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Theatre, Festival and Event Production

BA (Hons)

Undergraduate degree - single honours

Award
BA (Hons) Theatre, Festival and Event Production
School/s
Bath School of Music and Performing Arts
Campus or location
Oldfield Park Theatre Workshops
Course length
Three years full time, or four years full time with professional placement year. Part time available.
UCAS codes
Institution Code: B20
Course Code: W431 or W432
Campus Code: A,BSU

Entry requirements

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.

Train in all aspects of traditional, digital and contemporary techniques with our vibrant, future-focused, hands-on production degree.

  • Explore all creative aspects of production, including costume, stage design, lighting, sound, video and more.
  • Learn backstage management and production skills from highly experienced practitioners.
  • Work with professional directors as a member of Bath Spa Productions, our public-facing theatre and events company.

This Theatre, Festival and Event Production degree is a vocational training programme aimed at enthusiastic and imaginative individuals who want to maximise their creative potential, and who are interested in working on a wide range of productions in different venues, settings and locations. Our focus is to train highly motivated, multi-skilled, freethinking individuals to prepare you for the challenges of working within the creative production industries.

You’ll train in all aspects of production, including costume, stage design, lighting, prop-making, scenic art, set construction, live and recorded sound and video, as well as stage and production management.

This degree is unique in its structure, encouraging you to map your own progression and career path through a choice of subjects, experimentation, skills practice and personal development. You’ll receive comprehensive training in all areas of production across a wide range of creative disciplines, and in your second and third years you'll have the opportunity to work as part of Bath Spa Productions, the University's theatre and events company.

To complement your hands-on training in traditional production techniques, you’ll also learn new technologies including 3D design, capture and projection mapping software.

You’ll be taught by highly knowledgeable professionals with extensive industry experience and connections. You’ll work directly with our regional and national partners including Theatre Royal Bath, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Bristol Old Vic, The National Theatre, Bay Productions, Oxford Playhouse, Bath Festivals and Cardiff Theatrical Services.

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What you'll learn

Overview

If you can think of a skill in backstage theatre, TV, festivals or events, we teach it. 

The course is very broad in its scope, allowing you to experiment, practise, discover new skills and develop strengths. There's also room for safe failure; we encourage you to learn from your mistakes while training in order to reflect on your practice and processes.

You'll work on public productions in a range of regional venues and gain further experience through skills development and professional work placement opportunities.

You'll document your development throughout the course so that you can see how far you've grown as a professional. Our aim is that you’ll graduate with the skills and contacts you need to thrive in this challenging yet rewarding industry. 

Course structure

Year one
You'll learn introductory skills in all areas of theatre production through lectures, practical projects and practical tests. You'll begin to semi-specialise by identifying your strengths and subjects of interest to further develop your skills. 

Year two
In your second year, you'll choose two pathways that reflect your interests. You'll further develop your strengths through lectures and practical projects. You'll also work on three productions across the year in an intermediate capacity to put your skills into practice.

Year three
You'll hone your skills within the specialism or specialisms of your choice. You'll work on three productions across the year as a head of department, to a professional standard. You'll also complete a four-week work placement within a professional working environment to form industry links and gain first-hand experience.

You'll complete a professional portfolio module to prepare you for work, including job applications, interview techniques and website design.

How will I be assessed?

You’ll be assessed by coursework including practical work, presentations, evaluations, group projects, individual reports and written assignments. There are no written exams.

How will I be taught?

Expect a busy, intense and highly practical learning environment, to prepare you for the industry you’re training to be a part of. Emphasis is on project and production work; you’ll undertake practical workshops, work on productions, seminars and self-directed study.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

Course modules

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.

