Abstract
There is stigma surrounding those who choose to obtain drama degrees at the undergraduate level, especially if they have no interest in pursuing a theatre-related career. The goal of this study was to determine if there are skills obtained from theatre training at the undergraduate level that are advantageous in non-creative professions. I sent out a survey to drama alumni in non-theatre-related professions to determine if they believed they gained transferable skills from their theatre degree at Queen’s University that have been helpful in their current careers. I then interviewed five drama alumni to get a more in-depth understanding of how drama has been helpful in their professions. Their careers were in the areas of law, sales management, public relations, global development, and politics, giving a diverse range of perspectives on the usefulness of their drama degrees. Finally, I analyzed both the survey responses and interviews and discovered that there were several skills the drama alumni attributed to their theatre training at Queen’s University. My study provided evidence that graduates of our drama program brought skills in public presentation, teamwork, empathy, organization, and adaptability to their careers outside the arts.