FdA Musical Theatre
Course Overview
Within an ever-changing industry, it's vital to ensure you're fully equipped for a long, diverse career. A strong, professional skill set covering singing, dancing and acting is essential for a musical theatre performer. Our ambition is to help you become not only a triple threat but also nurture your individual identity and ability to create and produce your own innovative work. We want to foster your skills in creative entrepreneurship.Delivered by Shockout, this intensive 2-year FdA Musical Theatre course supports you in acquiring, developing and refining the technical and artistic skills essential for success on stage through professional training at level 5. Additionally, we'll help you gain a clear contextual understanding of the wider industry, so this foundation degree provides aspiring musical theatre performers with an ideal springboard into employment and a sustainable career in entertainment. In addition, as a foundation degree graduate, you'll be able to continue your studies at an advanced level by completing a level 6 final year top-up course to gain a BA (Hons) qualification. Our BA (Hons) Musical Theatre (Top-Up), also delivered by Shockout, offers a seamless continuation of your studies with us. We'll consider your application through assessment and interview.
Throughout your training, you'll explore the core techniques of acting, voice and dance. Our qualified and specialist professional practitioners will also support you in developing a breadth of knowledge in devising and developing productions, musical theatre for stage and screen, and audition and casting techniques. Additionally, you'll have regular performance opportunities to help you build a diverse range of technical performance skills and prepare you for the industry.
Shockout's teaching staff are professional and world-renowned practitioners and choreographers. They are keen to make your time with them as stimulating and rewarding as possible and enjoy a well-deserved reputation for being approachable and interested in your progress. As teaching often takes place in small groups, you'll have access to individual support and guidance at every stage.
For full details about Shockout, their open days and accommodation, please visit http://www.weareshockout.com/.
The course venue is:
Shockout Arts
Valo Building
Brian Statham Way
Old Trafford
Manchester, M16 0PU
Highlights
- You'll have regular classes with professional artists from the performing arts, film and TV and dance industries, such as professional actors and dancers, directors, producers and choreographers.
- You can gain additional insights and knowledge of the performing arts industry by attending our 'master class' sessions and guest workshops given by renowned industry experts from the performing arts industry, including musical theatre, TV and film.
- We aim to immerse you in the current performing arts, TV, film and live theatre/performance arenas so you can understand and prepare for the constant changes and innovations in the industry.
- You'll be based at Shockout in Manchester and train in their purpose-built, high-specification performing arts studios.
Key Features
- We'll focus on helping you gain a wide range of relevant knowledge and skills such as singing techniques, voice and speech, movement and acting techniques for actors, storytelling, improvisation, as well as jazz, ballet, tap and commercial dance techniques.
- We'll guide you as you explore musical theatre so you gain experience of the history, traditions, practitioners and innovators that form the foundations of contemporary and future performing arts.
- You'll have the chance to learn specialist techniques for performance, rehearsal and audition scenarios.
- We'll help prepare you for the practicalities of paperwork and self-promotion that professional musical theatre artists face. We'll cover how to perfect your CV and job applications, deal with agencies, tackle the tax and self-assessment system, create showreels and develop your online and social media presence.
- We’ll encourage you to develop essential transferable skills and attributes such as effective communication, creative problem solving, working collaboratively with other people, resilience, adaptability, self-awareness and confidence.
Entry Requirements
- 48 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T-levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
- Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3. Subjects that include experience of dance, drama or performing arts are preferred.
- You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics.
- You'll be required to attend an audition and interview, staged at Shockout.
- If you don't have the above qualifications but possess equivalent qualifications or experience, we'll be happy to consider your application. In addition to attending an audition and interview, we may require you to provide a portfolio of work or complete another form of test so that we can assess your application.
