Overview
Do you love theatre? Do you want to learn how to make it, perform in it, and write about it? Then our BA (Hons) Theatre degree is the course for you.
Collaborate with other students to deliver performance projects, ranging from mainstream popular practices to experimental, small-scale fringe work. Your learning of theatre-making and performance is grounded in research, so your creative practice is both entertaining and meaningful.
During each year, you’ll have a balanced mix of practical and theoretical scholarly work. In the first year, you’ll work together on the fundamentals of theatre practice, including voice, movement, acting, and devising. In the second year, you’ll specialise in drama, musical theatre, or production. And in your final year, you’ll work with other students to refine your specialisation, culminating in a major academic project. Stage public performances of many theatre forms at different locations—be it our White Swan studios, Portsmouth’s 700-seat Victorian New Theatre Royal mainstage, local schools, heritage sites, or even the beach.
On this course, you'll have chances to work in various theatre industry positions besides acting and dramaturgy. These can include teaching, activism, marketing management, publishing, and customer service roles.
At Portsmouth, studying Theatre empowers you to build your own career as a freelance theatre practitioner or in related careers—driven by the fervour of those who love the performing arts.
Why study Theatre at Portsmouth?
- Learn from experienced professionals and researchers and collaborate with your peers to create innovative and thought-provoking work
- Gain a solid foundation in the fundamentals of theatre practice, including voice, movement, acting, and devising
- Devise your performances in our flagship White Swan Studios and Portsmouth's Victorian theatre, New Theatre Royal
- Develop your critical thinking and analytical skills through theoretical modules
- Specialise in drama, musical theatre, or production in your second year
- Work on a major project in your third year that will showcase your skills and knowledge in your chosen specialisation
- Have the opportunity to perform your work in a public setting
- Develop the skills you need to succeed in a range of careers in the theatre industry
Careers and opportunities
With this degree, you'll have the expertise, practice and hands on experience for a career creative, production and administration teams.
You'll have the ability to contribute critically and creatively to entertain audiences, and empower people to think about the world. And because the art of performing is embedded in daily life – from business negotiations to people's behaviour in the workplace to marketing communications – you can apply the skills you learn to roles in other industries.
Graduate roles and destinations
Previous graduates have secured roles at prestigious theatre companies including the Barbican, Chichester Festival Theatre and Marlowe Theatre and performed at events including the Edinburgh Fringe and Brighton Fringe.
Some of the roles our graduates have taken include general managers in nationally award winning theatre companies, sustainable costume designers for the future of performance, stage managers on touring productions, and researchers working behind the scenes to demonstrate the value of drama.
Typical roles graduates go onto after the course include:
- actor
- director
- playwright
- stage/theatre manager
- set designer
- costume designer
- arts administrator
- producer
- drama teacher (with further training)
- event coordinator
While studying at Portsmouth, graduates have received seed funding to make their own work, taken that work to local venues such as Guildhall Studio and New Theatre Royal, then performed their new productions at Edinburgh.
