Courses

BTEC HND Performing Arts (Acting)

When & Where

23 September 2024 - 26 June 2026 ( 480 hours, 60 weeks )
Waterloo Centre

Quick Facts

Availability Yes
Course Code W24DMAD02A
Suitable For 19 year olds and up are permitted on this course

What you will learn

This two year course will be an exciting opportunity for you to explore, develop and test your creativity. Our highly practical qualification is aimed at students who want to progress into a career in Performing Arts with a specialism of Acting. During the course you will work on a series of projects, fine tuning your talents to rehearse and collaborate with others, performing a diverse range of work in front of live audiences. Morley has a long history as a cultural player in the Performing Arts and has a team of experienced tutors who are professionals in their field and experienced in enabling you, as an adult learner, to develop your skills towards employability in this diverse and growing industry. In Year One you will be introduced to the basic concepts and principles of performance through Acting, Movement, Voice, Singing and Devising. These skills are applied in a Devising Project in the third term under professional conditions in a live performance. This year develops risk taking, focus and exploration. In Year Two you will continue to develop your acting skills through exploring classical text, and then go on to rehearse a scripted play under professional conditions, which will be your showcase performance to invited friends, family and industry guests. This year develops reflection, rigour and professionalism.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Work collaboratively and individually to develop your acting skills
Apply movement skills as part of your acting craft
Strengthen your singing and vocal techniques
Create your own performance material
Take part in productions in professional conditions
Lead your own warm ups and workshops
Understand how performance affects audiences
Develop your critical vocabularies for reading, writing and analysing performance and texts
Complete your own performance research project
Develop your professional profile

On successful completion of the course, you will achieve the following qualification: BTEC Higher National Diploma in Performing Arts [EDEXCEL]

Class format and activities

PROGRAMME AIMS: The aim of this programme is to help you develop the skills you need to specialise in your chosen performing arts career, through classroom teaching and practical work in specialist learning environments. Having completed the course you will have a nationally recognized Level 5 qualification and may be able to progress to the third year of an undergraduate degree programme, or find a job in the performing arts or cultural industries. The course is mostly practical, taking place in our studio theatre and dance studios. It also includes lectures and seminars, practical workshops, group discussions and tutorial sessions. All teaching and learning activities are designed to promote equality of opportunity and accessibility for all students. The course structure is focused around a number of assessed assignments and projects, which allow you to explore what you learn in the studio and strengthen your knowledge further. These projects and assignments will also help you to develop transferable skills, such as problem solving, critical thinking, time management and working as part of a team. Students can choose to submit written assignments as video recorded blogs if they wish. This is a full time course and students should expect to spend at least two days per week on independent study.

Entry Requirements

We welcome applications from anyone who feels that they are capable of reaching the standards required by the qualification. If you have recently been in education it is likely that one of the following will provide a suitable entry profile:?• a relevant level 3 qualification (including A levels, BTEC National Diplomas etc)?• a GCE profile that indicates strong performance in a relevant subject?• an Access to Higher Education Diploma. MATURE STUDENTS We appreciate that mature students may have extensive relevant acting experience gained through paid or unpaid work, or through other types of professional training or sector-related opportunities and this experience may be used to support an application. Please do contact us if you would like to discuss applying. Apply?• Submit your application form through clicking the link at the top of this page, which will include a personal statement and any supporting evidence?• You can come to one of our open days, or free taster workshops for guidance on how to apply ?• You will be invited for an informal chat about the course and a workshop-style audition?• Auditions are free to attend ?• Auditionees will be asked to prepare one 2 minute monologue of their choice and take part in a practical workshop?• You will meet the head of the course, and be able to ask questions about the school, courses, timetable and faculty

Before you enrol

The HND is a two-year course, with lessons three days per week. This is a full time course and students should expect to spend at least two days per week on independent study. The College has a range of specialist resources to support the delivery of the programme, including dance and drama studios, music rehearsal rooms, and other performance spaces close to the campus. You will also have access to computers, scanners and printers in the College’s learning centre. You will be assessed through graded practical and written coursework.

What you need

You will need access to a laptop or PC. Relevant text books and materials will be required for the course; your tutor will provide you with full details. You will need to provide their own clothing appropriate to actor training such as specific dancewear and/or loose-fitting clothing, as well as jazz dance shoes. Please refer to the student handbook for further information.

What you can do next

An HND is recognised as equivalent to the first two years of a Bachelor’s degree, and many universities will accept it as credit towards a top-up degree programme. It is also a respected professional qualification in its own right, so you could progress to a range of careers in the performing arts industry or move into teaching or self-employment.