East 15’s Cert HE Technical Theatre & Production Arts is a one-year, industry-focused course designed to provide foundational professional training in stage management and technical theatre.
Based at our Colchester Campus, the course mirrors the first year of training on the BA (Hons) Stage Management degree offered at our Loughton Campus. You’ll pursue high-quality, vocational training that prepares you for entry-level backstage roles in theatre and the wider creative industries, or progression to further undergraduate study.
Why this course?
This course offers an intensive, practical introduction to the technical and production skills that underpin live performance. With strong emphasis on learning through doing, you’ll be embedded in production teams from early in the course, gaining hands-on experience in a range of backstage disciplines.
You’ll study at our Colchester Campus, home to the fully equipped 200-seat Lakeside Theatre, where you’ll work on public productions and practical projects. Supported by professionally experienced staff, you’ll develop a broad technical skillset while gaining insight into how professional theatre is made.
The course also provides clear progression routes, with opportunities to move directly into the second year of training on East 15’s BA (Hons) Stage Management or BA (Hons) Creative Producing (Theatre and Short Film).
Who should apply?
Students seeking a practical, vocational introduction to technical theatre and production arts
Aspiring stage managers and backstage technicians at the beginning of their training
Those interested in construction, lighting, sound, costume, props, or scenic arts
Learners who want a one-year higher education qualification with progression opportunities
Individuals considering further undergraduate study in stage management or creative producing
What you’ll learn
Throughout the year, you’ll develop essential skills across the technical theatre landscape through lectures and working on public productions.
Areas of training include:
Stage management
Construction and design
Lighting and sound
Costume, prop making and scenic painting
Your learning experience
Practical learning: learn through hands-on involvement in productions from early in the course
Professional facilities: Work at the Lakeside Theatre, workshops, IT suite, seminar rooms, and specialist teaching spaces
Experienced staff: Training delivered by industry professionals with extensive experience
Public productions: Gain real-world experience by supporting performances presented to live audiences
Creative environment: Study at the University of Essex’s 200-acre Colchester Campus, close to regional theatres and arts centres
Visit our website for more information.
This course is available in Clearing. If you have submitted an application, you can add this course. If you haven’t sent us an application yet, you can do this until 24th September 2026.
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
University of Essex has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?
The following entry points are available for this course:
Discover what it's like to study Technical Theatre and Production Arts at University of Essex: insights on the course, making friends, personal statement tips, uni prep, and recommended books, podcasts, and videos.
At Essex, we will consider your whole application – not just your grades. For our East 15 courses we may consider applicants who do not meet the published requirements if successful at audition/interview based on individual potential.
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
At Essex, we will consider your whole application – not just your grades. For our East 15 courses we may consider applicants who do not meet the published requirements if successful at audition/interview based on individual potential.
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).
It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.
Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
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Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Fees displayed are for the 2026-27 academic year. Fees may increase for each academic intake and each academic year of study.
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Email:admit@essex.ac.uk
Phone:01206 873666
Email:admit@essex.ac.uk
Phone:01206 873666
Fax: 01206 872808
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
At University of Essex
