BA | Undergraduate
Drama and English
2021
BBB
3 years (Full Time)
WQ43
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Overview
Students undertaking Drama and English at Queen’s explore theatre, performance, literature and language in the widest possible sense; from ancient Greece to Renaissance England, to the Irish Literary Revival and on to Postmodern America; from the earliest writings in Anglo-Saxon to contemporary Irish, British, and ‘global’ literatures.
Drama and English Degree highlights
Drama Studies at Queen’s builds on the remarkable heritage of Drama in Northern Ireland, as represented by its internationally acclaimed playwrights.
Global Opportunities
- Drama at Queen’s offers a range of Study Abroad opportunities, from the Erasmus programme with a range of European partners, to the chance to study at a number of partner institutions in the United States.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/International/International-students/Studyabroad/StudyAbroad/
Industry Links
- Students have the opportunity to undertake a work placement in Year 3. This is a significant learning and employability enhancement opportunity. Drama at Queen’s collaborates with leading arts organisations and theatre companies, such as the Belfast Festival, The Linen Hall Library, The Lyric Theatre, Prime Cut Productions, Tinderbox Theatre Company, Kabosh, and Ransom Productions, all of whom have helped us develop a vital professional practice dimension as part of our overall provision.
World Class Facilities
- Our main teaching space, the Brian Friel Theatre (www.brianfrieltheatre.co.uk), is one of the best-equipped theatres in Belfast with a 120-seat studio theatre, rehearsal room, dressing rooms, green room and workshop, housed in the Drama and Film Centre which also comprises the Queen’s Film Theatre.
Internationally Renowned Experts
- Professor Richard Schoch is a leading scholar of Shakespeare with a long-standing research collaboration with the Folger Library. Richard has won various awards including the 2013 Oscar Brockett Essay Prize from the American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR) and his books have been shortlisted for the Barnard Hewitt Award (ASTR) and the Theatre Book Prize (Society for Theatre Research, UK).
Student Experience
- From Personal Tutors to peer mentoring, we work closely with students to ensure they are supported at every stage of their degree.
- Extracurricular performance opportunities are offered by the Tyrone Guthrie Society and the student Drama Society, which have taken productions to student festivals in Ireland and the UK. Productions have also been taken to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and to festivals in Belgium and Italy.
"The drama department offers an excellent programme of study that finely balances practice and theory, giving students adequate freedom to tailor the options according to their strengths, preferences or interests. Along with a strong support network of staff, the opportunities to establish links with theatre practitioners serves only to enrich the experience of studying drama at Queen's. The importance placed on collaboration, discussion, and the presentation of high standards of analytical written work serve to equip students with transferable skills that will be useful regardless of their chosen career path. Interdisciplinary links are encouraged, and the potential to take part in postgraduate study and research is continually emphasized, with the result being that the scope of topics of study available to students is always expanding. Finally, the activities and on campus clubs relating to drama is an exciting option that when balanced with the program of study can enliven and enhance and students' experience at Queen's."
Kevin McCluskey, BA, MA and PhD in Drama.Brexit Advice
Information on the implications of Brexit for prospective students.
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Course content - Drama at Queen’s offers a range of Study Abroad opportunities, from the Erasmus programme with a range of European partners, to the chance to study at a number of partner institutions in the United States.
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Course content
Course Structure
Course Content Stage 1
Core modules
• Writing About Theatre: Theory, Criticism and Performance
• Theatre Now: Contemporary Performance
• Introduction to Performing
• English in Transition
• Introduction to English Language
• English in Context
Stage 2
(Students select 3 optional modules in each subject, subject to availability)
DRAMA
• American Theatre
• Irish Theatre
• Introduction to Arts Management
• The Art of the Actor
• Devising Theatre
• Educational Drama
• Greek Tragedy in Performance
• Musical Theatre
��� Shakespeare in Performance
• Radio Drama
ENGLISH
• History of English: Studying Language Change
• The English Language: Language and Power
• Foundations for Speech Analysis
• Mapping the Anglo-Saxon World
• Irish Literature
• Introduction to Critical and Cultural Theory
• Havoc and Rebellion: Writing and Reading Later Medieval England
• Shakespeare and Co
• Fiction to Austen (1660-1820)
• Inventing America
• Romantic Poetry (1789-1832)
• Enlightenment and its Discontents
• Reading Revolutions: The English Bible, Medieval to Early Modern
• Modernism and Modernity
• Modern American Fiction: Race, Class, Gender, Sexuality
• Dickens and the Cult of Celebrity
Stage 3
(Students select three optional modules in
each subject from the following list, subject to
availability)
DRAMA
•Dissertation(including practice option)
•The Theatre of Brian Friel
•Post-conflict Drama: Performing the NI Peace Process
•Theory and Practice of Adaptation
•Drama, Health and Social Care
•Dance Theatre
•Performing the Classics
•Contemporary Performing Practices
•Solo Drama
•Advanced Acting
•Drama and Mental Health
•Work-based Learning
ENGLISH
• Speech Worlds: Phonology in Acquisition and Disorder
• Stylistics: Analysing Style in Language
• The Structure of English
• Marvels, Monsters and Miracles in Anglo Saxon England
• Writing Africa: The Colonial Past to Colonial Present
• Contemporary Irish and Scottish Fiction
• Televising the Victorians
• Shakespeare on Screen
• Digital Textualities and the History of the Book
• Irish Gothic
• Special Topic Irish Literature
• Poetry and Precariousness in the C21st
• Contemporary US Crime Fiction
• Stevens and Bishop
• Double dissertation (English only)
• Language in the Media
• Women’s Writing 1660-1820
• Restoration to Regency in Contemporary Fiction
• Special Topic Creative Writing
COMMON MODULES
• Work-based Learning (placement module)
• Double Dissertation (combining Drama and English)People teaching you
Dr Aoife McGrath
Subject Lead (Drama)Arts, English and Languages
Professor Ian Sansom
Subject Lead - EnglishArts, English and Languages
Contact Teaching Times
Large Group Teaching 6 (hours maximum)
3 at Stage One, 6 at Stage Two and ThreeMedium Group Teaching 6 (hours maximum)
3-5 at Stage One, 3 at Stage Two, 6 at Stage ThreePersonal Study 15 (hours maximum)
hrs minimumSmall Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial 0 (hours maximum)
VariesLearning and Teaching
At Queen’s, students work in an ambitious learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable students to achieve their full academic potential.
