Performance | Group of students standing in classroom

Overview

Harness the power of performance with UWS’s BA Performance. By offering a combination of practical and theoretical study, this degree will provide you with the opportunities to work across multiple disciplines so that you can learn and create independently and collaboratively.

This degree is designed to help you become a creative maker, critical thinker and work ready.

Through exploring performance from practical and theoretical perspectives, the programmes provides opportunities to apply skills and knowledge in a range of theoretical and real world contexts.

To enhance your learning, the programme also offers masterclasses and workshops with leading industry professionals, providing valuable networking opportunities.

WATCH A ZOOM SESSION FROM THE PROGRAMME LEADER

Our Programme Leaders have recorded Zoom sessions to help you discover all there is to know about our courses. From professional accreditation to programme modules and career opportunities, our Programme Leaders will help answer all your questions. You can find them on our YouTube Channel or by clicking the link below.

Performance Programme Leader

Entry Requirements

What qualifications do you need?

We welcome Scottish, UK and international students and consider all applicants on an individual basis.

Don’t worry if your qualifications are not listed here, we take a range of factors into account when assessing your application and are happy to consider other alternative combinations of qualifications and experience.

If you are applying with an EU or non-EU qualification, please check our Undergraduate Entry Requirements page which gives more information about country-specific entry requirements.

Additional Information

Degree/diploma qualifications in an unrelated subject accompanied by professional theatre experience will be considered.

Applicants may be invited for interview/audition.

Year 1 (2023 entry)

Scottish Highers*:
- Standard Entry Requirements - ABBB (114 UCAS Tariff points)
- Minimum Entry Requirements – BBBB (108 UCAS Tariff points)
A levels:
- Standard Entry Requirements – BBC (112 UCAS Tariff points)
- Minimum Entry Requirements - BCC (104 UCAS Tariff points)
Irish Leaving Certificate:
- Standard Entry Requirements H1 H2 H2 H2
- Minimum Entry Requirements H2 H2 H2 H2
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: 24 points
Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP): Access to Humanities (BBB)
BTEC Extended Diploma in relevant discipline (MMM)

* for more information on standard and minimum entry requirements, see the drop-down section below

Year 2 (2023 entry)

SQA Advanced Highers: BCC (128 UCAS Tariff Points)
A-Levels: BBB (120 UCAS Tariff Points)
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: 28 points
SQA HNC / BTEC Level 4 HNC: Acting & Performance or Musical Theatre or Theatre Arts or Dance or Performance
BTEC Extended Diploma in relevant discipline (DDM)

Year 3 (2023 entry)

SQA HND / BTEC Level 5 HND: Acting & Performance or Musical Theatre or Theatre Arts or Dance or Performance (for SQA HNDs, with Grade B in the graded units)

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for most courses

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. The qualifications below must have been gained within two years of the start of your course.

General IELTS Requirements

General English language requirements at UWS: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)

overall score 6.0
no sub-test less than 5.5

Exceptions to this level of IELTS scoring exist for some accredited or professionally-recognised courses (see IELTS Score Exceptions section below for more details).

IELTS Score Exceptions (Research degrees, Biomedical Science degrees, Nursing & Midwifery degrees with NMC registration, Paramedic Science and Social Work degrees, Certificate of Higher Education, etc.)

Research Degrees

For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf) applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

overall score of 6.5
no sub-test less than 6.0

Health & Midwifery Awards

For all our Health, Nursing & Midwifery courses that lead to, or require professional registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council, applicants are required to have an IELTS or Occupational English Test (OET)*.

For such courses, the IELTS score is as follows:

overall score of 7.0
score of at least 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking and no less than 6.5 in writing

* Note that the Occupational English Test (OET) will now be accepted in addition to IELTS as proof of a Nurse's English Language Competence (Nursing & Midwifery Council, 2019).

