BA (Hons) English Literature and Drama
Course options
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Arts
- UCAS Course Code
- WQ43
- Typical Offer
- ABB
- Contextual Offer
- BBC
- Course Length
- 3 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2024
Why you should choose us
Course Overview
On this English and Drama degree you’ll immerse yourself in all aspects of the theatre while gaining a first-class academic grounding in English literature. This will give you a deep understanding of the relationships between the practices of writing in all major genres – prose, poetry, and drama – and the practices of dramatic production, acting, and contemporary theatre. Your practical skills in the theatre and your careful understanding of literature will support and enrich one another.
You’ll develop your skills in practical stagecraft through our intensive drama training and with the resources of UEA’s Drama Studio on hand for you to use and enjoy. You’ll also encounter literature from across centuries and across genres, ranging from established classics to new work being written today. With its vivid dramatic and literary traditions and lively contemporary scene, Norwich is the perfect city in which to be a student of English literature and drama.
This course combines modules in English literature with practical and theoretical drama modules. You’ll largely have flexibility to decide the precise balance between literature and drama in your course. You may, for example, choose to study a wide range of genres, including the novel and poetry, or gradually to specialize in dramatic literature and performance.
You will have access to the same range of literature modules as our full-time English literature students. That means you’ll be able to delve into periods from the medieval to the present day, explore diverse traditions from across the globe, and tackle a heady mix of genres, which currently range from the gothic to children’s literature, crime writing to Japanese fiction, apocalyptic writing to biography. It’s worth reading the detailed account of our BA English Literature degree to get a sense of the possibilities on offer.
In your practical drama modules, you will work alongside full-time drama students in our professionally equipped 200-seat Drama Studio. You’ll have the keys to this amazing space, letting you control everything in your own productions, from performance and staging to costume, lighting, and sound-design. You’ll have the chance to bring all your performance skills together in major practical projects each year.
Studying English Literature will deepen your practical work in the theatre. As you get inside the words of plays in the seminar room, you’ll become better able to release their energies in your own performance. At the same time, your study of literature will be enriched by your performance work – you’ll understand how plays work from the inside. The two elements of your English and drama degree are always deepening and enhancing one another.
You’ll be taught by our leading drama practitioners, literary critics and scholars in both disciplines. In the most recent Times Higher Education Analysis (REF2021), UEA was ranked 19th in the UK for the quality of its research in English Language and Literature, and your tutors on this degree will use that cutting-edge research to inspire you. You’ll also benefit from our highly regarded student-run Minotaur Theatre Company, which gives you the chance to gain valuable additional performance, technical and scriptwriting experience. Find out more about life in the School of Literature, Drama, and Creative Writing on our Instagram @uealdc.
Placement Year and Study Abroad
You will have the opportunity to apply to study abroad for one semester of your second year. Studying abroad is a wonderfully enriching life experience – you will develop confidence and adaptability, and will have the chance to deepen your understanding of literature and drama while learning about another culture.
At UEA, you will also be surrounded throughout your degree by the many students we welcome from around the world to study with us.
For further details, visit the Study Abroad section of our website.
Study and Modules
Structure
In your first year, you’ll lay the foundations for your practical drama work and begin to develop your knowledge of technical areas such as stage management or lighting. You’ll sharpen your analytical skills in our varied literature modules, reading texts spanning centuries and extending your knowledge of literature and drama. You’ll also get a grounding in dramatic traditions from across the globe and across time in a module which introduces you to world dramatic literatures, discovering how contemporary writers are reimagining or contesting older traditions. This rich mix culminates at the end of the year in the performance of a work of modern British theatre.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching
Your Drama tutors combine a wealth of practical experience in all kinds of performance with deep academic knowledge of the history, theory, and contemporary practice of theatre. Practical workshops in technical theatre and performance underpin your creative journey. You'll get to grips with plays in drama seminars where you might find yourself workshopping parts for performance in order better to understand them. Our team of literary critics gives compelling lectures, packed with new ideas. You'll benefit from lively discussion of the books you've been reading in literature seminars, including in small groups. You'll have an academic adviser to support you through your whole degree with everything from choice of modules to launching your career.
Independent Learning
You'll spend time doing everything from reading plays to rehearsing parts for the stage, at the same time as benefitting from student-run theatre company, Minotaur, where you can gain even more experience in practical performance. Your technical training will qualify you to work independently in our professionally equipped Studio. On the literature side, you’ll read extraordinary books, with a framework of guided tasks provided by your lecturers to help you get the most out of them. You'll explore the library, discovering a wealth of new resources to enrich your studies.
Assessment
Assessment
Our BA English Literature and Drama modules do not have written exams (apart from one technical theatre test). The technical theatre skills you're developing will usually be assessed through tasks such as making a 3D model of a set, designing a costume, or placing mics on a soundstage. Your performance work will be graded, and so will the rehearsals for your end-of-year production, capturing your development in the round. You'll develop renewed enthusiasm for writing academic essays, and express your thinking in a diverse variety of forms, like reviews or personal reflective writing.
