Drama and Psychology

Explore the human mind and discover your creative identity with our Drama and Psychology degree.

• Research and analyse biological, cognitive, developmental and social psychology.

• Produce, perform, direct and write in collaboration with your fellow Drama students.

• One of only a few combined courses accredited by the British Psychological Society.

Drama and psychology are complementary disciplines that share a core concern in analysing, interpreting, representing and understanding humans and the world we inhabit. Our combined Drama and Psychology degree exposes you to a wide variety of methods to explore and understand the human mind and behaviour, from both scientific and artistic perspectives.

In your study of Psychology, you’ll learn about research methods, data collection/analysis and critical thinking, while your Drama focus will be on creativity, working as part of a theatre company to develop your performance, writing and production skills.

Drama and Psychology have their specific career paths, but they also give you transferable skills that are sought by employers in a broad range of jobs and industries. Psychology develops your skills in research, critical analysis and communication, while Drama offers opportunities to learn about theatre, media, arts therapies and education. By combining the two subjects, you’ll develop highly valuable people skills and gain experience in communication and planning, project and event management, and working in diverse situations with a variety of collaborators and clients.

If you’re not yet sure what career you want to pursue, our British Psychological Society accreditation means you can keep your options open – you’ll be able to study Psychology at postgraduate level if you decide to become a professional psychologist.

In your first year, build the foundations and develop the core knowledge and skills you’ll need in both strands of your course. You’ll explore the main areas of psychological science, with an introduction to research and data analysis skills. During your Drama modules, you’ll work with other students as part of a theatre ensemble, with opportunities to perform, direct and produce.

In your second year you’ll take on further depth and challenges. In your Psychology modules, you’ll take a closer look at biological, cognitive, developmental and social psychology, and advance your understanding of research design and analysis. In Drama, you’ll explore topics such as performance-making, applied theatre, playwriting, acting and directing, musical theatre and theatre production, with opportunities to work with students, specialist staff and visiting professionals and artists.

You can choose to take a professional placement year between your second and third years.

In your final year, real-world application of your skills becomes the focus of your study. In Drama, you’ll have the flexibility to choose optional modules in areas that are of particular interest to you, with an emphasis on collaboration, industry input, and creating work for a variety of audiences, including the general public. You’ll explore how Psychology is applied for the wider good but also used in business and enterprise for profit. Your consultancy project enables you to take what you’ve learned and apply it in a collaboration with an external organisation.

Assessment varies across the two subjects and includes essays, debates, research reports and projects, presentations and performance, playwriting and script analysis, and exams.