmodernism
• Embodied Practices
• Performance and Technology
• Crew Rotation
• Theatre and Ireland
• Embodied Shakespeare
• Stage, Costume, and Lighting Design
• Playwriting
• Devising
• Directing
• Theatre Management
• Acting
• Applied Drama and Theatre

Facilities

The course is housed in the purpose-built Samuel Beckett Centre, which includes the Samuel Beckett Theatre, the Players Theatre, a dance studio/rehearsal space, seminar rooms, and offices. All full-time staff have theatre-making experience and are published academic writers, active both nationally and internationally. Some modules are taught by visiting specialists, including award-winning designers, directors, performers, and playwrights, many of whom are alumni from the course.