Theatre Production BA (Hons) - 2024/5

Awarding body

University of Surrey

Teaching institute

University of Surrey

Framework

FHEQ Level 6

Final award and programme/pathway title

BA (Hons) Theatre Production

Subsidiary award(s)

Award Title
Ord Theatre Production
DipHE Theatre Production
CertHE Theatre Production

Modes of study

Route code Credits and ECTS Credits
Full-time URC13018 360 credits and 180 ECTS credits

QAA Subject benchmark statement (if applicable)

Dance, Drama and Performance

Other internal and / or external reference points

N/A

Faculty and Department / School

Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences - Guildford School of Acting

Programme Leader

FRANKLIN Jo (GSA)

Date of production/revision of spec

10/12/2024

Educational aims of the programme

  • Challenge students' understanding of, and instil their responsibility to shape, a more sustainable future society;
  • Prepare students to assume managerial roles in the international entertainment industry and beyond, or to pursue further academic study, by developing knowledge and skills, agility, resourcefulness and resilience;
  • Enable confident, critical, creative and innovative use of a full range of digital technologies for information, communication, and problem-solving in creative contexts
  • Enable a confident and open approach to all aspects of working backstage, to develop multi-skilled and adaptable professionals
  • Emphasise the international outlook of the creative industries to build a diverse and inclusive culture and develop awareness of global challenges;
  • Challenge students to stretch their capabilities with high quality experiential learning through hands-on theatre production work, by integrating and balancing research-led and practice-based education;
  • Nurture an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of the entertainment industry, and equip students with the professional as well as academic skills and capabilities to become resourceful change makers and future business leaders;
  • Inspire and motivate students to unlock their full potential and make a positive difference in the creative industries and beyond
  • Inspire future generations of leaders and entrepreneurs to create, lead, innovate, challenge and change local and global creative businesses for the better;
  • Empower students to take ownership of professional development leading to a proactive attitude to lifelong learning after graduation
  • Develop graduates who are resourceful, independent, reflective thinkers and lifelong learners to become successful, globally competitive leaders in their chosen professions
  • Develop graduates who can utilise creativity to build innovative solutions to problems in the global creative industries
  • Develop graduates with excellent soft skills who are highly effective communicators and team players.

Programme learning outcomes

Attributes Developed Awards Ref.
Demonstrate independent research to develop subject knowledge and practical skills KCT CertHE Employability, Global + Cultural, Digital, Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Show practical skills in a given technical subject to foundation level KPT CertHE Employability, Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Demonstrate effective communication, both verbally and in writing PT CertHE Employability, Digital, Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Review professional practice applying reflection to personal development KT CertHE Employability, Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Present as a self-motivated and confident team member KPT CertHE Employability, Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Identify key employment practices and roles within the global creative industries CT CertHE Employability, Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Describe key principles of sustainable production practice KP CertHE Employability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Demonstrate and/or illustrate problem-solving in a creative context KCPT CertHE Resourcefulness + Resilience
Discover and use digital technology relevant to global creative industries KPT CertHE Employability, Digital, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Demonstrate competence in safe, healthy and resilient working practices KPT CertHE Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Employ independent research to develop subject knowledge and practical skills KCT DipHE Employability, Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Apply practical + professional skills in given technical subjects to an intermediate level KPT DipHE Employability, Digital, Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Employ industry standard communication verbally and through written and digital media PT DipHE Employability, Digital, Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Critically analyse professional practice applying reflection to personal development CT DipHE Employability, Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Demonstrate self-motivation and confidence both as team member and leader KPT DipHE Employability, Sustainability, Resourcefulness + Resilience
Relate key employment practices and roles within the global creative industries to personal and professional development CPT DipHE Global & Cultural, Employability
Apply and analyse key principles of sustainable production practice KPT DipHE Sustainability
Evaluate and employ solutions to problems in a creative context KCPT DipHE Employability, Sustainability, Resourcefulness & Resilience
Develop competence in digital technologies relevant to global creative industries DipHE Digital, Sustainability
Apply safe, healthy, and resilient working practices in practical and professional contexts KPT DipHE Resourcefulness & Resilience, Employability
Evaluate and analyse independent research to develop subject knowledge and practical skills KCT Ord, BA (Hons) Resourcefulness & Resilience, Sustainability
Combine practical & professional skills in chosen technical subjects to an advanced level KCT Ord, BA (Hons) Resourcefulness & Resilience, Employability, Digital
Integrate both industry and academic standards to communicate effectively, both verbally and through written and digital media PT Ord, BA (Hons) Employability, Digital
Critically evaluate professional practice applying reflection to personal development CT Ord, BA (Hons) Resourcefulness & Resilience
Demonstrate self-motivation and confidence as an effective team leader KPT Ord, BA (Hons) Employability, Resourcefulness & Resilience
Synthetise knowledge of the global creative industries with professional development and employment goals CPT Ord, BA (Hons) Employability, Global & Cultural
Manage and innovate to develop key principles of sustainable production KPT Ord, BA (Hons) Sustainability
Analyse and innovate to produce solutions to problems in a creative context KCPT Ord, BA (Hons) Employability, Resourcefulness & Resilience
Demonstrate competence and creativity in digital technologies relevant to global creative industries KPT Ord, BA (Hons) Digital
Manage and innovate to develop safe, healthy, and resilient working practices in practical and professional contexts KPT Ord, BA (Hons) Resourcefulness & Resilience, Employability

