Drama and Philosophy
Drama and philosophy might seem an unlikely pairing, but they share a concern with fundamental questions about human experience, consciousness, morality, and the nature of reality that makes them powerful intellectual companions. Drama studies the performing arts as creative practice and cultural form, asking how theatre is made, what it communicates, and what role it plays in social and political life. Philosophy investigates the foundations of knowledge, ethics, logic, and metaphysics, equipping you to analyse arguments and engage rigorously with ideas that resist simple answers.
Together, they train you to think carefully, to make imaginatively, and to move fluently between theory and practice.
At Royal Holloway, drama sits within one of the largest and most internationally recognised departments of its kind. This three-year full-time degree allows you to create performances and analyse texts while bringing philosophical ideas to bear on your work in the theatre. You will develop your understanding of theatre history and theory alongside practical skills in performance and production, and you will study philosophy in ways that feed directly into your creative practice.
The integration of theory and practice is central to the programme's philosophy: thinking and doing are treated not as separate activities but as mutually illuminating ones. A sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement opportunities are all built into the degree, giving you structured ways to develop professionally and internationally alongside your studies. The typical entry tariff is 136 points.
Graduates from drama and philosophy programmes follow varied paths. Many work in theatre and the performing arts as practitioners, directors, or writers. Others move into education, arts management, community arts, broadcasting, journalism, or the creative industries more broadly.
The philosophical training adds options in law, consultancy, public policy, and research. Postgraduate study in drama, philosophy, performance studies, or education is a natural next step for those wishing to deepen their practice or scholarship.