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LOCATION
University Square Stratford
Location Fees and Funding
Here's the fees and funding information for each year of this course
Overview
Working across disciplines of acting, music and movement, this exciting and collaborative course responds to the creative industry demands of today by developing artists who will graduate as multi-skilled creative performers and practitioners.
Foundation year
If you don't meet the entry requirements for a BA, you can study this course as an extended, four-year programme. You'll begin by taking a foundation year which prepares you for a successful transition to the BA degree. This means it will take you four years to complete the course full-time, and eight years to complete the course part-time.
What makes this course different
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
You will work collaboratively and creatively with your peers, exploring and blending the disciplines of music, movement
You will be taught by a team of academics and professional artistic practitioners with a combined wealth of experience
About the Foundation Year
You will study acting, dance, physical theatre and community theatre through six distinctive modules. You will participate in a variety of dynamic projects and learn about current trends in the performing arts. The course content is specifically chosen to reflect the diverse nature of our students and this is evident through the themes, practitioners and subject matter covered. You will learn in a highly supportive environment where you can develop the self-confidence, knowledge, skills and understanding for further study.
Each module focuses on developing your understanding of the techniques intrinsic to the separate disciplines and will prepare you for a successful entry onto your chosen degree pathway listed below.
- BA (Hons) Dance: Urban Practice
- BA (Hons) Performing Arts
- BA (Hons) Drama, Applied Theatre and Performance
The foundation course is for students who:
- do not yet have the entry requirements for study at level 4.
- want to develop skills and confidence before embarking on study at Level 4.
- are returning to study.
- are changing careers and need to gain experience in the performing arts.
DOWNLOAD COURSE SPECIFICATIONS
MODULES
- Core Modules
Performing Arts Skills 1 ClosePerforming Arts Skills 1
In this module you will establish and develop and evaluate specialised disciplinary skills associated with your particular disciplinary pathway:
- BA Dance: Urban Practice
- BA Performing Arts
- BA Drama and Applied Theatre in Performance
Each pathway will develop core skills separately, with opportunities to apply these in collaborative projects, working together with students from other pathways. Projects will provide a context for collaboration and result in the performance and production of work to internal audiences, with opportunities for pubic presentation towards the end of the year.
Group Work 1 CloseGroup Work 1
In this module you will collaborate with students from other disciplines in creative projects that model professional practice.
You will apply disciplinary skills associated with your particular programme pathway, through creative collaboration. You will also develop understanding of the context of your work. You will carry out roles within your collaboration that reflect professional practice.
Collaboration activities assessed in this module will develop a final creative output, which might include a public performance, production, composition or installation for example, presented and assessed within the overall project.
Professional Outcomes CloseProfessional Outcomes
In this module you will apply skills in professional creative activities developed in Skills and Collaboration modules, to a final creative project outcome. This may take the form of a public presentation, performance, installation, creative production, staged or site-specific performance, or event, for example. This will be defined within the overall project brief, which will also identify how learning outcomes in this module will be evidenced.
Performing Arts Skills 2 ClosePerforming Arts Skills 2
In this module you will extend, develop and evaluate specialised disciplinary skills associated with your particular disciplinary pathway:
- BA Dance: Urban Practice
- BA Performing Arts
- BA Drama and Applied Theatre in Performance
Each pathway will continue to develop and extend core skills separately, with opportunities to apply these in collaborative projects, working together with students from other pathways. Projects will provide a context for collaboration and result in the performance and production of work to internal audiences, with opportunities for pubic presentation towards the end of the year.
Group Work 2 CloseGroup Work 2
In this module you will collaborate with students from other disciplines in creative projects that model professional practice.
You will develop and apply specialised disciplinary skills associated with your particular programme pathway, and further develop skills in creative collaboration with other disciplines, project management and production. You will also develop understanding and insight into the context of your work. You will carry out and evaluate roles within your collaboration that reflect professional practice.
Collaboration activities assessed in this module will develop a final creative output, which might include a public performance, production, composition or installation for example, presented and assessed within the overall project.
Mental Wealth: Professional Life CloseMental Wealth: Professional Life
Developing the key psychological and physical determinants of human performance are increasingly critical for successful graduate-level employment, entrepreneurship and career progression in the 4th industrial revolution.
This module will provide students with the opportunity to identify the skills, competencies and experience required for successful development to, and in, a range of potential future career areas.
