Course summary

This course is offered as a four-year programme, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme. If you’re looking to break into the performance industry, this degree in acting is an excellent launch pad to help you get there. On this BA (Hons) Acting Stage and Screen course you’ll get to fine-tune and extend your acting skills, working on live briefs, networking with industry creatives, and taking part in diverse projects. Why study BA (Hons) Acting Stage and Screen at BNU? Best of both worlds While numerous acting programs predominantly concentrate on theatre, our curriculum uniquely prioritises both stage and on-screen acting. Recognising the substantial demand for roles in film, television, and online media in today's industry, our course ensure you are prepared for the many roles that make up the industry. Taught by the industry This BA (Hons) Acting Stage and Screen degree is led by a dedicated and experienced course team. Benefit from their industry knowledge and the industry links they bring to the course. Many of our guest lecturers are industry-experts and alongside your lecturers, they’ll nurture your learning and professional development. As well as this we seek to bring your work into the wider world and to bring the world into the university. During your time at BNU you’ll have the opportunity to perform at external venues and take part in workshops with leading companies, both on and off campus. Previous theatre companies and practitioners include Paper Birds on devising theatre, Out of Joint on contemporary texts, Mark McGann on acting for camera, and Station House Opera on intermedial theatre. On occasion you could also find yourself using the professional venue at Wycombe Town Hall, which is less than two minutes from our campus. Inspiring facilities At BNU we ensure you have creative spaces to bring your ideas to life. On this course you’ll have access to drama studios. Each space brings with it unique features, from moving lights and fully equipped sound systems and projection to mirrors, a tiered seating bank and sprung floors. You’ll also have access to our props store where you can find everything you’ll need to bring your performances to life, from costumes and wigs, to lamps and even a coffin. You’ll also have access to high quality camera equipment, a greenscreen room and lighting rigs and sound recording facilities, all suitable for film and TV screening. A degree for you During your time on this course, you will create your own performances, including your own shows, films and short scenes – and take things in the direction that interests you, whether that’s directing or devising, or focusing on a particular theory, piece of research or playwright. You’ll develop an understanding of what is required for acting on screen as well as stage, and will become a motivated team player able to think about the world around them. In your final year, you will manage your own significant screen or stage-based production, from conception, to venue booking, marketing and performance. You will also set up your own artistic company, and learn about all the elements involved in that, from budgeting and funding applications, to promoting yourself as a professional artist. Opportunity modules are a key part of the BNU curriculum. You’ll choose modules in both your first and second year from a broad selection in areas such as sustainability, entrepreneurship, creativity, digital skills, personal growth, civic engagement, health & wellbeing and employment. Opportunity modules are designed to enable you to develop outside the traditional boundaries of your discipline and help you to further stand out from the crowd to future employers.