Biomedical Degrees

For our BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science and MSc Advanced Biomedical Science degrees, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

overall score of 7.0
no sub-test less than 6.5

Paramedic Science

Our BSc Paramedic Science degree leads to professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC); it has different IELTS requirements than other Health-related courses. Although it is not possible to apply for this degree directly as an international student, for applicants who meet SAAS residency requirements and for whom English is not their first language, then the following IELTS scores are required:

overall score of 7.0
no sub-test less than 6.5

Social Work Degrees

Our BA (Hons) Social Work and MSc Social Work degrees are professionally-recognised by the Scottish Social Services Council; applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

overall score of 7.0
no sub-test less than 7.0

Certificate of Higher Education

For our Certificate of Higher Education courses, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

overall score of 5.0
no sub-test less than 4.5

Common equivalent English language qualifications

All stated English tests are acceptable for admission for both home/EU and international students for this programme:

CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English): 176 overall; no sub-test less than 169
CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English): 176 overall; no sub-test less than 169
Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English: ISEII with the minimum of a Pass in all sub-tests
PTE Pearson Academic English: An overall score of 59 to 64 with no element below 59 (for programmes that require IELTS 6.0 with no element below 5.5). An overall score 65 to 75 with no element below 65 (for programmes that require IELTS 6.5 with no element below 6.0)

TOEFL IBT

TOEFL IBT*: 78; no sub-test less than:

Reading: 17;
Listening: 17;
Speaking: 17;
Writing: 17

* Please note that TOEFL is still acceptable for admission to this programme for both home/EU and international students.
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use TOEFL to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level courses. We therefore still accept TOEFL tests taken in the last two years for admission to this programme.

West African Senior School Certificate of Education (WASSCE)

West African Senior School Certificate of Education (WASSCE) including acceptance of WAEC Scratchcard*

C6 or above in English

*UWS will accept a WAEC scratchcard confirming that an applicant has achieved C6 or above as evidence of meeting English language requirement from Nigeria if the student graduated within the last 5 years. After 5 years applicants would be required to provide the WAEC Certificate. WAEC Certificates should not be older than 10 years at the time of making the application.

Pre-sessional courses

Applicants who do not meet the minimum English language requirements have the option to study one of our preparatory and pre-sessional English courses. The UWS courses available are:

10 week pre-sessional - entry criteria UKVI IELTS 5.0 with no element below 4.5.
5 week pre-sessional - entry criteria UKVI IELTS 5.5 with no element below 5.5.
English Language for University Study - entry criteria UKVI IELTS with score of 4.0 in all elements (10 month course), or 4.5 with no score below 4.0 (7 month course).

Find out more about our English language courses.

*Our Entry Requirements Explained

On our course pages, you will find details of our entry criteria listed as Standard Entry Requirements and Minimum Entry Requirements. These are the academic qualifications that, depending on your personal circumstances, you will be required to meet to allow your application to be considered for a place at UWS.

Competition for places on many of our courses can be very high and even if you meet the standard or minimum qualifications stated, there is no guarantee that your application will progress to the next stage of the admissions process. We review individual applications very closely and place great importance on your personal statement and academic reference as well as your academic qualifications before making selection decisions.

Standard Entry Requirements

Our Standard Entry Requirements are the grades that you will need to achieve to allow you to be considered for entry to a specific programme of study.

Minimum Entry Requirements

Our Minimum Entry Requirements are applicable to those applicants who have not had an equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic ability at school or college and are known as ‘widening access’ applicants. We also sometimes refer to this type of applicant as receiving a ‘contextual’ offer. We may be able to provide you with a contextual offer if you fall into one of the categories below:

You have been in care (care-experienced/care-leaver)
You are a young carer
You have government-recognised asylum or refugee status
You are estranged from your family or guardians
You live in an SIMD decile 1-4 (SIMD20/40)* Scottish postcode area
*if you are unsure if you live in one of these areas you can check using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation Postcode calculator SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation)

If you fall into any of the first four categories above, please mention this on your UCAS application. We will automatically apply category 5 if it applies to you.

If you have already achieved the required grades for either our standard or minimum entry criteria, we may be able to offer you an unconditional offer for some course areas. If you have not yet achieved these grades, we may be able to make you a conditional offer, which will rely on you achieving further qualifications before you can be accepted on to a programme of study.

Further details of our Admissions processes can be found as follows:

Check our Student Experience section of our Polices & Procedures webspage for the latest copy of our Admissions Procedure.
Download our Admissions Statement for Entrants in 2022 (pdf)

2024 Entry Requirements for students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

From February 2023, students from these areas will be attending UCAS events promoting study in September 2024. We are therefore highlighting the entry requirements for September 2024 entry to this programme below. Entry requirements for September 2024 for Scottish and international applicants will appear on this page soon.

Year 1 entry

A Levels:
• Standard Entry Requirements: BBC (112 UCAS Tariff Points)
• Minimum Entry Requirements: BCC (104 UCAS Tariff Points)
ILC: H1H2H2H2

Year 2 entry

A Levels: BBB (120 UCAS Tariff Points)
BTEC Level 4 HNC: Acting & Performance; Musical Theatre; Theatre Arts; Dance; Performance

Year 3 entry

BTEC Level 5 HND: Acting & Performance; Musical Theatre; Theatre Arts; Dance; Performance

Course details

One principal intent of this course is that you are enabled to learn in discovery mode as co-producers of the curriculum. We also recognise that a graduate career is important to our students, so we design our degrees such that your first day with us is also your first day in industry.

Our Performance degree is distinguished in terms of its cross- and interdisciplinary design, which provides you with a rich and stimulating range of opportunities to learn and produce collaboratively, mirroring the dynamics of real world professional settings. The degree is also underpinned by an epistemological commitment to integrated practice as praxis, rather than an artificial and creatively unsustainable separation of practical and theoretical activity.

The degree provides you with space to develop their practice holistically and in a context of expressive collaboration across and between disciplines over three days of the week. It will also prepare you, as a graduate, with the interpersonal and interdisciplinary capacity to deploy your creativity in pluralistic professional settings. The degree should therefore appeal to the growing number of creative practitioners who want to define their practice in a research-infused context.

Year 1

Modules

Performance Histories - Term 2
Collaboration & Practice - Term 1 (Option)
CREATIVE WRITING – TERM 1 (OPTION)
Performance Contexts: Production Aesthetics - Term 2
Practice Text Based - Term 1 & 2
Reading Performance - Term 1

Year 2

Modules

Performance Contexts: Creative Processes - Term 1
Theory & Performance - Term 1
Practice: Devised - Term 1 & 2
Culture & Society - Term 2
Crossmedia Collaboration - Terms 2

Year 3

Modules

Research in Creative Practice - Term 1 & 2
Performance Contexts: Testing ideas - Term 1
WRITING FOR STAGE AND SCREEN – TERM 1
Practice: Creative Festival - Term 1 & 2
Contemporary Arts in Context - Term 2

Year 4

Core Modules

Creative Arts Research Project - Term 1 & 2
Practice in Context - Term 1
CI: Entrepreneurship & Professional Practice - Term 2

Optional Modules

Performance Realisation - Term 1

Teaching & Assessment

The BA (Hons) Performance course at UWS is designed to equip the student to become a creative maker, a critical thinker and work ready. Drawing on the expertise of the teaching team and visiting lectures, you will gain insights into the contemporary performance industries and develop a robust understanding of how performance is made, the cultural and social significance of performance and performance theory.

Our focus on practice, history, theory and industry allows you to explore performance critically and practically and gain a deeper understanding of diverse creative and research practices. You will be encouraged to develop your existing skills and passions whilst engaging with a series of new skills. Core and optional modules will provide a grounding in performance and performance making whilst supporting you to develop your own path and enabling you to position yourself within a variety of performance-related disciplines.

The course is for emerging performers, performance makers and those interested in developing their practical skills, researching their discipline and thinking critically about performance and culture.

