School of Arts

The School of Arts is a place where talent thrives and ambitions are realised. Our impressive facilities range from our producing and learning theatre, photography lab and purpose-built studios.

You’ll join a creative community that is supportive in helping students shape their individual identities and styles. Our courses focus on graduate employability, helping you to establish yourself as an artist; this may be through work placements, real world projects and the chance to showcase your work at events including the end of year Degree Show.

Our courses are led by practising artists, designers, performers, makers and creators with key industry contacts. Their fresh and dynamic approach to teaching encourages students to learn through risk-taking and experimentation; and through this pedagogic approach the next set of creatives are shaped and developed.

Explore our courses pages to find out about student success stories and realise your own creative ambition.

A male wearing jeans and a blue outdoor casual jacket kneels down on some grass with a tree behind him whilst looking to his left at a body of water

I would thoroughly recommend the University of Derby for Arts degrees; especially to proactive students who love personal support, want to maximise the use of facilities and embrace innovation!

Nathan Addai

School of Arts graduate

Virtual Tour

Delve deeper into the courses with our Virtual Tour, packed with subject information to help you make your choice, including tours of facilities and 360° views of award-winning accommodation.

Explore our Virtual Tour

Our undergraduate subjects

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Explore and develop your own voice and design identity, creating inspiring solutions for spatial environments including residential, commercial, and historical spaces. You will learn in dedicated prof...

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Music and Music Production

Photography

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Theatre

Therapeutic Arts

Our fascinating courses will challenge and inspire you, develop you personally and professionally, and open up career opportunities where you can make a difference every day.

Our postgraduate courses

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MA Art Therapy

The course reinforces the centrality of the image and the role of the imagination in the practice of art therapy. It will give you experience of clinical art therapy practice under supervision, as wel...

MA Arts

This new MA is for both photographers and fine artists and you will choose to work towards either an MA Arts (Photography) or MA Arts (Fine Art) award. It's an exciting opportunity for you to dee...

MA Applied Theatre and Education

Develop your skills and confidence as an educational practitioner using theatre and drama to bring about social change, working in areas such as schools, prisons, communities and the care system. You’...

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MA Dance and Choreography

The MA Dance and Choreography is a practical MA that allows a dance artist to create work supported by their own research and tutor guidance. It provides a fantastic opportunity for artists to further...

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MA Dance Movement Psychotherapy

This course is accredited by the Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapy UK so you can be confident that you’ll be learning the most up to date thinking on Dance Movement Psychotherapy.

MA Fashion and Textiles student arranging textiles work

MA/MDes Design

This highly flexible Masters offers you either a broad MA Design qualification, or a choice of six specialist MDes qualifications in Graphic Design, Illustration, Fashion, Textile Design, Interior and...

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Doctorate in Health and Social Care Practice

Achieving a Doctorate in Health and Social Care Practice will demonstrate your ability as an expert in your field. You’ll grow as an authority and thought leader, leading academic discussion and...

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MA Dramatherapy

After successful completion of the MA Dramatherapy course you’ll be eligible to apply to the Health and Care Professions Council for registration as a dramatherapist, as long as you mee...

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MA Film and Screen Production

This practical MA has three pathways in Film, Documentary and Scriptwriting, so you can focus on what you’re passionate about. You'll join a diverse range of students with interesting stories to tell ...

MA Music Production

This MA Music Production course is accredited by JAMES (Joint Audio Media Education Support) so that you can be confident that the course meets the high standards demanded by industry.

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MA Music Therapy

Our new MA Music Therapy helps meet a growing demand for expert practitioners who can harness the power of music in health, social care and community settings.

School of Arts

Virtual Tour

Our undergraduate subjects

Our postgraduate courses

Facilities

Exhibitions

Our Staff

Our Arts research