Performing Arts

Develop your passion for acting, dance, media and performing arts. Our staff are supportive and committed, keeping up-to-date with performing arts and media including introducing you to the latest digital and VR technologies and performance techniques to help you achieve your aspirations.

Careers

Our staff are experienced performers, choreographers, directors, and practitioners, so you will benefit from their direct experience of the industry. As part of your course you will develop your understanding of the performing arts sectors and the skills you need to work in them. Taught sessions will guide you to develop your professional profile as a performing artist so that you are able to promote your own practice, whether that is as a workshop leader, performer, teacher, choreographer, or theatre maker. In addition, talks by industry professionals develop your understanding of new opportunities in this rapidly evolving field.

Q&A

Dr Jane Carr

Head of School of Media and Performance

How do you help students secure jobs?

All courses prepare our students to develop skills that are important for future employment, whether this is how to develop work for small scale touring, to lead a performing arts workshop, or to pitch and develop a small business idea. We also emphasise the importance of networking and gaining skills through volunteering and work experience.

Did you know?

Many of our students have the opportunity to work alongside talent agents and are cast as extras in films and television series. Recently our students worked on Tim Burton’s Dumbo, which was filmed at Cardington Studios in Bedford.

Courses

Acting BA (Hons) Dance & Professional Practice BA (Hons)

152 153 Media Make-Up & Character Design FdA 154 Media Performance for Film, TV & Theatre BA (Hons) 154 Performing Arts BA (Hons) 155

Related foundation degrees: Have You Also Considered...?

Film & Television Production BA (Hons) Journalism BA (Hons)

195

129 129

For more information on any of the courses visit: beds.ac.uk/courses For up-to-date information on part-time study options see: beds.ac.uk/parttime

Performing Arts

Key facts

UCAS Course Code: W411 With Professional Practice Year: W413 With Foundation Year: W412  September  Bedford campus  3 years full-time (options available: part-time), alternatively 4 years with a Foundation Year (UK/EU)  UK/EU/International students  UCAS Tariff 80-96 points. Interview/digital portfolio – see website for more information

Focusing on intensive practical exploration of the techniques required for performing in a number of different contexts, you will receive vocational standard training in the skills needed to work on your own and with companies. This course also equips you with the skills you will need to work as a professional actor, performance maker, workshop leader, animator and development worker. You will enjoy specialist workshops, masterclasses and act within a range of community and mainstream contexts.

Key features

• Trains actors for work on stage and in arts and performance entrepreneurship • Specialises exclusively in acting or theatre-making, and developing your techniques and practical skills

Career opportunities

This course equips students with the skills to work with directors, as actors in stage and screen settings, in applied theatre contexts, as solo performers and as creative theatre makers, and as stage animators.

Areas of study may include:

• Acting techniques and styles • Voice, text and scene studies • Movement techniques • Vocational training and industry preparation • Research in acting theory and practice

Elliott Griffiths

Acting BA (Hons)

“Our tutors are experienced, caring industry professionals who bring great wisdom with them in the field of acting. Assessments from group plays to monologues are great acting opportunities for all involved. The musical theatre unit in second year is one of the most well received productions I’ve ever been in. The level of enjoyment and professionalism was unbeatable!”

Key facts

UCAS Course Code: W590 With Professional Practice Year: W599 With Foundation Year: W5FY  September  Bedford campus  3 years full-time (options available: part-time), alternatively 4 years with a Professional Practice or Foundation Year (UK/EU)  UK/EU/International students  UCAS Tariff 112-120 points. Interview/digital portfolio – see website for more information

Developing the ability to express yourself, whether in performance or choreography, verbally, in written form or through analysis and ideas is core to this course. You will explore technique, performance, choreography and improvisation, as well as critical thinking, teaching skills and project development as you become a skilled and entrepreneurial dance practitioner and develop your independent and individual creative style. You will use our professional facilities to explore developments in current dance ideas, explore fusions with digital technologies and work collaboratively with students in other disciplines, as well as making use of exciting links with regional and national dance and performing arts organisations.

Key features

• Studio-based and practice-led learning • You will have the opportunity to be part of the University Dance Company

Career opportunities

Graduates have progressed to careers in performance, choreography, teaching, arts policy and community arts practice.

