Study With Us

This is a two-year full-time programme at Levels 4 and 5.

In year one you will complete a Higher National Certificate in Performing Arts (Musical Theatre) at Level 4.

On completion of your Higher National Certificate, you will complete a Higher National Diploma in Performing Arts (Musical Theatre) at Level 5.

The course is designed to give those who wish to pursue a career in Musical Theatre the best possible start.

Skill development in singing, dance, acting & musicality is at the core of everything you will do. In addition, you will also learn to become a ‘thinking and analytical’ performer with a breadth of knowledge relating to both the performing arts industry and related contextual studies. You will see the latest productions, perform in shows and work alongside industry professionals in order to gain a perspective of industry practice and to keep abreast of what’s happening in your particular field of study.

Professional development, industry standard training and academic study are at the core of this course, whether you wish to become a performer, a community arts practitioner, a teacher, or a combination of all three. Close links with the Theatre Royal Wakefield, working West End professionals, a range of theatre visits and an annual residential trip are among the highlights of this exciting and dynamic course.

Beyond gaining the relevant skills to become a professional musical theatre performer, you will also gain valuable further experience in collaboration, communication and creativity.

Course hours typically stand at 15 hrs contact per week of lectures, rehearsals, workshops and self-directed study. This can increase during performance weeks and will require evening work and on occasion, weekends.

In addition to the course contact hours, students will need to undertake at least 10 hrs per week directed & self-directed study/ practice.

The course is typically split 60% Practical Work 40 % Classroom. You will have classes with students in your own discipline and classes with students from other performances disciplines.

Units:

• Acting 1
• Singing 1
• Musical Theatre Historical Context in Practice
• Vocal Repertoire
• Performing Arts Industry
• Jazz Dance 1
• Professional Development
• Commercial Dance

The College assesses you through the coursework that you produce as you complete each unit, this may include finished pieces of work, written work, your research, and a reflective journal which allows you to evaluate your learning and highlight your strengths and areas for further development. The majority of units have some form of performance-based assessment attached that focus on a range of performance skills and genres.

There are two types of assessment that you will receive while on your course:

Formative assessment is the process whereby your work and progress are assessed at regular intervals with accompanying feedback from staff in order to help to improve your performance. Staff will provide you with feedback on the progress of your work before you reach the assessment point at the end of the unit. This may take place one-to-one with a tutor (e.g. in a tutorial) or in group sessions.

Summative assessment is the process whereby your work is evaluated and given a mark at the end of course unit. Summative assessment formally records your achievement of the unit’s learning outcomes and final feedback.

You will be assessed against the approved unit learning outcomes and assessment requirements as outlined in the unit handbooks, these typically include the module descriptor, assignment brief(s) and programme outlines. The unit handbooks guide you through the specific areas of work in which you will be engaged in order to produce the work required for assessment and so successfully

achieve the unit learning outcomes. Many courses also employ self and peer evaluation or assessment within their overall assessment processes.

Self-evaluation and self-assessment require you to reflect upon your learning and performance and to submit this to tutors. Peer evaluation and peer assessment are used when students have been working in teams and require each team member to reflect upon their peers’ performance and to submit this to tutors or to give you support and guidance in developing areas of performance.

There is a minimum of one piece of assessed work per unit.

Your tutors will help you to track your areas of achievement for each unit/module and to identify and discuss with you opportunities to collate evidence for module achievement.

You will be graded using the Pearson guidelines and specifications to assess whether the evidence produced for assignments has reached the required standard at pass, merit or distinction level.

Minimum 64 UCAS tariff points from A Levels.

OR

Level 3 Diploma in a related subject.

OR

Completion of an Access course.

AND

GCSE Grade 4 or above in English Language (or equivalent qualification) is required.

Those with previous experience or learning that is relevant may be eligible via our Accredited Prior Learning (APL) process for accreditation towards this course.

All applicants are required to audition consisting of an interview, a solo song from a Musical performed to a backing track, and assessment of dance ability via a short class and taught dance sequences.