BA (Hons) Performance and Media
93% of our BA (Hons) Performance and Media students were satisfied with their course NATIONAL STUDENT SURVEY 2023
Our Performance and Media degree invites you to explore the growing and diverse field of performance by questioning the relationship between live performance and a range of recorded media. You’ll study all major media forms such as theatre, film, television and radio through academic and practical work. You’ll also examine the production of new ideas in digital, interactive and multi-media performance practices.
Course content is designed to develop your intellectual, practical and technical skills, so you can explore global traditions, concepts and approaches to performance and media. You’ll work alongside visiting companies, professional theatre, film, and television practitioners. There are also many extracurricular activities that will look impressive on your CV, including public productions, student films and a student radio station.
Studying Performance and Media in Cardiff means you’ll have world-class venues and production companies on your doorstep, including the headquarters of BBC Wales, a major centre for production in the UK (Dr Who, Torchwood), the recently developed Pinewood Studios Wales, National Theatre Wales and the Welsh National Opera amongst others. USW's Performance and Media degree is also part of Film & TV School Wales, which provides students with the skills and opportunities needed to work in today’s exciting TV and Film industry.
Top in Wales for Drama and Dance (Guardian University Guide 2023).
Related study available through the medium of Welsh: The University also offers the opportunity to study BA (Hons) Perfformio, Theatr a'r Cyfryngau which is taught 100% in Welsh.
| UCAS Code | Study Mode
2024 |
Duration | Start Date | Campus | Campus Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W400 | Full-time | 3 Years | September | Cardiff (ATRiuM) | B |
| UCAS Code | Study Mode
2025 |
Duration | Start Date | Campus | Campus Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W400 | Full-time | 3 Years | September | Cardiff (ATRiuM) | B |
You will have the opportunity to study performance, direction and production through a range of creative mediums including, film, theatre, radio, animation and games. Performance modules will give you an awareness of contemporary performance practice on stage and screen. In production modules you will study the range of technical skills needed to produce creative content through a range of media technologies including, camera, sound, editing and radio.
In the first year, you’ll explore concepts, conventions and perspectives within the expanding field of performance by analysing texts, viewing live performances and working practically, both individually and in groups. You’ll develop creative and technical skills so you can capture, record and edit your own work and performance for live and recorded media.
In years two and three, you’ll examine the presence of new, interactive and digital elements in traditional theatre and media-based forms, such as video projection and audio design, as well as exploring further the creative processes for performing live and for recorded media. To develop your interests even further, you can study related areas such as scriptwriting, applied drama, and a range of specialist modules that reflect staff research areas.
Year One: Performance and Media degree
- Performance and Media Practice
- Perspective and Performance
- Studio Production
- Media and Performance Technologies
Year Two: Performance and Media degree
- Radio Performance and Production
- Media Collaboration
- New Media Performance
- Performance Analysis and Critical Theory
- Specialist Studies 1
Year Three: Performance and Media degree
- Professional Practice and Employability
- Performance and Media Major Project
- Major Research Project
- Specialist Studies 2
Teaching
Theory on the Performance and Media course is taught through workshops, seminars and screenings while practical work is studied in studios and/or specialist suites such as editing.
You will be assessed using practical work (including filmed and/or mixed-media performances), written work including essays and blogs, reflective analysis through the media of vlogs and presentations, which will give you a broad range of experiences and skills in a variety of media.
Assessment
There is approximately 70% practical work, 20% written work, and 10% continuous assessment or portfolio; though these proportions will vary depending on the modules you choose.
Accreditations
There is currently no accreditation associated with this course.
Facilities
Students on the Performance and Media degree benefit from the impressive facilities at the newly enhanced USW Cardiff. This includes a 160-seat auditorium theatre with a sprung stage floor, full lighting rig, two brand-new dance studios and new drama spaces. There are also four black box studio theatres, and professional film studios with green screen and motion capture facilities on campus.
Lecturers
Matthew Gough, Performance and Media Course Leader
Michael Carklin, Senior Lecturer
Dr Marta Minier, Lecturer
Dr Nigel Long, Lecturer
Dr Jodie Allinson, Lecturer
Dr Lisa Lewis, Reader
We regularly revalidate courses for quality assurance and enhancement
At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.
If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.
Contextual offers
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions. USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Here is a link to our Contextual Admissions Policy.
Other qualifications and experience
We can also consider combinations of qualifications and other qualifications not listed here may also be acceptable. We can sometimes consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or advanced entry to year two or three of a course where this is possible.
To find out which qualifications have tariff points, please refer to the UCAS tariff calculator.
