Overview

The teaching area in drama provides you with a comprehensive overview of theatrical literature and history and a grounding in production work. Through performances, workshops and practical classes, ACU’s drama sequence develops your skills in many areas including theatre production, stage management, direction, and acting, as well as knowledge of theatre history and repertoire. You’ll gain transferrable skills in communication and public speaking, allowing you to seek employment in the performing arts industry or use the skills developed in other professional contexts. When combined with an appropriate tertiary teaching qualification, the drama major is a pathway to becoming a secondary-school drama teacher. You do not need any previous theatre experience and there are no prerequisites for studying this sequence at ACU.

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Completion requirements

Students in the

  • Bachelor of Education (Secondary) and Bachelor of Education (Primary and Secondary) must complete:

First teaching area:

  • 60 cp from Drama Discipline Area units (Part A)
  • 20 cp from Drama Undergraduate Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (CPA) units (Part C.1)

OR

Second teaching area:

  • 40 cp from Drama Discipline Area units (Part B)
  • 20 cp from Drama Undergraduate Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (CPA) units (Part C.1)


  • Bachelor of Education (Primary and Secondary) must complete:

First teaching area:

  • 60 cp from Drama Discipline Area units (Part A)
  • 20 cp from Drama Undergraduate Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (CPA) units (Part C.1)


  • Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Arts must complete:
  • 20 cp from Drama Undergraduate Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (CPA) units (Part C.1)

*Please note students should also complete the Drama Major (First Teaching Area) or Minor (Secondary Teaching Area) as part of the Bachelor of Arts


  • Master of Teaching (Secondary)
  • Master of Teaching (Secondary) (Internship)
  • Master of Teaching (Secondary) (Leading Learning)
  • Master of Teaching (Secondary) /Graduate Certificate in Religious Education
  • Bachelor of Arts/Master of Teaching (Secondary)
  • Bachelor of Arts (Western Civilisation)/Master of Teaching (Secondary) must complete:
  • 20 cp from Drama Postgraduate Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (CPA) units (Part C.2)

Students taking Drama as their First Teaching Area in the Bachelor of Education (Secondary) or Bachelor of Education (Primary and Secondary) must complete 60 credit points of Drama Discipline units as outlined below.

Part A.1 AND Part A.2 AND Part A.3

    Part A.1 : 100-level units

    Complete 10 to 20 credit points from the following:

  • PERF102Theatre Making: Essentials of Theatre Production10 CP
  • PERF104Drama's Greatest Hits: Performing Drama History10 CP

    • Part A.2 : 200-level units

    Complete 10 to 30 credit points from the following:

  • PERF200Theatre for Young People10 CP
  • PERF203Plays and Playhouses10 CP
  • PERF205Devising Theatre: Performance and Production Methods10 CP
  • PERF207Australian Drama: History, Performance and Perspectives10 CP
  • PERF208On Stage: Body and Voice in Performance and Production10 CP
  • PERF211Revolutionary Spirit: Staging Modern Politics10 CP
  • PERF215On Screen: Movies, TV, Video Games10 CP
  • PERF220All the World's a Stage: Critical Approaches to Global Drama10 CP
  • PERF221The Director's Laboratory10 CP
  • PERF222Staging the End of the World: Apocalypse, Conspiracy and Conflict10 CP

    • Part A.3 : 300-level units

    Complete at least 20 credit points from the following:

  • PERF302Independent Drama Project: Research and Practice10 CP
  • PERF318"That Is the Question": Shakespeare and Renaissance Theatre10 CP
  • PERF319Theatre Production and Performance10 CP
  • PERF321Plays That Shook the World10 CP
  • ENGL338Adaptation: From Page to Screen10 CP

    300-level cross-credited electives

  • HUMA318The Literature and Drama of New York City10 CP

    300-level cross-credited electives

  • HUMA320Major Creative Project10 CP

    300-level cross-credited electives. Restriction requirement for HUMA320. Permission from the National Head of School or Course Coordinator is required prior to enrolling in this unit if you wish to count towards a particular major.

