Read on to understand the key features of a small specialist arts institution like Central and how our degrees differ from those at a large multi-faculty university.
A university degree
If you complete a course at a small specialist institution like Central you will graduate with the same level qualification as you would receive at a larger university - it’s how you get that degree that’s different from your average university!
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (Central for short) is a constituent college of the University of London and we offer undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees.
High contact hours
If you opt for a more traditional university programme, your lectures, seminars and workshops may be spread across the week with more time allocated for independent learning. At Central you can expect a pretty full schedule with the majority of your training taking place face-to-face with staff, students and peers in spaces specially designed for theatre and performance.
Practical training
Many of the subjects available at drama school are directed at a specific career, such as acting or designing sets for theatre. Training will be hands-on so that you learn through doing, often alongside professionals with established careers in the industry.
It is through practical training, networking and exposure to the industry that our students graduate with a clear direction of travel, often with a 5-year-plan in their back pockets.
Industry connections
In addition to learning from industry professionals, many courses offer the opportunity for professional placements, so you have real-world experience before you’ve even graduated.
For example, students on our BA (Hons) Drama, Applied Theatre and Education course have completed placements at Royal Court Theatre, National Theatre, Graeae Theatre Company and Shakespeare’s Globe.
Fully-realised, professionally-supported public productions also give students the chance to showcase their work to industry figures and agents.
Join a community
Performing arts institutions are hubs for creative people who challenge the status quo. Central is a network of socially-engaged, dynamic people with passion, opinions and ideas. Courses place an emphasis on sharing and collaboration. Small class sizes mean you get to know other students well, while an active Student Union can ensure you make friends and connections further afield through a rota of social activities.
We might be small, but students still get a full university experience.
Versatility
Whilst developing you as a specialist in your chosen field, many courses teach transferable skills suitable for a range of contexts such as film, TV, theatre, live events, arts administration, teaching and more.
Our alumni go on to a whole range of roles across the industry and the world. You can find out more about who our alumni are and what they do here.
Specialist facilities
At a performing arts institution you can expect theatres, studios, recording rooms, props workshops, wardrobe departments and movement spaces.
We also have an extensive library with over 35000 titles relating to performing arts and adjacent topics like philosophy and psychology.
Our campus is small but highly-equipped for performing arts training. Want to see for yourself? View our virtual tour from wherever you are in the world or book a campus tour.
A practice for life
Central is a community of people passionately dedicated to the arts. You will develop skills, behaviours and networks to sustain your practice long after you graduate. Whether you’re a performer, a designer, a writer or any other type of practitioner, specialist training can help you to figure out who you are and what matters to you.
Innovation
Central’s graduates are known for being forward-thinking. We welcome people who are keen to take risks and experiment, and we provide the space for you to do so. While you will learn how the industry currently works, you’ll be encouraged to explore new approaches, from finding sustainable ways of dying fabrics as a costume maker to experimenting with acting methods.
Mind-set
Our training is underpinned by a simple ethos: Respect, Innovate, Share, Enquire (RISE). Central’s courses help students to develop these invaluable qualities and take them into the industry and the world. A co-operative and curious mind-set will help you to thrive in your career.
