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BA (Hons) Performing Arts with Integrated Foundation Year

Learn to be a versatile performing artist. Personalise your studies between dance, drama, and musical theatre to suit your evolving interests and aspirations. Become a confident, experienced, industry-ready professional.

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Performance students with hands joined together and raised in the air to take a bow
UCAS codeW470
Duration4 years
Fee (UK)£9,535
LocationOn campus

Course summary

The BA (Hons) Performing Arts degree offers a multidisciplinary approach, allowing you to tailor your studies in dance, drama, musical theatre, or a combination of all three. Whatever your career aspirations may be, this course will equip you with the skills, techniques, and confidence needed to succeed in the performing arts industry.

During the course, you’ll gain practical experience through workshops, guest teacher sessions, masterclasses, and visits to live performances. You’ll also benefit from our extensive network of professional contacts – we have a residency with Live Theatre and Emeritus Max Roberts joins us as a visiting professor to deliver employability workshops.

You can enhance your CV with work placements, University-led initiatives, or business development boot camps. Placement opportunities span across education, community, and professional settings throughout the three years.

The independent study module offers flexibility to take on educational and professional opportunities, such as producing a new play for the Edinburgh Fringe or collaborating with professional choreographers on cross-generational performances. Many projects involve schools and the wider community.

You’ll also take part in end-of-year performances in a professional arts venue, gaining experience in marketing, design, and communication while working alongside industry experts.

The course prepares you for a wide range of roles in the performing arts, including performer, teacher, choreographer, producer, director, arts administrator, and more.

Integrated Foundation Year

This course is also available with an Integrated Foundation Year. The Integrated Foundation Year is an extra year before starting your three-year undergraduate degree, designed to build your study skills and subject knowledge so you feel ready to succeed.

If you've narrowly missed the entry requirements for the standard three-year route, or have relevant work experience and want to broaden your subject knowledge and study skills before starting your degree, completing an Integrated Foundation Year could be for you. Please note, this route isn't available to international students.

Upon successful completion of the course, you’ll be eligible for Spotlight adult performer membership.

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What you'll study

Many of our courses include a range of modules you can choose from. Some of these options may only be available if you’ve already studied specific required modules. If you’re not sure what you need before picking a module, your course leader can help.

Undergraduate module credits should total 120 credits per academic year. If optional modules are available alongside core modules on your course, you should choose an amount that totals 120 credits.

How you'll learn

Teaching is largely studio-based with supporting lectures, seminars, workshop discussions, and independent learning. All modules integrate theory and practice; tasks and problem-solving which engage you in interactive learning.

Assessments are often practical or performance-based and also include presentations, workshops, essays, and e-portfolios. We provide regular feedback to help you develop your work.

The first year provides you with a solid base with a range of diverse learning experiences. As you move through the course, you have a choice of modules and opportunity to undertake a placement.

Whatever your route, you'll perform at a range of venues and in professional theatres including The Fire Station(opens in new tab).

Entry requirements

Fees and finance support

UK£9,535

Undergraduate fees are set according to rules from Government in line with forecast inflation. The fee for your first year of study for 2026/27 will be £9,535. You'll pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees may increase every year based on the Retail Price Index.

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See all course tuition fees.

If you're a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student on the Integrated Foundation Year route, you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.

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UK students

Disclaimer

We want to make sure you have clear and accurate information about our courses. Our website always shows the latest updates. If you’ve applied and been offered a place, we’ll contact you in writing if anything important changes.

View our programme specifications(opens in new tab) for further information about what the course covers, learning outcomes and the skills you'll gain when you graduate.