Music, Film and Drama are art forms that speak to the very core of human experience; they impact our lives every day. This 4-year programme allows students to immerse themselves in the close study of these forms, to understand them from cultural and historical perspectives, and to explore the ways in which they influence and transform each other. Learn how to understand the inner workings of these art forms. Deepen your knowledge of their historical development. Research and write about the important place of these arts in society.

The first year of the programme builds students’ vocabulary and fluency in key analytical techniques and introduces students to the cultural and historical contexts of music, film and drama. Second year modules broaden the scope of inquiry, moving from central texts and practices to the representation of lesser-known voices and issues. In your third and fourth years of the programme, you will forge your own path, taking modules that focus on specific genres and/or issues in these art forms. You can also choose to incorporate a one-semester humanities internship or study abroad. In the final year, students will work on a major dissertation which will allow them to produce a sustained research project on a topic of their choice, working one-on-one with an expert in their field.

First Year

• Composition, Performance, and Reception
• Intro to Physical Theatre
• Musicianship
• The Theatrical Event
• Introduction to Film & Media (including case studies in digital innovation, film, television and other media forms)
• Music, Culture and Society
• Theatre Context and Conventions
• Performance Electives.

Second Year

• Producing Music, Film and Drama
• Popular Music and Culture
• Staging Performance
• Documentary and Ethnography
• Music History Since 1750
• History of TV
• Irish Theatre
• Action Adventure Cinema
• Musics of the World
• Performance Electives
• UCD Special Collections: Archival Research Methods.

Third Year

You will choose from a range of options that will enable you to broaden your horizons and enrich your academic experience:

• Apply for a competitive internship in an area that interests you and/or relates to your area of study.
• Study abroad for a trimester/year to develop your language skills and immerse yourself in a new culture.
• Deepen your knowledge by studying a dedicated range of Music, Film and Drama modules, including: The Symphony & European Culture, Contemporary Alternative Cinema, Staging Texts, Educational Drama & Augusto Boal, Topics in Ethnomusicology, Contemporary Theatre in Performance, Performance Electives.

Fourth Year

• Dissertation
• The Oedipus Myth
• Modernism and Avant-Garde
• Screen Comedy
• Music and Film
• Revolutions in 20th Century World Theatre
• Animation
• The Orchestra
• Beckett in Performance
• Melodrama in Film and Theatre
• Performance Electives.

For detailed information on subject content click here.

You may be interested in the following Blog posts: A Stage 1 English with Film student discusses his involvement with UCD Drama Society.

Exchange partners include universities in France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Japan, USA, Australia.

The 4-year pathway prepares graduates to pursue careers in Theatre, Music Industry, Journalism,
Media, Arts Administration, Education, Academia, Performance.

In addition to MLitt and PhD programmes in Music, Drama and Film, UCD offers the following taught graduate degrees:

• MMus (Musicology or Ethnomusicology)
• MA in Drama and Performance Studies

• Level 5/6 QQI-FET
  
• Open Learning Entry Route
• Mature Entry Route
• DARE Entry Route
  
• HEAR Entry Route
  
• University Access
  

UCD School of Music
Newman,
Belfield,
Dublin 4

Tel: +353 1 716 8178
Email: music@ucd.ie