Feedback
You're given constant feedback on your practical work, helping you to deepen your craft as a performer. To prepare for coursework, you'll receive feedback on pieces of 'formative' work from your tutors in one-to-one tutorials. Feedback on assessed work will be returned within 20 working days (after it has been carefully marked and moderated). As your first year does not count toward your overall degree result, it's the perfect moment to experiment and take risks.
Structure
In the second year of your English and drama degree, you’ll have a wealth of options, both theatrical and literary-critical, allowing you to build a programme that suits your developing interests. You could choose modules that emphasize practical and outreach work, explore devised performance, or focus on performance skills. Other modules concentrate on drama, from Shakespeare to current work, or literature, from medieval tales to contemporary fiction. You can also sample our world-famous creative writing tuition or experiment with one of our innovative creative-critical hybrid modules. Alternatively, you might choose to take a module in a related humanities discipline, such as film and television studies or politics.
Optional A Modules
(Min Credits: 40, Max Credits: 60)Optional B Modules
(Min Credits: 0, Max Credits: 20)Optional C Modules
(Min Credits: 40, Max Credits: 60)Optional D Modules
(Min Credits: 0, Max Credits: 20)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching
In the second year, you'll continue to explore and discover new areas of practice – including more radical performance modes or forms of political theatre – and you might also decide to specialise in areas such as directing, acting, or technical work. If you take a scriptwriting workshop, you'll benefit from the guidance of a published, practising writer as you develop your work. Lectures and seminars will immerse you in particular eras of literature, while you might also take seminars in more vocational topics like journalism or publishing (using our state-of-the-art Media Suite). You might decide to take a placement-based module or one in which you'll be part of a Drama outreach project, where you'll be supervised as you produce theatre collaboratively for an organisation such as a school, museum, or charity.
Independent Learning
As you make theatre and performance work with greater confidence, you'll naturally work with greater independence. This might mean deepening your collaborations with your peers or making solo projects. You'll continue to master the craft of literary criticism and discover where your real literary passions lie. You'll gain the confidence to take more risks in your academic work, finishing the year with a real sense of how your love of literature and theatre will underpin your career.
Assessment
Assessment
You'll continue to be assessed on your practical work in all its forms, whether that's acting, directing, filmmaking, technical theatre, or your collaborative work with an external organisation. You'll also continue to submit coursework for all your literature modules, taking your essay writing to new heights (in projects of around 2500 words) and becoming increasingly daring in your work. While essay writing remains the cornerstone of your degree, you might also submit podcasts, videos, or exhibition plans, or experiment with 'creative criticism', for instance by writing a short story to show off what you've learnt about that form.
Feedback
Your practical work is constantly enriched by your drama tutors' feedback during rehearsals, and you'll continue to receive advice on 'formative' writing, too, from both your English Literature and Drama tutors.
Structure
In your third year, you’ll bring everything you’ve learnt together in a core drama and literature module where you’ll consider in detail the complex relationship between drama and other genres. You can also choose to take part in our major final-year drama production or to pursue a personal drama project. Many students also choose to undertake a dissertation (which might be an extended piece of critical analysis or an original script). Depending on your options, you’ll also take at least one specialist literature or drama module, choosing from a selection which currently covers topics from medieval romance to the art of murder, from race, writing and identity in modern Britain, to feminist writing, or ghosts, haunting and spectrality.
Optional A Modules
(Min Credits: 60, Max Credits: 90)Optional B Modules
(Min Credits: 0, Max Credits: 60)Optional C Modules
(Min Credits: 0, Max Credits: 30)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching
You can choose to spend the whole first semester of your third year working as part of a near-professional theatre company in our Drama Studio to create a production. You'll be led by a member of our core Drama teaching team and mentored by professionals in stage management, costume design, set building, movement, and marketing. Or, if you'd prefer, you can pursue a solo venture in a drama project, where you'll be supervised to create an individual performance or film of your devising. On the literature side, you'll have the chance to explore cutting-edge literary topics in depth, in our three-hour seminars, taught by a subject-specialist. Finally, a dedicated module will bring together everything you’ve learnt on both sides of your English Literature and Drama degree.
Independent Learning
You'll either collaborate with drive and passion with your peers in the drama production or bring together everything you've learnt across the degree by working independently on a drama project (supervised by a member of our Drama team or a relevant industry professional). At the same time, you'll bring together all the skills and confidence you've developed in independent research and critical writing, as you master the fields of literary study that have come to matter the most to you.
