BA (Hons) Drama: Applied Theatre and Community Performance Bachelor's degree at Goldsmiths, University of London
BA (Hons) Drama: Applied Theatre and Community Performance at GUL. You'll engage with core theory alongside applied methods and specialist options, developing the conceptual and practical skills needed to make theatre that responds to communities and social needs.
About this course
BA (Hons) Drama: Applied Theatre and Community Performance is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at GUL, based in Goldsmiths College. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Drama graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £24,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Music & Performing Arts, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2021-23. Continuation 80% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 5 modules
- Core Techniques in ActingCore30 credits
Module details
This module introduces you to foundational acting, voice, and movement practices that underpin contemporary actor training. You will develop core skills in presence, impulse, breath, articulation, physical readiness, imagination, character, and scene work. You will learn how to prepare, rehearse, and refine short scenes, applying the techniques explored across the module and beginning to articulate your own emerging process as an actor-maker.
- Performance Making SkillsCore30 credits
Module details
Performance Making Skills introduces the foundational principles of contemporary performance making. Through studio workshops and practical making sessions, you will explore how performance takes form through bodies, materials, ensembles and space. You will explore how performance is generated, shaped, rehearsed and shared. The module emphasises curiosity, experimentation, dramaturgical thinking, collective responsibility and creative responsiveness.
- Performance Making 1Core30 credits
Module details
Performance Making 1 builds on the work undertaken in Performance Making Skills by offering you the opportunity to put these skills into practice in the creation of a short group performance. You will also gain practical experience of the relationship between the different roles that make up a theatre company, where you will be able to explore such roles as director, scenographer, choreographer, and stage management, within either a collaborative, devising process (Acting and Performance Making)
- Critical WritingCore15 credits
Module details
The module aims to explore the topic of critical writing generally and in discipline-specific contexts so you can continually develop your skills by applying them to your ongoing critical and creative work. You will learn critical writing as a skill that helps you to develop your research and creative practice alongside the completion of academic work. You will learn to critical analyse and evaluate existing texts and your own work through a diversity of critical perspectives.
- Contemporary Creative IndustriesCore15 credits
Module details
In this module you will develop your practical understanding of, and critical perspective on, the ways in which creative work is commercially produced, disseminated and 'consumed'. You will gain an overview of the contemporary creative industries' foundational concepts, occupational roles, stakeholders, organizations, business practices and personalities. As well as studying dominant modes of industrial production and consumption, you will consider practices through which creators and their supp
Year 2 6 modules
- Acting: New Contexts and TechnologiesCore30 credits
Module details
In this module you will explore how emerging technologies and contemporary contexts are expanding and reshaping the actor's craft across both training and performance settings. You will be introduced to the fundamentals of screen acting, and technologies and techniques for generating audio-based performance and will learn how to apply your acting skills to screen and audio formats. You will be introduced to and experiment with approaches to acting within online, recorded, virtual and hybrid sett
- Performance Making ModesCore30 credits
Module details
Performance Making Modes builds on the core skills that you acquired on your first year Performance Making modules and offers you opportunities to go in depth in your chosen mode of performance making. Across the module, you will consider histories of representation (including associated political and ethical questions) and be introduced to a range of ground breaking and/or experimental performance practices through a combination of seminars, workshops and practical making sessions. You will cho
- Performance Making 2Core30 credits
Module details
Performance Making 2 supports you in putting the skills and experiments you have explored during the Autumn term into practice through the creation of a short group performance of original material. In doing this, you will also gain your first experience of working as a small company where you will take on a specific role of your choosing and will gain more specialist skills and experience in this area. As such, this module is the culmination of your work in Year 2 of the degree. You will develo
- The Goldsmiths ProjectCore15 credits
- Workshop Facilitation: Theory and PracticeOptional15 credits
Module details
This Module will introduce you to some of the key theories, concerns and methods for designing and facilitating participatory arts workshops in a range of socially engaged contexts. You will work in small groups to design and deliver a workshop that critically speaks to a chosen theme and a participant community that you seek to collaborate with. Through a series of workshops that explore the underlying themes of facilitation practice, you will be invited to engage with pedagogic theory and issu
- Global Theatre TopicsOptional15 credits
Module details
This modules aims to equip you with the skills to: Situate theatre and performance genres and movements in their historical, cultural and political contexts, taking account of their relationship to other art forms; Approach and conceptualise theatre and performance histories from a range of perspectives and contexts, engaging with both primary and secondary resources; Develop analytical, evaluative and communicative skills in expressing coherent insights and arguments. On the module, you will ch
Year 3 2 modules
- Acting and Professional PracticeCore30 credits
