Acting for Stage and Screen BA (Hons)

Undergraduate

Two students acting on stage sat on the floor with a concrete wall behind and stage lighting

Build performance and production skills relevant to theatre, film, television and emerging media.

Year of entry

2026-27 2027-28

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years sandwich

Course code

W411

Start date

September 2027
November 2027
January 2028
March 2028
May 2028
July 2028

How to apply

Book an Open Day

Download a prospectus

Your UCAS Guide

Course overview

Aimed at aspiring actors, performers and performance-makers, this practice-led course is designed to equip you with essential skills in voice, movement and character development. Prepare for diverse roles across theatre, film and digital media while developing into a reflective, industry-ready practitioner.

Develop your craft through workshops exploring varying acting styles and methodologies.
Perform in professional studio spaces and across theatrical, digital and experimental platforms.
Gain critical insight to help you become a confident, adaptable performer and creative collaborator.

Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2026

Why you should study this course

Learn through hands-on workshops in fully equipped professional studios with expert technical support for theatre, film, wardrobe, video, sound and lighting.
Explore a range of acting styles and methodologies, devising and performing across theatrical, digital and experimental platforms.
Get access to modern facilities, including theatre spaces, immersive digital studios, green screens, costume stores and box office resources.⁴
Benefit from teaching by experienced practitioners, industry professionals and alumni, with opportunities for unique international collaborations like the Telepresence in Theatre project.
Build strong industry connections locally and globally, preparing you for diverse careers in theatre, film, television and beyond.

About the School of Arts and Creative Industries

Our hands-on, practitioner-led approach is rooted in project-based learning. This creates opportunities for cross-disciplinary working and engagement with external collaborators. Where appropriate, you may work with peers from other courses, bringing specialist skills to interdisciplinary projects in ways that reflect the collaborative nature of creative studios and agencies in the creative industries.
Our learning and teaching mirror the needs of the creative industries, so our graduates have the opportunity to develop the skills and attributes needed to become industry specialists, leaders and innovators.
Our global initiatives aim to give you skills to become a collaborative communicator and make you culturally competent.
Our industry links typically enable us to host an exciting programme of guest speakers covering topics such as acting for the camera, becoming an Equity member and creating your own work.²
Past students have worked on projects such as the award-winning Immersive Telepresence in Theatre project and have collaborated with the acclaimed outdoor theatre company ‘The Fabularium’.

Joint 18th

for Drama, Dance and Cinematics

The Times and Sunday Times, Good University Guide 2026

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What you'll study

Modules

Actor’s Toolkit: Character and Rehearsal – 30 credits

The Performer and the Space – 30 credits

Explore storytelling in performance, focusing on how actors use voice, body and space to engage audiences. Through practical exercises and reflection, create performances with minimal resources, exploring solo and ensemble techniques. Examine narrative structure, character embodiment and improvisation while developing skills in self-evaluation and analysis, fostering creativity and adaptability in performance-making.

Compulsory

Actor’s Toolkit: Performance Styles and Forms – 30 credits

Advance your acting skills for live and screen-based media through practical training, text analysis and exploration of actor training methods. Refine voice, movement and character techniques while learning to adapt performances across genres. Gain hands-on experience in recording and editing for screen and live performance, combining technical skills with critical reflection to enhance your versatility as a performer.

Compulsory

Devising Performance Texts – 30 credits

Work together to create and stage your own original performance, forming a company and sharing responsibility for everything involved — from generating ideas and shaping the piece to managing technical, organisational and promotional tasks.

Through collaboration, improvisation and exploring contemporary theatre practices, you’ll build your creative confidence, technical ability and problem-solving skills. You’ll also gain hands-on experience in staging, design and marketing, developing a clear understanding of how performances are made and how professional productions operate.

Compulsory

Modules

Actor’s Toolkit: Acting For Camera – 30 credits

Train in acting for narrative film, building on prior skills to meet on-camera performance demands. Learn technical aspects like camera angles, blocking and lighting while refining techniques such as tone, eyeline and hitting marks. Through workshops and screenings, develop the skills to confidently prepare and perform in filmed scenes.

Compulsory

Actor’s Toolkit: Performing Shakespeare – 30 credits

Take an in-depth, practical look at the acting challenges in Shakespeare and other Renaissance plays. Through workshops and scene work, you’ll develop your voice, movement and character work while getting to grips with the language and structure of the texts.

