Drama

A drama degree can set you up for a career in the performing arts but you'll need to be adaptable, enterprising and persistent to succeed in this competitive environment

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

• Actor
• Broadcast presenter
• Community arts worker
• Dramatherapist
• Runner, broadcasting/film/video
• Theatre director
• Theatre stage manager

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Arts administrator
• Choreographer
• Film director
• Further education teacher
• Media researcher
• Music producer
• Secondary school teacher
• Special effects technician
• Talent agent
• Television/film/video producer
• Television floor manager
• Theatre manager

Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Work experience

The performing arts sector is competitive and so gaining work experience to build your skills and get exposure to industry professionals can help. This can include joining drama societies at university or local amateur dramatics clubs. You can also sign up to an agency for work as an extra and for small roles or adverts.

For television or theatre roles, attend theatre and studio open days, industry insight sessions and tours where possible. These could be organised by your university or by the theatres and studios themselves. You can also make speculative applications to local theatres or TV companies asking for any experience they can offer. Even if opportunities are in basic roles, you’ll still learn a lot about the industry and make important contacts.

It’s also helpful to subscribe to industry newsletters and publications to keep up with developments and opportunities. Ensure you take advantage of your university's existing internships and partnerships, such as local studios and venues.

Find out more about work experience and internships.

Typical employers

Organisations that often employ drama graduates include:

• arts organisations, including theatres
• media companies, including TV and film production companies
• educational institutions
• hospitality and leisure organisations.

The internet is also a growth area for acting, through things like viral marketing videos or online content related to film and TV programmes. You may also be able to find work with museums and heritage organisations that employ actors as living history interpreters.

To work in a drama-based role you'll need to be resilient and proactive, as roles are competitive and rarely permanent.

Many drama graduates form portfolio careers by combining different jobs - often part-time roles and freelance work, to make up roughly the equivalent of full-time work. To enjoy and succeed at portfolio working, or any self-employment, you will need strong organisation and networking skills.   

You may also choose to go into an alternative role to acting, such as teaching, marketing, journalism or recruitment.

Find information on employers in creative arts and design, leisure, sport and tourism, media and internet, and other job sectors.

Skills for your CV

You'll gain specialist skills in performance, interpreting texts and script writing. You may also acquire technical theatre and directing skills (these differ between each drama programme).

Drama degrees also provide you with broad skills that are in demand across all industries, including:

• teamwork, to create group performances
• working well under pressure and meeting deadlines, from learning lines and producing live work
• creative/critical thinking skills, to interpret scripts and bring them to life
• presentation and verbal communication, through frequent performing
• written communication skills, through producing academic work and possibly scripts
• quick thinking and improvisation skills, to ensure live performances and assessments run smoothly
• self-motivation, to rehearse and continuously develop performance
• negotiation and conflict management skills, to create a shared concept within groups.

Further study

Further study is a popular option for drama graduates. It can build on your degree and help you refine your performance-based skills, while allowing you to continue making contacts. Masters are available in a range of topics including acting, performance, musical theatre, directing and technical theatre and can help to focus on specific areas of interest.

Certain professional roles, like teaching or drama therapy, require additional qualifications at postgraduate level so research these if you are considering taking a different route.

Studying something unrelated to drama is also an option and can diversify your skillset and help you move into other careers.

For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search for postgraduate courses in drama.

What do drama graduates do?

A tenth (10%) of drama graduates are working as actors, entertainers and presenters 15 months after graduation. Moreover, 4% are working as arts officers, producers and directors, with a further 4% working as photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators. 2% are in design occupations and 1% are working as media professionals.

Find out what other drama graduates are doing 15 months after finishing their degrees in What do graduates do?

Graduate Outcomes survey data from HESA.