Undergraduate Course
BA (Hons) Film and Drama
Overview
The details
Film and Drama
P400
October 2026
Full-time
What is the BA Film and Drama?
The BA Film and Drama is a creative, practical degree that combines performance, filmmaking, and critical analysis to prepare you for careers across the screen, stage, and creative industries.
You’ll explore how stories are created, performed, and experienced through theatre and film while developing practical skills in performance, directing, screenwriting, filmmaking, technical production, and creative collaboration. Alongside hands-on experience, you'll examine the cultural, historical, and social impact of film and theatre, graduating with a broad skillset valued across the creative sector.
Why this course
The BA Film and Drama gives you the opportunity to study both disciplines equally, combining practical creative work with critical exploration of theatre and screen media. You'll develop your own creative practice while building an understanding of how performance and film shape culture and society.
You’ll explore subjects including acting, directing, screenwriting, playwriting, film production, theatre studies, and media analysis. By studying both theory and practice, you'll gain the confidence to create original work while understanding the artistic and social contexts that influence it.
Throughout the course you'll develop practical production skills including camerawork, editing, technical theatre, stage management, devising, and collaborative project work. You'll work individually and as part of creative teams, reflecting the collaborative nature of the creative industries.
You'll learn from academics who are also experienced practitioners, including filmmakers, playwrights, theatre makers, and media specialists. Their industry knowledge helps connect your learning with contemporary creative practice.
You can choose to add a placement year or study abroad year, giving you the opportunity to gain professional experience, expand your creative network, and experience different approaches to film and theatre.
By the end of the degree, you'll have developed a portfolio of creative work, practical production skills, and critical knowledge, preparing you for careers across film, theatre, media, and the wider creative industries.
Who should apply
- Students who are passionate about film, theatre, storytelling, and performance
- Aspiring filmmakers, directors, performers, writers, producers, and theatre makers looking to develop practical industry skills
- Learners who enjoy creative collaboration, analysing culture, and producing original work
- Anyone interested in careers across the creative industries, media, entertainment, education, and the arts
What you'll learn
- Film production: Develop practical skills in filmmaking, camerawork, editing, directing, and screenwriting
- Theatre practice: Explore acting, performance, playwriting, devising, directing, and technical theatre
- Critical analysis: Study film, theatre, and media through historical, cultural, and theoretical perspectives
- Creative collaboration: Work with others to develop productions from concept through to performance or screening
- Professional practice: Build creative, technical, communication, and project management skills for employment
Your learning experience
- Hands-on learning: Combine practical workshops with lectures, seminars, rehearsals, and production projects
- Industry-standard facilities: Access filmmaking equipment, editing suites, technical theatre spaces, rehearsal studios, and on-campus performance venues
- Expert teaching: Learn from filmmakers, playwrights, theatre practitioners, and researchers with professional industry experience
- Creative portfolio: Build a body of practical and written work that showcases your skills to future employers
- Optional placement or study abroad year: Gain professional experience or broaden your creative practice in an international setting
Careers and outcomes
A BA Film and Drama degree prepares you for careers in:
- Film and television: Filmmaker, producer, editor, director, researcher, or production assistant
- Theatre and performance: Performer, director, stage manager, producer, playwright, or theatre practitioner
- Media and creative industries: Content creator, arts administrator, communications, or creative producer
- Arts and education: Community arts, cultural organisations, museums, galleries, and educational settings
- Further study: Postgraduate study in film, drama, theatre, media, performance, or related creative disciplines
Employers of graduates from this course
Graduates from this course develop creative, technical, and collaborative skills valued by employers across the creative industries, including:
- Film and television production companies
- Theatres and performing arts organisations
- Creative agencies and digital media companies
- Arts, cultural, and heritage organisations
- Education providers and community arts organisations
Why we're great.
- Our 200-seat on campus Lakeside Theatre is the perfect place to watch professional theatre and devise your own projects and productions.
- Our Media Centre is fully equipped with industry standard filming and editing equipment, including a green screen room.
- Our campus cinema Cine 10 is available to all film students.
Course content
Components and modules explained
Components
Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.
Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.
| Status | What this means |
| Core |
You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted. |
| Core with Options |
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted. |
| Compulsory |
You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail. |
| Compulsory with Options |
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail. |
| Optional |
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail. |
The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.
Modules
Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.
In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.
Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:
| HR | 100 | 4 | FY |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The department or school the module will be taught by. In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History. |
The module number. |
The UK academic level of the module. A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course. A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules. A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification. |
The term the module will be taught in.
|
COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY
Approaches to Film and Media
(30 CREDITS)
How do we analyse moving images? What innovations have transformed the cinema experience? What moments and movements have been key to film history? Study the development of international cinema, looking at all aspects of the form, including analysis of theoretical issues, film language, and a variety of important directors and genres.
COMPONENT 02: COMPULSORY
Introduction to Theatre Studies
(15 CREDITS)
This is the foundational module for your BA Drama Degree. We enrich your existing knowledge of major theatre practitioners – Aristotle, Brecht, Artaud and Stanislavski – and complement these studies by introducing new theatre theorists, movements and styles. Examine plays from Ancient Greece to today, discussing issues like genre, representation, reception, modernism and postmodernism. This module blends together practical and theoretical classes to create the building blocks for an informed study of theatre practice.
