Musical Theatre BA (Hons)
 Musical Theatre (Major).jpg)
UCAS Code: MT01|Duration: 3|Full Time|Creative Campus
UCAS Campus Code: L46
International students can apply
About the course
*Single Honours Musical Theatre is Subject to Approval for 2027
Develop your skills as a confident, versatile performer on Liverpool Hope University's BA (Hons) Musical Theatre degree. Based in the heart of Liverpool's thriving theatre and creative scene, this Musical Theatre course combines professional training in singing, acting and dance with creative practice, professional development and the academic study of musical theatre.
You'll learn from experienced industry professionals through practical workshops, one-to-one vocal tuition, ensemble performances, productions and creative projects. From your first year, you'll apply your training in authentic performance settings while exploring acting through song, vocal technique, choreography, musical theatre history and the creative processes that bring ideas from rehearsal room to stage.
Alongside developing your performance skills across all three disciplines, you'll collaborate with other artists, devise original work and build your own artistic identity. You'll gain valuable professional skills in audition technique, portfolio development, rehearsal processes and career planning, helping you graduate ready for today's industry.
In a supportive and collaborative environment, you'll build real-world experience before showcasing your skills in a full-scale musical production with a professional Musical Director and live band. Whether your goal is performing, creating, producing, teaching or postgraduate study, this course will help you find your place in the industry you love.
Course structure
Teaching combines lectures, practical workshops, seminars, tutorials, rehearsals and independent study. Students engage in regular performance-based learning through acting, singing and dance classes, alongside academic and creative practice modules. Individual and small-group tutorials support personal development, reflective practice and academic skills.
As students progress through the degree, there is an increasing emphasis on independent creative projects, professional practice, practice-as-research, performance preparation and production work. Learning is designed to mirror professional creative processes, encouraging collaboration, experimentation and critical reflection.,
Assessment and feedback
Assessment reflects the practical and academic nature of the course and may include:
- Individual and group performances
- Practical projects and productions
- Rehearsal and process portfolios
- Reflective writing
- Presentations and pitches
- Written assignments
- Practice-as-research projects
- Professional portfolios and career development materials
Students receive ongoing formative feedback throughout rehearsals, workshops, tutorials and project work, helping them develop both artistic and professional skills throughout their studies.
Curriculum overview
*Please note the full curriculum for Single Honours Musical Theatre will be available soon.
Our Musical Theatre course is designed to give you the skills, confidence, and experience needed to succeed in this highly creative industry. Throughout the Musical Theatre degree, you will develop as both a performer and a critical thinker, exploring the key elements that shape this exciting art form.
You will study and practice:
- The importance of ensemble work and collaborative performance
- Acting through song, with a focus on the relationship between music and lyrics
- The balance of music, dance, and acting, and how each informs communication and expression
- Vocal development, building a personal and versatile repertoire
- Movement and confidence through a wide range of dance styles
- Music reading skills, preparing you to work with live musicians in your final year
- Analysis of landmark musical theatre works, influential figures, and the fundamentals of directing and producing for the stage
- Audition skills and professional portfolio development
As you progress through the musical theatre degree, these areas of study will grow in complexity, challenging you to refine your artistry, technical skills, and professional readiness.
Year One
Year One: Building Your Foundations
Develop the core skills needed to thrive in musical theatre through acting, singing, dance and creative practice. You'll learn through workshops, rehearsals and collaborative projects, exploring both performance and the wider history of the art form while building confidence, creativity and professional working habits from day one.
Your studies will focus on:
Performance Training: Develop core skills in acting, singing and dance, learning how to communicate story, character and emotion through performance.
Musical Theatre Contexts: Explore the history, development and key traditions of musical theatre, building a deeper understanding of the art form.
Ensemble and Collaboration: Learn how to work effectively with others through rehearsal, ensemble performance and collaborative creative practice.
Acting Through Song and Musical Interpretation: Discover how text, music and character combine to create compelling musical theatre performances.
Creative Projects: Experiment with creating and developing original work while exploring different approaches to performance-making.
Academic and Professional Skills: Build the research, writing and reflective skills needed to succeed at university and support your artistic development.
By the end of Year One, you'll have developed a strong grounding in musical theatre performance, increased confidence as a collaborator and performer, and begun to identify your own creative interests. You'll be ready to take greater ownership of your work and engage with more advanced performance and creative challenges in Year Two.
Year Two
Year Two: Developing Your Artistic Identity
Refine your performance skills while developing greater independence as an artist. Through creative projects, performance opportunities and professional development activities, you'll begin to shape your own artistic identity, explore a range of musical theatre styles, and gain the confidence to create, lead and collaborate.
Your studies will include:
Advanced Performance Practice: Refine your skills in acting, singing and dance through increasingly demanding rehearsal and performance work.
Character and Interpretation: Explore approaches to character development, text analysis and performance interpretation across a range of musical theatre styles.
Vocal Performance and Ensemble Work: Develop versatility, musicianship and vocal technique while working with increasingly complex repertoire.
Creative Project Development: Take greater ownership of creative processes, developing original work through collaborative and independent projects.
Industry Awareness and Professional Development: Gain practical insight into auditions, portfolio-building and the realities of working in the performing arts sector.
Critical and Contextual Perspectives: Investigate influential musicals, practitioners and creative approaches while developing your research and analytical skills.
By the end of Year Two, you'll have developed greater independence, creative confidence and professional awareness. You'll be equipped to take a more active role in creative projects and will begin preparing for advanced performance practice and industry-facing work in your final year.
