Theatre BA Honours

This module introduces you to key principles of acting and performance, including practical approaches to performance, devising and directing. You'll develop skills in physical and vocal performance, devising, textual analysis and collaborative working through a series of practical workshops and group projects.

This module introduces you to key principles of theatre design and technical production through practical workshops and group projects. You will develop an understanding of the role of the theatre designer within a collaborative process, and examine key processes and approaches to designing for live performance.

This module introduces key contexts, debates and critical frameworks relevant to theatre and performance practice. You'll develop your understanding of a range of research methods, and develop your ability to analyse and critique live performance. The module combines self-directed study supported by a range of online resources with live seminars and theatre visits.

This module gives you the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge you have encountered throughout the first year to develop and realise a collaborative production. Working in a collaborative company of staff and students, you'll participate in all of the creative and production elements necessary to realise a fully-staged piece of theatre.

This module aims to enhance your critical consideration of the social, political and ethical implications of engaging with an audience through your practice. You'll develop employability and workshop-leading skills, and enhance your awareness and consideration of who theatre is for, why, and how this can impact the work from initial concept through to its practical realisation.

The module allows you apply the skills that you have encountered on other modules in a collaborative performance project. You'll work with students from across your programme to conceive and realise a collaborative project, working to a shared brief and contributing to the overall thematic and contextual aims of the production.

The module focuses on the relationship between actor, director and play text. You will develop skills in text analysis, speaking text, and staging/performance through a project-based approach. Further, you will engage with a range of acting and performing systems, including training of voice and body. In this module you will investigate more closely the respective roles of the actor and the director working in rehearsal with a play text and engage in close analysis of action. You will also develop your ability to reflect on your practice, learning and personal development.

This module builds on key principles that were introduced in year 1 by exploring and interrogating a range of approaches and interpretative strategies employed by key practitioners. You'll examine developments in contemporary theatre design and strengthen your ability to generate, develop and communicate ideas and concepts effectively; and to execute these concepts through a range of practical tasks and projects.

This module will allow you to experience a range of solo performance practices, through workshops, seminars and independent study. Each form will be examined through a consideration of socio-historical and contextual lenses and will be enhanced by an exploration of key practitioners and practices, culminating in your own performance-making.

This module aims to develop your critical understanding and application of a range of techniques for dramatic writing and dramaturgical intervention. Through the practical exploration of elements of dramatic structure, it aims to equip you with the tools to conceive of and develop a written project throughout the module, developing your understanding of the dramatic form as a tool to communicate your ideas.

This module aims to develop your ability to apply your skills in areas such as design and technical theatre, project management and audience engagement to a collaborative project. The module takes advantage of existing partnerships both within and beyond the University, while also responding to current practice and opportunities to develop new partnerships, in which you will act as creative ambassadors. You will extend and challenge your understanding of collaboration, working with artists/practitioners to push at the boundaries of conventional theatre practice, and there will be opportunities to work on projects led by other creative disciplines beyond theatre. You will be introduced to a range of approaches that enable effective and ethical collaborations with audiences and will consider ways of engaging with individuals and agencies in order to create projects in a professional context. You will explore your role as collaborator and will develop an insight into the considerations of designing and implementing theatre activities, events and performances in a variety of external contexts.

This module provides the opportunity to engage in a range of externally-facing projects, placements and/or critical investigations into professional practice. You'll develop your knowledge of professional skills and theories around areas such as producing, fundraising, artistic policies and audience development as well as refining methodologies, attitudes and competencies for seeking work in a professional context.

This module provides the opportunity to work in and across groups to create and contextualise collaborative projects which are curated and presented as a collective Theatre Festival. You'll produce the Theatre Festival as an outward-facing public showcase, encouraging you to consider your work in a professional context and apply the practical making skills taught in other modules, alongside the producing skills taught in this module.

The module aims to extend your abilities in physical performance. You will engage with a variety of training systems, create material and improvise scores, leading to a final performance of original work. You will also encounter training regimes that focus on physical skills and mind/body connections.