You’ll explore verse, metre and rhetoric in a clear, hands-on way, applying what you learn directly to performance. The module also focuses on the vocal, physical and emotional demands of the work, as well as how these plays can be adapted and reinterpreted for contemporary audiences. The aim is to build confident, flexible and professional performance skills.

Compulsory

Exploring New Forms of Creative Practice – 30 credits

Explore contemporary performance-making through both practice and discussion, with a focus on creating original work in non-traditional spaces. You’ll experiment with site-specific and immersive theatre, as well as digital elements, while collaborating on innovative group projects.

Alongside practical work, you’ll look at key ideas and approaches that shape contemporary performance. You’ll develop skills in engaging audiences, telling stories across different platforms, and reflecting critically on your creative process, preparing you to work confidently in today’s evolving performance landscape.

Compulsory

Directed Performance – 30 credits

Explore a wide range of performance texts, from classical to contemporary, and build your understanding of the cultural, historical and social contexts that shape them.

Working in a professional-style rehearsal process, you’ll take on a variety of production roles including performance, marketing, design and technical responsibilities, developing both your acting skills and your ability to work as part of a company. The module culminates in public performances, supported by reflective journaling, giving you practical and critical experience of creating theatre to a professional standard.

Compulsory

A placement year² provides optional first-hand industry experience and helps you discover where your skills and interests truly lie. Taken between your second and final years, it allows you to step into a professional environment, apply your learning and gain valuable insight into your chosen sector.

By spending an extended period in industry, you should develop confidence, build professional networks and strengthen the transferable skills that employers value most. This experience offers a powerful way to explore career paths and return to your final year with real -world expertise and a clearer sense of direction.

Key opportunities

Complete an approved work placement: gain practical experience aligned with your course and career ambitions, typically lasting at least 26 weeks.
Reflect on professional development: recognise and document the specific skills, knowledge and experience you gain during your time in industry.
Broaden your global perspective: optionally undertake an international work or study placement to experience a different professional or cultural context.

While this optional year is non-credit-bearing, successful completion ensures your experience is formally recognised on your final degree certificate to showcase your expertise to future employers.

Students sponsored by the University who opt for an international work placement must ensure they comply with the UKVI immigration regulations and should contact us for further guidance.

Modules

Performance Project – 30 credits

Gain hands-on professional creative experience by partnering with industry practitioners to create live, filmed or digital performances. Refine advanced performance techniques, technical skills and collaborative practices while developing professional attitudes and adaptability. The emphasis is on individual and ensemble work, reflective self-analysis and meeting industry expectations, ultimately preparing you for a confident transition into professional environments.

Compulsory

Actor’s Toolkit: Actor’s Voice – 30 credits

Focus on the development of voice, movement and character through the exploration of a range of techniques, practices and theories. Skills sessions will be linked to a series of workshops that develop vocal dexterity and the application of vocal technique in performance. Test your techniques against a variety of texts/situations to foster an appreciation of how different vocal tones can suit different styles of text and how the aesthetic response to text informs considerations of pitch, pace and dynamics. Develop skills applicable to genres such as radio drama, voice-over, podcasts, games and ADR techniques.

Compulsory

Preparing for Industry – 30 credits

Designed to develop a deep understanding of professionalism in the performing arts and creative industries, this module encourages self-reflection, career planning and social responsibility. Explore industry structures, career pathways and commercial pressures through workshops and case studies. By critically evaluating your artistic identity and skills, gain practical tools to navigate professional landscapes and transition from training to employment.

Compulsory

Professional Showcase – 30 credits

Challenge yourself to conceive, develop and present a substantial collaborative performance project. Integrating skills and knowledge from your training, lead project design, research and rehearsals, and manage planning, budgeting and documentation. By assuming key creative roles and engaging in critical reflection, gain leadership and project management skills, preparing you for careers in the performing arts industry.

Compulsory

We regularly review our course content to keep it relevant and current for our students. Consequently, we may update modules to reflect the latest industry standards.

How you'll learn

Teaching and learning methods may include: 

lectures
seminars
tutorials
presentations
group projects
workshops
practical workshop sessions.

Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 30-credit module requires 300 hours of study. Study hours are made up of teaching contact hours and guided and independent study.

