Interviews and Auditions - Undergraduate Courses

Below is a list of our courses, in alphabetical order by school, that require interview or audition for entry, and the qualities that will be evaluated. This information is correct at the time of publication (Autumn 2011).

Please, however, be aware that we do not send letters inviting you to attend an interview or audition, we would always communicate this to you by email (unless you have not provided an email address on your UCAS application). Please, therefore, always check your junk mail box in case our email has gone there by mistake! Do also check UCAS Track as this will display the date of your interview or audition.

School of Art and Design

Interviews usually take place from February onwards.

Courses that currently require interview are:

Digital Design

The following aspects are taken into account when interviewing Digital Design applicants:

Fashion Design

The following aspects are taken into account when interviewing applicants:

Graphic Design

Portfolios will be reviewed by at least two members of staff. Our interview panels normally include one or two members of staff and a student. The purpose of the interview is the opportunity it provides for both candidates and course tutors to find out more about each other. For example, interviewers will be interested in a candidates approach to their work, their awareness and understanding of art and design, their enthusiasms and interests, influences and experiences.

The interview is a chance to impress us with aptitude, commitment and potential, and to provide an opportunity to ask us questions. We will evaluate:

Other courses within the School of Art and Design that currently require interview are:

School of Education

Courses that currently require interview are:

Foundation Degree in Early Years

Candidates who are invited to attend an interview will hear a presentation about the course and there will be opportunities for questions, followed by a group discussion on set topics which is observed by interview tutors using specific criteria to assess. These criteria include:

Candidates would then normally complete a written task which provides information on their ability to extract meaning from text, summarise key points and write a reflective account based on the reading.

Other courses within the School of Education that currently require interview are:

School of English and Creative Studies

Courses that currently require interview are:

School of Music and Performing Arts

We aim to conduct at least one audition date for courses with the School of Music and Performing Arts before the Christmas vacation but they normally take place from January to May and we write to short-listed candidates around three weeks before. Candidates are normally invited to audition in the order in which they applied but are considered equally and fairly regardless of the date of the audition.

All interview sessions involve a tour of the campus either before or after the audition. The tour guide is usually a Student Ambassador (a current student on a relevant course) but may on occasion be the course leader or other member of staff.

Courses that currently require audition/interview are:

Commercial Music

All eligible candidates are written to with a request for them to submit an audio portfolio. This can either be in the form of a CD or a link to a relevant 'myspace' page so that music can be accessed over the internet. Applicants are generally written to in one batch and are given a months notice to record and submit this portfolio to us. The Commercial Music team then listen to the portfolios and make a decision on who to invite to the auditions that take place during the Easter break. Applicants therefore should not expect to receive contact from BSU requesting their audio portfolio until possibly January/February, depending on when an application is received. Unsuccessful decisions or audition letters will issued by the end of March. Prior preparation is required which will be sent to candidates with the invitation letter.

The following aspects are taken into account at interview/audition:

Creative Arts/Combined Awards

Those applying for combinations within our Creative Arts or Combined Awards programmes that include selecting courses (Ceramics, Dance, Music) will be invited to attend an audition and/or interview for those courses on a day that coincides with a BSU Campus Visit Day (with the exception of applicants for BA Creative Arts: Art and Ceramics, who would only be based at or near our Sion Hill campus). This allows candidates to experience both areas of study so that they do not have to make two separate visits to the University. For this reason, such applicants may have to wait for an appropriate Campus Visit Day until they are contacted by us. Candidates should not worry if they do not hear from us until January/February or later regarding an interview date.

Creative Music Technology (CMT)

All eligible candidates are asked to submit an audio portfolio which should be in the form of a CD. Applicants are generally written to in one batch and are given a months notice to record and submit this portfolio to us. All candidates who submit a portfolio will be invited to attend an interview where their portfolios will then be discussed. Applicants therefore should not expect to receive contact from BSU requesting their audio portfolio until possibly December/January, depending on when an application is received. Candidates will then either receive an unsuccessful decision or an audition letter by the middle of March.

The following aspects are taken into account at interview/audition:

Dance

All eligible candidates are invited to a short talk and a two hour group workshop/audition which take place from December through to May. No prior preparation is required.

The audition panel evaluates the following:

If overseas applicants are not able to attend an audition, we would accept a DVD recording. This should demonstrate:

Music

All eligible candidates are invited to an interview/audition session including a talk on the subject then a scheduled twenty minute solo instrumental audition the time of which is usually issued on the day. These sessions take place between December and May. Prior preparation is required and details are issued with the invitation letter.The audition panel evaluates the following:

Music Production

The audition panel evaluates the following:

Performing Arts

Applications are considered around month prior to the designated audition session and all eligible candidates are invited to attend. Candidates who are not eligible will receive an unsuccessful result via UCAS track at the same as audition letters are distributed. The audition session is comprised of a talk on the subject, a group exercise and a solo audition (performed in front of the group). Around thirty candidates attend each session and these take place from December to May. Please be aware that there is occasionally a long gap between audition sessions so candidates should not be worried if they have not heard anything early on. Prior preparation is required for the audition and details are issued with the invitation.

The audition panel evaluates the following, but also take into account the academic reference, the academic qualifications, the personal statement and the performance throughout the workshop audition:

For overseas students, we'd expect to see a range of work presented on DVD. This should include 2 contrasting monologues performed and recorded for the purposes of audition and two to three pieces of work from the candidates existing repertoire.

Popular Music

The audition panel evaluates the following:

Other courses within the School of Music and Performing Arts that currently require audition/interview are:

School of Social Sciences

Courses within the School of Social Sciences that currently require interview are: