Drama and English Literature [with Foundation Year]

Discover how our societies have shaped and been shaped by English literature, and explore different modes of performance with our BA (Hons) Drama and English Literature degree in Cambridge.

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 11th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2024.

Understanding the importance of literature and drama to society is the main focus of our BA (Hons) Drama and English Literature degree.

Here at ARU, the focus is on an experiential, 'learning-through-doing' programme. Your degree will see you choosing from a range of career-focused optional modules, completing either a 100% practical drama Major Project or an English literature one, and graduating with a professionally produced showreel and portfolio.

Connect with Cambridge’s performance scene through our links to local networks such as Cambridge Arts Network and Cambridge Live. You’ll get the chance to perform in public venues around Cambridge as well as on campus, in the Mumford Theatre and Covent Garden Studio.

Experience being part of a professional troupe with our very own Community Theatre Company and take the chance to perform and collaborate with other creative industries students.

Take the opportunity to go on field trips and attend productions to broaden your real-world experience. We’ll also support you to find placements and work experience – our students recently took part in a live brief with Great Abington Primary School, devising performances and workshop activities to enhance curriculum learning through interactive drama events - and you can take an optional placement year as well.

Improve your creative and critical writing skills, and develop your technical and production skills in our specialist facilities. Our technical officers will be on hand to offer help and support.

You can also choose to study abroad for a semester, with funding available to help cover the cost.

As an ARU student, you can also get involved with the University of Cambridge's Footlights comedy events as a writer, performer or member of the production team.

Professional Facilities

As part of your studies at ARU, you’ll have access to all of our creative industries facilities including:

• Dedicated drama studio, with highly flexible black-box performance space

• Full-size on-campus professional Mumford Theatre

• 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.

Year 1 core modules: Foundation in Humanities, English, Media, Social Sciences and Education. Year 2 core modules: Introduction to the Study of Literature and Writing; Fundamentals for Acting; Researching Performance; Reading Critically, Old English to Enlightenment; Studio Project. Year 3 core modules: Nineteenth Century Afterlives and Adaptations; Making Performance; Community Theatre Performance; Ruskin Module. Year 3 optional modules: Science Fiction; Crocodiles, Pirates and Moon-men: Renaissance Encounters; Performing Shakespeare; Practice as Research; Performing New Writing; Anglia Language Programme. Year 4 core modules: Major Project in Drama or English; Festival of Performance. Year 4 optional modules: Careers with English; Writing and the Present; Elizabeth Gaskell and the Brontës; Literature and Exile: Displacement, Identity, Self; New Media Discourse; Renaissance Magic; Romantic Ideals; Site Specific and Immersive Theatre; Spectacle and Representation in Renaissance Drama; Forbidden Stories: Banned Children's Books; Screen Drama Production; Provocations; Workshop Facilitation; Anglia Language Programme. Modules are subject to change and availability.

You’ll show your progress on the course through a combination of essays, reports, oral presentations, and studio/public performance, as well as a major project involving practice-based research techniques.