Teaching hours

Teaching hours may vary, depending on where you are in your studies, but on average, you will have between 12 and 15 teaching and learning hours each week. You will also have the option to attend additional sessions, including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You will be digging deeper into topics, reviewing what you’ve learnt and completing assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress to the end of your studies, you’ll spend more time on independent learning.

Online learning

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods, including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.

Assessment

This course is assessed using methods that vary by module. These approaches are intended to prepare you for the complex and evolving contexts of professional practice.

Assessment methods may include:

artefacts
practical coursework
group work
live presentations/presentations
performances.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

International experience opportunities

You may have the opportunity to participate in the Telepresence in Theatre initiative. This project was initially a joint development between Coventry University and Tampere University, Finland but has expanded to work with global institutions such as Florida International University, the University of Purdue, Adam Mickiweicz University, Poland and ESADIB, Palma. Using repurposed technologies such as videoconferencing, rear projection, directional sound, an immersive rehearsal space is created in both locations to enable students to rehearse and explore a variety of classic plays.

The project, which has now received multiple international awards (shortlisted for a Music and Drama Education award in 2023, 2024 and 2025, a PIEoneer Award for Study Abroad Experience 2025 The Guardian Award for Internationalisation 2020, Gold in Arts and Humanities Reimagine education 2016 and 2018, Highly Commended at the Times Higher Education Awards 2018) is continuing to develop new ways of teaching and learning at a distance. The project has conducted performances in Hong Kong, Finland, Miami and Palma De Mallorca.

Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability, and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements, and are therefore not guaranteed².

Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

Requirement	What we're looking for
UCAS points	104
A level	BCC
GCSE	GCSE English at grade 4 / C or Functional Skills Level 2, or other equivalent Level 2 awards.
BTEC	DMM
T level	Overall grade of Merit in the T level qualification in any subject.
IB Diploma	27 points
Access to HE	The Access to HE Diploma. Plus GCSE English at grade 4 / C or above.

Portfolio

We value creativity and potential just as much as academic results.

If you meet our minimum entry requirements for the course, you will be invited to take part in an audition or portfolio review, either on campus or online. This is an opportunity to showcase your talent, share your work and discuss your creative ideas with our academic team. Applicants who are successful in their audition or portfolio review may be made an offer with no academic requirements in recognition of their creative potential.

Each application will be considered on its merits.

For more guidance on preparing your portfolio or audition material, please see our advice page.

Other qualifications and experience

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique story. We recognise a breadth of qualifications. If your qualifications differ from the above, contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to discuss your qualifications and routes into your chosen course.

Contextual/Fair Access Offers

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Offer, you could automatically receive a contextual offer which is 16 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Offer.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:

You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

Portfolio

We value creativity and potential just as much as academic results.

Each application will be considered on its merits.

For more guidance on preparing your portfolio or audition material, please see our advice page.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.0 overall, with no component lower than 5.5.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

Fees and funding

Student	Full-time	Part-time
UK	2027/28 fees TBC 2026/27 fees: £9,790 per year	Not available
International	2027/28 fees TBC 2026/27 fees: £20,800 per year	Not available

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement² or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee³ to cover your academic support throughout your placement year. Students commencing their professional placement in the academic year 2028/29 will pay £1,575 if they are paying UK fees, or £1,900 if they are paying international fees.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the table above for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI), a UK measure of inflation that tracks changes in the cost of living.

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement or study abroad year, the University will charge the tuition fees stated above for those on a placement during Academic Year 2028/29. The University will review professional placement tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study, but such that it will be no more than 5% above RPI.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) you may be charged the tuition fees in force at the time you take that additional period of study, and/or in line with any legislative changes that apply at that time.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad) which may include costs of travel, accommodation, equipment or uniform required for the placement and any visa-related costs.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?

We assess your fee status using the information in your application. This status determines your tuition fees and the scholarships or financial support you can get. The Department for Education sets the rules for who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees in England.

The regulations list which students can pay the home fee rate. Because these rules are complex, the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provides fee status guidance to help you find the right category. If you meet all the criteria for one category, your institution must charge you the home rate.

Facilities

Access to facilities may include a theatre performance space with lighting/sound control rooms and comprehensive and up-to-date technical equipment, two theatre studio rehearsal spaces, a dance studio with sprung floor and lighting, theatre workshop space, wardrobe facilities and storage with around 3,500 costume items and 1,500 accessories, dedicated technical support for theatre and film and dressing room facilities as well as a range of equipment available on loan, such as video, recording, sound and lighting. Booking may be required for some facilities⁴.