This module enhances your design practice through the exploration of approaches and methods used by key contemporary scenographers. You’ll learn about significant developments in theatre design and explore current trends and technological developments. You’ll further develop your skills and approaches in designing through space, initiating a practical design-led project.

This module aims to extend your individual performance practices in one of two pathways: Stand-up Comedy or Performance Art. You'll develop practical skills and contextual knowledge in one of these forms, applying appropriate performance theory and/or performance philosophy to the development of a live performance in a professional comedy venue, or the exhibition of a work of performance art.

This module will extend your critical and practical skills in theatre directing. You'll initiate a series of directing projects enabling you to take a nuanced approach to developing and analysing your professional identity as a director of theatre and/or live performance, and you'll consider where this practice intersects with other skills and disciplines you have engaged with on your programme.

This module aims to allow you to identify a particular site of exploration and experimentation and to engage in a practice-led Research and Development project relevant to the chosen area. The module incentivises risk and experimentation, encouraging you to consider the practical research process as an end in itself, and introduces you to preliminary skills relevant to Practice as Research study at postgraduate level.

You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team who have a wide range of expertise and professional experience.

The team includes academics, professional practitioners, and technical staff. Graduate teaching assistants or trained postgraduate research students may also have input into your teaching under the supervision of the module leader.

You'll be taught through a combination of practical workshops, rehearsals, lectures, seminars and various engagements with the professional theatre sector. All modules are led by practice/seminar groups of 12–15 in which you develop your skills and understanding of various theatre disciplines.

The practical workshops and rehearsals foreground the development of skills that are key to the art of performing and theatre-making in the wider sense. Lectures and seminars support your development as a theatre practitioner by offering contextual knowledge and developing your critical skills. Group sizes in practical sessions and seminars are averaged at 15–18 students.

Throughout your course, you'll also have access to resources to support your learning, including a fully equipped 'black box' theatre and four studio theatres, rehearsal rooms, costume, lighting, sound, and projection facilities, design and construction workshops, as well as support from dedicated technical staff.

For one-to-one support, you will meet with either your personal tutor or module leader. We will also share our library of online resources.

Your work will be divided into credits. Each credit is approximately equal to 10 hours of study time. You will complete 120 credits per year of study, which are broken down into modules of 30 credits.

You will be studying at our north London campus in Hendon.

Whether you are studying full or part-time – your course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study.

We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.

Typical weekly breakdown

During your first year, your weekly timetable will typically consist of:

• 12 hours of practical workshops/rehearsals
• 3 hours of performance/technical skills classes
• 3 hours of seminars
• 2 hours of independent rehearsals/project work
• 2 hours per term of personal support and feedback.

Independent learning

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework, presentations and exams.

Teaching vs independent learning

Here is an indication of how you will split your time:

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Our excellent teaching and support teams will help you develop the skills relevant to your degree from research and practical skills to critical thinking. Our Sheppard Library is open 24 hours a day during term time. And we offer free 24-hour laptop loans with full desktop software, free printing and Wi-Fi to use on or off campus, even over the weekend.

BA Theatre is 100% coursework assessed, made up of a combination of live performance and production work, portfolios, reflective and academic writing, presentations and interviews. Coursework usually breaks down to roughly 75% practice and 25% documentation.

You'll be observed in classes, rehearsals and performances, as well as through your documentation, written submissions and discussions. This is a two-way discussion, between you and your tutor(s) and in some modules an interview/discussion may form part of the assessment task or activity.

We'll test your understanding and progress with informal and formal tests.

The informal tests usually take place at least once per module, from which you’ll receive feedback from your tutor. The grades from these tests don’t count towards your final marks.

There are formal assessments for each module, usually at the end, which will count towards your module and your final marks.

Assessments are reviewed annually and may be updated based on student feedback or feedback from an external examiner.

To help you achieve the best results, we will provide regular feedback.