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Programme structure

Full-time

This Bachelor's Degree (Honours) programme is studied full-time over three academic years, consisting of 360 credits (120 credits at FHEQ levels 4, 5 and 6). All modules are 15, 30, 45 or 60 credits and are either semester based or year-long. GSA delivers its provision across three teaching blocks, within the University of Surrey’s existing semester structure.
Possible exit awards include:
- Bachelor's Degree (Ordinary) (300 credits)
- Diploma of Higher Education (240 credits)
- Certificate of Higher Education (120 credits)

Programme Adjustments (if applicable)

N/A

Modules

Opportunities for placements / work related learning / collaborative activity

Associate Tutor(s) / Guest Speakers / Visiting Academics Y
Professional Training Year (PTY) N
Placement(s) (study or work that are not part of PTY) Y Short term placement are available within some modules.
Clinical Placement(s) (that are not part of the PTY scheme) N
Study exchange (Level 5) N
Dual degree N

Other information

This programme is aligned to the University of Surrey¿s Five Pillars of Curriculum Design and design, namely (in alphabetical order), Digital Capabilities, Employability, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Resourcefulness & Resilience, and Sustainability. Specifically, these pillars are covered in this programme in the following ways:

Digital Capabilities: graduates from the programme will be multi-skilled professionals who can confidently use digital tools in their work and have a proactive attitude to lifelong learning and innovation, as the creative industries continue to develop and change. Hence building knowledge and confidence with digital skills will be embedded throughout the course. Students will engage throughout with the VLE, online recourses and database, and will use Microsoft Teams for production work and other information sharing) from the beginning of the programme. A very large range of industry specific software and hardware is used in all modules and in professional development students will create a personal website and think critically about their online presence and identity. Software and other resources are reviewed annually to ensure the programme keeps abreast with industry innovation and development and students are encouraged to be creative and innovative in their own use of digital technology.

Employability: employability is embedded and inherent in the programme throughout the students¿ journey. From Level 4 students begin to learn about the structures, systems, organisations, practitioners and companies that make up the global entertainment industry. They also begin to work with associate tutors and freelance creatives (such as designers and directors) who are professional practitioners, ensuring an introduction to the network of the entertainment industry. This work with professionals continues and increases through production work at Level 5 & 6, regular guest speakers and field trips and an introduction to industry organisations. Through the professional development modules, students are encouraged to reflect on their gaols and aspirations and undertake personal professional development planning to work proactively towards those goals. They will also create CVs and personal marketing materials and undertake mock interviews. In their final year students will be actively encouraged to undertake a professional placement. All placement and casual/vacation work opportunities which come to staff attention are publicised to the whole student body via the course Teams page. Finally, students will create their own website which will showcase their employability to companies, employers and practitioners globally. Throughout the programme we make use of the support and resources of the Surrey careers service.

Global and Cultural Capabilities: The entertainment industry is a global one and students are made aware of this from the beginning of their programme of study. Where possible, students are given the freedom to choose texts which reflect and engage with their own lived experience, perspectives and diversity and encouraged to develop their global, social, historical and cultural awareness. The student cohort is international and as such students share experiences and knowledge from their own backgrounds and cultures and learn to appreciate diverse perspectives. There is an expectation that students will keep an open mind, a willingness to learn and engage in discussion to broaden their understanding of the varying approaches of the global creative industries. Every effort is made to make production and performance work accessible and inclusive, supported by University Equality, Diversity and Inclusion guidance and Disability & Neurodiversity services.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: The process of creative theatrical productions, by its very nature, supports the development of resourcefulness and resilience in participants. Students undertake intensive classes, rehearsals and performance schedules which evolve their skillset through practice and enable and empower them to navigate uncertainty, deal with risks and challenges and pursue future goals both individually and through team working with others. ¿Real-world¿ production work schedules reflect the kind of resourcefulness and resilience that is needed to work effectively in the global creative industries, which in turn nurture students' self-management skills. Classes, rehearsals and performances require both independent and collaborative learning, peer support, problem-solving, communication, independence, perseverance, stamina, self-value and critical thinking, all of which promote resourcefulness and resilience. Students are supported throughout and beyond their training by expert staff with practitioner backgrounds, who are sensitive to the challenges to mental and physical health posed by the global and creative industries and can give advice and guidance on where to seek further help within both university and industry contexts ¿ again, empowering students to take control of their own learning and overcome any barriers to learning.

Sustainability: Sustainable practices in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals are central to theatre and entertainment production. All GSA productions are planned, designed and undertaken to meet high sustainability standards in line with current industry guidance and frameworks for environmental theatre practice. Students are challenged to ensure their practical work in all departments is as sustainable as possible and this is reflected in the assessed learning outcomes. Concepts of sustainability are embedded in all modules and student progress from knowledge and awareness of these at

Quality assurance

The Regulations and Codes of Practice for taught programmes can be found at:

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/quality-enhancement-standards

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2024/5 academic year.