Performing Arts FdA

About the course

You will study theatre and performance skills, the cultural context of the arts and business practice of the industry with the identity of the programme being shaped by its focus on work based learning. Students will have the opportunity to develop their own skills in relation to performance in theatre, community and educational contexts, and also consider the nature of business practice and entrepreneurship in the arts. You will study a range of disciplines including acting/voice, dance/physical theatre and technical production skills, which will provide a sound basis for employment.

In addition, you will also gain knowledge of commissioning and employment practice and how to promote and market your work. This involves the use of websites as well as traditional routes.

Why choose this course?

This programme aims to develop your creativity and skills in carrying out projects to meet the needs of clients and audiences. In addition the programme will provide you with:

• the knowledge and skills to embark on a career in the creative and cultural industries;
• opportunities for work-based learning and experience in the creative arts and cultural industries;
• an opportunity to gain a nationally recognised qualification in two years of full-time study;
• a progression route to the final year of an appropriate honours degree programme.

Study routes

• Full Time, 2 Years
• Full Time,

Locations

• West Herts College
• North Hertfordshire College

Careers

When you successfully complete the course, you may wish to progress directly into employment or to a BA Honours degree in Performing Arts in a number of institutions including North Hertfordshire College. Students are eligible to progress to the final year of a BA honours, and will be supported by college and university staff in making their decision.

Teaching methods

This programme addresses the thinking processes, attitudes and skills that are common to all creative activities. It provides a structure that enables you from a variety of starting points to develop your own creativity within a context provided by the industries and organisations that utilises this creativity.

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, small group tutorials, course work and practical assignments. Throughout you are encouraged to undertake independent study to consolidate your learning and to broaden your knowledge and understanding of the subject.

In addition, you will be exposed to the application of creative and cultural skills and knowledge in the workplace through work based learning. You will study work based learning modules in year one culminating in a work based learning project negotiated with an employer in year two.

Structure

Year 1

Core Modules

• Creative Languages (WHC)

  This is a 15-credit module delivered during semester B of the level 4 programme. The focus of this module is about creativity in action, and learning from the experts. You will take a look at several well-known practitioners in your broad subject area, concentrating on their expressive languages, comparing them with each other, and relating them to your own ideas. You will then produce a body of your own work where you build on this study and extend your own repertoire of ideas, ready to be incorporated into project work in other modules.

• Creative Problem Solving (WHC)

  This is a 30-credit module delivered during semester A of the level 4 programme. The module is designed to prepare you for further study and for the workplace you will eventually enter. You will gain an understanding of key production processes and professional practices relevant to your specialist subject and the cultural and creative industries, in addition to learning methods of conceptualising creativity and authorship.

• Creative Vocational Practice (Performing Arts) (WHC)

  This is a 30-credit module delivered in semester B of the level 4 programme. It focuses on building your professional and creative skills as a performer, developing your skills through workshops and rehearsals, in one or more subjects, which will typically include acting, singing and dance. This may include a performing role in a project or carrying out specific production duties. You will be expected to include consideration of aesthetics, ethics and function within your performance. You will use previously acquired creative and practical skills in carrying out a performance based brief. These skills will be developed using live or simulated scenarios, similar to those that you may encounter in a professional performing arts environment. In the process you will gain an understanding of the requirements of fulfilling a vocational brief: audience/client needs and expectations, time management, internal and external constraints. You will develop the skills necessary for a professional performing arts presentation and evaluate your performance against the given brief.

• Historical and Contemporary Context (WHC)

  This is a 15-credit module, running during semester A of the level 4 programme, which will introduce you to several historical and contemporary periods or movements from your discipline and the creative works which they produced. The cultural contexts in which these works were produced will be examined to identify the ways in which the time, place and conditions of their production influence and shape creativity and practice. You will then develop your research abilities, critical faculties and academic skills so that you can investigate, analyse and present your case effectively. Together these will develop your own creative, cultural and critical understanding.

• WBL: Developing Professional and Employability Skills (WHC)

  This is a 30-credit module running through semesters A and B of the level 4 programme. The focus of this module, is planning your career and developing employability and professional skills. You will take a closer look at the creative and cultural sector to identify a route that reflects your strengths and preferences. You will prepare for progression by looking at job-hunting techniques, networking and self-promotion. You will also articulate your skills and knowledge to create an action plan for progression using appropriate report writing skills.

Optional

Year 2

Core Modules

• Business Practice and Entrepreneurship

  You may already have a great idea that you think will make money, or you may develop a creative idea with some of your fellow students. Working in teams or partnerships you will design a business plan and marketing strategy, whilst discovering and developing the entrepreneurial skills needed to communicate these successfully to your potential customers.

• Contextual Study WHC

  As we progress through our creative education we all develop strong views on the way other people do things compared to how we do them ourselves. We may feel a sense of injustice at the way so many products end up as landfill when they could be designed to be recycled, or because we feel that TV is ignoring a social issue that disadvantages sections of the population. We may feel that a particular artist/designer/director is undervalued and that we want to do something about this. Creative people tend to have strong views, and these often have considerable influence in and beyond the creative sector. This module allows you to articulate an argument connected with your own practice, and to add your perspective to the debate, possibly by building on ideas that you have touched on in the Cultural Context module in the first year.

• Specialist Peforming Arts Project 2B WHC

  This is a 30 credit module that gives you the opportunity to put all your experience and learning together in a project that confirms you as a creative professional. To ensure that you meet the module requirements the brief will be negotiated between you and your tutors. In some disciplines this project will form the main part of your end of course show. The title of this module will reflect the award you are studying: e.g. * Specialist Fashion & Textiles Project 2B * Specialist Fine Art Project 2B * Specialist Graphic Design Project 2B * Specialist Illustration Project 2B * Specialist 3D Design Project 2B * Specialist Media Project 2B * Specialist Photography Project 2B * Specialist Performing Arts Project 2B

• Specialist Projects 2A: Performing Arts

  By now you will have a some idea of your creative and professional strengths and weaknesses. You will now be ready to build on previous experiences and carry out processes from brief to final product/performance, evaluate it and present it. Although this is a practical module there is an underlying theme of project planning and management. The title of this module will reflect the award you are studying: e.g. * Specialist Fashion & Textiles Project 2A * Specialist Fine Art Project 2A * Specialist Graphic Design Project 2A * Specialist Illustration Project 2A * Specialist 3D Design Project 2A * Specialist Media Project 2A * Specialist Photography Project 2A * Specialist Performing Arts Project 2A

• Work Based Learning Project WHC

  This is a 30-credit module, and it runs through both semesters of the second year of your programme. You are required to work with an employer on a project that meets their needs whilst allowing you to express and develop your professional skills and understanding. You might well have set this up in the first year during Work Based Learning 1B, but if not, you will have other opportunities to do this. The project will be shaped by negotiation between you, your tutors and the employer. It may be carried out on the employer s premises but this will depend on the type of project that is agreed.

Optional

Fees & funding

Fees 2013

UK/EU Students

Full time: £5,000 for the 2013 academic year

International Students

Discounts are available for International students if payment is made in full at registration

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Other financial support

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Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

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How to apply