Module details
Building on your previous learning, you will deepen your understanding of the acting techniques and methodologies introduced in Levels 4 and 5 and apply them in rehearsal models and performance contexts. You will also be introduced to new methods and practitioners from across the globe, reflecting the diverse practices that underpin contemporary performance. You will investigate various areas of professional practice, including headshots and showreels/portfolios, as necessary tools for building
- Performance Making LaboratoriesCore30 credits
Module details
This module will act as a testing-ground for experimental approaches to performance-making across multiple disciplines. You will be encouraged to explore, to take risks, to be self-reflexive and critically engaged. You will engage in in-depth thinking and making through a series of lectures, workshop/seminars, as well as through related self-led learning tasks and critical reading/viewing. This module will allow you to elect a specialism from a rotating selection of options. For example: Devised
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study drama through applied theatre and community performance, focusing on how theatre can be used in social and community contexts. A course like this typically moves from foundational performance and dramaturgical skills in Year 1, including ensemble work, script analysis and the history of applied theatre, to developing specialist practice in Year 2, where you'll explore community engagement, workshop facilitation and theatre-making beyond the conventional stage. Year 3 deepens your chosen specialisation, such as participatory performance, devised theatre or community arts practice, and culminates in a major project or portfolio demonstrating your practice. Throughout, you'll usually combine practical workshops with critical reflection on theatre's social impact.
Who it's for
This course suits you if you're curious about theatre's social role and want hands-on experience making work in partnership with communities rather than purely studying texts and traditions. You'll thrive if you combine creative instinct with genuine interest in how art intersects with people's lives, whether that means facilitating workshops, devising participatory performances or designing cultural projects. You should be comfortable with both critical thinking and practical experimentation; you'll write essays and lead rehearsals, analyse theory and test ideas in real spaces. If you want to understand theatre as a living practice tied to specific places and audiences, not just an aesthetic discipline, this path will feel purposeful and concrete.
Careers & job market
Across Music & Performing Arts courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Of those in work, 55% are in highly skilled roles or additional study. Starting salaries (at 15 months) typically fall between £20,000 and £28,000, though earnings vary widely depending on role and sector. After five years, the range is £19,975 to £28,200. Career paths include theatre-making, community arts facilitation, arts education, cultural development, project management in the cultural sector, and further postgraduate study in related fields.
University & format
This is a full-time, three-year Bachelor's degree (BA Hons) taught in English at Goldsmiths College, part of the University of London, a public university located in London. Goldsmiths is a nationally recognised degree-awarding body; your qualification will be recognised across the UK. The university received a Bronze award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 73% |
| Other | 14% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 10% |
| another higher-education qualification | 3% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code W410). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at GUL →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Music & Performing Arts graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £24,000 | £20,000 – £28,000 | 1875 |
| 3 years after | £24,000 | £14,500 – £29,500 | 60 |
| 5 years after | £27,000 | £21,000 – £33,000 | 60 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 1,875. Cohort 2021-22.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in music & performing arts · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Music & Performing Arts nationally
National figures for Music & Performing Arts graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
continued or completed
continued into the next year or completed their qualification
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 1,875. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Music & Performing Arts courses at the same study level.
Compared with 527 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Job market & outlook
How Music & Performing Arts graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Music & Performing Arts graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Orchestras & ensembles
- Schools & conservatoires
- Studios & venues
- Media & freelance
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Music & Performing Arts graduates.
Is this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £24,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.2 out of 10: NSS 65% · continued 80%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Goldsmiths College
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Goldsmiths College
754 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Music & Performing Arts right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to GUL from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £22,000 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check GUL’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with GUL and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at GUL
Music & Performing Arts at other universities
BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre Studies (with integrated foundation year)Aberystwyth University
BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre Studies (with integrated year in professional practice)Aberystwyth University
BA (Hons) Drama & Theatre StudiesAberystwyth University
BA (Hons) Creative Industries Futures (including Foundation Year)ACMCommon questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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