Leeds School of Arts ShowÂ
The End of Year Show celebrates the work of students from across the arts. We invite you to experience their visionary projects online.
Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Undergraduate BA (Hons)
Performing Arts
Study the performing arts while you nurture your artistic individuality on this practical course.
Course Overview
-
W4F6 -
L27 -
City Campus -
Full-Time -
3 Years -
16 Sep 2024
As part of your course you’ll:
- Learn more about your current artistic interests as you draw from a range of disciplines as inspiration for your project work
- Develop your passion, whether that’s for creative text writing, dance, acting or directing
- Use project work to explore your particular area of interest
- Enhance your practical performance skills and confidence in your ability to create performance work through weekly technique classes and creative workshops
- Undertake a professional placement during your second year
- Showcase your third-year work in front of professional artists and producers at the Leeds School of Arts annual festival
Leeds is home to hundreds of professional theatre collectives, dance companies and arts festivals so you’ll be surrounded by a vibrant creative community and an exciting range of performance work.
We’ll support you in setting up your second-year professional placement. You could spend a semester learning alongside and networking with one of the many artistic companies in Leeds or you could choose to travel abroad to work for an international organisation. Our students have previously completed placements at Company Chameleon in Manchester, BMotion Festival in Bassano del Grappa, Italy and with theatre company Third Angel based in Sheffield.
All of the staff teaching on your course are practising artists, which means our teaching is based on real professional experience. You’ll also have the chance to attend additional workshops delivered by external artists and companies.
Our partnerships with organisations such as Compass Live Art Festival and Yorkshire Dance will give you the opportunity to learn from guest lecturers at the top of their field.
You’ll have access to specialist studio spaces used by professional artists at Northern Ballet and Yorkshire Dance as well as our own studios at our picturesque Headingley Campus.
See examples of work from previous students by visiting the Leeds School of Arts festival site.
Why study Performing Arts at Leeds Beckett University...
- Second-year professional placement working in industry
- Courses taught by practising artists
- Workshops and guest lectures delivered by external artists at the top of their field
- Partnerships with organisations such as Compass Live Art Festival and Yorkshire Dance
- Access to an industry standard theatre, performance studios and a host of other performing arts facilities in the new £80-million Leeds School of Arts Building
Lift Off Festival 2022: Performing Arts and Theatre & Performance Students discuss their final year performances, which take place in front of a live audience at Leeds School of Arts’ annual Lift Off Festival.
Everything you need to know
Discover all there is to know about the course, from entry requirements and fees to exploring the school you’ll be joining - we’ve got it covered.
Entry requirements
112
points required
If you're applying via UCAS, find out more about how your qualifications fit into the UCAS tariff.
We have welcomed students from over 140 countries to study at Leeds Beckett University. If you are interested in studying with us you can find all the information you need about entry requirements and how to apply on our country specific pages.
Entry requirements
112
points required
UCAS Tariff Points: 112 points required.
(Minimum 72 from two A Levels or equivalent, excluding General Studies).
If you're applying via UCAS, find out more about how your qualifications fit into the UCAS tariff.
GCSEs
GCSE English Language at Grade 4 or above (Grade C for GCSEs taken before 2017) or equivalent. Key Skills Level 2, Functional Skills Level 2 and the Certificate in Adult Literacy are accepted in place of GCSEs.Access to HE Diploma
Pass overall with a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points.T Levels
Pass overall with a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points, including a C or above on the core.Scottish Awards
112 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 5 Highers of which at least 2 must be grade B or above.Irish Leaving Certificate
112 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 5 subjects at higher level of which at least 3 must be grade H3 or above.International baccalaureate
112 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 3 Highers of which at least 2 must be grade H5 or above.Audition Required
Applicants who meet the academic entry requirements will be invited to attend a selection day where you will be interviewed individually and take part in a Group Performance Workshop. You are assessed for suitability to the course, on your background skills and knowledge, and on your ability to contribute constructively to a working ensemble. Interviews will be held between November and March. Invitations are sent via UCAS and you should check your UCAS Hub for further details.
IELTS
IELTS 6.0 with no skills below 5.5, or an equivalent qualification. The University provides excellent support for any applicant who may be required to undertake additional English language courses.
