About the course
If you live to perform, this course will prepare you for a career in the spotlight, developing your movement and vocal skills while you explore the world of performance, from musicals to physical theatre.
Our approach is to foster each student’s unique talents so the course provides many opportunities for you to grow as an individual and find out what path within performing arts leads to your future.
We cover all core aspects of performance, including industry insight, digital performance and professional practice. You can also select to develop your skills in specific areas such as choreography, acting, dance technique, and musical theatre.
You perform work by professional directors and/or choreographers as well as creating your own performances, which are shown in our professional theatre. You gain experience teaching and/or directing, and are encouraged to think, write and talk about how performance theory informs your work.
Why choose this course?
- Learn from our highly experienced teaching team, specialising in different areas of performing arts
- Benefit from a range of workshops and talks from visiting directors, choreographers and companies
- Gain performance experience in our modern rehearsal studios and professional 280-seat theatre
- Showcase your work in our degree show
- Learn entrepreneurial skills that will help you find, apply for and create your own opportunities to work in the exciting and diverse field of performing arts
- Take the course over four years and include a year’s placement in industry (see below) to gain experience and make contacts for the future
- If you need to step-up into higher education, start with a Foundation Year (see below) which guarantees entry to the Undergraduate course
- Our graduates are now running their own companies; working in theatre; in the holiday entertainment and music industries; teaching; and using the leadership skills they gained in the wider cultural industries
Course Leader - Amalia Garcia

Amalia is an artist and an academic. Originally from Spain, she worked as a freelance performer, dancer and community practitioner with Retina, Willi Dorner Cie and ersatz dance. Amalia was a teacher Fellow in Dance at De Montfort University and became a full-time Lecturer in Dance and Performance at the University of Bedfordshire in 2009. Amalia runs the Performing Arts course and teaches across the BA (Hons) Dance & Professional Practice, Performing Arts and MA in Dance Performance and Choreography programmes.
Why study in the School of Arts and Creative Industries?
- Professional theatre and dance studios
- Latest digital and VR technologies and performance techniques
- Taught by experienced performers and practitioners
- Industry links and Media Masterclasses
- Media arts centre equipped with industry standard facilities
- Specially equipped Art and Design building
Units
- Analysing Performance (PER022-1) Compulsory
- Devising For Performance (PER012-1) Compulsory
- Understanding Performance (PER021-1) Compulsory
- Understanding The Performance Sector (PER023-1) Compulsory
- Working In The Performance Sector (PER020-1) Compulsory
- Creating Contemporary Performance (PER026-1) Optional
- Dance Technique And Choreography (PER025-1) Optional
- Digital Performance (PER028-2) Compulsory
- Questioning Performance (PER024-2) Compulsory
- Acting In Context (PER029-2) Optional
- Dance Technique And Improvisation (PER027-2) Optional
- Dance Technique And Performance Making (PER026-2) Optional
- Musical Theatre (PER012-2) Optional
- Teaching And Community Practice (PER025-2) Optional
- Dissertation (PER028-3) Compulsory
- Innovations: Physical Theatre (PER009-3) Compulsory
- Practice As Research (PER029-3) Compulsory
- Professional Practice In Performing Arts (PER010-3) Compulsory
- Staging New Writing (PER011-3) Optional
- University Dance Company (PER005-3) Optional
How will this course improve my career prospects?
Our graduates progress to a career in performance, teaching, small-scale touring, arts management, community arts and educational outreach.
*international students are eligible of receiving the VS'S scholarship of 1000GBP.

My name is Kavisha Prince Anthony, and I always had a dream of studying abroad. Thankfully, that dream came to life since I applied to the Study Advisor. I was able to receive my visa within four days. I also had some visa refusals in the past; I had about six UK visa refusals in the past, but thankfully, it was not an issue since the Study Advisor was able to make things work this time. I highly recommend Study Advisor for your dreams of going abroad, whether it be the UK or any other European country there is.