Acting

Our Acting programme has been designed to give you all the skills needed for a successful career working in the performance and creative industries. It combines practical training with professional preparation to help you become a versatile and skilled performer.

The programme is highly practical and industry-focused, with a multi-skilled approach covering a range of performance styles including stage, screen, and voice acting. You’ll learn various acting techniques such as scripted characterisation methods, devising and improvisation. This diverse approach ensures you are well-prepared for any performance scenario.

As part of your training, you’ll engage in creative collaboration across the Performing Arts portfolio. This hands-on experience is essential for developing your performance skills and understanding how to work effectively with others in the industry. Our focus on a performance-based approach means you will spend a lot of time in practical workshops and rehearsal rooms, honing your acting skills and learning to express yourself creatively.

You will have the chance to work with industry professionals throughout your training, gaining insights into current working practices and building networks within the creative industries. This practical experience is key to building your performer identity and preparing you for a career as a professional actor.

Our training will prepare you for a portfolio career, where you might find yourself involved in various aspects of the performance world. The skills you acquire will not only be useful for acting but also transferable to other roles such as producing, media development, and project management. Additionally, you will gain experience in teaching and workshop leading, which are valuable skills for many career paths.

The programme reflects current trends in the creative sector and is delivered in a conservatoire-style setting. This means you will receive a high level of training, closely aligned with professional standards. The immersive nature of the course will challenge you to grow both personally and professionally, preparing you for a dynamic career in the performance and creative industries.

By the end of the course, you will have developed a range of practical skills and a deep understanding of acting techniques, making you ready to step into the world of professional acting or explore various other opportunities within the creative sector.

Year One - In your first year, you will lay the foundation for your acting career by exploring a broad range of skills. You will engage in musical performance, voice and movement, and improvisation to build a solid base. You’ll also delve into acting techniques and production practices, while developing your understanding of contemporary issues through creative projects. This year sets the stage for both practical performance and theoretical learning.

Compulsory
Musical Performance (20 credits)
Voice and Movement (20 credits)
Acting (20 credits)
Improvising and Devising (20 credits)
Production, Performance and Genre (20 credits)
Dance and Choreography (20 credits)

Optional
Personal Project (20 credits)

Year Two - Your second year focuses on refining your craft and expanding your industry knowledge. You will work on script and rehearsal, short film production, and performing Shakespeare to deepen your acting experience. Additionally, you will gain insights into drama in education and the creative industry and have opportunities for a work placement or international mobility opportunity to study abroad. This year enhances your practical skills and professional readiness.

Compulsory
Script, Rehearsal and Performance (20 credits)
Short Film Production (20 credits)
Performing Shakespeare (20 credits)
Drama and Theatre in Education (20 credits)
Specialised Performance Practice (20 credits)
Creative Industry (20 credits)

Optional
Personal Project (20 credits)
Work Placement (20 credits)
International Mobility Opportunity (60 Credits)

Year 3 - In the final year, you will undertake significant performance projects that demonstrate your expertise and prepare you for your future career. You will complete an independent project and engage in site-specific theatre and professional practice. Further opportunities for work placements and international mobility to study abroad are available, allowing you to apply your skills in real-world settings and solidify your professional path.

Compulsory
Independent Project (40 credits)
Site-Specific Theatre (30 credits)
Professional Practice (20 credits)
Major Project (30 credits)

Optional
Individual Project (20 credits)
Personal Project (30 credits)
Work Placement (30 credits)
International Mobility Opportunity (60 Credits)
The Role of Assistant (10 credits)

Performances/Events
Students regularly have opportunities to take part in performances/events, through which we can see growth and application of skills and knowledge.

Regular tutorials
We hold formal, and informal, tutorials throughout the degree. Each student can discuss their work with the module tutor or Programme Manager during tutorials. We look at practical development, conceptual growth and future intentions.

Presentations
Presentations normally take place at the end of a module, exhibition or performance, in order to measure a student’s performance against assessment criteria.

Process workbooks
At level 4 & 5, students will document their process and practical work in a workbook which demonstrates their learning and individual pathway. At level 6, students write about and reflect on their practice and process in short written tasks and practical presentations.

During this course, students may be required to explore texts containing themes and issues that might be perceived as challenging.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS