Acting BA (Hons) (with Foundation Year)
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UCAS Code: |Duration: 4 years|Full Time|Both Campuses
UCAS Campus Code: L46
Work placement opportunities|International students can apply|Study Abroad opportunities
About the course
Discover your passion for Acting and Performance!
Are you ready to step into the spotlight and embark on an extraordinary journey in the world of acting and performance? Our Acting BA (Hons) programme is designed to equip individuals with knowledge and skills in the field of acting. This BA provides students with knowledge and understanding of the history and practice of acting, and the skills to apply this knowledge to real-life settings across different disciplines, as well as acting for stage and screen.
Unleash your creativity and explore the rich history and practice of acting. The course provides an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the core areas of acting (histories and contemporary practices) and the opportunity to apply theories, methods, and approaches from drama, theatre and performance. Students will gain a critical understanding of how acting plays a key role in local, national, and global contexts. They will also be supported to develop knowledge and awareness of contemporary issues in acting and the performing arts, empowering you to become a versatile and impactful actor.
Immerse yourself in a stimulating learning environment situated within the School of Creative and Performing Arts, in the heart of Liverpool and taught by professors and tutors from across Europe. This course provides an intellectually stimulating environment in which students will acquire skills of acting techniques alongside critical thinking and independent learning. The transferable skills developed through the course will be relevant to a range of careers including teaching, mentoring, educational settings, and as well as equipping students for acting for the stage and screen.
Course structure
Teaching on this course is structured into lectures, where all students are taught together, seminars of small groups of around 20-30 students, and tutorials which typically have no more than 10 students.
In the first year of study, there are approximately 12 teaching hours each week, which reduces to approximately 10 teaching hours in the second and third years.
In addition to the in-class hours, students will be expected to complete independent study (e.g., reading relevant texts and completing assignments) both on their own, and in groups.
Students will also have the opportunity to engage in specific enrichment activities including research internships, workshops and talks from special interest groups, placements, and the Global Hope programme.
Assessment and feedback
During the course, students will undertake a variety of assessments, including performance work, presentations, and written work. Assessments include both individual assignments, and group work. In the final year, students complete a research project (dissertation).
Curriculum overview
The BA in Acting degree provides knowledge and understanding of the histories and practice of acting in the Global north. Important concepts such as praxis, acting technique, acting for stage, acting for screen are studied as part of this degree. Specialised tutorials will support the application of acting theory and research to the fields of the creative and performing arts.
Foundation Year
The Foundation Year is a great opportunity if you have the ability and enthusiasm to study for a degree, but do not yet have the qualifications required to enter directly onto our degree programmes. A significant part of the Foundation Year focuses upon core skills such as academic writing at HE level, becoming an independent learner, structuring academic work, critical thinking, time management and note taking.
Successful completion of the Foundation Year will enable you to progress into the first year (Level C) of your chosen honours degree. Further details can be found here.
Year One
Year One introduces the core areas of acting and students reflect on a range of issues relating to acting, its histories and practices.
What is acting?
This lecture series explores the historical and conceptual issues underpinning the study of acting as an aesthetic discipline.
Individual and Group Perspectives
Lectures explore theories and conceptual issues acting, and its relationship to important social issues.
Developing an Acting practice
Students engage in a series of structured activities that support their critical thinking, presentation, writing, and research skills. These skills are developed in the context of working as an individual and as part of a tutorial group.
Acting on stage and screen
This lecture series explores the history of acting. Traditions form the Global north in relation to other acting traditions across the world.
Experiential Programme Design – devising in acting and the traditions of the Europe and USA
These seminars give a hands-on introduction to acting histories and contemporary techniques.
Year Two
Year Two – Explorations in acting
Making a mark in your acting career
This lecture series explores different directions an acting career can take, and will focus on the development of each student's development of their own acting techniques, inspired by others (historical and practical).
These seminars will be practical and will engage in student productions of plays from historical sources (including classics like Shakespeare but also some of the great works of modernist literature).
Tutorials will be provided for small groups of students to discuss and develop their understanding and practice of acting techniques in the development of their own acting styles.
Year Three
Year Three is advanced study in acting techniques and performance making processes. The lecture series will develop themes for the dissertation, which are sourced from the students own interest. This is a bespoke lecture series from experts in the field who work professionally and deliver world leading and internationally acclaimed research in the field.
Acting agents and partnership collaborations with the key theatre institutions in the city and the North West will form the backdrop for the lecture seminar and tutorial series, and will offer placements in those institutions (depending on availability).
Entry requirements
There may be some flexibility for mature students offering non-tariff qualifications and students meeting particular widening participation criteria.
Careers
The course will prepare students for further training and/or for a career in acting. Possible careers include teacher, mentor, artist, producer, director, actor on screen and new media, actor for gaming.
Enhancement opportunities
Work Placement Opportunities
Students are able to complete a placement year and support will be provided in finding a placement. Short-term placements may be available, including the option to work as a research intern.
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 2025/26 academic year are £9,535* 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 £9,535*.
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.
*subject to Council approval.
Additional costs
On top of tuition fees, students will need approximately £250 for purchasing key textbooks. There may also be a cost for field trips; details of which will be provided with plenty of notice.
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 2025/26 are £14,500.
Visit our International fees page for more information.
Course combinations
This course is also available with Foundation Year as a Combined Honours degree with the following subjects: