Theatre and Performance Studies, B.A.

  • Application Deadline
  • 36 months
    Duration
  • English (schedule IELTS)
    Language
University rank #44 (QS) ,
This course will provide you with the skills to understand and make performance through exploring critical and historical frameworks alongside practical workshops. There are opportunities to engage with professional theatre-makers, and also our theatre archive – The Theatre Collection.

About

In your first year, you will learn how to analyse performance and plays, developing practical skills in theatre design and production. You will participate in small-group tutorials to discuss performances you have seen and issues that impact across the disciplines of theatre, film and music.

In your second and third years, you will choose from a range of options that deepen your analytical, critical, practical and historical expertise.

Your degree culminates in an independent-study project. This can take the form of group or individual performance, extended essay and/or an industrial placement. Placement partners include the Bristol Old Vic and Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory. Students can also undertake placements elsewhere, including overseas.

Why study Theatre at Bristol?

Theatre and Performance Studies at Bristol is characterised by the way we blend historical and theoretical study with practice-based investigations. You will encounter a mixture of lectures, seminars and practical workshops.

You will study historical contexts, consider critical perspectives and engage in practice-based activities, using our two in-house theatres for your presentations. You will also have access to our museum-accredited theatre archive and twenty-four hour rehearsal space. Facilities include the professionally equipped Wickham Theatre, sound and design studios, and a costume workshop.

The first year introduces histories, contexts, ways of analysing performance, and practical skills in theatre production. In the second and final years, optional units will deepen your expertise around particular performance contexts and practical skills in theatremaking.

The Department of Theatre has strong links with a wide range of arts organizations and theatre companies. In your final year, you can undertake an industrial placement within the creative industries.

Detailed Programme Facts

  • Programme intensity Full-time
    • Full-time duration 36 months
  • Languages
    • English
    Schedule IELTS Find English Courses
  • Delivery mode
    On Campus

Programme Structure

First year
  • Producing the Performance
  • Staging the Text
  • Performance Forms and Analysis
  • Production Skills for Performance I
  • Production Skills for Performance II
  • Criticism in the Arts
  • Performance Contexts
Second year
  • Performance Histories
  • Politics of Performance
  • Plus a choice of four from the following theatre units (indicative):
  • Performing the Archive
  • Popular Performance
  • Interpreting Plays
  • Choreography and Dance Theatre
  • Early Modern Theatre Practice
  • Devised Performance
  • Contemporary Theatre
  • Melodrama
  • An open Faculty of Arts unit choice, including units in English Literature, Modern Languages, History of Art, Music, Philosophy and others
Third year
  • A choice of three from the above theatre unit options
  • Plus a choice of two independent study units through:
  • Practical project
  • Extended essay
  • Placement in a creative industry.

Audience

The course is suitable for those interested in the practice, history and theory of theatre and performance.

You should be able to demonstrate a commitment to the study of theatre and performance in an academic context, eg through extra-curricular reading. You will also be motivated and have evidence of achievement in performance and theatremaking, eg by participation in extra-curricular or community drama productions.

English Language Requirements

You only need to take one of these language tests:

  • Minimum required score:

    7

    The IELTS – or the International English Language Test System – tests your English-language abilities (writing, listening, speaking, and reading) on a scale of 1.00–9.00. The minimum IELTS score requirement refers to which Overall Band Score you received, which is your combined average score. Read more about IELTS.

    Schedule IELTS

    StudyPortals Tip: The UK government has confirmed new English-language testing requirements for visa and immigration purposes. Learn more

  • Minimum required score (Grade B):

    193

    C1 Advanced is a Cambridge English Qualification. It reports on the Cambridge English Scale between 142 and 210. You will receive a separate score for each of the four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) and for Use of English. These five scores are averaged to give you an overall result for the exam. Universities and colleges may ask you to achieve a specific score, either overall or for a particular skill.

    Note: degree programmes and applications may require a more specific minimum score for admission.

  • Minimum required score:

    100

    The TOEFL – or Test Of English as a Foreign Language – offers an internet-based test (iBT). The final, overall iBT score ranges between 0 and 120, and includes a scaled average from the four components (reading, listening, speaking, and writing). Read more about TOEFL (iBT).

Academic Requirements

  • A-levels (including international A-levels): AAB
  • A-levels (including international A-levels): ABB
  • IB Diploma: 34 overall to include 17 points at Higher Level
  • IB Diploma: 32 overall to include 16 points at Higher level
  • Cambridge Pre-U: Requirements are as for A-levels, where Grade A* is D2, A is D3, B is M2, and C is M3
  • Access: Pass Access to HE Diploma with at least 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit
  • BTEC: DDD
  • SQA: SH: AAABB and AH: AB
  • Welsh Bacc: Requirements are as for A-levels where the lowest grade required in a non-subject-specified A-level can be replaced by the same grade in the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Level Core
  • EB: 80% overall
  • International qualifications: Qualifications, scholarships and local information sources for your country
  • Subjects required at GCSE or equivalent: no specific subjects required.

Tuition Fee

  • International Applies to you

    15800 GBP/year
    Tuition Fee
    Based on the original amount of 15800 GBP per year and a duration of 36 months.

  • EU/EEA Applies to you

    9250 GBP/year
    Tuition Fee
    Based on the original amount of 9250 GBP per year and a duration of 36 months.
We've labeled the tuition fee that applies to you because we think you are from and prefer over other currencies.

Living costs for Bristol

  • 750 - 1260 GBP/month
    Living Costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

StudyPortals Tip: Students can search online for independent or external scholarships that can help fund their studies. Check the scholarships to see whether you are eligible to apply. Many scholarships are either merit-based or needs-based.

The Global Study Awards: get funded with up to £10,000 to study abroad

Together with the ISIC Association and British Council IELTS, StudyPortals offers you the chance to receive up to £10000 to expand your horizon and study abroad. We want to ultimately encourage you to study abroad in order to experience and explore new countries, cultures and languages.

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