Students will begin to recognise the areas for their own personal professional development (including emotional, social, physical, cultural and cognitive intelligences) through taught and workshop activity.
Central to the developmental process is for each student to cultivate the reflective skills, openness and self-awareness to enable themselves to assess what they are doing, identify areas for improvement, and confidently receive and give constructive feedback. Students will additionally develop knowledge of strategies to advance their own physical intelligence through ‘life style’ and ‘self-care’ approaches to inform their health and wellbeing.
Having developed skills in the key developmental areas of competency, students will participate in FUEL, a performance and production events microbusiness for the performing and creative arts, as defined by project briefs.
Students will be mentored and supervised by students from higher years. In this position they will learn and begin to apply the cognitive, cultural and social intelligences developed elsewhere in their studies (and from external activities) as required in the workplace, namely cognitive flexibility, emotional resilience, motivation, ethical decision-making, managing your audience, coordinating with others, negotiation, creativity, active listening, attention, problem solving, research, synthesis and analysis.
- Core Modules
Performing Arts Technique 1: Establish ClosePerforming Arts Technique 1: Establish
In this module you will establish and develop specialised disciplinary skills associated with stage craft in performing arts, by receiving an intense studio training in appropriate disciplines, for example voice, acting and movement. You will be introduced to the most influential practitioners, approaches and methodologies from the 21st century in relation to a training within these disciplines. You will build a personal training portfolio through independent research, critical reflection, and an ongoing process of documenting your own process in relation to performance as a craft.
Collaboration 1 CloseCollaboration 1
Research and Development
In this module you will research and develop understanding about the nature of collaboration within the performing and creative arts. You will critically evaluate the social, cultural, and technological context of your collaborative practice, and evaluate the nature of both disciplinary practice and multidisciplinary practice.
In disciplinary practice disciplinary skills are developed and applied within defined areas of practice through collaboration with others.
Collaborative practice involves independent disciplines collaborating on their own terms and within their specialised areas of practice, establishing effective working partnerships between disciplines, with limited integration.
You will develop and apply specialised disciplinary skills associated with your particular programme pathway, and develop skills in creative collaboration, project management and production, and research. You will evaluate roles within your collaboration that reflect professional practice.
This module integrates theory and practice and develops skills in reflection, analysis and evaluation. You will research practice-based theories while developing creative project-work in collaboration with students from other disciplines for internal performance and presentation.
Public Project 1 ClosePublic Project 1
In this module you will apply skills in professional creative activities developed in Skills and Collaboration modules, to a final creative project outcome. This may take the form of a public presentation, performance, installation, creative production, staged or site-specific performance, or event, for example. This will be defined within the overall project brief, which will also identify how learning outcomes in this module will be evidenced.
Performing Arts Technique 2: Extend ClosePerforming Arts Technique 2: Extend
In this module you will continue to develop specialised disciplinary skills associated with stage craft in performing arts. You will construct a personalised rehearsal and training portfolio within appropriate taught disciplines, for example voice, acting and movement, and develop your skills through a vigorous studio training, independent research, critical reflection, and an ongoing process of documenting your own process in relation to performance as a craft. You will hone your own skills in a series of pre-rehearsed as well as improvised performances, and explore the most influential practitioners, approaches and methodologies from the 21st century within these disciplines theoretically as well as practically.
Collaboration 2 CloseCollaboration 2
Implementation and Impact
In this module you will collaborate with students from other disciplines in creative projects that model professional practice. Collaborative Practice involves independent disciplines collaborating on their own terms and within their specialised areas of practice, establishing effective working partnerships between disciplines, with limited integration.
You will further develop and apply specialised disciplinary skills associated with your particular programme pathway, and further develop skills in creative collaboration, project management and production, and research, developing understanding and insight into the context and impact of your work through practice and research. You will carry out and evaluate roles within your collaboration that reflect professional practice.
You may collaborate in projects with disciplines within the cluster (Music, Dance, Drama, Performing Arts, Creative and Professional Writing), or externally (e.g. Media, Art and Design, Games).
Collaboration activities assessed in this module will develop a final creative output, which might include a public performance, production, composition or installation for example, presented and assessed within the overall project.
Mental Wealth: Professional Life: Enterprise and Engagement 1 CloseMental Wealth: Professional Life: Enterprise and Engagement 1
Developing the key psychological and physical determinants of human performance are increasingly critical for successful graduate-level employment, entrepreneurship and career progression in the 4th industrial revolution.
