What is so wrong with Drama Degrees?!?!

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Mr. Mortell

I think Drama degrees are perfectly fine. People often have misconceptions about subjects that they haven't studied. I don't know why they feel like the have to belittle any people studying Drama. It is very similar in terms of skill set to English Literature, expect there is more creative elements in regards to creating performance.

I think many people assume that Drama degrees lead to acting, which isn't the case really. If you wanted to act seriously, you'd do an Acting degree and learn how to do so. Perhaps they think we spend all of our time just pretending to be trees et cetera. Any practical work I've done this year has resulted in essays upon essays!

Oh, and you can only go anonymous on the Health & Relationship forum.

Saying that though....I was once a tree in college....though I was a tree based on Munchs Madonna so it's not too bad. :wink:

and thanks for that....I didn't know :biggrin:

Reply 21

beccaarr

Reilly

I found that loads of people who are "good" at drama GCSE can't hack the A level stuff....

I got an A at GCSE.
B at AS and A level, but I've never worked so hard for anything before in my life. There were a few times where I wondered if I could actually do it. So glad I kept going though!

Reply 22

e-lover

Dramatic arts is quite an astonoshing subject. Especially when you go deeper into the whole 'method' way of acting. It's fascinating stuff. I totally respect it.

Reply 23

beccaarr

I can't watch anything now without going into the whole method thing. its getting annoying.

Anyway, you can hardly say drama is an easy subject. Its one of the hardest courses to get onto for degree level. Especially the acting courses. I'm still proud of the fact the course I'm doing in September only takes 20 people!

Reply 24

Valkyrja

Jizzabelle

I took it expecting to study scripts and shakespeare, oh how wrong I was :frown:

Yeah at GCSE drama is not going to be shakespeare orientated...basically because to 'perform' shakespeare and understand the way the writing techniques translate to voice and how to interpret them takes a while...especially because you have to approach it from both an intellectual and instinctive stance (and have you ever heard anyone who was disinterested and a little dim recite shakespeare in class.....it's painful!).

Scripts don't get studied because then it would be English lit, you can't just study the words you need to study the 'potential performance' which it is again pretty hard to teach the vast majority of 14-16 year olds how to do.

If you like drama try AS, dependant on what syllabus is available(edexcel is best for oxbridge), it can be a pretty interesting subject, especially combined with English lit (I used my Eng lit A2 notes for my Drama A2 notes actually). A2 is always better than AS as well on most syllabuses.

Reply 25

malleablegrace

Blimey woman! Screw the people who disrespect drama, they're the people it's not worth wasting energy on as they'll never understand why it's good. I always wanted to study drama but didn't do it at GCSE because the people that picked on me were in that class as they thought it'd be a 'doss'. (Really wasn't.) I wish I could have taken it further but didn't. You are one of the most intelligent, lovely and articulate people I have the pleasure of talking to. You can't prove to people what they don't want to believe. Annoying, but true. Drama is a real subject and you know it. Keep up with it, you're obviously brilliant (Drama at Bristol? I think so!) so bugger everyone who is too narrow minded to appreciate it. :smile:

Reply 26

Valkyrja

malleablegrace

Blimey woman! Screw the people who disrespect drama, they're the people it's not worth wasting energy on as they'll never understand why it's good. You are one of the most intelligent, lovely and articulate people I have the pleasure of talking to. You can't prove to people what they don't want to believe. Annoying, but true. Drama is a real subject and you know it. Keep up with it, you're obviously brilliant (Drama at Bristol? I think so!) so bugger everyone who is too narrow minded to appreciate it.

Haha! Thanks hun *warm and fuzzy feeling descends*

:biggrin:

Reply 27

username163092

Maybe people think it's "easy" because of the way it's thought of at GCSE - I took drama GCSE and most of the people in my class were there because they thought it was a doss lesson, which made the exam hard for me, because I had to get them to turn up to rehearsals.

Anyway, ignore those that say it's easy. I don't think it is (I couldn't hack GCSE, so of course I wouldn't LOL).

Reply 28

Fjarskafinn

What's wrong with people doing a degree in something they love? :smile:

And, as e-lover says, the method and theory behind drama is really interesting: my brother leaves his books lying around and they're good to have a nose into!

Reply 29

Valkyrja

I just got neg'd for this thread.... :rolleyes:

stupid people.

Reply 30

DaveJ

Lol can't believe you got negged; people's arrogance is ridiculous.

Reply 31

Valkyrja

Meh people are just ignorant.

Reply 32

anna_spanner89

As someone doing a science degree, i have a lot of respect for those who do drama and theatre studies...

theres a whole load of skills to learn, you need to be on the ball and talented aswell, i have an awful lot of respect for you guys. I love acting, musicals etc..but could never have the energy, patience and passion to do it as a degree! it opens doors to a whole wide range of carrers, not just in performing arts

Reply 33

ciaranfleck

I did Drama for GCSE.. and Theatre Studies for A Level and loved every minute of it. I particularly loved the directing/design aspect of it rather than the actual performance aspect because well I wasn't much good. And I do envy anyone doing Drama as a degree because I enjoyed it so much that I wish sometimes I was still doing it. Under no circumstances therefore would I scoff at anyone who was doing it for a degree and for anyone who judges someone because they do a degree in Drama/Performance Arts, really needs to go examine themselves >.<

Reply 34

scraceus999

beccaarr

NOT true. Medicine, Law, Veterinary Science and Architecture are the hardest to get into by miiiiles.

Some of my architecture courses have 3000 applicants for 100 places. Thats 50 applicants per place. craaazy, and they all ask for AAA. so actually drama isnt the easiest to get into, but it certainly isnt the hardest!!

Reply 35

scraceus999

Reilly

I just got neg'd for this thread.... :rolleyes:

stupid people.

how do you know if you get negged? I dunno how it works :s

Reply 36

beccaarr

scraceus999

Yeh, I said it was ONE of the hardest.
Most proper acting course have 50 applicants to one place. I went to an audition of over 100 people, and only 2 would be offered a place at the most from.

Reply 37

xxstace123xx

I love it at GCSE, of course its a valid degree. Surely it is not too different than going to stage school.

Lots of people just think you act, but there is soooooo much more than that.

Reply 38

errgtertrtertrtert

MJ84

Cos it's for the stupid peoples who will be happy with doing 'extra' work for the rest of their "career"!

thats not true about 'only stupid people doing it' because it is a lot of hard work. i'm not doing the subject myself for gcse because of lack of options but i think that it is wrong for people to be put down for it.

Reply 39

Aconite

Well, I was always very passionate about drama and took acting and speech classes (LAMDA, anyone?) for seven years. I finished all my grades and I think I'm now able to teach it, or at least assist in teaching, but don't quote me on that one.

However, if I had wanted to go down the drama as a career route, I'd have applied to a performing arts school, eg. RADA, Central, Guildhall, Juilliard etc. This is just personal preference, though, and I understand that people's choice of degree is entirely up to them. I'm not going to rubbish anything.