  • HUMA332Arts and Humanities Special Project10 CP

    300-level cross-credited electives. Permission from the National Head of School or Course Coordinator is required. Quotas apply. An application process will apply for special projects on offer and academic merit will be considered. The student must be undertaking a major taught by the National School of Arts and Humanities (not including Mathematics and Technology).

Students taking Drama as their Second Teaching Area in the Bachelor of Education (Secondary) must complete 40 credit points of Drama Discipline units as outlined below.

Part B.1 AND Part B.2

    Part B.1 : 100-level units

    Complete 10 to 20 credit points from the following:

  • PERF102Theatre Making: Essentials of Theatre Production10 CP
  • PERF104Drama's Greatest Hits: Performing Drama History10 CP

    • Part B.2 : 200 and 300-level units

    Complete 20 to 30 credit points from the following:

  • PERF200Theatre for Young People10 CP
  • PERF203Plays and Playhouses10 CP
  • PERF205Devising Theatre: Performance and Production Methods10 CP
  • PERF207Australian Drama: History, Performance and Perspectives10 CP
  • PERF208On Stage: Body and Voice in Performance and Production10 CP
  • PERF211Revolutionary Spirit: Staging Modern Politics10 CP
  • PERF215On Screen: Movies, TV, Video Games10 CP
  • PERF220All the World's a Stage: Critical Approaches to Global Drama10 CP
  • PERF221The Director's Laboratory10 CP
  • PERF222Staging the End of the World: Apocalypse, Conspiracy and Conflict10 CP
  • PERF302Independent Drama Project: Research and Practice10 CP
  • PERF318"That Is the Question": Shakespeare and Renaissance Theatre10 CP
  • PERF319Theatre Production and Performance10 CP
  • PERF321Plays That Shook the World10 CP
  • ENGL338Adaptation: From Page to Screen10 CP

    300-level cross-credited electives

  • HUMA318The Literature and Drama of New York City10 CP

    300-level cross-credited electives

  • HUMA320Major Creative Project10 CP

    300-level cross-credited electives Restriction requirement for HUMA320. Permission from the National Head of School or Course Coordinator is required prior to enrolling in this unit if you wish to count towards a particular major.

  • HUMA332Arts and Humanities Special Project10 CP

    300-level cross-credited electives Permission from the National Head of School or Course Coordinator is required. Quotas apply. An application process will apply for special projects on offer and academic merit will be considered. The student must be undertaking a major taught by the National School of Arts and Humanities (not including Mathematics and Technology).

Part C.1 OR Part C.2

    Part C.1 : Undergraduate CPA units

    Part C.1.1 AND Part C.1.2

    Part C.1.1 : Junior Secondary CPA unit

    Complete exactly 10 credit points from the following:

  • EDDR250Pedagogical Studies in Drama (7 to 10)10 CP
    • Part C.1.2 : Senior Secondary CPA unit

    Complete exactly 10 credit points from the following:

  • EDCU350Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment for Senior Studies 110 CP

    Study as part of the First Teaching Area

  • EDCU351Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment for Senior Studies 210 CP

    Study as part of the Second Teaching Area

  • EDCU352Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment for Senior Studies 310 CP

    Study as part of the Second Teaching Area

    • Part C.2 : Postgraduate CPA units

    Part C.2.1 AND Part C.2.2

    Part C.2.1 : Junior Secondary CPA unit

    Complete exactly 10 credit points from the following:

  • EDDR550Pedagogical Studies in Drama (7 to 10)10 CP
    • Part C.2.2 : Senior Secondary CPA unit

    Complete exactly 10 credit points from the following:

  • EDCU650Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment for Senior Studies 110 CP

    Study as part of the First Teaching Area

  • EDCU651Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment for Senior Studies 210 CP

    Study as part of the Second Teaching Area

  • EDCU652Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment for Senior Studies 310 CP

    Study as part of the Second Teaching Area

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