Selection Criteria
We may use selection criteria based on your personal attributes; experience and/or commitment to the area of study. This information will be derived from your personal statement and reference and will only be used if you have met the general entry requirements.
Our commitment to help every student succeed
Leeds Beckett University is committed to ensuring that every student with the potential to succeed at our University is able to do so regardless of their background. For this reason we operate a contextual admissions policy, which means we take into account a range of additional factors when we assess a student’s application. Applicants who meet at least one of our contextual admissions criteria will be offered a place on this course with lower (predicted or achieved) UCAS Tariff Points than our published tariff (above).Our contextual admissions criteria are:
- Home postcode is in an area where few people go to University (POLAR4 quintile 1 or 2 area. This can be checked on the Office for Students website).
- Declared disability on the UCAS application form (or direct application for part time applicants).
- Over the age of 21 on the 1st of September before the course starts.
- Declared as a care experienced on the UCAS application form (or direct application for part time applicants).
Mature Applicants
Our university welcomes applications from mature applicants who demonstrate academic potential. All students will be considered through the contextual admissions policy described above. If you do not meet the requirements through the contextual admissions policy, we may still be able to make you an offer if you have recent relevant work experience through our 'Recognition of Prior Learning' policy. Please ensure that you list both your qualifications and any relevant work experience in your application so that we can consider you under both schemes where applicable. All applicants should meet our standard entry requirements of GCSE grade C in English language and, where specified, Maths. Alternative qualifications such as functional skills are accepted in lieu of GCSEs for most courses.We have welcomed students from over 140 countries to study at Leeds Beckett University. If you are interested in studying with us you can find all the information you need about entry requirements and how to apply on our country specific pages.
If you're applying via UCAS, find out more about how your qualifications fit into the UCAS tariff.
International baccalaureate
112 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 3 Highers of which at least 2 must be grade H5 or above.Audition Required
Applicants who meet the academic entry requirements will be invited to attend a selection day where you will be interviewed individually and take part in a Group Performance Workshop. You are assessed for suitability to the course, on your background skills and knowledge, and on your ability to contribute constructively to a working ensemble. Interviews will be held between November and March. Invitations are sent via UCAS and you should check your UCAS Hub for further details.
IELTS
IELTS 6.0 with no skills below 5.5, or an equivalent qualification. The University provides excellent support for any applicant who may be required to undertake additional English language courses.
Selection Criteria
We may use selection criteria based on your personal attributes; experience and/or commitment to the area of study. This information will be derived from your personal statement and reference and will only be used if you have met the general entry requirements.
Additional entry requirements:
Verify your qualifications
If you are an international student, we can help you to compare and verify your qualifications. Please contact our International Office on +44 (0)113 812 1111 09.00 to 17.00 Mon-Thurs / 09.00 to 16.30 Fri GMT or email internationaloffice@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.Need to improve your English Language skills?
Don't worry if you don't have the level of English required for your chosen course. We offer a wide range of courses which have been designed to help you to improve your qualifications and English language ability, most of which are accredited by the British Council. Check your English and find out more about our English courses.More questions?
No matter what your questions, we are here to answer them, visit our International website to get more information and find out about our online open days.Independent study is a crucial part of learning at university and you will be required to undertake many hours of self-directed research and reading, and preparation and writing of assessments. Your course is delivered through a number of modules, which will help you to plan your time and establish a study routine. Outside of your lectures, workshops and tutorials, a range of support is available to assist with your independent study. Our subject-specific librarians will be on hand to direct you to the specialist learning and study-skill resources. You’ll also be assigned an academic advisor to give you tailored feedback and support.
Teaching & Learning
In this highly practical and heavily taught programme, you will be trained how to become an interdisciplinary maker in the performing arts sector, developing upon your existing theatre, performance and dance skills. You will explore how different disciplines may merge together to create innovative works that challenge how we understand contemporary performance practice.
The tabs below detail what and how you will study in each year of your course. The balance of assessments and overall workload is indicative and may be subject to change.
What you'll learn
This module will introduce you to key artistic movements, artists and performances. You'll explore, through practice, theatre, performance and dance lineages, and how these have impacted on contemporary modes of performance making and thinking.
