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BA (Hons) Acting

Overview

The 2-year accelerated BA (Hons) degree in Acting is delivered at The Courtyard in London’s Hoxton and the course is validated by Buckinghamshire New University. It is as unique as students are:

  • based in a working theatre environment
  • able to attain a degree level qualification in just two years
  • equipped with highly practical, industry-relevant skills training
  • taught by tutors with extensive, current industry experience
  • given the opportunity to work with external directors from renowned companies for second year production modules

The schedule for this programme is intense. It is expected that students will be in the building from 10am until 5.30pm Monday to Friday and will participate in a series of productions and an industry showcase, as part of the programme, as well as complete a range of practical and written assessments. We also offer regular Courtyard Collectives open to students and the public, for students to informally try out and showcase their performance skills.

As a small, intimate training school we feel especially able to support and encourage the specific needs and talents of each prospective actor. Full support is given for both the academic and practical parts of the programme. Our aim is to equip you with a repertoire of skills needed to succeed in the performing arts industry and to also to support your personal development.

We look forward to receiving your application and to welcoming successful applicants to Court Theatre Training Company in September 2023!

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Term Dates

Academic Year 2023/2024

Term 1: 4 September – 20 December 2023

Term 2: 3 January – 28 March 2024

Term 3: 8 April – 24 July 2024

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The Programme

The programme has three basic strands: Acting, Movement and Voice, which inevitably overlap in practice and directly influence the work in all areas of the delivered curriculum. Alongside the assessed modules of the degree programme, we also include a range of non-assessed modules that are specifically designed to enhance your performance-related skills and employability. These are reviewed annually to keep them current with industry requirements.

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Year One

Year One is concentrated on the knowledge, understanding and skills that are the foundations of acting and the development of the reflective practitioner.

Term 1 – Level 4

  • TH451 Movement
  • TH452 Voice
  • TH453 Acting 1: Introduction to Acting

Term 2 – Level 4

  • TH454 Classical Theatre
  • TH455 Acting 2: The Actor’s Journey

Term 3 – Level 5

  • TH551 Rehearsal Process
  • TH552 Acting 3: Development of Character

In addition to the above assessed modules, the CTTC first year programme includes non-assessed modules in:

  • Period Dance
  • Ballet
  • Physical Training
  • Singing
  • Improvisation
  • Theatre History
  • Stage Combat

These modules have no formal practical or written assessments and are specifically designed to enhance industry relevant skills and employability. Full participation in these modules is expected as part of your enrolment on the programme, and they offer especially useful skills that can be used as performers.

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Year Two

Year Two investigates specialist areas of the theatre and focuses on how professional skills and how practices may be utilised in the performance industry as well as possible career paths. Personal marketable skills and intellectual skills will extend the range of the performer.

There is an increasing emphasis on the roles and responsibilities of the individual creative artist working within an ensemble and professional environment. This is achieved not only by being based in a professional theatre, with various experience opportunities, but also by having professional external directors, many with their own theatre companies or working in renowned national theatres, to direct the production modules. These directors are invited and may vary from year to year.

Term 1 – Level 5

  • TH553 Devising
  • TH554 Early 20th Century

Term 2 – Level 6

  • TH651 Acting for Recorded Media
  • TH652 Production 1

Term 3 – Level 6

  • TH653 Production 2
  • TH654 Production 3

In addition to the above assessed modules, the CTTC second year programme includes non-assessed modules in:

  • Period Dance
  • Physical Training
  • Movement
  • Voice
  • Singing
  • Stage Combat (BADC certificate)
  • Improvisation
  • Professional Practice
  • Industry Showcase

These modules have no formal practical or written assessments and are specifically designed to enhance industry relevant skills and employability. Full participation in these modules is expected as part of your enrolment on the programme, and they offer especially useful skills that can be used as performers.

Training in sight-reading, accents and dialects is also incorporated into various modules of the programme. There are also occasional additional specialist workshops, guest speakers, masterclasses and sessions on academic practice and writing.

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Curriculum Structure

The curriculum is based on a series of core assessed modules, each of which delivers a discreet aspect of the actor’s development as well as non-assessed modules designed to further enhance performance skills. The programme presents a logically developed series of challenges to the individual student that reinforces the sense of journey and development of the actor; a gradual growing mastery of skills and critical awareness.

Modules are monitored and evaluated annually both internally and together with our University partner to ensure that they are current and meet the demands of the ever-changing industry and to enhance professional competence and exceptional actor skills. At the heart of this programme is the exploration and expansion of the individual and the development of the highly skilled professional.

This degree programme not only trains the actor to the high standards required by industry professionals, but it also recognises that intellectual and critical appraisal skills are part of that development. The opportunity to train in a working theatre with a range of industry and academic professionals is what distinguishes this programme from those offered by other institutions that either maintain an emphasis on primarily academic seams of Theatre Studies or Performing Arts or only on performance skills.

Students are guided to understand how all the assessed modules within the degree structure, as well as the non-assessed modules and other activities, are integrated in order to equip the individual student with all the skills required to meet the needs of the performing industry. Module Leaders and all teaching staff work together to ensure that students understand how the modules interlink. Court Theatre Training Company tutors sometimes share classes in order to highlight this inter-connectivity.

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Academic Levels

The degree programme is based on three developing academic levels that are traditionally taken over three years and known as Level 4 (Year 1), Level 5 (Year 2) and Level 6 (Year 3). The intensive Court Theatre Training Company programme enables completion of all modules over a period of just two years with the first year comprising of four Level 4 modules and two Level 5 modules and the second year comprising of two Level 5 modules and four Level 6 modules.

For Levels 4 and 5 the work concentrates on the acquisition of core skills and these are then developed in terms of the process from rehearsal to performance. At Level 6 all aspects of training continue but at a higher level of intensity with the production process being central to the delivery of the curriculum. The assessment regime is as follows for 30 credit modules: 80% (practical) and 20% (written) apart from the Production 2 and 3 modules which are 100% Practical.

Level 4

All 30 credit Level 4 assessed modules consist of a practical and a written assessment; all 15 credit Level 4 modules consist of a practical assessment only.

  • TH451 Movement – 15 credits
  • TH452 Voice – 15 credits
  • TH453 Acting 1 – 30 credits
  • TH454 Classical Theatre – 30 credits
  • TH455 Acting 2 – 30 credits

The assessments at Level 4 aim to engage students with the new methods of study they will need to cultivate in order to succeed in the professional performance environment, and to enable members of staff to identify students who may need particular support and then to put in place appropriate measures.

Level 5

All assessed modules at Level 5 contain a practical and a written assessment.

Year One:

  • TH551 Rehearsal Process – 30 credits
  • TH552 Acting 3 – 30 credits

Year Two:

  • TH553 – Devising – 30 credits
  • TH554 Early 20th Century – 30 credits

Level 6

Modules in Level 6 are predominantly based on practical assessment to focus on the practical and vocational nature of the training. An accompanying Reflective Journal is an important part of the creative and analytical process during the performance modules; it is intended to explore the development of character, show social and historical research that has been undertaken, demonstrate significant analytical reflection on the student’s personal journey through the production and present the development of a professional working experience.

  • TH651 Acting for Recorded Media – 30 credits
  • TH652 Production 1 – 30 credits
  • TH653 Production 2 – 30 credits
  • TH654 Production 3 – 30 credits
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Course Fees

£ 10,800 per academic year

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