Year Three
Year Three: Becoming a Professional Artist
Bring together everything you've learned through advanced performance, creative projects and professional practice. With opportunities to explore producing, research, portfolio development and industry preparation, you'll graduate as a confident performer, creative practitioner and emerging professional ready to build a sustainable career in the arts.
Your studies will include:
Professional Musical Theatre Performance: Apply advanced skills in acting, singing and dance within rehearsal, production and audition settings.
Creating and Producing Musical Theatre: Explore how new work is developed, produced and sustained, gaining insight into entrepreneurial and producing practices.
Industry Preparation and Career Development: Develop professional portfolios, audition materials and self-promotion strategies to support your next career steps.
Practice as Research: Use creative practice as a method of investigation, bringing together performance, experimentation and critical reflection.
Independent Creative Projects: Lead ambitious creative work that demonstrates your artistic identity, independence and collaborative skills.
Ensemble and Production Practice: Work as part of a performance company, applying your training within authentic creative and production environments.
By graduation, you'll leave with a substantial portfolio of practical work, experience of collaborative and independent creative practice, and a strong understanding of the contemporary performing arts industry. Whether your ambitions lie in performance, creating new work, producing, teaching or postgraduate study, you'll graduate with the confidence, creativity and professional skills to build a sustainable career in the arts.
Entry requirements
| A-Levels | BBC |
|---|---|
| UCAS Tariff Points | 112 UCAS Tariff points must come from a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent). Additional points can be made up from a range of alternative qualifications.
Find out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth, by using the Tariff calculator. |
| BTEC | DMM |
| Access to HE | 112 Tariff Points |
| IB | 26 points |
| Irish Leaving Certificate | 112 Tariff Points from Higher Level qualifications only |
| Welsh Baccalaureate | This qualification can only be accepted in conjunction with other relevant qualifications |
| T-Levels | Merit |
| Subject Requirements | All candidates will be auditioned. The ability to read music is desirable at Grade 5 standard or equivalent or above. All students must have a relevant A level/BTec or equivalent. If you are not doing A level Music or BTec Performing Arts, a strong personal statement showing relevant musical theatre experience will be considered and an audition arranged. |
International entry requirements
| Specific Country Requirements | Select your country |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.0 overall (with reading and writing at 6.0) and no individual score lower than 5.5. We also accept a wide range of International Qualifications. For more information, please visit our English Language Requirements page. |
Careers
Musical theatre graduates build careers in a wide range of creative and performance-based industries. While many pursue work as performers in musical theatre, theatre and live entertainment, the breadth of skills developed throughout the degree also opens opportunities in arts education, community arts, producing, creative project management and wider cultural organisations.
The course is designed to prepare students for the realities of contemporary creative careers. Alongside advanced training in performance, students develop skills in collaboration, communication, creative project development, research, leadership and professional practice. Through audition preparation, portfolio development, self-taping and industry-focused learning, graduates leave with the confidence to present themselves professionally and create opportunities for their own artistic development.
A distinctive feature of the programme is its emphasis on both performance and creative practice. Graduates leave not only as skilled performers but also as creative practitioners who can devise work, lead projects, collaborate across disciplines and contribute to the development of new artistic work.
Many graduates may pursue careers as performers, actors, singers, workshop facilitators, arts educators, producers or community arts practitioners. Others progress into postgraduate study in areas such as performance, musical theatre, theatre studies, creative practice, arts management or education, building on the strong combination of practical, creative and academic skills developed throughout the degree.
Enhancement opportunities
Work Placement Opportunities
Students engage with industry-informed learning through productions, practical projects, guest practitioners, workshops and professional development activities. Opportunities to work with visiting artists and industry professionals help students build networks, gain insight into current industry practice and prepare for employment after graduation.
SALA
The Service and Leadership Award (SALA) is offered as an extra-curricular programme involving service-based experiences, development of leadership potential and equipping you for a career in a rapidly changing world. It enhances your degree, it is something which is complimentary but different and which has a distinct ‘value-added’ component. Find out more on our Service and Leadership Award page.
Study Abroad
As part of your degree, you can choose to spend either a semester or a full year of study at one of our partner universities as part of our Study Abroad programme. Find out more on our Study Abroad page.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year are £9,790 for full-time undergraduate courses.*
If you are a student from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, your tuition fees will also be £9,790.
The tuition fees for the 2027/28 academic year will be £10,050 for full-time undergraduate courses.*
If you are a student from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, your tuition fees will also be £10,050
The University reserves the right to increase Home and EU Undergraduate and PGCE tuition fees in line with any inflationary or other increase authorised by the Secretary of State for future years of study.
Home students (UK)
*Tuition fees are subject to inflation-linked increases in line with government policy. Updated fees will be confirmed in line with the maximum fee cap set by the Government or the Office for Students (OfS) for each academic year. This means your fee may increase for each academic year of study, but only up to the maximum amount permitted for that year.
Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.
Scholarships
We have a range of scholarships to help with the cost of your studies. Visit our scholarships page to find out more.
International tuition fees
The International Tuition fees for 2026/27 are £15,225.
The International Tuition fees for 2027/28 are £16,000
Visit our International fees page for more information.
Course combinations
This course is also available as a Combined Honours degree with the following subjects:
| Degree Title |
|---|
| Musical Theatre and Acting |
| Musical Theatre and Dance |
| Musical Theatre and Drama |
| Musical Theatre and Education |
| Musical Theatre and Music Production |
| Musical Theatre and Psychology |
Course Enquiry
Got a question about the course? Complete the form below and a member of our team will be in touch.