Music & Drama Studies
Studying music will allow you to engage with a range of traditions to acquire a profound understanding of how music works in theory and in creative practice. If you are interested in understanding music and its place in society, developing music technology skills, writing music, or improving your skills as an informed performer, this course could be for you.
Drama exists on and off the stage. Theatre happens in our everyday life. It is the basis for story-telling and other forms of performance within the creative arts.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | University of Dublin |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | University of Dublin | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
4 years full-time
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Minimum Entry Requirements: Irish Leaving Certificate
To be considered for admission to a degree course at the University you must:
Present six subjects, three of which must be at grade 5 or above on higher Leaving Certificate papers or at least grade 5 in the University matriculation examination.
The six subjects above must include:
A pass in English.
A pass in mathematics (or foundation-level mathematics (see note 2)) and a pass in a language other than English
OR
A pass in Latin and a pass in a subject other than a language.
Specific Subjects Required
Music
None
Drama Studies
Special Entry Requirements
This is a restricted entry course. Therefore, applications must be submitted to the CAO by 1 February of the proposed year of entry. If you indicate Drama Studies or Drama and Theatre Studies as a choice of subject, you will be sent a questionnaire to complete in March. Applicants will be accepted based on the completed questionnaire, and those accepted will remain in the competition for places based on Leaving Certificate points.
Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements
To qualify for admission to an honours degree course at the University you must:
1 meet the minimum entry requirements (see above).
2 satisfy course specific requirements (where applicable), see above.
3 where there is competition for places, have good enough examination results to be included among those to whom offers are made (see the Leaving Certificate scoring system or Advanced GCE (A Level) scoring system).
Minimum Entry Requirements: Irish Leaving Certificate
To be considered for admission to a degree course at the University applicants must:
› Present six subjects, three of which must be at grade 5 or above on higher Leaving Certificate papers or at least grade 5 in the University matriculation examination.
The six subjects above must include:
› A pass in English.
› A pass in mathematics (or foundation-level mathematics (see note 2)) and a pass in a language other than English OR
› A pass in Latin and a pass in a subject other than a language.
Notes:
1 A pass means grade O6/H7 or above in the Leaving Certificate and grade 7 or above in the University matriculation examination.
2 Mathematics at foundation-level is acceptable for minimum entry requirements only, for all courses except nursing or midwifery courses. Irish at foundation-level is not acceptable for minimum entry requirements, course requirements or for scoring purposes.
3 Students may combine grades achieved in different sittings of their Leaving Certificate/Matriculation examinations for the purpose of satisfying minimum entry and/or course requirements, but not for the purposes of scoring. This is not permitted for Medicine.
4 Combinations of Leaving Certificate subjects not permitted:
› Physics/chemistry may not be presented with physics or chemistry.
› Biology and agricultural science may not be presented as two of the six subjects required for minimum entry requirements, and they may not be presented together to satisfy course specific requirements. However, both may be used for scoring purposes.
› Art and music may not be offered as two of the three higher Leaving Certificate grades for minimum entry requirements, but both may be used for scoring purposes.
Bonus Points for Higher Level Mathematics
All students presenting H6 or above in higher level mathematics will have 25 points added to their score for mathematics. The bonus points will only be relevant where mathematics is scored as one of a student’s six best subjects for points purposes.
An applicant’s six best results from one sitting of the Leaving Certificate will be counted for scoring purposes. Applicants may combine results from the Leaving Certificate and the Trinity matriculation examination of the same year for scoring purposes.
The minimum entry levels (points) for Trinity in recent years are available at: www.tcd.ie/study/apply/admission-requirements/ undergraduate
Age Requirement
Applicants seeking admission in 2025 must have a date of birth before 15 January 2009.
Garda Vetting
Students on courses with clinical or other professional placements may be required to undergo Garda vetting procedures prior to commencing placements. If, as a result of the outcome of the Garda vetting procedures, students are deemed unsuitable to attend clinical or other professional placement, they may be required to withdraw from their course. Students who have resided outside Ireland for a period of 6 months or more will be required to provide police clearance documentation from the country (including different states) or countries in which they resided.
Students who accept an offer will be informed of the procedures to be followed to complete the vetting process (as part of the student orientation information).
Fitness To Practice
Professional courses demand that certain core competencies are met by students in order to graduate and practice professionally after qualification. Trinity has special responsibility to ensure that all students admitted to all professional programmes will be eligible for registration by the relevant professional body upon graduation. It is important to us that our students are able to fulfil the rigorous demands of professional courses and are fit to practice.
Health Screening
Offers of admission to the following courses are made subject to certain vaccination requirements and/or certain negative test results:
› Clinical Speech and Language Studies
› Orthodontic Therapy, Dental Science, Dental Hygiene, Dental Nursing, and Dental Technology
› Medicine › Nursing and Midwifery
› Occupational Therapy
› Pharmacy
› Physiotherapy
› Radiation Therapy
› Social Studies (Social work)
Full details are available at: www.tcd.ie/study/apply/admissionrequirements/ undergraduate
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
These modules are accepted for scoring purposes only and are awarded the following points: Distinction 66, Merit 46, Pass 28.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
There is an entry route to a number of degree programmes in Trinity for applicants presenting appropriate QQI/FET Level 5 or 6 Major Awards. Applicants presenting distinctions in five modules can be considered for admission.
Full information on courses with QQI entry routes, requirements etc., can be found at the link below.
Careers / Further progression
Music
Graduate skills and career opportunities
The employment record for Trinity’s graduates in Music is excellent. Recent alumni have established successful careers as composers, music producers (for television, radio, or recording companies), performers, conductors, administrators, teachers, and academics in institutions worldwide. Several recent graduates have been commissioned by organisations such as RTÉ. Trinity Music students have an outstanding record of obtaining scholarships for further study abroad as well as from the Arts Council of Ireland. Some have used the analytical and intellectual skills that a Music degree offers to build successful careers in medicine, law, financial investment, and public relations.
Drama
Graduate skills and career opportunities
Many of our graduates seek employment in theatre or related professions and a large percentage of today’s Irish theatre-makers are alumni. Some graduates opt to take further training or apprenticeships, whilst others go straight into working in specialist areas of theatre, film, or television (such as directing, acting, design, playwriting, management, community drama and teaching). Some have formed their own theatre companies; many have won awards. Others have chosen research careers beginning with further study at postgraduate level. Even for graduates who decide not to pursue theatre as a career, the core skills of research, writing, organisation, collaboration, and interpersonal communication that they gain on the course last a lifetime.
Further information
Mature Students
All undergraduate courses in Trinity are open to mature applicants. Mature student applicants are not required to satisfy the normal minimum entry requirements and are not required to meet competitive academic entry levels (such as Leaving Certificate points), but are considered in the first instance on the basis of how relevant their life, work and educational experiences are to the course(s) that they wish to pursue. In addition, all applicants should demonstrate an interest in and knowledge of their course choice(s).
In order to apply to Trinity as a mature applicant you must:
› be an EU applicant (see page 216 TCD Undergraduate Prospectus 2025)
› be at least 23 years of age on 1 January 2025
› submit a CAO application form to the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February 2025
Late applications will not be considered from mature students.
CAO applications may be made online at: www.cao.ie
Further information about applying through the CAO as a mature student can be found www.
For information on Alternative Entry Routes go to: https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/alternative-paths-to-trinity/
Entry 2025 - Restricted Course
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2025 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2025 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid submitting an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all fees are non-refundable.
Restricted Courses
Applying for a restricted course – you must have applied to CAO by 1 February 2025 at 5pm if you wish to apply for a restricted course. The restricted course must be included on your course choices list by that date, or added to your application using the facility to amend course choices (for a fee of €10) before 1 March at 5pm.
