This course is an excellent foundation for practical careers in teaching, devising or the application of of performance techniques in a variety of contexts, alongside due to the learning of human behavior, thought and emotions from very different psychological outlooks to develop a well rounded individual styling of both subjects.

Our Drama course emphasises the use of drama in education, educational and youth theatre, and applied performance approaches that will connect you with national and global practice. You will experience innovative strategies in teaching and learning through drama via an intensive exploration that encompasses practical and theoretical approaches, and performance styles from a range of historical and cultural perspectives. The course is also accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS)* and is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist if that is something you wish to pursue.

You will develop knowledge of a range of practices including Process Drama, Story Drama, Applied Performance, Community Theatre, improvisation, devising, and adapting material for a range of young audience, as well as essential literary skills required for textual interpretation, writing and critical analysis. You will have access to excellent studio facilities and Northampton’s nationally recognised Royal & Derngate provides many exciting possibilities for developing practical skills in Youth Theatre leadership and Children’s Theatre in particular.

By choosing to study these subjects there is a higher level of flexibility in deciding your future employability pathway. Both courses are taught by an enthusiastic and experienced team which has substantial research and teaching experience.

*Accreditation applicable to Undergraduate Single Honours Psychology degrees and Joint Honours degrees where Psychology is the major subject.

Course content

Our students learn new ways of understanding how and why people think and act as they do. They are also equipped with transferable, critical and analytical skills to enhance their employability. The course offers considerable flexibility and choice, whilst developing your knowledge of a range of practices encompassing different types of performance, improvisation, devising, adapting material for new media and audiences, as well as the literary skills required for textual interpretation, writing and critical analysis.

Students enjoy excellent studio facilities and access to view productions at Northampton’s nationally recognised regional theatre, Royal & Derngate. There are opportunities for visits, researching educational settings and activities in schools and other educational contexts.

Drama is an experiential practice-led discipline in which students practically explore key aspects of theatre and performance practice styles, conventions and theories across a wide range of historical and cultural backgrounds.

In Drama modules you will develop and increase your repertoire of physical and performance skills. They will develop physical and vocal techniques for work in different styles of performance, for improvisation and for devising. They will also acquire skills relevant for textual interpretation and critical analysis. These skills will be developed through a combination of teaching strategies including theatre visits, lecture or seminars and workshops with visiting professionals.

Stage one

You will be introduced to the core disciplines that underpin the academic analysis of both subjects.

Psychology modules introduce the major approaches to understanding human behaviour: social, cognitive, biological and developmental and personality psychology. Students acquire skills in the design and execution of a range of psychological research methods, the analysis and interpretation of data and report writing. In addition to the core modules, students can take other stage one Psychology modules exploring the many ways that psychology is applied to real-world problems and developing students’ research, thinking and communication skills.  With Drama, the first stage is a generalist study of drama and forms the basis for study in stages two and three. This first stage concentrates on developing key skills, both practical and academic, through modules consisting of workshop-based, practice-led investigations of selected performance theories and through lectures and seminars.

Stage two

In stage two, if you major in Psychology seek Graduate Basis for Chartered membership (GBC) and undertake four modules covering, social, developmental, biological, cognitive and personality psychology, plus the key debates within psychology and psychological research methods. But if you are a minor or joint pathway student you can also choose to study Positive Psychology, Evolutionary Psychology and Educational Psychology.

In Drama, you build on the ensemble work of the foundation year through increased speculation in chosen areas of interest whilst extending the depth of study and scope of practical work. You will be exposed to work of greater complexity and challenges requiring more creativity and imagination most especially in the compulsory modules, Specialist Study and Theories and Movements of Performance.

Stage three*

In stage three, you can specialise in areas of interest and potential career preparation. Students select from the wide range of advanced Psychology modules on offer. There are modules on each of the applied psychological professions such as forensic psychology and clinical psychology. There are also modules reflecting the research expertise of our staff, for example Transpersonal Psychology and Positive Psychology. Psychology majors typically undertake an empirical dissertation with one-to-one guidance from a Psychology lecturer. The dissertation allows you to immerse themselves in a topic of  your choosing, subject to staff approval, and to put into practice the research skills they have acquired through the course.

In Drama, you will take the compulsory module, Adaptations, and participate in a compulsory intensive tutor led investigative course, Theatre and Performance in Context. You will form creative relationships with professionals in the performance and creative industries.

Module information is quoted for 17/18 entry. Please note that modules run subject to student numbers and staff availability, any changes will be communicated to applicants accordingly.

Opportunities Abroad

There are opportunities for international study visits and exchange as part of the second year for the Education Studies element. Periodically, Drama plays host to Erasmus and American Studies exchange students who cite the range of modules and teaching methods as significant factors in their development of confidence and understanding of drama as a learning medium and vehicle for social change.

Assessments

There are a variety of assessment formats including, essays, practical reports, presentations, time-constrained essays, multiple-choice tests, group project work, analysis and reflection.

Career Opportunities

This joint honours programme provides an excellent foundation for entry into the competitive professional and academic fields of Psychology and Drama and applies to many professional contexts. With Psychology, after further qualification, you can obtain ‘chartered’ status as a counselling, clinical, educational, occupational, health or forensic psychologist. Also, academic psychologists conduct research and teach in higher education. Our graduates have followed each of these careers. It is widely acknowledged by employers that Psychology degrees provide an excellent grounding for a diverse range of non-psychological careers. Our graduates are employed in education, the health service, the police force, human resources management, marketing, the civil service, broadcasting, social work, performers, directors, stage managers, dramaturges, writers, theatre journalists, community arts administrators and practitioners, as well as teachers and lecturers in the discipline.

The highly valued transferable skills gained from the programme have enabled our graduates to go on to work outside the arts at managerial level, whilst some have gone on to postgraduate study. Students will have highly developed performance and academic skills and transferable skills for work in different fields. They will become incisive critics and confident presenters.

Work Experience

Within Drama students go on placements in regional and national theatres and also in applied and touring theatre companies in order to experience first-hand, professional work in the creative and performance industries.

For application information please see our how to apply page.

General entry requirements apply. A typical offer would be BCC at A Level or DMM at BTEC.

This course is available to international students.

Full-time international tuition fees

For information on our international tuition fees, please see our Tuition fees for international students page.

Please note that tuition fees for EU students will remain the same as UK fees for 2018/19. For more information, please visit the Gov UK website.

How to apply as an international student

For information on how to apply to study with us, please see our How to apply page.

Scholarships available to international students

For information on the scholarships available to you as an international student, please see our International scholarships page.