Musical Theatre
BA (Hons)
Top-up degree
- UCAS codes: Institution B20, Course WW3L
- Musical Theatre Top-up handbook
Key facts
- Award
- BA (Hons) Musical Theatre
- Taught by
- University Centre Weston
- Course length
- One year full-time.
- UCAS codes
- Institution Code: B20
- Course Code: WW3L
- Campus Code: C,WESTON
Entry requirements
You should have successfully completed a related Foundation Degree/HND. All applicants will be interviewed and auditioned.
View typical offers for more information.
Prepare yourself for an exciting and varied portfolio career in the performing arts.
- Learn from highly qualified staff who continue to work as choreographers, performers and directors.
- Gain professional experience through numerous performance opportunities in regional theatres.
- Benefit from recently-refurbished studios, rehearsal rooms and classrooms at UCW Academy of Performing Arts.
Become an intelligent performer with a combination of technical acumen, contextual understanding and business skills.
Work within a professional theatre company framework to produce, perform and market a piece of musical theatre while also developing your contextual understanding of the subject and gaining valuable business skills.
This course is designed to prepare you for a career within a broad range of fields including musical theatre, music, media, community arts, and teaching. You may also choose to progress to postgraduate study.
“The degree provides some amazing performing opportunities, and being taught by lecturers who are working in the industry is a great experience. The open door policy makes the atmosphere very welcoming; the lecturers are always there to help and support you.”
Callum, Musical Theatre (Top-Up) graduate
What you'll learn
Overview
This course covers the essential technical aspects of musical theatre: singing, acting, dancing, directing and choreographing. You’ll explore the singing demands of different musical styles, including jazz, classical, pop and rock. You’ll also develop a strong understanding of the cultural and historical context of musical theatre, study the role of musical numbers within the overall structure of musical theatre, learn the tricks of directing, analyse how performers master different musical styles, and undertake a substantial research project on musical theatre subjects of interest.
You’ll also showcase your performance skills to the public as part of the course, in professional productions such as our recent run of performances of Sister Act in Windsor, and in our end of year show in Weston’s Playhouse Theatre.
Honours Top-ups are Level 6 qualifications that enable the conversion of a Foundation degree or equivalent into a full Honours degree.
How will I be assessed?
Assessment is via a combination of practical exams and coursework, with an assessment breakdown of 50% practical exams and 50% coursework. There are no written exams on this course.
How will I be taught?
You'll be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, performances, rehearsals and technical classes.
Opportunities
Work placements, industry links and internships
You’ll showcase your performance skills to the public as part of the course.
Our students have recently performed in our production of Sister Act at the Theatre Royal, Windsor, with the show seen by more than 1,000 members of the public over its week-long run. We also hold a spectacular end of year show each summer to give our students the chance to showcase their talents to theatre-lovers closer to home.
Careers
Graduates of this course have gained employment in areas including cruise ship entertainment and education, and have cast productions including Rent, USHERS and Yesterday – A Tribute to the Beatles.
Students who pass this course are eligible to apply for postgraduate study, such as Bath Spa's Master’s degrees in Classical Acting, Directing or Scriptwriting at Bath Spa University.
Graduates can also seek roles with touring theatre companies or other performance roles and, after further study, work in musical theatre education.
Facilities and resources
Where the subject is taught
This course is taught in the recently-refurbished UCW Academy of Performing Arts in Weston-super-Mare, which has two 150m dance and movement studios with fully-sprung floors, a 120m rehearsal studio, a fully-equipped studio theatre with 60 seats, lecture and seminar rooms, IT suites and a student green room. Just across the road, our multimillion pound redevelopment of the Winter Gardens offers state-of-the-art learning facilities, extended opening hours and a new library.
Fees
Please note: Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland are no longer eligible for the UK (Home) fee status. Please refer to the international student rate.
UK students full time
2021/22 Entry
Course fees
Year 1 | £9,250 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2022 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2023 |
2022/23 Entry
Course fees
Year 1 | Published Jan 2022 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2024 |
2023/24 Entry
Course fees
Year 1 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2025 |
International students full time
2021/22 Entry
Course fees
Year 1 | £13,910 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2022 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2023 |
2022/23 Entry
Course fees
Year 1 | Published Jan 2022 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2024 |
2023/24 Entry
Course fees
Year 1 | Published Jan 2023 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2025 |
Interested in applying?
What we look for in potential students
Offers are usually made on the basis of successful completion of a related Foundation Degree/Higher National Diploma or equivalent with an average grade profile of 50% or above. An audition is required for this course.
Typical offers
You should have successfully completed a related Foundation Degree/HND, ideally obtaining an overall grade average of 50% in the second year of the course. All applicants will be interviewed and auditioned.
If you intend to progress onto a PGCE (Teacher Training) course at a later stage students will also need GCSEs at grade C or above in Maths and English (and for Primary teaching Science) ideally before you apply for the PGCE course.
How do I apply?
Ready to apply? Click the 'apply now' button in the centre of this page.
Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply pages.
Interview and portfolio guidance
If your application meets our basic entry requirements, you’ll be invited to an audition day. These usually last from 10am-5pm, and we invite a number of applicants along so we can see how you work in groups.
The audition days are structured around workshops in the three areas of repertoire: acting, singing and dancing. You may also be asked to complete a short piece of written work. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask any questions you have. You should wear comfortable clothing, suitable for movement.
Admissions service: +44 (0)1225 876 180
Email: admissions@bathspa.ac.uk