Restricted courses normally require additional assessment procedures, for example, the submission of a portfolio, an oral assessment or interview, or a written assessment. Restricted courses are identified in the handbook by the words “(Restricted - see page 3 of the 2025 CAO Handbook)" on the same line as the restricted course’s title. Please make sure to acquaint yourself with the additional requirements, if any, of the restricted course(s) that you have applied for and go to page 24 of the 2025 CAO Handbook for more information about interviews and assessments.
Exception: If a restricted course shares the exact same assessment procedures with a course you had applied for by 1 February 2025, you may be permitted to introduce it on a Change of Mind. You should consult with the relevant HEI before introducing such a course.
Mature Applicants
Mature applicants – most HEIs will require mature applicants, who wish to be assessed on mature grounds, to have applied to CAO by 1st February 2025 at 5pm, and include course choices by that date or add them using the facility to amend course choices (for a fee of €10) before 1 March at 5pm. (This restriction does not apply if the applicant wishes to be considered on the basis of school leaving qualifications only.) For more information about applying to CAO on the basis of mature years go to www.cao.ie/mature
Supplementary Admission Routes
Applying for DARE and/or HEAR – to be considered for DARE and/or HEAR, applicants must have registered on the CAO system by 1 February 2025 at 5pm. To apply to DARE, you must answer YES to Question 1 ('Do you wish to be considered for DARE?) on Section A of the fully completed Supplementary Information Form (SIF) by 5pm on 1 March 2025.
To apply to HEAR, you must indicate on your CAO application that you wish to apply for HEAR and fully and correctly complete all elements of the online HEAR form by 5pm on 1 March 2025.
Supporting documents for DARE and/or HEAR applicants must be sent to CAO offices before 15 March 2025 at 5pm
What is Music?
Music is a discipline that stretches back to the ancient world. One of the seven original liberal arts, music maintains a place in the university as a subject of broad and passionate interest to composers, musicologists, performers, technologists, and theorists.
Music: The course for you?
Studying music will allow you to engage with a range of traditions to acquire a profound understanding of how music works in theory and in creative practice. If you are interested in understanding music and its place in society, developing music technology skills, writing music, or improving your skills as an informed performer, this course could be for you. A music degree will prepare you for a wide range of careers in the creative arts, journalism, music production, arts management, research, and teaching.
Your degree and what you’ll study
The Single Honours and Joint Honours options provide a thorough grounding in the basic skills of musicianship and academic study.
Students receive extensive training in aural and keyboard skills, learn the history and theory of art music from the medieval period to the present day, and choose modules in jazz, rock, popular, vernacular, and world music. Taught performance modules (such as conducting) allow students to contextualise their practical skills. In the specialisations (composition, music technology, and musicology), students are closely supervised in their chosen area. Students may continue to take modules outside of their specialisation. All students complete a final year Capstone research project based on their specialism.
What is Drama?
Drama exists on and off the stage. Theatre happens in our everyday life. It is the basis for story-telling and other forms of performance within the creative arts. It has its origins in sacred ritual and remains central today as part of our sense making as we negotiate a place in the world. As with other creative arts, Drama and the insights from studying performance can be applied in the fields of medicine, politics, education and more.
Theatre Studies encompass all the arts that make up the live experience we call theatre – including costume, lighting, sound, devising, directing, design, dramaturgy and playwriting. We also study the meaning behind theatre, analysing culture and politics, space and place, the presence of audience and performers, and the use of digital technology.
Do you enjoy:
Working as part of a creative team?
Putting theory into practice?
Thinking of drama and theatre as an expression and exploration of the human condition?
Drama: The course for you?
All Drama pathways explore the relationship between the theory and practice of Drama and Theatre to discover how and why they work. The strong developmental emphasis of the courses requires a particular blend of practical and academic skills. In addition to a high level of analytical ability and creativity, you will need to possess resourcefulness and self-motivation.
Teaching is by lecture, seminar and workshop, with a strong emphasis on experiential learning and practice-based research through theatre laboratory and production opportunities. This leads to a relatively high number of contact hours with other students for group projects, as well as the regularly timetabled taught classes. You will need to be a team player to succeed on this course.
