BA (Hons) Degree in Acting

Course Content

This challenging three-year acting program explores diverse training methods to develop well-rounded, critical actors who can perform, analyse, direct, and even create their own theatrical work. You will have many opportunities to collaborate with other disciplines, make choices about the work you will produce, and present it to audiences.
The Acting course runs independently but in parallel with the seven other creative theatre degrees in the College.

Teaching Method

We use a variety of teaching methods, including: 

• practical and creative studio-based workshops
• discussions
• lectures/seminars
• tutorials
• small group study
• self-directed study
• study trips

Key Features

• Live performances and commissions throughout your training.
• Collaboration with our theatre design and technical theatre students to mirror industry practice.
• You’ll have numerous opportunities to perform in our 160-seat theatre and at external venues.
• Take part in Fringe performances and residencies.

Year One

In the first year (level 4) Acting students work on vocal, movement and expressive skills while interrogating their discipline. You will be introduced to different practitioners and actor training systems while examining underpinning theories and ideologies. In reviewing your discipline, you can adapt, stretch and practice directing, performing, analysis and collaboration skills. Your training consists of an eclectic choice of practitioners and practices, the study of texts and staging approaches and the ideas in context unit, which helps interrogate and situate your practice in broader cultural contexts alongside your peers from other disciplines. The first year's focus is on interpreting existing work for stage so that you can move on to creating and producing your own work in level 5.

• Unit 1: The Actor Student
• Unit 2: Ideas in Context: Performance and Everyday Life
• Unit 3: The Actor’s Body
• Unit 4: The Actor Director
• Unit 5: Live Project 1
• Unit 6: The Actor’s Craft

Year Two

At Level 5, you will continue to work on performance training but with further independent practice and more available choices. Further contexts for your practice are introduced, including the digital actor, the actor-activist, and the creation of original work for a public audience.
The ‘Optionality’ unit allows you to work autonomously and independently in cross-discipline pathways. With limited guidance from teaching staff, you can develop and create your project in line with five differing briefs. The opportunities that open up within this unit when disciplines mix are limitless.
‘Critical Thinking’ is the Level 5 equivalent of ‘Ideas in Context’. Learn to contextualise to a higher academic level- again working with students from all courses within the Creative Industries pathways. This unit prepares you for the Level 6 study equivalent, which is the Dissertation.

• Unit 7: The Digital Actor
• Unit 8: The Holistic Performer
• Unit 9: Live Project 2
• Unit 10: Ideas in Context: Theatre and Performance Ideologies
• Unit 11: The Actor Activist

Year Three

At Level 6 Acting students focus on working collaboratively and making choices that are suited to their skills, interests and ambitions. The collaborative unit offers the opportunity to work with others and make choices on who, what, where and for whom to make work for. The professional discipline practice unit offers the opportunity to design your own project, pitch, negotiate and complete. The professional practice is forward-facing, interrogating, focusing and producing work that will make up their artistic statement and portfolio for entry into the creative industries. This year focuses on creating new work for specific contexts and audiences, exploring, challenging and interrogating your subject and preparing for the industry.

• Unit 12: The Skilled Performer
• Unit 13: Professional Development
• Unit 14: Dissertation
• Unit 15: The Actor Practitioner
• Unit 16: Live Project 3