Top 15 in UK for Student Satisfaction
We’re in the UK top 15 for Student Satisfaction in Drama, Dance and Cinematics.*
*Complete University Guide 2023.

BA (Hons)
Undergraduate degree - single honours
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed under 'Typical offers' in the main column below. For combined courses, please check both subjects. If your qualification is not listed, please email admissions@bathspa.ac.uk with your specific details.
What does it take to be a professional actor? Skill and confidence, certainly. We also think it helps to have a strong portfolio before you even graduate.
Our Acting course trains you in all aspects of the business while nurturing the versatility, creativity and resilience needed to succeed in acting and a range of performing arts careers.
In your first year, you’ll build the foundations through technical skills classes in movement, voice, singing and comedy. Your second year explores and tests these skills through projects such as full-scale theatre productions, short films, commercials, presenting jobs and voiceovers for audiobooks and games. In your final year, you’ll focus on your profile and perform to public audiences to build your CV. You’ll also work with industry professionals to expand your network of contacts – all before launching your career.
Early career actors need to be proactive. We show you how to take an entrepreneurial approach – how to sell your brand, find opportunities, and bring the transferable skills you’ve gained on the course into many areas of the industry.
You’ll get the chance to create your own work and collaborate with professionals, especially at our student-led festival, SparkFest, which we run in partnership with Bath Festivals, and as part of our in-house production company, Bath Spa Productions.
By the time you graduate, you’ll know what it’s like to work with directors, technicians, venue managers, writers, producers and your fellow performers. You’ll know how to position yourself to find opportunities – and how to create them. You’ll learn about all aspects of communicating with future employers and freelance clients, by developing your:
This is a challenging Acting degree, led by specialist staff, and designed to equip you to succeed in an increasingly competitive profession.
Year one
The first year introduces you to the key practitioners and processes that underpin actor training. You’ll learn about the connections between composition, rehearsal, research and performance, and develop skills such as:
Technical classes will introduce you to professional-level movement, voice and comedy skills that will enable you to work effectively both as an individual and as part of an ensemble.
Year two
Interpret, analyse and perform various texts in order to extend your understanding of performing in, as well as creating, drama.
Alongside your regular technical classes, you’ll receive acting for camera training and stage combat classes, designed to enhance your skills-base and prepare you for production projects in year three.
Year three
This is your apprentice year, when we’ll encourage you to take your skills into an outward-facing environment.
You’ll become a member of Bath Spa Productions, a professional company that produces a range of live and recorded work. This provides a safe environment in which to test your ability to work collaboratively. You’ll get the chance to connect your acting work with design, technical, management, music and other production elements. Within this collaborative environment you’re expected to meet industry standards and work within professionally-recognised timeframes.
You’ll be assessed through a variety of methods including:
In your final year, you’ll also be assessed on a range of projects, all led by external industry professionals.
You’ll learn in a wide variety of settings, including regular practical acting classes, seminars, workshops, tutorials, rehearsals and small groups. You’ll have regular one-to-ones with our specialist staff to check your progress and provide individual support.
You’ll have an average of 18 contact hours per week in your first two years, with more independent rehearsals in your graduating year. You need to complement this with equivalent hours of independent study and preparation.
To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.
This course offers or includes the following modules. The modules you take will depend on your pathway or course combination (if applicable) as well as any optional or open modules chosen. Please check the programme document for more information.
As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.
We work closely with professionals, companies and organisations in theatre, film and television. These collaborators are both national and in the region. The course has a successful professional partnership with Theatre Royal Bath.
Our students have recently worked with the following individuals and companies:
Our graduating students work across stage, screen and voiceover for books and video games; they’ve performed at Comedy Clubs, in TV commercials, and on UK national tours. They’ve appeared in immersive experiences, major touring pantomimes, short award-winning films and musical theatre productions. They’ve also acted in dramas by Netflix, the BBC and ITV.
Several have established successful theatre companies, and gone on to create their own national tours and even employ members of the creative community they established at Bath Spa University.
Acting graduates from Bath Spa work locally, nationally and globally, and are recognised for their creativity and versatility as actors, creatives and makers, building their career in what they were trained to do.
Our graduates also engage in further study or work in related performance roles, as artistic directors, writers, arts officers and teachers.
If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Global Citizenship Programme, which you’ll study alongside your degree. You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience.
On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.
Develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills that you can take into your future career. One of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, we provide all Bath Spa students with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite, giving you the tools to communicate creatively, whatever your course or chosen professional field.
This optional placement year provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.
By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.
Before your Professional Placement Year, you'll work to secure your placement, constructing a development plan with your module leader and your placement coordinator from our Careers and Employability team.
On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.
Our Oldfield Park Theatre workshops are a purpose-built facility in central Bath for second and third year Acting students. These facilities include:
You’ll also have access to facilities on our other campuses, including:
Please note: Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland are not generally eligible for the UK (Home) fee status. Please refer to the international student rate. Irish citizens and those granted Settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme are eligible for UK (Home) fee status. There are also other circumstances where this may apply: See UKCISA for more information.
Year 1 | £9,250 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2026 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2026 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2027 |
Year 1 | £4,625 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2026 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2026 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2027 |
Year 1 | £16,150 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2024 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2026 |
Year 1 | Published Jan 2025 |
Year 2 | Published Jan 2026 |
Year 3 | Published Jan 2027 |
During the placement year, the fee is reduced to 20% of the full time fee. Otherwise, fees are the same as for full time study. This applies to UK, EU and International students.
Are you curious about your subject, hard-working, imaginative and creative? Do you enjoy working with others? We welcome an open and generous approach, celebrate your individuality, and support you on a journey of learning over three years. If this is the kind of community you want to join, this could be the course for you.
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below:
If you don’t meet the entry requirements above, we may be able to accept your prior learning or experience from outside of formal education. See our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) page to learn more.
English Language Requirements for International and EU Applicants
IELTS 6.0 - for visa nationals, with a minimum score of IELTS 5.5 in each element.
Course enquiries
For further information about the programme or entry requirements, please email us at admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.
Ready to apply? Click the 'apply now' button in the centre of this page.
Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply webpages.
We invite all eligible candidates to attend an audition, which is made up of two workshops and an interview where you can get to know us and we can get to know you. International students can audition online. You’ll receive further information if you’re invited to an audition. We don’t charge an audition fee.
Course leader: Kerry Irvine
Email: k.irvine@bathspa.ac.uk
Website feedback to web@bathspa.ac.uk