Introduction
We are thrilled that you’ve applied for one of our courses. The next stage is the Interview and Audition process. The majority of our Undergraduate Courses at Liverpool Hope’s Creative Campus requires an interview, an audition or, in some, cases both, following application. This section provides all you need to know to enable you to prepare for your interview/audition and will provide you with a course specific guide on what can be expected before, during and after the process.
Interviews and auditions can be both exciting and nerve-wracking experiences. We are here to support you and provide you with as much information as possible in advance to help make the experience as smooth and as stress-free as possible.
Once we have received your application, it will be checked by our Admissions team to ensure you meet our entry requirements for the course you’ve applied for. If you are successful at this stage, you will be invited for an interview/audition. Our invitation for interview/audition will arrive by e-mail. You will be asked to book a date and time from a selection of available options.
How to prepare for your Interview/Audition
Interviews and auditions generally take place between October and March, although some may fall later in the cycle. You will be sent an email inviting you for interview/audition and asking you to choose from an available date and time. Once you have done this, you will receive a confirmation e-mail and any other relevant information ahead of your interview or audition.
Before your interview/audition, spend some time compiling your portfolio or preparing for your performance by regular practise of your musical pieces with an accompanist or rehearsing your performance, or practising speaking about your Visual Art, Graphic Design or Film works, so you feel confident performing to the panel. One example could be setting up a practice or mock interview/audition with a friend or family member. Research the piece(s) you will perform or present, so you can talk about them in an informed way. If you are using equipment/instruments on the day, please ensure that you have enough time for set-up and have checked them prior to your time slot.
It is not uncommon to feel nervous before an interview or audition. Please be assured that the University is a friendly and welcoming place and our academic staff and panels are experienced and fully supportive. If nerves do get the better of you and your interview/audition doesn’t go as planned or is not flawless, please do not worry. It doesn’t mean it’s over. Our team are trained to spot raw talent, so if you’ve got what it takes to do well on our course they’ll be able to see your potential. Similarly, if the panel feels that a little more development is required we will advise you of the best routes which may include our Foundation Year of study. It is in everybody’s interests to be clear about what is required in order to undertake successful and fulfilling study at Degree level.
What happens on the day?
Most interviews/auditions will take place via Zoom whilst the government advice on social distancing remains in place. Some applicants will complete entirely recorded auditions and only be invited for a ‘live’ interview if programme leaders have specific follow-on questions. Please see the course specific guidance below for further details.
If you have confirmed your interview time, you will be provided with a Zoom link in advance of your interview/audition. Please be ready 15 minutes before your interview/audition with any materials and/or instruments that you will require (please see individual Subject Course Guides below).
Interviews/auditions can take up to 30 minutes depending on your chosen subject. At the beginning you will be welcomed and introduced to the interviewer or the interview panel. The whole interview/audition experience may take up to two hours in total, potentially including a performance, and/or workshop experience and a virtual tour of the campus and facilities. Please see Course Specific Guides below for further information.
A virtual tour of the Creative Campus will be available for you to join via Zoom on the day of your interview/audition. This will provide the opportunity of viewing the campus where you will study, as well as showcase all the amazing facilities we have available to you to support you with your studies. You will also hear from a current student or an alumnus of the course you have applied for, so you can hear first hand about the course and what it’s really like to study at Hope.
Take the Spotlight
The audition or interview process is designed to enable our team to find out about you. It is not just about how accomplished you are, but what sort of person you are. We want to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your creative and/or performance skills and impress us in support of your application. We will also take time to discuss with you your interests and ambitions and your goals for the future.
Please remember that we are genuinely interested in your talents, whatever they may be, and we want you to feel as prepared, confident and as comfortable as possible. Please try to relax and just be yourself. We want to see the real you!
Looking for Ways to Say Yes
We are very clear about the purpose of an interview/audition. We are ‘Looking for Ways to say Yes’. What we mean by this is our interviews and auditions are a time to focus on what you CAN do not what you CAN’T do.
Applicants should not perceive the audition process as you are being judged and scrutinised, which we know can make you feel very apprehensive, rather the audition is a two-way process to find the best study option for you. We have been in your shoes ourselves. The outcome is not simply ‘success’ or ‘failure’. Our tutors will listen to you and what you want to achieve. There are alternatives and it is not the end of the road if you fall short in the audition. We want to match your skills to our courses. We want to engage with you.
We don’t want our applicants to come away from an interview or audition feeling like there is no hope and feeling that they will not be able to pursue their dream career in Music, or another Creative subject. If you are prepared to listen to our feedback and consider your options, we may be able to open other doors for you.
Interview/Audition Dress Code
The dress code is smart but comfortable. Wear clothing which will not restrict your movement if performing.
Interview/Audition Outcome
It is very common to leave an audition or interview and immediately think of something you forgot to ask. If this happens, don’t panic and don’t be afraid to contact the team to ask those questions. Admissions offices are there to help you through the application process and will respond to your queries as soon as they can.
Liverpool Hope University expects to communicate all offers/decisions to applicants as soon as possible and within 48 hours of interview. However, some of these offers may be made subject to conditions criteria that will need to be met. Our decision will be communicated to you by e-mail.
In all cases the admissions decisions will be made by reference to the published entry requirements available on the UCAS course information pages, together with the selection criteria as detailed in our course specific guidance here on our website.
We wish our applicants the very best of luck in their interviews/auditions and we are very much looking forward to meeting you and seeing what new talent and ideas you can bring to Hope.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or would like advice about any aspect of the interview/audition process, please contact our Admissions Team.
E: admission@hope.ac.uk
T: 0151 291 3899
Dance (Combined Honours)
We will invite you to attend a 15-minute interview where you will be asked to articulate your own knowledge and experience of dance, as well as your reasons for choosing a combined honours course (for example, what are the possible links between Dance and your other course option). As part of your interview process we ask you to prepare a short critical review (verbal) of a live dance performance that you have recently seen, and comment on its particular effectiveness and its ability to communicate a particular theme to its audience.
We will also require you to choreograph, perform and record a short 2-3 minute dance for camera in a location of your choice. The creative title and starting point for this piece is "Perpetual Motion".
Please submit your completed video by email to: dance@hope.ac.uk by sending us a Vimeo or YouTube link in an email. If you prefer, you can use YouTube’s ‘unlisted’ setting, which means your video won’t be publicly viewable. Please title the email with your name, and the words ‘Dance Audition’.
Successful applicants will possess a competent level of dance skills and an understanding of how the body articulates and expresses movement both independently and in relation to others. Successful applicants will also be able to talk about their interest in dance and be enthusiastic about learning through practice as well as theory. They will be strong collaborators and capable of taking initiative when working in groups.
Criteria
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This can be identified from one or more of the following examples:
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- A critical interest in dance as an art form and how it reflects and engages with society.
- A passion for dance and an enthusiasm for working with groups.
- A curiosity for developing new dance expressions and collaborating with other art forms.
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Interview
Interview
Interview and video
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Drama (Combined Honours)
Please note there is no audition for this programme.
Drama & Theatre BA (Single Honours)
Please submit a video of you performing a 2-minute speech from a play of your choice. Your chosen play can be old or new, serious or comic, but you should know your speech by heart. Please introduce your speech by telling us which play it comes from, and which role you’ll be playing. At the end of your speech, please tell us your answers to the following questions (you can use notes for this part, if that makes you feel more comfortable).
Discussion questions:
- What drew you to working with this play?
- What are the biggest challenges you found in developing this character?
- What preparation or research have you done to help you understand the world of the play?
Please submit your completed video by email to: drama@hope.ac.uk by sending us a Vimeo or YouTube link in an email. If you prefer, you can use YouTube’s ‘unlisted’ setting, which means your video won’t be publicly viewable. Please title the email with your name, and the words ‘Drama & Theatre Audition’.
If you wish, you can find out more about self-taping auditions here and here.
Criteria
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This can be identified from one or more of the following examples:
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- A lively curiosity about plays, characters, rehearsal techniques, and theatre practices
- The ability to respond to new challenges, and communicate your creative ideas clearly
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Audition speech.
Audition speech and discussion.
Audition speech and discussion.
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Film, TV, Radio & Media Production BA (Single Honours)
Interview.
Applicants are asked to prepare a short portfolio of recent or work-in-progress practical work in any field of Film, Television, Radio or Media production. This work may be written (e.g. scripts, blogs), or may take the form of still images (e.g. photography), or visual and/or aural material (e.g. a short film or animation, or a podcast). Please also supply a supporting written statement of approximately 200 words that contextualises your portfolio.
You will be given a date and time slot for a short interview (10 - 15 minutes) with a member of staff. We will introduce ourselves and ask you about your interest in the course. We will also ask you about your theoretical and academic experience in Film, TV, Radio and Media Production and about your plans for the future.
Criteria
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This can be identified from one or more of the following examples:
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- Practical work in any field of Film, Television, Radio or Media production.
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Portfolio of in-progress work
200 - word Contextual Statement.
Zoom Interview (10-15 minutes).
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Fine Art BA (Single Honours)
Interview.
Applicants are invited to email a link to an online platform such as Google Drive which will contain images of your artwork portfolio and any related sketchbooks or written material. The interview lasts around twenty minutes and will involve you talking through your artwork from the online link. A Fine Art team member will introduce themselves and whilst the presentation is in progress you will be asked questions regarding your artwork, and artists that are of interest to you or gallery exhibitions that you may have attended. The manner of this questioning is at all times informal and conversational. Following this presentation, the Fine Art staff member will give an overview of the course content throughout the three years and there will be a chance at the end for you to ask questions regarding the course content, studying in Liverpool, or any other items of interest.
Criteria
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This can be identified from one or more of the following examples:
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- A Practical Portfolio of Artwork Containing a range of practical skills AND Research Interests.
- A Keen interest in Contemporary Fine Art and the Art Historical.
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Portfolio of Artwork.
Interview
Evidence of Gallery Visits.
Discussion during Interview.
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Graphic Design BA (Single Honours)
Interview.
Applicants are asked to prepare a portfolio of work. This should include development works and some final pieces. The portfolio can be either a PDF or a link to a website, or a combination of both.
You will be given a date and time slot for a short interview (10 - 15 minutes) with a member of staff. We will introduce ourselves and ask you about your interest in the course. We will ask you to speak about your work and your plans for the future. The interview is also an opportunity to ask questions about the Graphic Design programme.
Criteria
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This can be identified from one or more of the following examples:
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- Evidence of art and design skills.
- An interest in visual communication and curiosity about graphic design.
- Evidence of the development of ideas from concepts to revisions of design work.
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Portfolio of work.
Interview
Photographs of selection of sketchbook pages and/or design sheets.
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Contemporary Performance BA (Combined Honours)
We will invite you to attend a 15-minute interview where you will be asked to articulate your own knowledge and experience of performance and your proficiency with different technologies. We will also be keen to discuss the potential links between this course and your other combined honours course.
As part of this interview, please prepare to make a 5-minute presentation. In this presentation, we would like you to make a professional pitch on how you would use technology to make a play of your choice interactive and immersive for an audience.
The choice of technologies you may wish to discuss could include:
- Virtual Reality
- Binaural Microphones
- Digital Projector
- Mobile Phone
- The Internet
Successful applicants will possess confidence in performance-making and are excited about working with creative technologies. They should also be able to coherently reflect on the performance-making process and be able to evaluate the merits and limitations of their proposal.
Criteria
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This can be identified from one or more of the following examples:
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- An interest in different technologies and their application to performance.
- The ability to respond to new challenges within creative technologies, and communicate your creative ideas clearly.
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Presentation
Interview and presentation.
Interview and presentation.
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Music BA (Single and Combined Honours)
Interview and Audition.
Your audition will include a practical element where you will be asked to perform two contrasting pieces you’ve prepared in advance.
You should choose pieces that you are confident with and that show your range of skills. Remember that the audition is to find out what you can do now and what potential you have for the future. We want you to be comfortable with your choice of pieces.
You will be auditioned by academics from our Music team who will invite you to discuss your musical goals and interests, and who will give you a chance to ask any questions about Music at Hope.
Criteria
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This can be identified from one or more of the following examples:
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- Perform to a minimum of grade 6 standard (although you don’t have to have taken the exam).
- Have music theory knowledge of minimum grade 5 standard (although you don’t have to have taken the exam).
- Be keen to develop your practice across a broad range of music genres and styles.
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In the audition, through your performance.
In discussion of prior experience in the audition.
In discussion about your musical interests and goals in the audition.
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Music Production (Combined Honours)
Interview and Audition.
We will ask you questions about your prior experience and/or musical interests.
Your audition will include a practical element where you will be asked to perform one piece you’ve prepared in advance.
We will also want to see evidence of previous experience of production. You will be asked to deliver a short (5 minute) presentation on your working process in music production. This can be done using slides if you wish.
You will also have an interview with academics from our Music team, during which you will have an opportunity to ask questions.
Criteria
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This can be identified from one or more of the following examples:
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- A keen interest in Music and Music Production.
- Music theory up to grade 5 level (although you don’t have to have taken the exam) OR evidence of a composition you have created.
- Music performance and production skills.
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In the audition through performing and telling us about your prior experience.
Through your presentation and a discussion of your prior experience in music theory and/or composition.
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Musical Theatre BA (Combined Honours)
Audition.
Your audition will include a practical element where you will be asked to perform two contrasting songs you’ve prepared in advance.
You should choose songs that you are confident with and that show your range of skills. Remember that the audition is to find out what you can do now and what potential you have for the future. We want you to be comfortable with your choice of songs.
Prior to audition, you will be asked to send in a video of your work in dance and/or drama which will be discussed with you at the audition.
You will be auditioned by academics from our Musical Theatre team who will invite you to discuss your musical goals and interests, and who will give you a chance to ask any questions about Musical Theatre at Hope.
Criteria
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This can be identified from one or more of the following examples:
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- The ability to sing securely at minimum grade 6 standard (although you don’t have to have taken the exam).
- Experience in dance and/or drama.
- A keen interest in developing musical theatre skills including creating original work.
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Performing at the audition.
Discussing your previous experience during the audition.
Submission of a video prior to audition.
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