- You'll need to provide a satisfactory medical report signed by your GP to confirm you are fit and well to undertake full-time intensive and rigorous physical training.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
- This course is open to Home students only. Applications from International and EU students cannot usually be accepted because the study location for this course is not licenced by UKVI to sponsor students. Therefore, if you require sponsorship under the Student Visa Route to study in the UK, then, unfortunately, we'll be unable to consider your application for this course. Some EU students are eligible to study this course under the EU Settlement Scheme or Common Travel Area arrangement – for details, please visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/studying-in-the-uk-guidance-for-eu-students.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
Our FdA Musical Theatre degree focuses on preparing you for a career in musical theatre, building excellent performance skills, musical versatility and adaptability, and a powerful understanding of musical theatre repertoire. The all-round knowledge and skills of performance this course offers also opens doors to many careers in the wider performing arts industry, such as live theatre, dance, TV, film and radio, as well as other related careers in the diverse artistic and entertainment industries.
Some of the key skills associated with this foundation degree include performance skills, confidence, self-presentation, teamwork, self-awareness, communication skills, and coping with criticism. Foundation degree graduates can also expect to possess the ability to work individually and collaboratively and demonstrate creative problem-solving skills, listening, clarifying, questioning and responding skills, and critical thinking skills.
What can I do with this qualification?
A career in musical theatre is often complemented with employment in teaching or devising and performing your own work. Self-employment may be another option where you could establish your own performance-related business. Alternatively, you may choose to further your studies through our BA (Hons) top-up course and later progress to postgraduate level study or train to become a dance teacher in the education sector. If you wish to continue your education at the master's level, Shockout also has a fast-growing postgraduate provision to accommodate your needs.
As a foundation degree graduate, you'll possess skills and expertise that span the production arena so you can take advantage of a diverse range of opportunities such as performer, choreographer, director, dance captain, swing roles, art production, and theatre and artist management. You could also explore opportunities in areas such as creative producing, education, community performance, and curatorial and arts administration.
Alternative career options
Foundation degree graduates can also use the qualification to step into a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some of these careers include:
- Teaching and education
- Community arts
- Modelling
- Journalism and writing
- Dance, theatre, film or TV critic
- Dance or drama therapy
- Arts administration
- Agent work
- Casting
- Marketing and PR
Fees & Funding
You'll be required to pay a registration fee. The registration fee is refundable if you do not gain the UCAS points required for entry to the course or a satisfactory medical report.
Successful applicants and students on the course will need to wear suitable dance attire (a list of items will be provided). You may well have many of these items, but for an estimate of the cost if you need to buy them new, please contact Admissions at Shockout.
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Bursaries
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
International Applicants
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Partner Organisation Applicants
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Teaching & Assessment
We use a variety of teaching and learning strategies throughout the programme to develop appropriate concepts, knowledge and skills and help you achieve the intended learning outcomes. We take a blended learning approach that includes practical sessions, lectures and workshops. Practical sessions are designed to teach each of the core performance techniques and specialist areas within acting, dance and voice. In addition, we'll expect you to spend time on guided independent study, for example, rehearsing and practising for your dance, singing and acting core techniques, engaging in general background reading, preparing for seminar activities, and working on assignments. During the course, we'll also support you in developing employability and information literacy skills and exploring personal development planning (PDP).
We'll expect you to attend traditional lectures, seminars, practical sessions, workshops and tutorials. You may also have opportunities to work on live projects as part of your practical modules. Through these, you can gain unique insights and a thorough understanding of the performing arts industry operating in international markets and across many sectors.
This programme's key assessment forms include in-studio technical assessments, practical skills assessments, showcase performances, practical project reports, portfolios, oral presentations and written coursework. You'll receive feedback on your assessments to help you understand what you have done well and where you can improve.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Core Techniques
- Acting Techniques (Preparation for Industry)
- Singing Techniques (Preparation for Industry)
- Industry and Practice
- Dance Techniques
- Industry and Context
- Musical Theatre Techniques
- Musical Theatre Practice and Performance
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 20% Practical exams 80% |
| Level 2 | Coursework 35% Practical exams 65% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 32% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 68% |
| Level 2 | Guided independent study 33% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 67% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
