Please note there are no vacancies on this course for September 2024
Page last updated 23 September 2024
Learn acting techniques for stage and screen alongside writing and theatre history to graduate confident, creative and ready for an exciting future in the industry.
Contemporary acting is competitive. You need to know your strengths as a performer and develop them to the highest level possible through practice.
Being prepared isn't just about learning your lines, it's about having the confidence in your ability to work independently. It's also about working with others and trusting in the rehearsal process.
BA(Hons) Drama and Acting is for those who love performing live and appreciate a challenge. You'll develop your performance skills through core modules in acting for stage and screen, and physical theatre, preparing you for a variety of creative careers.
Learn at City Campus, a creative powerhouse where you'll play a part in Bristol's vibrant culture. Get support to form a theatre company, enjoy our rehearsal and performance spaces and showcase your work to potential employers at the final year Showcase Degree Show.
As an actor, you'll devise and perform original pieces of theatre, learning from staff from a variety of theatre backgrounds around the world. Specialist workshops led by staff and industry professionals will give you the chance to develop skills such as auditioning for theatre, film and television.
Drama and Acting is recognised as a professional training degree, so in your final year, we'll provide you with free headshot photographs. Plus, when you graduate, you'll gain automatic membership of Spotlight and Equity to launch you into the industry.
Graduate in a confident position for a career in performance, or use your skills to teach others, or even become an entrepreneur. Skills-based professional practice is embedded within all modules, helping you towards employability and your future career.
You could also progress to further study with one of the country's prestigious theatre schools. These include the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), East 15 Acting School or Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.
You'll study:
You'll study:
Plus, two optional modules from:
You'll study:
Plus, two optional modules from:
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we will inform you.
This structure is for full-time students only. Part-time students study the same modules but the delivery pattern will be different.
We offer a unique curriculum with a variety of teaching methods. With 50% of your modules in acting and the other 50% in drama, you'll develop your acting skills, while exploring other areas such as writing and directing.
There aren't any lectures - you'll be taught through three-hour workshops. Explore wide-ranging acting skills, theories and practices, different audiences and contexts, and build a compelling portfolio to take to employers.
You'll have the chance to set up own theatre company and attend workshops to help you write applications and prepare for auditions. Develop your professional and creative practice, with practice-led teaching, access to leading facilities and professional input.
Craft your skills as a researcher and draw on different theories and techniques to create your own performances. You'll be working with academic staff and practitioners helping to shape new thinking in the field.
See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.
Percentage of time you'll spend in different learning activities, each year:
| Year | Scheduled learning and teaching study | Independent study | Placement study |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 54% | 46% | 0% |
| 2 | 45% | 55% | 0% |
| 3 | 20% | 80% | 0% |
*Calculated from compulsory and optional modules (where applicable) each year
UWE Bristol's Drama Society is open to all students. It stages three or four shows a year, including a traditional pantomime and a large-scale summer production. The latter has previously travelled to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Masterclasses by industry professionals offer valuable insights, from auditioning technique and acting Shakespeare, to getting an agent or getting published, as well as the basics of stage combat.
You'll get to audition for staff-directed productions or have the chance to put on your own show. Even after you graduate, you can access advice and rehearsal and performance spaces to launch your theatre company.
The way your work will be assessed depends on which modules you choose. You can be assessed through live and filmed performances, portfolios of writing, presentations and essays.
Your portfolio will be shaped towards the aspect of performance you want to progress in. These include a showreel for acting, a portfolio for writing or a CV for directorial or teaching work.
In Year three, you'll devise, produce and act in a final year show, with an emphasis on performance.
Learn more about assessments.
Approximate percentage of marks awarded by each assessment method*:
| Year | Written exam assessment | Coursework assessment | Practical exam assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0% | 35% | 65% |
| 2 | 0% | 36% | 64% |
| 3 | 0% | 47% | 53% |
*Calculated from compulsory and optional modules (where applicable) each year.
Students who get work experience tend to graduate with better degrees and are better prepared for entering the commercial sector. Experience also hones your skills, industry knowledge and professionalism through networking, making you a sought-after graduate.
While formal placements aren't part of the course, we support you to find extra-curricular opportunities, or work experience. You'll have a wealth of opportunities to develop personally through strong networking links with alumni who work in a variety of creative fields.
Get help to find your placements and support throughout from staff within the School and our award-winning careers service.
BA(Hons) Drama and Acting is based at our City Campus in the heart of Bristol.
City Campus at Arnolfini offers studios, teaching spaces and technical facilities on Bristol's harbourside, plus access to the ground floor auditorium for performance workshops.
You'll also use the resources available at other City Campus sites. This includes Bower Ashton Studios, which has a working theatre, a black box studio and a library dedicated to the creative and cultural industries.
A mix of traditional and hands-on learning environments helps you quickly take on essential knowledge and skills, standing you in good stead for your professional career.
Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources.
Take a Virtual Tour of the Drama and Acting facilities and see what's on offer here for you.
An excellent range of options for all of the Bristol campuses and the city centre.
A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.
There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.
We provide support in the way you need it.
Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.
Tailoring what and how you study, you can shape the course towards your chosen career path.
Our graduates go on to a career performing for theatre, television, and film.
Many progress to postgraduate courses at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (BOVTS), the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and Central School of Speech and Drama.
You'll be supported in your final year by workshops on applications and the audition process.
Our award-winning careers service will develop your employment potential through career coaching and find you graduate jobs, placements and global opportunities.
We can also help find local volunteering and community opportunities, provide support for entrepreneurial activity and get you access to employer events.
Visit our employability pages to learn more about careers, employers and what our students are doing six months after graduating.
Additional costs are for items you could need during your studies that aren't covered by the standard tuition fee. These could be materials, textbooks, travel, clothing, software or printing.
International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Please visit our English language requirements page.
For information on required Guided Learning Hours please see our minimum entry requirements page.
For country specific entry requirements please find your country on the country information pages. If you are applying to study at UWE Bristol and require additional support to meet our English language requirements, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses. Read more about our Pre-Sessional English Programme.
Applicants will be required to attend an interview. For more details on the process, please visit our selection page.
Read more about entry requirements.
Read more about undergraduate applications.
Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.
UK applicants
Admissions@uwe.ac.uk
International/EU applicants
International@uwe.ac.uk
UK applicants
+44 (0)117 32 83333
International/EU applicants
+44 (0)117 32 86644