This intensive, exciting course encompasses practice in the variety of acting techniques and skills expected of versatile practitioners in today’s creative industry alongside a theoretical exploration of classical and contemporary repertoires. You will develop your skills in a range of styles and get lots of opportunities to perform original and devised work in a range of venues.

The course is taught in the recently-refurbished UCW Academy of Performing Arts, which has five dance and movement studios with fully-sprung floors and mirrors, three black box studios, a recording studio and a studio theatre with 100 seats.

It is taught by industry professionals who all have significant experience and professional links across the UK and abroad, and in recent years visiting lecturers have included; Brave Bold Drama, Jack Norris of Poetic Fools and David Glass Ensemble, Howard Coggins of Living Spit, John Hazlett Dickinson, Neil Haigh of Cartoon De Salvo, Gill Simmons Artist in Residence at Tobacco Factory Theatres, From The Mud, Ramshaclicious, Theatre Orchard, Natalie Ann Jamieson and acting for camera specialists and agents.

Please get in touch with the course leader Eloise Hodder or UCW’s HEART student services team if you have any questions. And we’d love you meet you and show you around at our next Open Day.

All of the modules on this course are compulsory and worth either 20 or 40 credits each. Successful completion of all three years is worth 360 credits and will lead to the award of a degree at Level 6.

Year 1:

• Contemporary Acting (20 credits)

• Performance Making (20 credits)

• Spontaneity and Play (20 credits)

• Movement (20 credits)

• Performing Arts in Context (20 credits)

• Vocal Acting Technique (20 credits)

Year 2:

• Classical Acting (20 credits)

• Ensemble Performance (20 credits)

• Installation (20 credits)

• Multi-Media Performance (20 credits)

• Performing Arts Business (20 credits)

• Theatre Making (20 credits)

Year 3:

• Performance Productions (60 credits)

• Performing Arts Independent Study (20 credits)

• Professional Performer (40 credits)

This course is taught and assessed via a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, skills classes, in-class performances of devised work, presentations, individual and group work, written assignments and public performances. UCW’s Higher Education Library Plus (HE.LP) team also deliver a series of sessions on degree-level research and academic writing to all first-year students. When not in scheduled lectures and seminars, students are also expected to continue learning through independent self-study.

Assessment is via a combination of practical exams and coursework, with an assessment breakdown of 20% coursework and 80% practical exams. There are no written exams on this degree.

• Students who pass this course are eligible to apply for postgraduate study, such as the Master’s Degrees in Classical Acting, Directing, Theatre for Young Audiences or Scriptwriting at Bath Spa University.
• Graduates could also seek performance and production roles on the stage and screen, and employment in various positions in the wider entertainment industry.

Industry insight

102,000 people were employed in the performing arts or in support roles to the performing arts in the UK in 2018 (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport).

We try to ensure that all as many costs for the programme you will study will be included within your tuition fees. We will endeavour to keep any additional costs you may have to pay to a minimum and some of the extra costs may be considered optional where it is deemed extra to your programme. 

To be clear, your tuition fees pay for the following: 

• All teaching and lectures  

• Use of specialist facilities at UCW 

• Specialist Guest Lectures at UCW 

• Annual photocopying budget of £10 

• Use of computer equipment at any UCW campus  

• Access to Microsoft 365 whilst enrolled at UCW. 

• Access to careers advice during and after completion of your programme of study. 

• Use of Libraries and access to Journal databases, e-books and physical books. 

Additional Costs that will need to be incurred to study your programme: 

Each student on the BA (Hons) Acting and Performance Making degree could incur: 

• Photography costs for headshots and body shots. Costs vary from £25-£250+ 
• Clothing for movement and scene study modules. Costs vary significantly depending upon what you might already possess and your chosen retailer. Standard costs start at £30. 
• Purchase of scripts to support your study and assessment. Annual costs for students are usually £20-£50. 

Additional costs that you may incur should you wish to: 

• Student membership to Spotlight in your third year. Current cost is £129.60. 

• Visits/Exhibitions that are seen as optional. Total costs are usually £30-£50. 

• Cost of travel to any extra-curricular events such as performances in Bristol or London. Total costs are usually around £150 

• Residentials that are seen as programme enhancement and are thus optional. Costs in 2023/24 were around £160 for third year students. 

• Additional videographer costs for showreel. Costs vary significantly from £50-£250+ 

• Participation in the Turing Scheme in your third year. In 2024 students participated in our New York with a cost of £1800.    

• Extra photocopying and printing above the initial £10 

• The cost of books you may wish to purchase. 

UCW Terms and Conditions

Bath Spa University Terms and Conditions

Programme Specification