Entry Requirements

240 credits (120 at Level 4 and 120 at Level 5) achieved through a Performing Arts qualification

• IELTS (Academic) 6
• IELTS 6.0 – minimum 5.5 across all components (Academic) 6

This list is not exhaustive, other qualifications may be considered. Entry to this course will also be determined by the quality of your application, looking primarily at an audition set by the course team, personal statement and reference. 

This course is a top up year for the following programmes:

Performing Arts (Dance Pathway) (HND)

Performing Arts (Acting Pathway) (HND)

Course Structure

Course modules:

• PM301: Dissertation (30 credits)

This unit will provide students with the opportunity to develop a critical awareness, undertake in-depth research and to form a sustainable argument for an area of investigation. Students will negotiate with a supervisor a line of enquiry that is relevant to their chosen field of study and undertake an avenue of research that underpins their knowledge base within the application of their practical work and for future employment or post-graduate study. This unit presents the potential for interweaving lines of enquiry for the students in plural context through PM303.

• PM302: Professional Practice (30 credits)

This unit is designed to focus on the development of a student’s personal, transferable, specialist and employability skills to meet the demands of professional practices in the Performing Arts industry. The unit aims to encourage students to identify potential progression routes and support them by preparing for entry into their chosen profession. Through involvement in a guest speaker programme, current skill base workshops (Aerial skills and MOCAP/Green Screen) employment portfolio including CV, headshot and showreel, additional teaching qualifications and creating an appropriate online forum, students will examine their career routes allowing them to achieve sustainability and longevity. 

• PM303: Independent Study (30 credits)

The aim of this unit is to allow students the creative space to establish their own voice as an emerging performing arts practitioner. Students will be given the opportunity to independently locate their practice for the project realisation in relation to the diverse natures of the performing arts sector. Students will focus on professionally identifying, defining and developing their individualism and personal identity within their work through their chosen area exploration. The structure of the unit will provide students with a way of showing their competence, skill and ability within their chosen area, be it a single, dual or multi-disciplinary pathway. The context of the unit will be defined by the students through consultation and ongoing communication with Tutors. It will actively encourage independent learning, self-directed research and time planning and necessitate a rigorous approach.

• PM304: Collaborative Performance (30 credits)

This unit will provide students with an opportunity to build relationships with other performers within an industry-based setting. Through a collaboration project stimulated by industry, students will develop an understanding of their individual and collective roles and responsibilities through the creative process, refining specific skills in rehearsal and workshop settings and respond to the demands of delivering a live performance. In a multi-disciplined theatre performance piece, students will be required to critically reflect and evaluate their performance to inform and improve their own practice.

Assessment & Feedback

• 100% coursework, 75% practical and 25% written

Coursework is assed in a range of different ways in order to accommodate a variety of learning styles and aptitudes including, workshops, rehearsals, performances, presentations, viva voce, written essays, dissertation and portfolio.

Course Cost

Adult, full_time: £8,000

Fees are per academic year for Home/UK students.

The following course-related costs are included in the fees:

• Guest speakers, visiting lecturers and industry focussed workshops will be included in your course over the three years.
• Final Year students will have the opportunity to showcase their final year work at the end of their studies. This may be a local, national or online platform. Event/exhibition costs will be covered by the Faculty of HE. In the past this has included Festivals and at the Towngate Theatre. Students will be responsible for any additional costs associated with the production of their personal project (ie: printing, materials).
• Annual £20 of printing credit per year.

What Next...

After completing the BA (Hons) Top Up year in Perfroming Arts you may move on to working in the industry or progressing on to a PGCE programme into Teaching.