View Introduction to Theatre Studies on our Module Directory
COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY
The Humanities Graduate: Future Pathways
(15 CREDITS)
This interdisciplinary module serves several functions. Firstly, you will develop an understanding of your degree in the context of the wider world and specifically the graduate jobs market. You will come to understand the employability and career-development opportunities that are available to you during and after your time at Essex, and you will begin the life-long process of continuous professional development with a firm grounding in the practical skills and reflective practice involved. The module is divided into two parts: career-development learning; and Speaker Weeks, when a member of staff will interview guest speakers about their careers in fields that are allied to the arts and humanities. These will cover a range of career areas that may be of interest to humanities graduates in general: from media, arts, journalism, education, publishing, to entrepreneurship in related areas. These weeks are intended to be inspiring but also full of practical tips and ideas, with an emphasis on showing how careers develop over time, and what pathways students can explore to get to where they want to be; as well as what kinds of extra-curricular activities students can engage in now to open more doors professionally before and after graduation. In the career-development learning part of the module, you will cover topics such as the Graduate Labour market, the Humanities graduate, self-reflection and personal development, and how to research and apply effectively for jobs. Skills such as CV writing and interview technique will be covered. Two-hour interactive lecture/seminars will introduce students to careers resources and ideas, but will also include discussion and group work.
View The Humanities Graduate: Future Pathways on our Module Directory
COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY
Ensemble Theatre Practical Project
(15 CREDITS)
This course offers students the opportunity to work collaboratively as part of an ensemble to create, rehearse, and realise a practical theatre project. Through guided workshops and rehearsals, students will explore ensemble-based approaches to performance, focusing on shared authorship, collaboration, and collective creativity.
View Ensemble Theatre Practical Project on our Module Directory
COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY
Tragedy and Theatre Writing
(15 CREDITS)
How are Aristotle’s theories about tragedy still useful? How have they been modified or rejected by playwrights since? And can you write a short tragedy? Examine tragedy in theatre, from classic Greek tragedy to now. Understand how playwrights adapt tragic forms and structures to speak more powerfully to their audience.
COMPONENT 02: COMPULSORY
Performing Gender and Identity
(15 CREDITS)
Can theatre make a significant contribution to shifting and impassioned debates about gender, feminism and identity? This module examines how the theatre, from Shakespeare's times to the present day, has explored our inherited scripts of gender, and has challenged how we perform these scripts in life and art. Here we apply gender theory and feminist criticism to examine an exciting range of plays and performance styles, and ask students to make their own piece of theatre in response. This is a module that examines gender from many intersectional perspectives, for anyone curious to understand the many ways perceptions of gender influence identity, image, expression and power.
COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY
Directing Actors for Film
(15 CREDITS)
Focusing on a number of different approaches to directing, in this module you learn how to work creatively and collaboratively with actors for film. You take inspiration from famous film directors and critically analyse their directing style. You cover the process of directing from start to finish, from script analysis for casting, rehearsals and film production. It involves both theoretical and practice-based sessions, allowing you to study directing in a realistic environment.
COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY
Acting and Directing Classical Texts
(15 CREDITS)
This module focuses on three plays and enables a deep understanding of each and the different challenges they offer the actor and the director. Students are asked to negotiate their own creative voices in relation to plays and roles written centuries ago, investigating what it means to perform these plays today.
View Acting and Directing Classical Texts on our Module Directory
Entry requirements
Clearing entry requirements
We currently have places available in Clearing across a range of our courses with most offers expected to be made at CCD - CDD (88 - 80 UCAS tariff points) or equivalent. A complete breakdown of expected Clearing entry requirements, by course, is available on our Clearing entry requirements page.
We consider each application individually and requirements may be lower for some of our courses, so please still get in touch if your grades are below those outlined.
English language requirements
English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component, or specified score in an equivalent test that we accept.
Details of English language requirements and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here
If we accept the English component of an international qualification it will be included in the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.
Pre-sessional English courses
If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.
Additional Notes
If you’re an international student, but do not meet the academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College
Fees and funding
Home/UK fee
£9,790 per year
International fee
£21,500 per year
Fees will increase for each academic year of study.
If your course has the option to include a placement year or study abroad, and you choose to do so, you will pay the following:
Placement year
20% of your standard tuition fee for that year
Study abroad
Full year abroad
15% of your standard tuition fee for that year
Single term abroad
Standard tuition fee
Scholarships and financial support
There may be scholarships, bursaries or discounts available to help with the cost of this course.
Fees and funding guide
What's next
Open Days
Our events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex. We run a number of Open Days throughout the year which enable you to discover what our campus has to offer. You have the chance to:
- tour our campus and accommodation
- find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
- meet our students and staff
Check out our Visit Us pages to find out more information about booking onto one of our events. And if the dates aren’t suitable for you, feel free to book a campus tour here.
2026 Open Days (Colchester Campus)
How to apply during Clearing
Once you’ve checked that we have the right course for you, applying couldn’t be simpler. Fill in our quick and easy Clearing application form with as much detail as you can. We’ll then take a look and get back to you with a decision.
If you already hold an offer from Essex
Please don't reapply through Clearing. We'll review your existing application using our Clearing entry requirements. If you're worried about meeting your offer or would like to change course, please contact our Admissions Team on ugquery@essex.ac.uk.
Interviews
We don’t require an interview for most of our courses that are available through Clearing, however there are some courses such as those in our School of Health and Social Care and East 15 Acting School where an interview (or audition) may be required. If this is something that’s required for the course you have applied for, we’ll email you with all of the details.
Visit Colchester Campus
Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.
Virtual tours
If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360-degree virtual tour allows you to explore our University from the comfort of your home. Check out our Colchester virtual tour to see accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.
At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.
The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.
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