Explore embodied movement and voice practises across multiple disciplines. You'll take your body as a starting point as you learn about strategies and techniques that might be employed in disciplines such as Lecoq, psychosomatic actor training, and Dance Theatre. You'll also study more general practices such as movement direction, singing technique and choreography. This module will focus on your understanding of how you can use your body and voice to communicate. This means your assessment will centre on the distance between your start and end points, rather than in the accuracy and precision of the moving and singing body. You'll also explore the ways in which the body can be used as a tool for making.
Start to develop the creative skills necessary to generate material for performance, using as a starting point, existing performing arts texts. This practical module is focussed on establishing physical vocabularies, compositional strategies, an understanding of text within performance, and the building of performer confidence within contemporary theatre practice/performance. You'll lay the groundwork for further creative, compositional development and you'll focus on the relationship between theory and practice through continuous assessment. This method of assessment will demonstrate these processes as good professional and academic habits.
This module will introduce the importance of health and wellbeing and its relationship to artistic practice.
Gain an introduction to originating and developing performance projects through the tasks of writing and directing. This module will be taught by tutors and visiting artists who are experienced professional directors and writers for performance. Writing workshops will provide you with writing tasks and briefs, techniques for getting started, for exploring multiple approaches to a scene or a brief, redrafting and editing. Directing workshops give you a range of tools for exploring texts in relation to theme, character, pace, situation; working with actors and performers in a collaborative and creative way; different approaches blocking; leading devising processes. Throughout the module, you'll explore writing and directing as ingredients in collaborative processes of making performance. You'll build up an individual portfolio of written texts and directed scenes, and a selection of these projects will be shared in a ‘showcase’ of readings and performances.
What you'll learn
Examine the dual role of the intelligent performance maker who is able to read performance effectively: both as a spectator (a thinking body) and as a maker of performance (a body that thinks). This module will enable you to develop a questioning and curious approach to performance analysis.
Your first opportunity to embark on a journey of self/group-determined practical study, you will learn how to creatively pool your practices toward the realisation of a creative performance project.
Explore key concepts of production design and technical support through practice in studio spaces and technical workshops on this practical module. This module will be delivered in a range of settings that could include workshops focusing on ‘back stage’ competency, design and the use of technical equipment. You'll learn how to safely set up and use key technical equipment in order to facilitate the development and rehearsals of a theatrical event. This module will culminate in the opportunity to take on design and technical roles for another student's project, under the guidance of the your tutors. On completion of this module, you'll have developed the building blocks you'll need to become an independent, creative and intelligent maker in performing arts.
Option modules may include
Discover the multiple career pathways within the professional creative sector that form a part of the organisational infrastructure that creative and educational practice.
This module will prepare you to work in front of the camera rather than a live audience; this might include performances for television, screen, or even games. As such, a variety of scenarios will be used to test your dexterity. We'll focus on developing your personal process to adjust and apply your acting, vocal and physical skills to the context of the screen. You'll be assessed through one practical component which will include three pieces of work: a solo performance to camera, a small group piece to camera, and a whole ensemble performance to camera directed by your module leader.
What you'll learn
This module will provide the opportunity to pursue an independent research project that engages with the cultural and critical contexts of contemporary performance.
Create high quality performance work in response to a specific festival brief. You will experience the process of applying, creating and producing work for different festivals in a safe and supportive environment, as well as reflecting on the work you have made for particular festivals.
Examine socially engaged arts practices that operate within different social environments with the purpose of engaging communities of people. You will develop the skills needed to facilitate workshops and performance works that can be used as vehicles for social advocacy and gain an understanding of how to respond to the needs to various community groups.
The first of two modules during which you will develop your final performance work of the course. This module will involve an in-depth investigation of your practice, using the knowledge you have gained throughout the course. You will pool your practical experience to develop your final work, which will then be showcased in Lift Off 2.
This module will provide the opportunity to refine your material for final presentation and showing. You'll then contribute to a showcase of your work to an invited audience.
Fees & Funding hellooo
£9,250
UK
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2024/25 is £9250. The amount you will pay may increase each year to take into account the effects of inflation.
£16,000
International 2024
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2024/25 is £16000. The amount you will pay is fixed at this level for each year of your course.
Fees & Funding
£9,250
For students entering in 2024
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2024/25 is £9250. The amount you will pay may increase each year to take into account the effects of inflation.
Additional course costs
Tuition Fees
Your tuition fees cover the cost of registration, tuition, academic supervision, assessments and examinations.