Assessment
Assessment
If you choose to take part in the Drama production, your rehearsal and technical work will be continuously assessed by your mentor and the drama tutor who's leading the whole project, and your final performance will be marked, and that mark moderated by an external examiner. If you choose a drama project, that will also be assessed and externally moderated. On the literature side, you'll continue to submit 100% written coursework, perfecting the craft of essay writing in more substantial and independently conceived projects (3500-5000 words). You might also find yourself submitting reflective writing about your performances, scripts, or pieces of creative-critical writing, where you fuse critical with imaginative writing (for example, you might be asked to adapt a non-dramatic text into script to explore the unique nature of theatre as a medium).
Feedback
As well as constant advice on your practical work as it develops, you'll receive written feedback on this work, too. Written work in your third year continues to be supported by feedback on formative writing. All the feedback you've received on the literature side enables you to graduate with highly developed skills in writing and argument which are hugely valued by employers.
Entry Requirements
- A Levels
- ABB including English Literature or one of the subjects listed below: Drama, Theatre Studies, English Literature, English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology, Law. If you are taking an EPQ and three A-levels, we may offer you a one grade reduction on our advertised typical offer, if you achieve an A in the EPQ.
- T Levels
- Not accepted
- BTEC
- DDM in an Arts/Humanities subject (usually Performing Arts) alongside A-level grade B in English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law. Excludes BTEC Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration See below for accepted subjects and combinations
- Contextual Offer
BBC including English Literature or one of the subjects listed below: Drama, Theatre Studies, English Literature, English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology, Law.
DDM in an Arts/Humanities subject (usually Performing Arts) alongside A-level grade B in English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law. Excludes BTEC Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration.
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
- Scottish Highers
- AAABB including A in English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law
- Scottish Advanced Highers
- BCC including C in English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable
- Irish Leaving Certificate
- 3 subjects at H2, 3 subjects at H3 including English Literature, or one of the subjects listed below: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law
- Access to HE Diploma
- Humanities and Social Sciences Pathway accepted. Pass Access to HE Diploma with Distinction in 30 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 15 credits at Level 3.
- International Baccalaureate
- IB 32 including HL 5 in English, History, Global Politics, Film, Theatre, Visual Arts or Psychology.
- GCSE
- You are required to have Mathematics and English Language at a minimum of Grade C or Grade 4 or above at GCSE.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
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IELTS: 6.5 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
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- Interviews
- Most applicants will not be called for an interview and a decision will be made via UCAS. However, for some applicants an interview will be requested. Where an interview is required the Admissions Service will contact you directly to arrange a time.
- Deferred Entry
- We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Intakes
- This course is open to UK and International applicants. The annual intake is in September each year.
Additional Information or Requirements
Extended Diploma: DDM in an Arts/Humanities subject (usually Performing Arts) plus B at A-Level English Literature or one of the subjects listed: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law.
Diploma: DD in an Arts/Humanities subject (usually Performing Arts) plus B at A-Level English Literature or one of the subjects listed: English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law.
Extended Certificate: D in an Arts/Humanities subject (usually Performing Arts) plus BB at A-Level to include one of the subjects listed: English Literature, English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law.
Not all BTEC routes are accepted.
If you do not meet the academic requirements for direct entry, you may be interested in one of our Foundation Year programmes such as - https://www.uea.ac.uk/course/undergraduate/ba-english-literature-with-a-foundation-year
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
We welcome and value a wide range of alternative qualifications. If you have a qualification which is not listed here, or are taking a combination of qualifications, please contact us via Admissions Enquiries.
International Requirements
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. View our International Students pages for specific information about your country.
INTO University of East Anglia
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, INTO UEA offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree:
International Foundation in Business, Economics, Society and Culture (for Year 1 entry to UEA)
International Foundation in Humanities and Law (for Year 1 entry to UEA)
Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of other course-related costs.
How to Apply
Apply for this course through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS), using UCAS Hub.
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information:
Employability
After the Course
Some BA English Literature and Drama degree graduates go into careers in theatre, film, or radio, as writers, developers, agents, casting directors, or artistic directors of their own companies. Recent graduates from our drama degrees include the actor Matt Smith (famous for his portrayal of Doctor Who and his leading roles in The Crown and House of the Dragon) and the presenter of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, Greg James. For others, the degree is a stepping-stone towards careers in the arts, media, publishing and politics, charities and NGOs, teaching, and the commercial sector.
Our Careers Service is here to support you in launching your career by advising with CV writing, internships, and much more. Every year we run an event, Working with Words, which gives current students the chance to meet and hear from successful UEA alumni from across the creative industries.
UEA also has its own in-house student publishing project, Egg Box, along with many other exciting initiatives that give you opportunities to turn your love of drama and literature into a foundation for your future career.
Careers
A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.
Examples of careers you could enter include:
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Theatre and film
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Journalism
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Media
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Teaching
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Finance
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Publishing
Discover more on our Careers webpages.