UDTHTPRF - BA (Hons) Theatre and Performance

The course has been designed in consultation with students and employers in order to ensure that it meets the aspirations of our students and the demands of the contemporary employment environment. It aligns with the University’s Strategic Plan, the Education for Social Justice Framework and Student Partnership Agreement in promoting accessible and inclusive education in an environment that respects and values the identities of our students and accommodates diversity in all its forms. Consideration has been given to the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for TBC the QAA Higher Education Qualifications Framework and the University’s Academic Regulations.

The course promotes individualised learning opportunities and student choice in curriculum and approach to study. Employability is fostered through learning from direct experience and real-world contact with external partners and live project opportunities. Independent and critical thinking and an awareness of our social responsibility to consider the impact of our decision and actions is fundamental to the course’s principles.

The course aims to encourage students to develop their own informed and systematic
knowledge and understanding of the issues and challenges faced in theatre and performance, whilst developing their professional skills to a high level. Students will experience a variety of learning and teaching strategies including plenary lectures, smaller group seminars, workshops and practical sessions, tutorials, individual project supervision, directed group and individual independent study. Although a variety of teaching methods are employed, teaching and learning will be mainly workshop/seminar/rehearsal based, as is appropriate to study of the processes of theatre and performance making. Practical work taking the form of whole or small group exercises is designed to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of the field. Frequently and where appropriate, students are able to direct their own learning opportunities, e.g. in workshops, practical performances and in seminar presentations, supported by tutorial guidance. The learning methods encouraged are experiential as well as analytical and conceptual and are aimed at producing autonomous learners who are confident in the knowledge and understanding they have developed. An enhancement programme of professional events and career development seminars further the development of knowledge and understanding of theatre and performance.

The course seeks to provide and foster:
• learning through direct experience, connecting academic and creative studies;
• student choice in subject and style of learning;
• a culture of independent and critical thought, encouraging the challenging of received
ideas and practice;
• employability attributes, through live projects engaging with professional artists,
external partners, theatre and performance institutions and organisations that create
a realistic environment of professional expectations for theatre and performance
students, preparing them for graduate-level employment;
• engagement across the School and University, providing opportunities for
collaborative project work during study;
• individualised learning and study support opportunities, that cater for different
learning styles;
• awareness of the duty of all to understand the impact of their decisions and actions
and to strive to act responsibly.

Lectures provide and encourage a critically informed view of a topic, contextualising the
subject and illustrating applied approaches. Lectures provide students with a managed
introduction to a theme, enabling them to continue with suggested or directed self-study.

Seminars enable students to debate and explore subjects, questions and assignments with
peers and tutors, encouraging an open and collaborative approach to shared learning.

Tutorials support individual learning, allowing for individual approaches to study, and catering for individual interests. Tutorials can be diagnostic or can support specific assignment or project-related questions and support differing student paths to achievement of learning outcomes.

Study trips offer opportunities for vital direct experience with art objects and sites of art study, and to communicate with and learn from experts and specialists at art institutions and
organisations.

Live briefings and feedback are an important aspect of work-related learning, exposing art
students to experience of professional ways of working, of professional expectations of
standards, and of the most current professional practice.

Group critiques allow students to benefit from feedback on their own and others’ work, to
contribute to that feedback, and are a valuable part of the peer-to-peer learning that is a core expectation and reason for University study.

Workshops offer students opportunities to engage in creative practice via making.
Opportunities will be available to students to undertake workshop and studio practice relevant to their assignments or collaborative projects. The objective is to apply knowledge and acquire technical competence, to think critically and creatively, to master technique and develop the capacity to work independently and within teams.

Blended learning uses the University’s virtual learning environment to support and reinforce
reflective learning, to monitor progress through assignments, to foster peer-to-peer
communication and collaborative research activity and to facilitate tutorial support for students and flexible approaches to learning.

Research skills are embedded at the beginning of the course and are built upon each
academic year to ensure maximum use of the learning opportunities that projects and
assignments offer. Digital literacy is embedded in the curriculum via the use of the University's virtual learning environment and in curriculum delivery and expectations of digital capabilities as appropriate to task set and the level of study. Students make use of digital platforms alongside traditional approaches to research, develop and communicate their projects.