Learn a Language (optional)

This course also gives you the option of taking a language module, which can count towards your degree. These modules cover multiple languages and range from absolute beginner to near-native speaker level. The cost of your language module is included in the tuition fees. Find out more

Course Structure

Graduates from contemporary Performance programmes need to be equipped for freelance careers, able to think critically, and be confident and effective in their practice. As such, the team identified the following three themes as likely to resonate more meaningfully to students in the creative and creative industries:

Critical thinkers
Freelance Ready
Creative Makers

Full-time students will undertake the modules in the order they appear in the relevant programme schema. UWS encourages reassessment at the earliest opportunity, so flexibility will be utilised around reassessment to optimise student progression.

Part-time students will agree their learning journey with the programme team, particularly through guidance from their Personal Tutor and, as required, the School’s Education Guidance Adviser. Care will be taken to limit the student workload to 60 credits per academic year.

BA Performance Course Structure

Career prospects

Jobs

With this qualification, you could find yourself acting, directing, producing or writing for stage and screen. Or you could be designing and delivering community theatre projects or even forming your own theatre company. You may also go on to become a primary school or secondary school drama teacher.

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (Academic Session 2022/23)

Academic Session 2022/23 Undergraduate Tuition Fees - Full-time

Scottish

£1,820 Cost of study per year (paid by the Scottish Government via SAAS*)

Rest of UK (English, Northern Irish, Welsh)

£9,250 Cost of study per year (for four years but you will not pay more than £27,750)

Republic of Ireland

£9,250 Cost of study per year (for four years but you will not pay more than £27,750)

International (including EU)

£14,500 Cost per year of study

Check Your Tuition Fee Status

Academic Session 2022/23 Tuition Fees for 20-credit Modules (face to face)

Scottish

£305 Cost per 20-credit module of study

Rest of UK (English, Northern Irish, Welsh)

£1,550 Cost per 20-credit module of study

Republic of Ireland

£1,550 Cost per 20-credit module of study

International (EU/EEA & non-EU/EEA)

£2,420 Cost per 20-credit module of study

Check Your Tuition Fee Status

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (Academic Session 2023/24)

Undergraduate Tuition Fees - Full-time

Scottish

£1,820 Cost of study per year (normally paid by the Scottish Government via SAAS)

Rest of UK (English, Northern Irish, Welsh)

£9,250 Cost of study per year (for four years but you will not pay more than £27,750)

Republic of Ireland

£9,250 Cost of study per year (for four years but you will not pay more than £27,750)

International (including EU)

£15,250 Cost per year of study

Check Your Tuition Fee Status

Tuition Fees for 20-credit Modules (face-to-face)

Scottish

£305 Cost per 20-credit module of study

Rest of UK (English, Northern Irish, Welsh)

£1,550 Cost per 20-credit module of study

Republic of Ireland

£1,550 Cost per 20-credit module of study

International (EU/EEA & non-EU/EEA)

£2,540 Cost per 20-credit module of study

Check Your Tuition Fee Status

Additional Costs & Sources of Funding

The cost of attending university is an investment in your future career.

In addition to tuition fees and living expenses, some courses involve extra costs like study materials, field trips, equipment and uniforms.

Fortunately, there is a great deal of financial support available to help students meet the cost of their study. This ranges from:

statutory government loans to pay for tuition fees
scholarships for Scottish, EU and International (non-EU) students
bursaries to help towards living expenses

The sections below provide details of additional costs that your course may involve along with any financial support that may be available.

You can also find additional information in our Undergraduate Money, Fees & Funding section.

Additional Costs - Updated October 2020

Students on certain degrees will incur some additional costs not covered by their tuition fees. These could be for things like specialist equipment, study materials and textbooks, work placements, graduation, membership of relevant organisations or costs related to carrying out fieldwork.

For students on course with an element of fieldwork, there may also be extra costs for travel and accommodation.

Note: The library will hold some copies of the textbooks but not enough for every student. Students can purchase second hand copies when possible or use older versions if advised by the module cordinator. Students can also sell their copies after the course. This helps manage the cost.

Year 1

Course materials & costs (Mandatory)
Books and other printed materials are estimated at £30 for the session.

Art & drawing materials (Mandatory)
Additional materials may be required whih are relevant to the students' choice. These additional materials relate to costumes and props for various productions but you will never be asked to buy these new. Generally, these can be sourced from family, friends, or can be hand-made.