This module will provide students with the opportunity to identify the skills, competencies and experience required for successful development to, and in, a range of potential future career areas.
Students will begin to recognise the areas for their own personal professional development (including emotional, social, physical, cultural and cognitive intelligences) through taught and workshop activity.
Central to the developmental process is for each student to cultivate the reflective skills, openness and self-awareness to enable themselves to assess what they are doing, identify areas for improvement, and confidently receive and give constructive feedback. Students will additionally develop knowledge of strategies to advance their own physical intelligence through 'life style' and 'self-care' approaches to inform their health and wellbeing.
Having developed skills and understanding of the key developmental areas of competency, students will participate in FUEL, a performance and production events microbusiness for the performing and creative arts, as defined by project briefs.
Students will be mentored and supervised by students from higher years. In this position they will learn and begin to apply the cognitive, cultural and social intelligences developed elsewhere in their studies (and from external activities) as required in the workplace, namely cognitive flexibility, emotional resilience, motivation, ethical decision-making, managing your audience, coordinating with others, negotiation, creativity, active listening, attention, problem solving, research, synthesis and analysis.
In this module students will apply skills in professional creative activities developed in Skills and Collaboration modules, to a final creative project outcome. This may take the form of a public presentation, performance, installation, creative production, staged or site-specific performance, or event, for example. This will be defined within the overall project brief, which will also identify how learning outcomes in this module will be evidenced.
- Core Modules
Performing Arts Craft 1: Establish ClosePerforming Arts Craft 1: Establish
In this module you will move towards integrating the specialised disciplinary skills in performing arts from Level 4 into interdisciplinary practice. You will construct a personalised rehearsal and training portfolio charting your process in merging the taught disciplines in, for example voice, acting and movement. You will develop your skills through a creative improvisation, independent research, critical reflection, and an ongoing process of documenting your own process in relation to interdisciplinary performance as a craft. You will explore integrated practice in a series of pre-rehearsed as well as improvised performances, and explore the most influential practitioners, approaches and methodologies from the 21st century in interdisciplinary performance theoretically as well as practically.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration 1 CloseMultidisciplinary Collaboration 1
Research and Development
In this module you will research and develop understanding about the nature of interdisciplinary collaboration within the performing and creative arts, making reference to key models of practice and practitioners. You will critically evaluate the social, cultural, technological, economic and environmental context of your collaborative practice, and evaluate the nature of both disciplinary practice and multidisciplinary practice.
You will develop and apply specialised disciplinary skills associated with your particular programme pathway, as well as develop and integrate skills in creative collaboration, project management and production, and research. You will carry out and evaluate roles within your collaboration that reflect models of professional practice.
This module integrates theory and practice and develops skills in reflection, analysis and evaluation. You will research practice-based theories while developing creative project-work in collaboration with students from other disciplines for internal performance and presentation.
Performing Arts Craft 2: Extend ClosePerforming Arts Craft 2: Extend
In this module you will extend and develop your interdisciplinary practice in Performing Arts. You will build on your personalised rehearsal and training portfolio charting your process as both maker and performer of interdisciplinary performance. You will extend and develop your skills through advanced creative improvisation, independent research, critical reflection, and an ongoing process of documenting your own process in relation to interdisciplinary performance as a craft. You will develop and articulate your understanding integrated practice in a series of pre-rehearsed as well as improvised performances, and further explore the most influential practitioners, approaches and methodologies from the 21st century in interdisciplinary performance theoretically as well as practically.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration 2 CloseMultidisciplinary Collaboration 2
Implementation and Impact
In this module you will collaborate with students from other disciplines in creative interdisciplinary projects that model professional practice, and which result in a public engagement, performance or presentation of creative or participatory work.
You will further develop and apply specialised disciplinary skills associated with your particular programme pathway, and further develop skills in creative collaboration and facilitation, project management and production, and research. You will demonstrate understanding and insight into the context and impact of your work through practice and research. You will carry out and evaluate roles within your collaboration that reflect professional practice in contemporary multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary work.
You may collaborate in projects with disciplines within the cluster (Music, Dance, Drama, Performing Arts, Creative and Professional Writing), or externally (e.g. Media, Art and Design, Games).