The teaching team includes professional practitioners: actors and performers, dancers and
choreographers, directors, writers, dramaturgs and designers. Theatre and performance
sector links provide students with a clear understanding of future employment opportunities.
Students will have open access to the three dedicated theatre spaces and under supervision will have access to theatre and lighting technologies. They will also have access to School IT suites and a wide range of software that will support their personal and educational development. The final presentations for Festival Showcase, as well as potentially for other selected modules, may take place off site in a professional London performance venue.

Connectivity within the University is essential to the degree. The course requires strong and
consistent use of the Library and Learning Centre, which has a subject-specific librarian
offering workshops and one-to-one assistance with printed and online academic material. The Learning Centre, offers private study space as well as academic material. Other study and conversation spaces are available (location lectures, seminars and tutors’ offices), and
students are expected to collaborate with each other regarding seminar topics, group or joint presentations, preparation of peer feedback, and networking (supported by subject staff) across undergraduate study years and disciplines.

The BA Theatre and Performance course aims are aligned with the qualification descriptors
in the Quality Assurance Agency’s Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.

The course aims (CA) are to:

CA1. enable you to work adeptly across a range of professions in the performing arts;

CA2. equip you with the creativity, techniques, and contextual knowledge required to make original contributions to the field;

CA3. provide an understanding of industry-specific norms, values, and professional etiquette;

CA4. enhance your capacity for research and creative practice as life-long
activities by introducing independent learning and the exploration of their individual potential;

CA5. enable you to develop effective collaborative skills and a sense of community that can be transferred to a variety of working contexts;

CA6. develop you into a creative theatre maker who can access performance and cultural activity in others;

CA7. enable you to explore the aesthetics of theatre and develop skills in making environments, props, sets, objects and costumes;

CA8. develop your ability to lead workshops and work with individuals and
groups;

CA9. equip you with the necessary skills to become social and cultural
entrepreneurs, including such skills as producing, marketing, and business;

CA10. prepare you for possible postgraduate research in a number of related
areas

CA11. empower you to act as an agent for positive social change

11 Course learning outcomes.

The following learning outcomes incorporate and depend on systematic understanding of
the key aspects of the knowledge base of theatre and performance practice, including a
coherent and detailed knowledge of some specialist areas in depth.

On completing the course students will be able to:

Cognitive intellectual abilities

CLO1 critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be
incomplete), to make judgements, and to frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution -
or identify a range of solutions - to a problem; (CA1, CA4, CA10)

Knowledge and understanding

CLO2 describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research, or equivalent
advanced scholarship, in theatre and performance, recognising the uncertainty, ambiguity
and limits of knowledge; (CA2, CA4, CA8)

Transferable skills

CLO3 manage their own learning, and to make use of scholarly reviews and primary
sources (for example, referenced research articles and/or original materials appropriate to
theatre and performance); (CA2, CA9, CA7)

CLO4 communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-
specialist audiences; (CA1, CA6, CA9)

CLO5 exercise initiative and personal responsibility, including decision-making in complex
and unpredictable contexts; (CA3, CA4, CA5)

CLO6 apply the methods and techniques that they have learned to review, consolidate,
extend and apply their knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out projects;
(CA1, CA6, CA9)

CLO7 undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature; (CA3,
CA10)

Subject specific skills

CLO8 accurately deploy established techniques of practice, analysis and enquiry within
theatre and performance; (CA2, CA6, CA7)

CLO9 devise and present new and innovative performance material (CA1, CA4, CA6)

CLO10 exhibit professionalism in rehearsals (CA3, CA5, CA9)

CLO11 demonstrate fluency in industry specific language and terminology (CA2, CA10)

The assessment strategy for the course has been designed holistically, to ensure fairness, accessibility and inclusivity as well as manageable timing, workloads and clarity of expectations for students, and to avoid duplication of assessment of learning outcomes. Wherever appropriate, students are engaged as partners in the design of their assessments.

The assessment regimes for the modules and tasks are designed together with the briefs, prior to the start of the year, considering student, external examiner, professional collaborator and colleague feedback from previous instances. The requirements of briefs and their components, the assessment criteria, grading scheme and descriptors are published and explained to students at the start of the year and are designed to be used as consistently as possible, to avoid unnecessary complication.

In every case, there is required formative assessment and feedback prior to summative assessment at set points. This is recorded so that it can be used by both students and staff to track further progress and engage support where it is required. Feedback follows good pedagogic practice in that it is constructed as ‘feed-forward’, with a focus on specific actions and strategies as to how to improve, not only on what requires improvement.