On the Drama and English degree pathway we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:- E-Learning
Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example: interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space; IT and statistics modules; podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities; opportunities to use IT programmes associated with design in practicals and project- based work etc. - Lectures
introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers). - Personal Tutor
Undergraduates are allocated a Personal Tutor during Level 1 and 2 who meets with them on several occasions during the year to support their academic development. - Self-directed study
This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out. - Seminars/workshops
Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-16 students). These provide an opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups. - Supervised projects
In final year, you may choose a year-long Dissertation module which requires you to carry out a significant piece of research on a topic that you have chosen. You will receive support from a supervisor who will guide you in terms of how to carry out your research and will provide feedback to you on at least 2 occasions during the write up stage.
Assessment
Details of assessments associated with this course are outlined below:
- Assessments are designed to evidence your engagement with the learning objectives of each module, which will be advertised in advance of module selection. Modules are assessed variously through project work, individual and/ or group presentations, as well as more traditional written essays and assignments. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students during their first year induction.
Feedback
As students progress through their degree at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:
- Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
- Face to face comment. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “Feedback and Guidance hours” to help you to address a specific query
- Placement employer comments or references
- Online or emailed comment
- General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
- Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
- Feedback and outcomes from practical classes
- Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
- Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.
Facilities
The Brian Friel Theatre is one of the best equipped theatres in Belfast with a 120 seat studio theatre, rehearsal room, dressing rooms, green room and workshop, housed in the Drama & Film Centre which opened in 2004 which also comprises the Queen's Film Theatre.
Drama also collaborates with leading arts organizations and theatre companies, such as the Belfast Festival, The Linen Hall Library, The Lyric Theatre, Prime Cut Productions, Tinderbox Theatre Company, Kabosh, and Ransom Productions, all of whom have helped us develop a vital professional practice dimension as part of our overall provision.
http://www.brianfrieltheatre.co.ukPREV
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Entry Requirements - E-Learning
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Entry Requirements
Entrance requirements
Selection Criteria
In addition, to the entrance requirements above, it is essential that you read our guidance below on 'How we choose our students' prior to submitting your UCAS application.
Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by individual University Schools. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.
Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.
For last year's intake, applicants for this BA programme offering A-level/BTEC Level 3 qualifications must have had, or been able to achieve, a minimum of five GCSE passes at grade C/4 or better (to include English Language). Performance in any AS or A-level examinations already completed would also have been taken into account and the Selector checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of GCSE and/or A-level subjects can be fulfilled.
Applicants who are made an offer for a Drama degree pathway are invited to attend an interview day, which includes a practice-based workshop and an individual interview. Applicants are assessed at interview and the scores may be used to differentiate between applicants who have borderline grades in August.
Offers are normally made on the basis of three A-levels. Two subjects at A-level plus two at AS would also be considered. The offer for repeat candidates is set in terms of three A-levels and may be one grade higher than for first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.
Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of performance in individual BTEC units rather than the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.
BTEC Extended Diplomas, Higher National Certificates, and Higher National Diplomas can be considered, provided the subject requirements for entry to English are also fulfilled.
The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of BA degrees, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.
A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking four A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.
If you are made an offer then you may be invited to a Faculty/School Visit Day, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University and to find out more about the degree programme of your choice and the facilities on offer. It also gives you a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.
If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.International Students
For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.
English Language Requirements
An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
- Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
- Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
International Students - Foundation and International Year One Programmes
INTO Queen's offers a range of academic and English language programmes to help prepare international students for undergraduate study at Queen's University. You will learn from experienced teachers in a dedicated international study centre on campus, and will have full access to the University's world-class facilities.
These programmes are designed for international students who do not meet the required academic and English language requirements for direct entry.