The following are also included in the cost of your course:
- 24/7 Library and student IT support
- Free wifi via eduroam
- Skills workshops and resources
- Library membership, giving access to more than 500,000 printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to software, including five free copies of Microsoft Office 365 to install on your PC,laptop and MAC, and access to free high-end software via the Leeds Beckett remote app
- Loan of high-end media equipment to support your studies
Access to course resources, equipment and facilities, including:
- Study materials. We provide all core materials during your studies, including costumes or props on a case by case basis, although you may wish to purchase additional materials
In many cases, costs associated with your course will be included in your course fee. However, in some cases there are ‘essential’ additional costs (those that you will be required to meet in addition to your course fee), and/or ‘optional’ additional costs (costs that are not required, but that you might choose to pay). We have included those essential or optional additional costs that relate to your course, below.
Optional Costs
- Educational visits. Cost will vary depending on location and may be subsidised. Costs could include travel, accommodation and sustenance. When attendance is compulsory, travel, accommodation and tickets are paid for by the department
- Placement costs will vary, and you will need to pay for any additional travel. You will also need to provide any additional checks, such as DBS
Other study-related expenses to consider: materials that you will need to complete your course such as books (whilst the library provides access to readings recommended for your modules, you may wish to purchase your own copies of some books); you can also make suggestions for books to be added to Library stock; placement costs (these may include travel expenses and living costs); student visas (international students only); printing, photocopying and stationery (you may need to pay for multiple copies of your dissertation or final project to be printed and bound); events associated with your course such as field trips; study abroad opportunities (travel costs and accommodation, visas and immunisations). Other costs could include academic conferences (travel costs) and professional-body membership (where applicable). The costs you will need to cover for graduation will include gown hire and guest tickets, and optional extras such as professional photography.
As well as your mobile phone, you will also need access to a desktop computer and/or laptop to complete assignments and access university online services such as MyBeckett, your virtual learning environment. You can book and borrow AV equipment through the media equipment service accessed online via the student hub and located in the library at each campus. Equipment includes: 360 Cameras, iPads, GoPros, MacBooks, portable data projectors, portable projection screens, flipchart stands, remote presenters, digital cameras and camcorders, SLR cameras, speakers, microphones, headphones, headsets, tripods, digital audio recorders and PC/laptops (a laptop loans service is provided on campus in the library on both campuses). Student laptops are also available from the laptop lockers located in the libraries.
This list is not exhaustive, costs are approximate and will vary depending on the choices you make during your course. Any rental, travel or living costs are also in addition to your course fees. If you choose to study via distance learning, you may not be able to access all of the facilities listed if you are not able to visit us on campus.
£16,000
For students entering in 2024
The tuition fee for the year for students entering in 2024/25 is £16000. The amount you will pay is fixed at this level for each year of your course.
Additional course costs
Tuition Fees
Your tuition fees cover the cost of registration, tuition, academic supervision, assessments and examinations.
The following are also included in the cost of your course:
- 24/7 Library and student IT support
- Free wifi via eduroam
- Skills workshops and resources
- Library membership, giving access to more than 500,000 printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to software, including five free copies of Microsoft Office 365 to install on your PC,laptop and MAC, and access to free high-end software via the Leeds Beckett remote app
- Loan of high-end media equipment to support your studies
In many cases, costs associated with your course will be included in your course fee. However, in some cases there are ‘essential’ additional costs (those that you will be required to meet in addition to your course fee), and/or ‘optional’ additional costs (costs that are not required, but that you might choose to pay). We have included those essential or optional additional costs that relate to your course, below.
Access to course resources, equipment and facilities, including:
- Study materials. We provide all core materials during your studies, including costumes or props on a case by case basis, although you may wish to purchase additional materials
Optional Costs
- Educational visits. Cost will vary depending on location and may be subsidised. Costs could include travel, accommodation and sustenance. When attendance is compulsory, travel, accommodation and tickets are paid for by the department
- Placement costs will vary, and you will need to pay for any additional travel. You will also need to provide any additional checks, such as DBS
Other study-related expenses to consider: materials that you will need to complete your course such as books (whilst the library provides access to readings recommended for your modules, you may wish to purchase your own copies of some books); you can also make suggestions for books to be added to Library stock; placement costs (these may include travel expenses and living costs); student visas (international students only); printing, photocopying and stationery (you may need to pay for multiple copies of your dissertation or final project to be printed and bound); events associated with your course such as field trips; study abroad opportunities (travel costs and accommodation, visas and immunisations). Other costs could include academic conferences (travel costs) and professional-body membership (where applicable). The costs you will need to cover for graduation will include gown hire and guest tickets, and optional extras such as professional photography.
As well as your mobile phone, you will also need access to a desktop computer and/or laptop to complete assignments and access university online services such as MyBeckett, your virtual learning environment. You can book and borrow AV equipment through the media equipment service accessed online via the student hub and located in the library at each campus. Equipment includes: 360 Cameras, iPads, GoPros, MacBooks, portable data projectors, portable projection screens, flipchart stands, remote presenters, digital cameras and camcorders, SLR cameras, speakers, microphones, headphones, headsets, tripods, digital audio recorders and PC/laptops (a laptop loans service is provided on campus in the library on both campuses). Student laptops are also available from the laptop lockers located in the libraries.
This list is not exhaustive, costs are approximate and will vary depending on the choices you make during your course. Any rental, travel or living costs are also in addition to your course fees. If you choose to study via distance learning, you may not be able to access all of the facilities listed if you are not able to visit us on campus.
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The world of performing arts is broad, multidisciplinary and hugely exciting, so our performing arts students have to be all of those things too. I love working with our students on bold, new performance projects - I’m a performance maker just like them, we learn from each other.
Oliver Bray
Dean of Leeds School of Arts
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Your future in our hands
There’s a lot to consider when choosing a course. Take a look at the team you’ll be working with, employability statistics and career prospects to help make up your mind.
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The opportunities to gain work experience were fantastic and something I embraced. I was involved with Festival Republic at Latitude Festival, and even did some DJing at Leeds Festival. I also co-created and performed a show at Sibiu International Student Theatre Festival in Romania, and undertook a work placement at a theatre school in Bilbao.
Jenny Duffy
Producer / Devisor / Performer at Massive Owl. GIFTed Director at Gateshead International Festival of Theatre
Career Prospects
With your enhanced communication and networking skills, you will be able to engage with a variety of artists and employers in the creative industries. You will have the confidence and technical skills to forge a successful career as a choreographer or performer, and you will also possess the specialist knowledge to work as a producer or director. You could choose to enter arts administration and work for an artistic organisation anywhere in the world. Alternatively, you could take up a number of exciting roles in education.
- Performance artist
- Producer
- Choreographer
- Community arts practitioner
Scholarships and bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that an education at Leeds Beckett University is open to all. If you're thinking of joining us for undergraduate study, you may be eligible for a non-repayable scholarship or bursary to help with the cost of university. To find out if you are be eligible visit our scholarships and bursaries page.
We also offer a range of non-repayable scholarships for international students. To find out if you may be eligible visit our scholarships for international students page and select your home country from the drop-down list.
Our Graduate Promise
We have a dedicated team of people who will support you with all aspects of your career planning, from day one until 18 months after you graduate.
Getting you career ready is an integral part of your university life and this is embedded throughout your lectures and seminars. Outside of your course there is a wide range of support available to help you achieve your career goals, including:
- Getting ready to apply for jobs
- Working on your CV
- Interview skills and assessment centres
- Connecting with employers and organisations
Your Beckett experience
At Leeds Beckett your experience is important to us, find out more about what to expect from your time on this course and life at uni.
Leeds School of Arts performing arts facilities. Find out more about our industry-standard performing arts facilities.
Filmmaking and Performing Arts at Leeds Beckett This video is part of a series that documents the creation of the ‘Dreamers of the Day’ advert which was conceptualised, filmed, produced and edited entirely by Leeds Beckett students
Experience Leeds Beckett
Our state-of-the-art facilities and learning environments give you everything you need to succeed.
Leeds - Best Place to Live in the North and Northeast*
From music venues and art galleries to parks, shopping and transport – we’ve got it all. We also have the best-paying jobs outside of London.
*The Sunday Times Best Place to Live guide, 2024.
Still thinking about your uni choices? Discover Uni has official information to help you decide. They provide statistics for courses taken from national surveys and data collected from universities about their students.