Collaboration activities assessed in this module will develop a final creative output, which might include a public performance, production, composition or installation for example, presented and assessed within the overall project.
Mental Wealth: Professional Life Enterprise and Engagement 2 CloseMental Wealth: Professional Life Enterprise and Engagement 2
Developing the key psychological and physical determinants of human performance are increasingly critical for successful graduate-level employment, entrepreneurship and career progression in the 4th industrial revolution.
This module will provide students with the opportunity to apply several of the skills, competencies and experience required for successful development to, and in, a range of potential future career areas.
Students will advance the areas identified at level 4 for their own personal professional development (including emotional, social, physical, cultural and cognitive intelligences) through taught and workshop activity.
Students will reflect on the success of the strategies that they employed to further develop their reflective skills, self-awareness, 'life style' and 'self-care' approaches and where necessary improve their approaches.
Having developed skills and understanding in the key developmental areas of competency, students will facilitate and produce projects and events for FUEL, a performance and production events microbusiness for the performing and creative arts, as defined by project briefs.
Students will have opportunity to select an in-house microbusiness project to join in the role of 'Producer'. In this position they will take on a specific production role, working collaboratively with peers and academic staff on a live project. In doing so they will apply the cognitive, cultural and social intelligences learnt elsewhere in their studies (and external development) required in the workplace. In addition to the intelligences developed in the level 4 Mental Wealth Module, students will also focus on service-orientation, self-discipline & management, reaction & response time, cognitive & muscle memory, managing stress, critical thinking, Complex problem-solving, research, synthesis & analysis.
In this module you will apply skills in professional creative activities developed in Skills and Collaboration modules, to a final creative project outcome. This may take the form of a public presentation, performance, installation, creative production, staged or site-specific performance, or event, for example. This will be defined within the overall project brief, which will also identify how learning outcomes in this module will be evidenced.
- Core Modules
Performing Arts Advanced Practice and Innovation ClosePerforming Arts Advanced Practice and Innovation
In this module you will be articulating your advanced development as a performance maker within interdisciplinary performance who is able to move fluidly within the disciplines of Performing Arts to create original pieces of performed material. Refining your understanding of interdisciplinary practice from Level 5, you will demonstrate an informed and highly skilled approach to creative improvisation, independent research, and critical reflection, as an emerging transdisciplinary performance practitioner. You will articulate your appreciation of your craft through an ongoing and fluid process of making and documenting your own creative processes in relation to performance. You will explore highly integrated practice in a series of pre-rehearsed as well as improvised performances, and be able to reference explore influential practitioners, approaches and methodologies from the 21st century in your work in progress and reflective writing.
Final Project: Research and Development CloseFinal Project: Research and Development
Research and Development
In this module you will establish a design portfolio of research and development materials in collaboration with others culminating in a proposal for an interdisciplinary practice-based project, which you will design and lead, and a related written research topic.
You will establish relevant collaborations with others appropriate to your proposed project (e.g. creative collaborations across disciplines, creative and technical collaboration, production support, marketing strategy and implementation, project management). These relationships will model professional practice and may internal and / external to the University environment.
Key features
- Research and propose a substantial creative and collaborative interdisciplinary project
- Conduct research into a chosen topic related to creative practice
- Produce a review of literature and other relevant research sources
- Present research and development materials reflecting academic and professional industry stands
Public Project 3 ClosePublic Project 3
In this module you will apply skills in professional creative activities developed in Skills and Collaboration modules, to a final creative project outcome. This may take the form of a public presentation, performance, installation, creative production, staged or site-specific performance, or event, for example. This will be defined within the overall project brief, which will also identify how learning outcomes in this module will be evidenced.
Performing Arts Advanced Practice and Enterprise ClosePerforming Arts Advanced Practice and Enterprise
In this module you will move towards articulating your developing understanding of interdisciplinary practice from Level 5. You will develop your skills through a creative improvisation, independent research, critical reflection, as an emerging interdisciplinary performance practitioner. You will articulate your appreciation of your craft through an ongoing and fluid process of making and documenting your own creative processes in relation to interdisciplinary performance. You will explore highly integrated practice in a series of pre-rehearsed as well as improvised performances, and be able to reference explore influential practitioners, approaches and methodologies from the 21st century in your work in progress and reflective writing.