Students are informed of the procedures for first, second and parity marking, and external examiner scrutiny of the assessment process and marks, to ensure that they understand and have confidence in the probity of the process and security of the final marks. Additionally, the course engages in Subject and School parity exercises to ensure that assessment standards are consistent.

The BA (Hons) Theatre and Performance employs a wide range of formative and summative
assessment strategies to give students the skills and knowledge to create and deliver
theatre-based cultural activity informed by political processes, social inclusion and
participation. Self-assessment and reflection are key factors in the process of learning and
are part of the course’s assessment strategies. This is supported through the integration of continuous assessment on several modules to enable students to receive ongoing feedback on their completion of the myriad of exercises and tasks that take place in workshop based teaching and form a significant portion of their learning.

Modes of assessment are integral to the teaching and learning process and vary accordingly.
Much of the assessment is based on practical presentations, performances, students'
reflections on their experience and knowledge of performance, either as practitioners, as
members of audiences or as participants in exercises.

Coursework includes formal essays, portfolios and journals, creative writing, critical and
creative activities, reviews, and assessed performances and oral presentations. These
different forms of coursework assessment will be used to test a range of knowledge and
understanding and take account of the suitability of assessment modes to a process and
practically oriented course. In each module the mode of assessment is determined by the
nature of the focus, whether practical, technical or theoretical, and based on the material
studied and the approaches adopted in the teaching.

Formative assessment, evaluated on a continuous basis, will include contribution to seminar and workshop, short exercises in class, presentations and essay plans. These will receive oral and written feedback during and between class sessions.

Summative assessments include academic essays, reflective logs/journals, set presentations,
group work, reviews, and portfolios of critical work.

Assessment strategies will take into account the student’s ability to work independently and
as part of a team.

Work-based learning is embedded in the course through live projects, industry visits, visiting professional speakers and participation in public events.

The majority of tutors and lecturers contributing to the course are practitioners who share their knowledge and experience with students throughout their course of study. The flexible practice-led model of delivery for the course means that evolving opportunities for work-related learning through collaboration with external companies, agencies, institutions, competitions and professionals are taken up as they arise.

Students’ understanding of professional standards and expectations builds as they progress from level to level. During their final year, students work towards completion of professional level projects that are presented at a recognized external venue and other public facing events.

ACADEMIC PROGRESSION

As a condition of progressing from level 4 to level 5 and from level 5 to level 6, students are
required to have gained 120 credits per level, that is, by achieving pass marks (40% or
above) in all modules in the preceding level of study.

COURSE COMPLETION

Level 6: to achieve an honours degree award on this course, students must have completed
and passed each level 6 module at 40% or above.

LEVEL 6 OPTIONS: Alternative Cores

Students at Level 6 will have the option to select between two thirty credit modules:
Independent Project (30 weeks), and Collaborative Project (15 weeks). Students will be
offered tutorial guidance on these options to highlight and ensure management of the
modules’ differing timetabling and delivery structures.

PART-TIME MODE OF STUDY

Part-time study is defined as 60 credits per year. Consequently, in part-time mode, the
duration of study for a 360-credit degree will be 6 years. The pattern of study in this instance
shall be as follows:

Year 1: SM4023 Objects, Image and Design, SM4020 Acting and Performance Skills 1
Year 2: SM4010 Devising, SM4019 Performance, Art and Film Ideas 1
Year 3: SM5021 Acting and Performance Skills 2, SM5019 Theatre Production
Year 4: SM5080 Choreography or SM5076 Dramaturgy (Autumn), SM5074
Directing 1 or SM5073 Workshop Leadership (Spring), SM5020 Performance, Art and Film
Ideas 2
Year 5: SM6P14 Collaborative Project or SM6P12 Independent Project, SM6056
Directing 2 or SM6068 Installation and Live Art (Autumn), SM6061 Writing for Theatre &
Performance or SM6066 Producing (Spring).
Year 6: SM6015 Performance Research & Development, SM6P10 Festival Showcase
OR
Year 5: SM6015 Performance Research & Development, SM6P10 Festival Showcase
Year 6: SM6P14 Collaborative Project or SM6P12 Independent Project, SM6056
Directing 2 or SM6068 Installation and Site (Autumn), SM6061 Writing for Theatre &
Performance or SM6066 Producing (Spring).