Take a virtual tour

Students acting out a classroom scene on stage

Performance spaces

Our Ellen Terry Building has a theatre performance space, two rehearsal studios, a dance studio and a workshop spaces for building and constructing set and props. It also has dressing rooms and storage with around 3,500 costume items and 1,500 props and accessories.

Student playing trumpet on stage accompanied by a pianist.

Music seminar room

A great space for our budding musicians, our specialist music seminar room comes with a grand piano, PA, amps, drum kit and 5.1 surround sound, all directly linked to a control room for recording.

Student using computer equipment on a recording studio desk.

Television studios

On selected courses, you’ll have access to our on-site television studio The Tank, offering specialist equipment such as large cameras, mixing facilities and fibre-optic wiring throughout.

Facilities are subject to availability⁴. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Careers and opportunities

There is a strong emphasis within the course on your future career path, aimed not only to help you to explore what your chosen career path might be, but also to help build a professional level of business skills and knowledge.

The ‘Preparing for Industry’ module in particular is designed to encourage you to develop an appreciation of the nature of professionalism in the context of the performing arts industry and to recognise the relationship between professional arts practice, critical reflection and personal planning. You will have the opportunity to consider career structures relevant for your field, including companies, freelance, small businesses and sole trader, and the commercial structures within which you may eventually work. We will also look at the possible market places for different skills and creations, which includes areas such as self-promotion, marketing and publicity.

Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and aims to give you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university's careers team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career or take advantage of professional practice opportunities within course specific industries. Our dedicated Enterprise Officers also offer valuable assistance on how to begin as a freelancer/entrepreneur.

On successful graduation, there are many options you could possibly pursue including careers in teaching following further training, socially engaged and community arts organisations and theatre in education contexts.

Where our graduates work

Our graduates have gone on to further training, both in the UK and abroad and have worked in a variety of roles in the theatre and film industry from acting for Amazon Prime, BBC and Netflix, touring with both large and small scale independent theatre companies and freelance performers.

Previous graduates have secured work in the education departments of theatres including The Belgrade Theatre, The Birmingham Rep, Old Vic Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent and The Roundhouse in London. Others have found roles with a range of organisations, such as supporting national community cohesion at The Challenge, managing TEFL (Teaching of English as a Foreign Language) programmes with Dramatic English in Hong Kong, working alongside schools at specialist SEN agencies or with Live and Local promoting arts in rural Warwickshire.

The graduate destinations listed above illustrate potential career paths. You may need to gain additional qualifications or practical experience, pass professional examinations, complete training, cover associated costs and meet specific visa or immigration requirements to secure employment in these fields.

Further studies

You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees if you decide to extend your time with us by progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study.

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How to apply

View our courses on UCAS

Visit UCAS

UK students

You can now register and start your application in your UCAS Hub. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply

How to apply

Apply via UCAS

If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

+44 (0)24 7765 6565

ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form

International students

International codes:
CASU042

How to apply

For further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.

You can also download our International mini guide for an overview of study options and why you should study with us.

Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.

+44 (0)24 7765 6565

ioadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form

Disclaimers

Coventry University, Coventry University London, Coventry University Wrocław, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough, and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the University) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

¹Accreditations, partnerships and memberships

Some of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply. See the relevant body website for more details). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships are subject to successful renewal in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the University maintaining the same high standards of course delivery. If the accreditation, recognition or membership of this course changes, we will notify applicants and students as soon as possible.

²UK and international opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or international opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be unpaid and/or subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. Before seeking an overseas placement, read our visa advice page.

³Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first academic year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year.

For UK (home) students, if the Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees annually but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (for example to repeat a year or resit examinations) you may be charged the tuition fees in force at the time you take that additional period of study, and/or in line with any legislative changes that apply at that time.

⁴Facilities

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised. Availability and access may be reduced or restricted when the University is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders or internal health and safety requirements.

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the University. A copy of the current 2025/26 contract is available for information purposes only. The 2027/28 contract will apply to the 2027/28 intakes and may differ from the current version. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the University will owe to you. You should read the applicable Student Contract carefully before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the University.