INTO - English Language Course(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
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Careers -
Careers
Career Prospects
Introduction
Studying for a degree in Drama and English at Queen’s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic
institutions.
http://www.prospects.ac.ukEmployment after the Course
Graduates of Drama at Queen's have gone on to work in professional theatre locally in Northern Ireland and throughout Great Britain and across the world, for example on the production of the recent JK Rowling play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London. Our graduates have also worked on a number of film and TV productions including Game of Thrones.
Graduates from this degree have the proven ability to analyse subjects in depth and develop coherent arguments
in written and verbal form, as well as linguistic fluency and experience of living and working abroad, all of which are highly sought after skills in a global job market. In a context where over half of all graduate
jobs are now open to graduates of any discipline, we have found that employers of all kinds wish to employ English and French graduates. Although many of our graduates are interested in pursuing careers
in teaching, business, the civil service, translating/interpreting or advertising, significant numbers develop careers in a wide range of other sectors.Employment Links
A list of the major career sectors (and some starting salaries) that have attracted our graduates in recent years is shown above:
• Advertising
• Voluntary sector/charities £15,000-£18,000
• Public Relations £20,000
• Banking £28 000
• Export Marketing £15 000-£25 000
• Publishing, Media and Performing Arts
£16,000-£25,000
• Teaching £21,500
• Fast Stream Civil Service £25,000
• Theatre production £16,000-£50,000+
• TV production £16,000-£100,000+
• Film production £16,000-£100,000+
• Varied graduate programmes (Times Top 100 Graduate Recruiters/AGR, Association of Graduate Recruiters UK)Alumni Success
Many of our former graduates have risen to the top of their fields and include many famous figures; for example, in Drama:
• Peter Coulter, award winning journalist, BBC
• Des Kennedy, acclaimed director, notable recent work includes assistant director on JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Palace Theatre London, 2016
• Lisa Magee, acclaimed writer for stage and screen, won the Stewart Parker and Blackburn awards for Girls and Dolls (2006)
• Kerri Quinn, acclaimed actress, notable for her lead role in Educating Rita, Lyric Theatre, Belfast, 2015
• James Rae, technical specialist, HBO, Game of Thrones
And in English:
• Seamus Heaney, Nobel prize-winning poet
• Paul Muldoon, academic and poet
• Stephen Rea, actor
• Helen Madden, writer and actor
• Annie Kelly, journalist and writer
• Annie Mac, radio presenterAdditional Awards Gained(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
Prizes and Awards(QSIS ELEMENT IS EMPTY)
Degree plus award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
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Fees and Funding -
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
Northern Ireland (NI) 1 £4,530 Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 £4,530 England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 £9,250 EU Other 3 £17,400 International £17,400 1 EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled or pre-settled status, are expected to be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident, however this is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly Student Fees Regulations. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB are expected to be charged the GB fee, however this is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly student fees Regulations.
2 It is expected that EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI will be eligible for NI tuition fees, in line with the Common Travel Agreement arrangements. The tuition fee set out above is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly student fees Regulations.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
For further information please refer to www.qub.ac.uk/brexit-advice/information-for-students.
All tuition fees quoted are for the academic year 2021-22, and relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.
Additional course costs
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library.
If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. A programme may have up to 6 modules per year, each with a recommended text.
Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a final year includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Drama and English costs
Students are occasionally required to purchase tickets for performances. This is estimated at a maximum of £100 per year.
Students may also incur some costs on props or costumes, but these are discouraged as the School will be able to provide these (or similar) in most cases.
In Year 2 students can apply for a number of optional exchanges with institutions in the USA. The cost will vary depending on the institution and length of exchange and can range from £500 - £6,000. Students need to fund the costs of travel, accommodation and subsistence.
Students who undertake a period of study or work abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their degree programme, will incur additional costs in relation to travel, subsistence, insurance and in some cases visa and vaccinations. The costs will vary depending on the location and duration of the placement. Students should be aware that placement and internship modules do not normally involve payment or financial support from either Queen’s or the placement/internship provider.
If the placement is undertaken under the European Erasmus programme, students are normally eligible to receive a top-up grant to contribute towards these costs. Current Erasmus grant rates are approximately €250 to €350 per month. A limited number of Erasmus grants is available. Erasmus funding post-Brexit has not yet been confirmed.How do I fund my study?
There are different tuition fee and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those from England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.
Information on funding options and financial assistance for undergraduate students is available at http://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/Fees-and-scholarships/.
Scholarships
Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students. Information on scholarships available.
International Scholarships
Information on scholarships for international students, is available at http://www.qub.ac.uk/International/International-students/International-scholarships/.
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Apply
How and when to Apply
How to Apply
Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.When to Apply
UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2021 from 1 September 2020.Advisory closing date: 15 January 2021 (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.
Applications from UK and EU students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2021) subject to the availability of places.
Applications from International (non-UK/EU) students are normally considered by Queen’s for entry to this course until 30 June 2021. If you apply for 2021 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.
Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.
The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.
Further information on applying to study at Queen's is available at: www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/How-to-apply/
Terms and Conditions
The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.
Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students
- Applying through UCAS
Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2021. - Applying direct
The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more. - Applying through agents and partners
The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.
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Fees and Funding - Applying through UCAS