Core modules are compulsory for students to qualify for an award of BA (Hons) Theatre and
Performance. There is no flexibility in choice or in the order in which core modules may be
taken beyond that described above. Students may select between optional modules according to their level of study but must complete a total of four of the offered 15 credit options in order to qualify for the BA (Hons). The part time route is prescribed (section 23).

Year 1/Level 4
SM4010 Devising
SM4023 Objects, Image and Design
SM4020 Acting and Performance Skills 1
SM4019 Performance, Art and Film Ideas 1

Year 2/Level 5
SM5021 Acting and Performance Skills 2
SM5019 Theatre Production
SM5022 Theatre Arts Studio: Second Year
SM5020 Performance, Art and Film Ideas 2
SM5075 Dramaturgy (Autumn Option 1)
SM5080 Choreograpy (Autumn Option 2)
SM5074 Directing 1 (Spring Option 1)
SM5073 Workshop Leadership (Spring Option 2)

Year 3/Level 6
SM6015 Performance Research & Development
SM6P10 Festival Showcase
SM6P14 Collaborative Project (Alternative Core)
SM6P12 Independent Project (Alternative Core)
SM6056 Directing 2 (Autumn Option 1)
SM6068 Installation and Live Art (Autumn Option 2)
SM6061 Writing for Theatre and Performance (Spring Option 1)
SM6066 Producing (Spring Option 2)

The course’s principle of guiding learning through a practice-led curriculum promotes ongoing reflection and personal development. This is supported by regular formative feedback on work in progress that enables students to understand their progress and find opportunities for multiple and individualised routes to successful outcomes. Most modules are year-long, with interim points of review, which ensures that students, together with their tutors, can devise study strategies appropriate to individual learning styles, while ensuring monitoring of engagement and progress.

The course’s engagement with external partners and employers ensures that personal development for career planning is effectively contextualised and suitable for the contemporary workplace.

Work-related learning is embedded in the course both formally in modules SM6015
‘Performance Research & Development’ and SM6P10 ‘Festival Showcase’, and throughout
the course through live projects, industry visits, visiting speakers and public presentations of student work.

With support from the Careers and Employability Office, students progress through study
culminating in level 6, learning to present themselves and their work online and externally,
developing and refining CVs, undertaking employment research, becoming aware of
employment or external project opportunities, making approaches and applications,
undertaking relevant practical work, applying for funding to various agencies, obtaining feedback or appraisal and critically reflecting on the experience and learning. Work-related learning is a core element in the course with at least 70 hours working on live projects for external presentation. Students will, for instance, experience a competitive recruitment process / pitch for opportunities and they will be required to reflect on their experience of the project and undertake forward career action planning. The course has core modules with integrated work-related learning, enabling the student to undertake activites that simulate workplace environments.

All current tutors and lecturers on the course are practitioners and share their
knowledge and experience with students throughout their course of study. The project and
workshop delivery of the course means that opportunities for work related learning through
collaboration with external companies, agencies, institutions, competitions and professionals
can be taken up as they arise, if appropriate to the programme of study.
Projects function as simulations of professional workplaces, with expectations of professional
standards, conduct and delivery building as the students progress from level to level. During
their final year, students are expected to work towards completion of several projects for public presentation.

Students can also benefit from support and guidance from the University’s business incubator unit, ‘Accelerator’.

There is a focus on helping you develop professional skills throughout the course. As a graduate you could find yourself working in many exciting areas of theatre, including acting, directing, producing, community performance or theatre in education, theatre-making, arts policy making, arts administration or marketing.

Much of the course replicates working industry environments, which strengthens the careers education element of the course. Staff maintain strong links with the industry and use these to help students to access opportunities for internships and employment during and after the course. Modules in creative and cultural industries and business and marketing will give you the opportunity to learn the skills appropriate for self-management in the arts.

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• a minimum of grade C in three A levels or a minimum of grades BC in at least two A levels in academic subjects (or a minimum of 112 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg BTEC National, OCR Diploma or Advanced Diploma)
• English Language GCSE at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent)

You will be required to attend an interview workshop day as part of the application process.

If you don't have traditional qualifications or can't meet the entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, you may still be able to gain entry by completing our Film and Television Production (including foundation year) BA (Hons) or Film and Television Studies (including foundation year) BA (Hons).