An established, unique and highly practical Actor training programme, delivered by industry professionals in a diverse university setting.
UCLan’s BA (Hons) Acting degree prepares you for a range of employment and vocational opportunities as a professional actor in Theatre, TV, Film and Radio/Voice Work along with community arts; the entertainment and media industry; and further academic study. This degree covers key areas such as; movement & vocal techniques, rehearsal processes, textual analysis skills, acting for theatre, radio and screen; professional preparation along with contextual knowledge, research skills and creative and devising skills.
Our Acting degree course is highly practical and all of the work students engage in is directed towards performance, the majority of which is presented in the public domain. You will appear in directed, public performances in your second and third year and in Graduate Showcases in Manchester and London. The BA (Hons) Acting course has now established itself within the industry as a unique alternative to traditional drama school training. Graduates from this course are eligible for Equity and Spotlight membership.
Three years
Undergraduate
Campus, Full-time
BA (Hons)
CLANC C30
W410
Preston (Campus code: U)
September
Acting Fundamentals
(Over the 3 years there are 7 compulsory modules in total.)
The Expressive Actor
The Contemporary Actor
Acting for Theatre 1
The Professional Actor
The Actor as Creator
Acting for Theatre 2
More information about programme specifications and module information is available in the course handbook.
Full-time: £9,250* per year (UK/EU)
Fees for international students
Our typical offer is 104 UCAS Points. We operate a flexible admissions policy and treat everyone as an individual. This means that we will take into consideration your educational achievements and predicted grades (where applicable) together with your application as a whole, including work experience and personal statement. General Studies accepted
BTEC Extended Diploma:Merit, Merit, Merit
BTEC Diploma: Distinction, Distinction
Pass Access Course: 106 UCAS Points
International Baccalaureate:Pass Diploma with 104 UCAS points from Higher Level Subjects
IELTS: 6.0 with no subscore lower than 5.5
GCSE: 5 at grade C/4 including Maths & English or equivalent
We welcome students with qualifications in other subjects, but who have shown a significant commitment to theatre performance.
Applicants must attend an audition/ interview (View audition guidance).You will be sent an email by our Admissions Office asking you to book onto a selection day event.
The University offers a range of scholarships and bursaries to support you through your studies.
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Points calculatorThe BA (Hons) Acting degree at UCLan is one of the newest acting courses in the UK, with a growing reputation both regionally and nationally as a unique training ground for actors. It's a production-based course that develops the practical skills and knowledge required to work in the field of Acting, Performance and Theatre as well as your creative potential, so that you can maximise your engagement with a huge variety of opportunities.
All Acting students work with teachers who are themselves professional practitioners in a range of disciplines including acting, directing, singing and vocal practice, movement, and TV production. Staff are also engaged in academic research at home and abroad.
The course is 85% practical. All practical elements are contextualised by theatre studies which will provide you with the level of knowledge, analysis and evaluation expected of an honours graduate. You will also have the opportunity to develop the skills and attributes needed in order to devise original creative works in theatre.
To learn more about our School and the range of courses within it, go to our homepage. If you’d like to learn more about the successes and awards experienced by our students, staff and alumni, visit our news page.
Watch a recent video of Tom Hardman at the Degree Show 2016. Tom, who has already featured in the BBC’s Our Zoo and Doctors, won a DS16 award for his screen acting:
Lauren’s Acting course led to her winning a Lancashire Arts Festival award for a selection of screen and live performances by Lauren in third year
"UCLan’s actor training was a great experience for me. It gave me the discipline I needed as an actor and helped me improve my technique in so many areas. It was a great university to come to and it was fantastic to be able to stay in the North West once I’d graduated."
Gary Hanks
“Training on the BA (Hons) Acting at UCLan really set me up for life as a professional actor. My training was an incredible experience, I gained valuable knowledge, skills, and professional contacts which helped me start my career."
Mandip Gill (Yasmin in Dr Who, Phoebe McQueen in Hollyoaks, Shazia Amin in Doctors & Padma Kholi in Good Karma Hospital)
"The tutors are professional with a refreshing and engaging style of teaching. Clearly, a lot of time is invested into all aspects of the course including the auditions which is evident in how well organised and structured the day is. Five minutes into the workshop I was sold on this being the place I wanted to train."
Sarah George 2013 Graduate - Celine McQueen in Hollyoaks
Level 1 prepares students in each of the core disciplines that will be followed throughout the programme, movement, voice and contextual studies. You will develop expressive potential and develop the disciplines of an on-going daily practice and at the same time develop the capacity for receiving and offering constructive criticism. Study at this level takes the form of improvisation, play, active analysis and discussion rather than formal direction. You will develop key study skills and the ability to research background material.
At Level 2, you will develop all of these practices. You will work with contemporary texts, study acting for the camera and acting for radio. You will create work using disciplines derived from a number of body-based practices such as Meyerhold’s Biomechanics, Viewpoints, clown, ensemble acting, along with extended voice practice. The year’s work culminates in a public performance.
As you prepare to go into the industry, your final year also includes acting for the camera, and audition technique. You will practice filmed auditions, devise and perform original work, prepare audition pieces, develop your own website and present public performances. All these skills mean that you will be well equipped for a broad range of performing arts associated careers. The year also includes opportunities to take part in Showcases in Manchester and London.