Year 2

Course materials & costs (Mandatory)
Books and other printed materials are estimated at £30 for the session.

Placement, field trips & study abroad (Mandatory)
It is highly recommended that you purchase local theaatre tickets for the year. These study trips form anintegral part of the course and will cost circa £60.00 per annum.

Year 3

Course materials & costs (Mandatory)
Books and other printed materials are estimated at £30 for the session.

Year 4

Course materials & costs (Mandatory)
Books and other printed materials are estimated at £30 for the session.

Tuition Fees* & Living Cost Support

Tuition Fees & Additional Costs

Tuition fees are calculated based on where you are from and what you are studying. Some courses also involve additional costs, such as mandatory field trips, equipment or studying abroad.

Find out how much it will cost you to study at UWS as an undergraduate student.

Funding for Scottish Students

Scottish students studying at undergraduate level at UWS are entitled to various funds and support towards tuition fees and living costs.

Find out more.

Funding for English, Welsh & Northern Irish Students

English, Welsh and Northern Irish students studying at undergraduate level at UWS are entitled to various funds and support towards tuition fees and living costs.

Find out more.

Funding for EU Students

EU students studying at undergraduate level of UWS may be eligible for SAAS funding, as well as support to meet the costs of childcare and various sources of additional funding.

Find our more.

Funding for International Students

There are several scholarship and incentive schemes available to international students studying at undergraduate level at UWS, as well as support to meet the costs of childcare and various sources of additional funding.

Find out more.

Other Financial Support

Discretionary & Childcare Funds

UWS administer a range of discretionary and childcare funds. These are designed to support students who are experiencing financial difficulty or struggling to meet the costs of childcare.

Find out more.

Benefits & Tax Credits

Becoming a student can have an impact on your entitlement to certain benefits. It may mean you are no longer eligible to claim a benefit you have been receiving, or your new income from student funding may affect the amount you are able to receive.

Find out more.

Additional Financial Support

If there isn’t a statutory source of funding for you or your course, or you are in need of additional financial support, you may wish to consider more alternative sources of funding such as trust funds and scholarships.

Find out more.

WEST Scholarship Programme

At UWS, we believe financial restrictions should never be a barrier to your education.

The WEST (Widening Education and Supporting Talent) Scholarship Programme aims to remove the financial barriers that stop talented students from progressing throughout their degree to graduation.

Find out more.

Money & Debt Advice

Choosing to become a student can have a big impact on your budget and you may need to reassess your spending to account for a reduced income. We’ve put together some guidance to help you manage your money and make the right financial choices for you and your family.

Find out more.

How to apply

Full-time (domestic & EU/EEA)

All UK and EU applicants for undergraduate study, not applying through an agent or partner, should apply through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)

The on-time application deadline for 2023/24 entry is 25 January 2023, 18:00 (UK time). For some courses it may still be possible to apply beyond this period, subject to suitable vacancies remaining. The final deadline for late applications via UCAS is 30 June 2023, 18:00 (UK time). Beyond this deadline, you may be able to apply via 'UCAS Clearing' if the course you are interested in has remaining places.

Please refer to our Undergraduate Application Guide to find more information on when and how to apply to study at UWS.

Apply on UCAS

Full-time (non-EU/non-EEA), Part-time & Online (all students), Erasmus & International Exchange

Students from non-EU/non-EEA countries can apply directly to UWS via our dedicated online application system. The latest we can process your application is 6 weeks before the course start date to allow for visa processing times. For more information on when and how to apply to study at UWS please refer to our International Undergraduate Application Guide.

For part-time & online study, you should apply directly to the University through our online application system, not through UCAS. Please select the part-time mode of study when submitting your application. Before you begin your application, it is important to read the part-time application step-by-step guide for a smooth process.

To come to UWS as a visiting student on a study abroad or exchange programme, you must apply entirely through our online system.

An ATAS certificate is not required for overseas students applying for this course.

Get in touch

Do you have a question about applying for this course? Get in touch. We are here to help!

Open Days

31 May