BA (Hons) Performing Arts

Working across disciplines of acting, music and movement, this exciting and collaborative course responds to the creative industry demands of today by developing artists who will graduate as multi-skilled creative performers and practitioners.

Foundation year

If you don't meet the entry requirements for a BA, you can study this course as an extended, four-year programme. You'll begin by taking a foundation year which prepares you for a successful transition to the BA degree. This means it will take you four years to complete the course full-time, and eight years to complete the course part-time.

You will work collaboratively and creatively with your peers, exploring and blending the disciplines of music, movement and acting. Experiencing a range of contemporary performance methodologies, you will develop skills as both performer and performance maker, enabling you to establish your own authentic and relevant creative practice.

You will be taught by a team of academics and professional artistic practitioners with a combined wealth of experience as makers, performers and researchers. Professional guest speakers will provide lectures, tailored workshops, masterclasses and opportunities, which will provide a direct link to the creative arts industry. In the past, our students have performed or collaborated with Stratford Circus, the National Youth Theatre, English Heritage, Positive East, The Vault Festival and many more.

About the Foundation Year

You will study acting, dance, physical theatre and community theatre through six distinctive modules. You will participate in a variety of dynamic projects and learn about current trends in the performing arts. The course content is specifically chosen to reflect the diverse nature of our students and this is evident through the themes, practitioners and subject matter covered. You will learn in a highly supportive environment where you can develop the self-confidence, knowledge, skills and understanding for further study.

Each module focuses on developing your understanding of the techniques intrinsic to the separate disciplines and will prepare you for a successful entry onto your chosen degree pathway listed below.

• BA (Hons) Dance: Urban Practice
• BA (Hons) Performing Arts
• BA (Hons) Drama, Applied Theatre and Performance

The foundation course is for students who:

• do not yet have the entry requirements for study at level 4.
• want to develop skills and confidence before embarking on study at Level 4.
• are returning to study.
• are changing careers and need to gain experience in the performing arts.

• Tawjihi: 60% for Foundation
• 3 x AS Levels: Foundation
• US High School Diploma: GPA 2.0 for Foundation
• US High School Diploma: GPA 3.0 + SAT1 1070 for Direct Entry to Bachelor's
• International Baccalaureate (IB): 25 points with minimum 15 at Higher Level for Direct Entry to Bachelor's
• 3 x A Levels: Direct Entry to Bachelor's

Graduates who have studied drama and theatre at UEL have landed jobs in a wide variety of areas.  We anticipate that with the skills you will gain from the course you will be able to work as:

• Integrated Arts Practitioner - music, dance, theatre
• Creative Producer / Director (across Media, Film, Multimedia, Games, Music, Theatre, applied Theatre)
• Academic Creative Arts Research / Practice (e.g. MA Performance Practices at UEL)
• Creative Project Management
• Creative Arts Production and Technical Crew

Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.