The BA (Hons) Acting is a dynamic industry driven course. Throughout your three years you will also have opportunities to take part in extra -curricular activities and projects through interactive, which has been designed to not only encourage students and graduates to be pro-active in creating their own work but also to provide industry experience; extra training opportunities and give support and advice. Through interactive we will urge you to stay in touch with UCLan Acting during your first years in the industry for professional advice/guidance, audition-coaching, use of facilities and collaboration on creative projects.
Most graduates from this course choose a career in acting. The course has an impressive track record and a growing reputation for producing young screen actors, three recent graduates have appeared as regular characters in two of the nation’s leading soap opera’s. On average, fifty percent of graduates find agents immediately after appearing in our showcases and many have gone on to work with some of the UK’s leading company’s including; the Royal Exchange Theatre, The RSC, The National Theatre, Volcano Theatre Company, BBC, ITV and Channel Four. In addition, several graduates have formed Theatre Companies; created their own work and received Arts Council of England funding.
A 3 year degree qualification typically comprises 360 credits and each 20 credit (a standard module) equates to 200 hours of study, which comprises of a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical sessions and independent study. Independent study is an important aspect of your degree course. The exact combination of study time will be detailed within your module descriptors.
Performance lies at the heart of the teaching and learning experience. Training techniques include Meyerhold’s Biomechanics, Stanislavsky, Michael Chekhov, Classical Acting and Acting for the Camera. Practical work is contextualised by theatre studies and underpinned by the level of knowledge, analysis and evaluation expected of an honours graduate.
Course delivery is modular, with 7 modules in total. 85% of the programme delivery is practical and based upon workshop sessions. The majority of assessment is practical based and made up from Formative assessment, Summative assessment and Self and peer-assessment. All practical assessment to be accompanied by a supporting document or viva voce. There are no written examinations.
Performance lies at the heart of the teaching and learning experience. Training techniques include Meyerhold’s Biomechanics, Stanislavsky, Michael Chekhov, Classical Acting and Acting for the Camera. Practical work is contextualised by theatre studies and underpinned by the level of knowledge, analysis and evaluation expected of an honours graduate.
Course delivery is modular, with 7 modules in total. 85% of the programme delivery is practical and based upon workshop sessions. The majority of assessment is practical based and made up from Formative assessment, Summative assessment and Self and peer-assessment. All practical assessment to be accompanied by a supporting document or viva voce. There are no written examinations.
Final year undergraduate and postgraduate Performance students have the opportunity to get involved in our annual cJAM employability event. cJAM shakes-up the traditional career fair format and gives UCLan students face-to-face time with up to 30 successful industry professionals all of whom have come to the event with the offer of valuable work placement opportunities. The cJAM event format consists of four main components:
In 2018, there were four cJAM events and a total of 320 placements were awarded. All of which enabled our students to establish credible links in line with their career aspirations. To find out more about cJAM: Performance, see the video and read the press release.
Our graduates have secured a wide variety of in Theatre TV and film these include:
All acting students are supported by teachers who are themselves professional practitioners in a range of disciplines and all lecturers have industry experience. The course has links with employers, agents and casting directors in the region.
Casting Director Janet Hampson talks about what skills she thinks students need, and how UCLan's Leaders in Residence programme benefits students, businesses and the university.
Our Acting course is delivered in the Media Factory and St. Peter’s Arts Centre. The Media Factory is a multi-million pound, purpose-designed hub for Performing Arts and Media Students. It houses state of the art industry standard facilities including; TV studios; a large fixed exterior street set; digital editing suites; radio studios; motion capture suite; green screen and professionally equipped studio theatre spaces; rehearsal rooms and Mac and PC computer suites. These resources are provided to help students respond to a rapidly changing employment landscape. Students have 24/7 access to the Media Factory and its resources. St. Peter’s Arts Centre is a beautiful converted church at the centre of the campus. It contains a fully equipped performance space and is used by Acting students for teaching and final year productions.
UCLan student makes soap opera history
A University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) acting student will make UK television soap opera history by being the first ever transgendered actor to play a transgender character in a continuing role.
New ‘street’ created in Preston
A new ‘street’ with a difference has been built in Preston city centre to enhance the creative abilities of University students.
The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has created an outdoor television set on campus which will allow students to learn more practical media skills in an industry standard environment.
Telephone us: +44(0)1772 892400
Email us or Book a visit
This course is based in the School of Journalism, Media and Performance
For detailed information about studying this course at UCLan, please see the course handbook for your year of entry:
2019 Entry
| 2020 Entry
For information on possible changes to course information, see our Essential and Important Course Information.
*Tuition Fees are per year unless otherwise stated.
For 2019/20 fees please refer to our fees page.
You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Central Lancashire on our Student Contract page.
For changes to 2017 UCAS tariff entry requirements please see our Essential and Important Course Information. UCLan requires all undergraduate applicants to have a minimum attainment of five GCSEs at grade C and above, or equivalent, (including Maths and English). In 2017 and beyond we will view the new Grade 4 as being equivalent to a C grade and will therefore require students to achieve GCSE Grade 4 or above. However, if the subject is relevant to our degree programme and requires a higher GCSE grade (e.g. GCSE B grade), and/or includes a Professional body that governs the entry requirements, Grade 5 or above may be required.