Final Project: Implementation and Impact CloseFinal Project: Implementation and Impact
Implementation and Impact
In this module you will implement and deliver an interdisciplinary practice-based collaborative project, which you will design and lead, accompanied by a written research report on your chosen research topic.
Having established working relationships with others in the design, research and development of your project, you will continue to collaborate in the implementation phase, innovating and leveraging ways of working across and within disciplines towards transdisciplinary practice and presentation in the public and professional domain.
You will deliver your project within the parameters defined in your proposal and through leadership and management of the project's implementation, making appropriate adjustments and modifications to facilitate the its progress. You will present the project outcomes and measure its impact following models of professional and academic practice evaluated in your research proposal.
Key Features
- Design, produce and lead a substantial creative interdisciplinary project
- Conduct research into a chosen topic related to creative practice and produce a report
- Present creative interdisciplinary projects innovatively in the digital domain
- Present research outcomes reflecting academic and professional industry stands
Mental Wealth: Professional Life : Enterprise and Engagement 3 CloseMental Wealth: Professional Life : Enterprise and Engagement 3
Developing the key psychological and physical determinants of human performance are increasingly critical for successful graduate-level employment, entrepreneurship and career progression in the 4th industrial revolution.
This module will provide students with the opportunity to apply the full range of skills, competencies and experience required for successful development to, and in, a range of potential future career areas.
Students will advance the areas identified at level 5 for their own personal professional development (including emotional, social, physical, cultural and cognitive intelligences) through taught and workshop activity.
Students will reflect on the success of the strategies that they employed to further develop their reflective skills, self-awareness, 'life style' and 'self-care' approaches and where necessary improve their approaches.
Having developed skills and understanding in the key developmental areas of competency, students will manage and lead projects and events for FUEL, a performance and production events microbusiness for the performing and creative arts, as defined by project briefs.
Students will have opportunity to select an in-house microbusiness project to join in the role of 'Manager'. In this position they will oversee the successful operation of the enterprise, coach and mentor students new to the programme and lead those working in 'producer' roles. Working collaboratively with peers and academic staff, they will ensure the effective delivery of a live project by managing people and physical resources. In doing so they will apply the cognitive, cultural and social intelligences learnt elsewhere in their studies (and from external activities) required in the workplace.
In this module you will apply skills in professional creative activities developed in Skills and Collaboration modules, to a final creative project outcome. This may take the form of a public presentation, performance, installation, creative production, staged or site-specific performance, or event, for example. This will be defined within the overall project brief, which will also identify how learning outcomes in this module will be evidenced.
HOW YOU'LL LEARN
All modules are led by practice and informed by research. You will work individually and collaboratively with others to develop, devise, compose, produce, and perform original work across traditional disciplines of drama, music, and dance.
You will be supported in developing technical and creative skills in sound, lighting and technical theatre, music, movement, voice, composition, and performance, through a range of lectures, workshops and master-classes, and through engagement with industry.
You will study four modules per year, covering a range of disciplines and practices. Each year will culminate in a showing of work, and large-scale performance pieces as part of a creative project production module. This will take place in professional performance venues and other sites that explore and express the vibrant diversity of East London.
HOW YOU'LL BE ASSESSED
This programme believes in learning through dynamic and rigorous artistic practice and most of your classes will be
Project and performance work forms an inherent part of the overall course to further your journey as a creative artist.
CAMPUS and FACILITIES

University Square Stratford, University Square Stratford
WHO TEACHES THIS COURSE
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
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What we're researching
At the University of East London we are working on the some of the big issues that will define our future; from sustainable architecture and ethical AI, to health inequality and breaking down barriers in the creative industries.
Our students and academics are more critically engaged and socially conscious than ever before. Discover some of the positive changes our students, alumni and academics are making in the world.

Flexibility, professionalism and artistic rigour are at the heart of everything we do in performing arts at the University of East London."
Simon Robershaw
Former Dean of the School of Arts and Creative Industries
YOUR FUTURE CAREER
Graduates who have studied drama and theatre at UEL have landed jobs in a wide variety of areas. We anticipate that with the skills you will gain from the course you will be able to work as:
- Integrated Arts Practitioner - music, dance, theatre
- Creative Producer / Director (across Media, Film, Multimedia, Games, Music, Theatre, applied Theatre)
- Academic Creative Arts Research / Practice (e.g. MA Performance Practices at UEL)
- Creative Project Management
- Creative Arts Production and Technical Crew
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.