Areas of study may include:

• Dance technique • Performance • Composition and improvisation • Choreography • Marketing and entrepreneurship in dance • Leadership in dance education • Dance on screen

Key facts

UCAS Course Code: W752  September  Luton campus  2 years full-time (options available: part-time day)  UK/EU students  UCAS Tariff 40-56 points – see website for more information

Prepare for a career as a make-up artist in television, film, theatre, prosthetics, advertising and fashion, or progress onto the Media Performance for Film, TV and Theatre, with experience of a broad range of techniques, craft skills and in-depth analysis valuable to future employers. Research and explore characters through hair and wig setting, postiche, costume, prop design, prosthetics and designing effects make-up. To create convincing and realistic special effects, learn anatomy and physiology and practice drawing from life to identify the body’s reaction, and the visual impact.

Key features

• Study laws and regulations and develop entrepreneurial skills to help you establish yourself as a freelance make-up artist • Explore character creation with an emphasis on prosthetics and specialeffects make up, combined with high fashion, editorial and period make-up to enable you to build up your portfolio • You will be assessed through practical work and portfolios, written reports, essays and presentations

Career opportunities

This foundation degree will enable you to work on film or fashion events or in the performing arts. You will gain specialist knowledge in the theory and practice of preparing performers for the stage, catwalk or screen. The combination of character creation with its emphasis on prosthetics and effects make-up, with high fashion and editorial make-up will enable you to build up your portfolio and prepare you for freelance work.

Areas of study may include:

• Character creation for film/TV • Media make-up techniques • Medical applications of camouflage make up and prosthetics • Editorial make-up and photographic images • Professional practice and freelancing

BA (Hons)

Key facts

UCAS Course Code: W430 With Professional Practice Year: W478 With Foundation Year: W17F  September  Luton campus  3 years full-time, alternatively 4 years with a Professional

Practice (UK/EU) or Foundation Year  UK/EU/International students  UCAS Tariff 80-96 points. Audition – see website for more information

Pursue your dream of performing on TV, film, radio, or online with this degree covering the creative and technical aspects of directing, script development, performance management, and lighting for the stage and for the camera. You will explore practical techniques in performance and production, underpinned by media and cultural theory. Enjoy masterclasses from leading figures in performance areas as well as excellent facilities, industry connections and placement opportunities.

Key features

• Study a variety of performance and production skills and techniques, with practical work informed by knowledge of media and cultural theory • Benefit from guest lecturers and masterclasses from actors and producers high up in the media industry • Learn the skills needed to work within the professional media industries as an actor before the camera, scriptwriter, director, production manager, stage manager for theatre or presenter for radio or screen

Career opportunities

Graduates are working in front of the camera, presenting on CBBC, community channel local news, internet sports radio, and news programmes. Other graduates have gone on to work behind the camera as members of production teams or work at Radio 1, Radio 1 Xtra, KISS and BBC Local Radio.

Areas of study may include:

• Performance techniques • Presenting for the camera • Acting for the camera • Stage and single camera directing • Exploring performance practices • Theatre and single camera lighting

Key facts

UCAS Course Code: W403 With Professional Practice Year: W488 With Foundation Year: W12F  September  Bedford campus  3 years full-time (options available: part-time), alternatively 4 years with a Professional Practice (UK/EU) or Foundation Year  UK/EU/International students  UCAS Tariff 80-96 points. Interview/digital portfolio – see website for more information

Explore the full range of your talents in performing arts, as a director, choreographer, actor, dancer and/or project leader. Combine theoretical and practical study of performance practices to develop you as a skilled, innovative and adaptable professional ready to enter the world of performing arts. An introduction to voice and movement is followed by the chance to develop further skills in musical theatre, acting, dance, physical theatre, digital performance, performance making or community performance, making use of our professional 280-seat theatre, a studio theatre, and a suite of dance studios. Explore improvisation and choreography and further flex your creative muscles by working with students of other disciplines and choose your own final dissertation topic.

Key features

• Learn from our highly experienced teaching team specialising in different areas of performing arts • Benefit from a wide range of workshops and talks from visiting directors, choreographers and companies • Perform in musical theatre, physical theatre, new plays and your own work in our professionally equipped theatres

Career opportunities

You could progress to a career in acting, dance performance, teaching, small- scale touring, arts management, community arts and educational outreach.

Areas of study may include:

• Voice and movement • Musical theatre • Physical theatre • Acting and dance techniques • Choreography and directing • Full-scale production work