If you need more help or information or would like to speak to our friendly admissions team, please contact us here
Applicants in the UK
Selection for this course is based on a suitable application. If you do not meet the entry criteria, you may also be required to provide a portfolio of your work to help us assess your suitability for the course.
Applicants outside the UK
Selection for this course is based on a suitable application and submission of a portfolio of your work which the Course Leader confirms is suitable for an offer to be made.
Typical A-Level Offer
CCC to include a relevant art and design subject (this is equivalent to 96 UCAS tariff points).
Typical Welsh BACC Offer
Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C in the Skills Challenge Certificate and CC at A Level with a relevant art and design subject (this is equivalent to 96 UCAS tariff points).
Typical BTEC Offer
BTEC Extended Diploma Merit Merit Merit in a relevant subject (this is equivalent to 96 UCAS tariff points).
Typical Access to HE Offer
Pass the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points
Additional Requirements
GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances
International Entry Requirements
We also welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications. Please visit the country specific pages on our international website for exact details.
English Requirements
In general, international applicants will need to have achieved an overall IELTS grade of 6.0 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component.
However, if you have previously studied through the medium of English IELTS might not be required, but please visit the country specific page on our international website for exact details. If your country is not featured please contact us.
Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course
August 2024 - July 2025 Fees
Full-time UK: £9000
Full-time International: £14950
August 2025 - July 2026 Fees
Full-time UK: TBC
Full-time International: TBC
Student Perks
At the University of South Wales, you’re investing in so much more than a degree. We strive to provide our students with the best possible experience, no matter what you chose to study. Whether it’s access to top of the range mac books and PCs, state-of-the-art facilities packed with industry-leading equipment and software, masterclasses and events led by industry experts, or a wide range of clubs and societies to meet likeminded people, better tomorrows start with extra perks.
Each course also has their own unique student benefits to prepare you for the real word, and details of these can be found on our course pages. From global field trips, integrated work experience and free course-related resources, to funded initiatives, projects working with real employers, and opportunities for extra qualifications and accreditations - at USW your future, is future-proofed.
Click here to learn more about student perks at USW.
Additional Costs
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
* Obligatory
| Item | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Kit (Uniform and Equipment) | £50 | Grad Show materials. Year 3 |
| Field Trips | £50 | Theatre/Performance Visits. All academic years |
| Other: | £100 | Students may be expected to travel to master classes/ conferences at their own cost |
Funding
Funding to help pay for (or cover) course tuition fees and living costs
Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
To learn about course fees, funding options, and to see if you are eligible for financial support, visit our Fees and Funding pages.
UK students
Apply via UCAS if you are a UK residing applicant, applying for year one of a full-time undergraduate degree, Foundation Year, Foundation Degree or HND and you have not applied through UCAS before. If you are applying to study part-time, to top up your Foundation Degree or HND, or to transfer to USW from another institution, please apply directly.
International and EU students
Apply directly to the University if you live outside the UK.
Cardiff and South Wales has a booming arts and media industry, meaning you’ll have world-class venues and production companies on your doorstep, including the drama studios for BBC Cymru Wales, a major centre for production in the UK (Dr Who, Torchwood, Casualty), the recently developed Pinewood Studios Wales, National Theatre Wales and the Wales Millennium Centre amongst others.
Students on the Performance and Media degree alsogain key transferable skills in teamwork, negotiation and project management, which will be valued in many industries and boost your employability.
Our Careers and Employability Service
As a USW student, you will have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout your studies and after you graduate.
This includes: one-to-one appointments from faculty based Career Advisers, in person, over the phone or even on Skype and through email via the "Ask a Question" service. We also have extensive online resources for help with considering your career options and presenting yourself well to employers. Resources include psychometric tests, career assessments, a CV builder, interview simulator and application help. Our employer database has over 2,000 registered employers targeting USW students, you can receive weekly email alerts for jobs.
Our Careers service has dedicated teams: A central work experience team to help you find relevant placements; an employability development team which includes an employability programme called Grad Edge; and an Enterprise team focused on new business ideas and entrepreneurship.
Graduate Stories
Student Stories
Highlight Stories
Our Cardiff Campus is right in the city centre – the perfect home for our creative industries students. We’ve just finished a new phase of campus investment and development, so we can offer even more specialist facilities.
It’s the community and friendships you’ll build that make this place special. Outside your studies you can experience our amazing sport facilities and Students’ Union.
Living in Halls is a great way to meet new people and make friends. We have high quality accommodation in Treforest, Cardiff and Newport.