Careers
Benefit from our consistent focus on skills and employability and professional development during the course, giving you opportunities to plan and prepare for the next career step after your degree.
Our graduates typically find employment working in theatre companies as performers, or behind the scenes as directors and producers. Some seek to become self-employed as teachers or to set up theatre companies or music groups. Other areas include healthcare, arts administration, and publishing.
You can also choose to pursue further study, doing a masters, or MPhil/PhD that could lead to becoming a researcher or lecturer. Some of our graduates become drama teachers, either freelance, or by doing the Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in order to teach in primary or secondary schools.
Employers value the abilities and skills you develop during the course, including:
- creativity
- initiative
- confidence and self-awareness
- outstanding communication skills
- team work and collaboration
- realisation of a project from its inception to the finished performance.
Industry links
Make use of the close links we have fostered with leading theatre companies and professional artists while you’re with us, and gain extra experience that will open up your career prospects.
- Theatre directors Yukio Ninagawa and Eugenio Barba hold honorary doctorates from University of Plymouth, as does the renowned performance artist Marina Abramović
- The influential performers Russell Maliphant and Wendy Houstoun have used our theatre to create and preview work prior to London premieres
- Jordi Cortés and Kirstie Simson have performed and taught professional development workshops, which some of our third year and postgraduate students have taken part in
- Our partner organisations include the Barbican Theatre Plymouth, Plymouth Dance, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Attik Dance.
Develop relationships with potential employers and theatre companies as you progress through your degree that will prove invaluable when you apply for internships, part-time and freelance workshop and teaching opportunities, project and performance work with theatre companies, and other relevant work in arts management and funding.
Work-based learning and professional development
Create a strong career portfolio with work-based learning and professional development opportunities that will boost your skills and expertise, and enhance your employability. Our students have:
- worked at the Barbican Theatre Plymouth and The Theatre Royal Plymouth
- performed and taught with Exim Dance Company
- delivered workshops at the Marine Academy School
- engaged with youth projects at Attik Dance.