Ireland's cultural capital, Galway has been a centre for innovative drama, theatre and performance for years and NUI Galway has provided a breeding ground for the development of artistic talent in successive generations of students. The city has seen the establishment of several flourishing theatre companies whose founder members were students of the University. Among the most illustrious of our graduates are the three Druid Theatre Company founding members, Tony-Award-winning Director, Garry Hynes and the actors Marie Mullen and the late Mike Lally. Recent graduates have gone on to achieve success with many leading theatres in Ireland and in London, joining such schemes as the Abbey Theatre's New Playwrights' Programme and the Rough Magic SEEDS project. In the last two years alone, NUI Galway graduates have won such awards as the PJ O'Connor Prize (RTE), the JMK Trust award for finding Britain's finest theatre directors, and more.

The University has forged a number of dynamic partnerships with key arts organisations including Druid Theatre Company, the Galway Arts Festival,Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe (the national Irish language theatre) and more. Our students benefit from the University's unique combination of groundbreaking academic expertise, professional practice and access to some of lreland's leading artists.

This new denominated BA programme will allow students to combine specialist knowledge in this area with another subject from the general Arts degree. Further details are available here.