Single Honours students combine Drama Studies with Theatre Studies throughout their degree, whilst Joint Honours students combine it with another subject outside of the Department of Drama. Opportunities are available for Joint Honours students to engage more extensively in practice in their third and fourth years, if they select an exit pathway that includes Drama.
Music
First and second years
Subjects include: Pop Music; Music Theory & Techniques; Film Music Fundamentals; Music Technology; Aural and Keyboard Skills; Critical Writing on Music; and Creative Instrumentation.
In Year Two, students continue the subjects from first year, and begin the exploration of Composition, Musicology, or Music Technology. Single Honours students will also select a Trinity Elective or a New Minor Subject.
Third and fourth years
Concentrated study in chosen modules with possible electives from other specialisations. Students can present a recital and devise their own Capstone project with the help of a supervisor.
Recent options have included: Advanced Theory Clinic, Counterpoint and Fugue for Three Voices; Advanced Harmony (Sonata Forms); Intersectionality and the Role of Women in Electronic Music; Experimental Music Theatre & New Opera; Writing for Voice(s); Conducting and Rehearsal Techniques; Philosophy of Music; Rock ‘n’ Roll; Opera and Gender; Audiovisual Culture; Performance Research Lab; Sound Art; Fundamentals of Choral Conducting, Recital; Csound; Heavy Metal; An Introduction to Debussy’s World and Music; History and Aesthetics of Recording; The Hollywood Musical from The Jazz Singer (1927) to Sweet Charity (1969); RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra at the National Concert Hall; and Irish Traditional Music. Capstone projects take the form of, respectively, a portfolio of compositions, a major technology project, or a dissertation.
There are QQI/FET routes available for this course. Please see www.cao.ie for details
Study abroad
Music students can apply to study abroad in European universities with the Erasmus programme (such as the Royal Holloway University of London) and non-EU universities (University of Toronto, Peking University) via university-wide exchanges.
Music students who study abroad find the experience hugely enjoyable, academically and culturally rewarding, and of value to prospective employers. Further information on study abroad can be found at: www.tcd.ie/study/study-abroad/outbound/index.php
Drama
First and second years
First and second years will provide you with a foundation in the skills and vocabularies of the theatre historian, analyst and practitioner. During these years, the course introduces drama, theatre and performance, and places them in a contemporary and relevant context. Teaching is by lecture, seminar and practical workshop, covering Theatre History (from the Greeks to the present), Performance Analysis, and Contemporary Performance Research (including studies in semiotics, feminism and gender, dramaturgy, postmodernism and more). Single Honours students also take courses in practical areas of theatre (Embodied Practices, Performance and Technology, and Crew Rotation). Training in study, research, and writing skills is provided to support you with the academic elements of the course.
Third and fourth years
Students choose from a range of optional modules, striking a balance between the academic and the practical nature of the course (based on your chosen exit pathway).
The range of modules allows you to favour study in historical and theoretical fields or in practical aspects of theatre. The range of options may include theatre and Ireland, embodied Shakespeare, stage, costume and lighting design, playwriting, devising, directing, theatre management, acting, performance and technology, women and theatre, and applied drama and theatre. Students exiting through Drama via Major, Joint Honours, or Single Honours pathways also complete a staff-supervised Capstone project. The Drama Capstone project allows students to integrate their interests into an individual research-led submission combining practice, presentation and reflection (such as a long dissertation or blended practice-as-research).
Assessment is by a combination of essays, reflections, practical assignments, class presentations and oral examinations. Students exiting through Drama via Major, Joint Honours or Single Honours pathways are required to complete a Capstone project.
There are QQI/FET routes available for this course. Please see www.cao.ie for details.
Study abroad
You may apply to spend third year studying abroad at a European university as part of the Erasmus exchange programme or outside Europe at one of Trinity’s non-EU partner universities. For more information on study abroad destinations and requirements visit: www.tcd.ie/study/study-abroad
www.tcd.ie/music
E musicsec@tcd.ie
www.tcd.ie/creativearts/disciplines/drama
E amullign@tcd.