Year one (Level 4) modules
  • Introduction to Stagecraft and Stage Management
  • Introduction to Lighting, Sound and Video
  • Introduction to Scenic Design and Costume
  • Production Skills 1
  • Production Skills 2
  • PDP/Research and Development
Year two (Level 5) modules
  • Intermediate PDP/ Research and Development
  • Intermediate Production Skills 1
  • Intermediate Production Skills 2
  • Production Practice 1
  • Production Practice 2
  • Production Practice 3
  • Professional Placement Year
Year three (Level 6) modules
  • Research Project
  • Independent Study
  • Working with Industry
  • Professional Portfolio
  • Production Project 1
  • Production Project 2
  • Production Project 3

Opportunities

Work placements and industry links

Our Festivals, Events and Theatre Production BA is an Approved Graduate Course of the Stage Management Association.

Placement opportunities are available across the UK. Successful student placements have been undertaken at Theatre Royal Bath, The National Theatre, Cardiff Theatrical Services, Royal Shakespeare Company, Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera, Watermill Theatre Newbury, Salisbury Playhouse and many more.

Careers

Our graduates work in a wide range of industries and professions, including theatre, film and TV, cruise ships, theme parks, live events and festivals, event organisation and management, and all aspects of technical design and production. 

Many also work freelance, bringing them into contact with a wealth of venues, companies and organisations such as Birmingham Royal Ballet, The National Theatre and Cardiff Theatrical Services. 

Study abroad

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

Global Citizenship

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. 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.

Adobe Creative Campus

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.   

Professional placement year

Overview

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.

Preparation

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.

How will I be assessed?

On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.

Facilities and resources

Where the subject is taught

You'll be taught at our Oldfield Park Theatre workshops near Westmoreland Station Road. The centre is a newly renovated, sizeable and fully equipped production hub where all the scenographic elements of the programme are based – theatre design, scenic painting, scenic construction and prop making. Facilities also include our University Theatre, Costume Room, and Mac suite.

You'll have access to the University Theatre, high-spec TV studios and Michael Tippett Centre.

Our industry partnerships allow access to professional teaching and learning venues, expert talks and lectures, backstage tours and work placement opportunities with high profile companies.

Resources

As a theatre production student, you’ll benefit from access to:

You can also hire out equipment using SISO, Bath Spa University’s free equipment loan service. We provide a huge variety of equipment in our performance and workshop spaces.

Fees

2024 entry
Student Annual tuition fee
UK full time £9,250
UK part time £4,625
International full time £16,905

Professional Placement Year

During the placement year, the fee is reduced to 20% of the full time fee. This applies to UK and EU/International students.

  • UK: £1,850
  • International: £3,381

Interested in applying?

What we look for in potential students

We're looking for creative, enthusiastic, talented, hardworking individuals with a passion for theatre, production or events. If this is you, we want to train you.

Typical offers

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below:

  • A Level - grades BBB-BCC including a grade B in Design Technology, Theatre Production or any related subject (for example, Fashion and Textiles, Art and Design or Computing courses).
  • BTEC – Extended Diploma grades from Distinction Distinction Merit (DDM) to Distinction Merit Merit (DMM) in a related subject, or evidence of experience in design or theatre production.
  • T Levels – grade Merit preferred in a relevant subject.
  • International Baccalaureate - a minimum of 32 points are required in addition to evidence of involvement in design or theatre production.
  • Access to HE courses – typical offers for applicants with Access to HE will be the Access to HE Diploma or Access to HE Certificate (60 credits, 45 of which must be Level 3, at Merit or higher) together with evidence of involvement in design or theatre production.

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.

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

We like to see as much demonstrable interest as possible. Give details of any show that you have worked on in your portfolio, as evidence of your experience and your learning.

Portfolios vary depending on which areas of theatre or production your experience has been in to date. If you prefer, you can send us a link to a presentation of your work, or bring it with you in a digital format when you come to your interview.

Get ahead

Get as much experience as you can - be it in school or college shows, amateur dramatic societies or volunteering at your local theatre. Make sure that you demonstrate this experience in your portfolio.

Course leader: Christopher Britton
Email: c.britton@bathspa.ac.uk

If you'd like to arrange a personal tour of our facilities and talk to staff and students to find out more, please email us at be@bathspa.ac.uk.

Three year course
With placement year

Website feedback to web@bathspa.ac.uk