Overview
We offer a variety of degree courses in performing arts, which will each give you a unique insight into the different aspects of the industry.
Whether you’re learning about acting for stage or screen, set design, production, direction or screenwriting, you’ll learn a wide variety of techniques from our dedicated professional staff which will prepare you for a career in this competitive industry.
We incorporate both modern and traditional skills within our courses, and you will graduate proficient in a variety of areas, including digital technology and software relevant to your chosen creative path, as well as more traditional methods from the history of performing arts.
Our creative communities on each of our campuses enable you to build a network of contacts that form the bedrock for your future career. Depending on your subject, you may even collaborate on projects with students studying disciplines such as animation, film production, music composition & technology, advertising and games arts – strengthening your range of skills even further.
We want you to really grow as a professional during your time with us. Our graduates leave us with a deep understanding of creative process, and an appreciation of the collaboration behind final productions and performances. If you join us, you’ll get to benefit from an exciting and innovative curriculum that will enable you to develop your skills as part of a creative community.
Performing Arts courses
Performing Arts courses are available at the following locations:
UCA Canterbury
UCA Epsom
UCA Farnham
UCA Rochester
Get a prospectus
Our undergraduate and pre-degree prospectus is bursting with information.
Open Days
Explore our campuses, facilities and creative courses at a UCA Open Day.
Virtual Tours
Take a look around our campuses and view 360 images of some of our creative studio spaces and workshops.
Careers in Performing Arts
Our performing arts courses will prepare you for an exciting career in a variety of creative industries.
You’ll be equipped with a strong knowledge of each aspect of the industry to get your foot in the door of this competitive market. You can pursue a wide range of exciting technical and creative careers in areas such as acting, sound design, advertising, broadcast programming and production management. After your studies, you can go on to work as a set director, filmmaker, set designer, or screenwriter; or you could launch your own acting career and make your name on the stage or starring in films, TV productions, commercials, or even voicing popular computer game characters.
Alongside - or as an alternative to - theatre, TV, radio or film work, a career for the professional freelance actor can include:
- Acting in corporate films, and live role-play in business training
- Forming a company to create and stage own work
- Commercials
- Film or audio
- Voicing computer games and animations
- Creating original material for Image Capture projects
- Community projects such as theatre in schools
- Teaching, running workshops, rehearsed readings and workshop productions of new plays
Located within easy reach of London, our students can take advantage of the fantastic West End theatres and the other performance venues the city has to offer. We have industry links with:
- Farnham Maltings, the local creative arts centre near our Farnham campus
- British Actors’ Equity
- Drama UK (the body which oversees drama training across the country)
- West End venues for showcase presentations
Case studies
Find out what some of our students and graduates think about their time at UCA
"The main reason I chose UCA Farnham was because the course appealed to me; it was split between theatre and film and I wanted to experience both practices."
Gabrielle Louise Ellison
BA (Hons) Acting, UCA Farnham
"I have learned so many new skills, I don’t even know where to begin. For a start all the design elements, the drawings and illustrations, the technical drawings that go with them, model boxes – making things to scale. Then you also learn a range of more practical skills - using silicone moulds and resin, and using the wood workshops. "
Catherine Barron
BA (Hons) Theatre Design, UCA Rochester