We look at each application individually, considering your grades, interview (along with your portfolio/audition) and any relevant experience. We typically expect students to have achieved 48 UCAS points or PPP in a Level 3 Diploma / Extended Diploma. Mature students who don’t meet these standard entry requirements may be able to show us their potential through relevant experience. Applicants whose first language is not English and who do not have GCSE English will be asked to take an IELTS assessment or equivalent and will need to achieve an overall score of 6.0, with 6.0 in the writing element and at least 5.5 in all other sub elements.
Entry requirements
Why choose this course?
Our course in Stage Management and Technical Theatre BA (Hons) theatre-focused, practice-led course where you train in a professional working venue, gain real production credits, and develop the skills and experience needed for a career in stage management and technical theatre. Student-led and progressive training across stage management, production management, lighting and sound design. With bursary support for eligible Home students, extensive production opportunities and industry-standard equipment, you’ll graduate confident to run shows across theatre and live events.
This unique course has been designed to deliver a progressive and student-led programme of study. Based in The Northbrook Theatre, Studio 21 and production workshops, you will be offered the opportunity to explore and practically engage stage management, production management, lighting operation & design and sound operation & design. Training is both vocational and contextual, focussing on developing a practical and critical understanding of production & performance, preparing you for entry to your chosen area of industry.
Further information
For organised problem-solvers who enjoy coordinating people, schedules and technical systems. You’re calm under pressure, communicate clearly and want hands-on experience leading departments and delivering public productions.
This BA is an industry facing and muti-disciplinary environment in which you as a student practitioner explore and develop in your chosen disciplines. Collaborative activities between courses are invaluable in building the interdisciplinary relationships needed within the creative industries. Through this approach, you will develop a deeper understanding of the working methods and structures within the collective field of theatre, film, media, and graduate as an agile, resilient practitioner who can initiate, articulate, and sustain meaningful creative, professional, and commercial practices.
The course is designed to support your progression from a broad understanding of theatre production to becoming an autonomous and industry-ready specialist practitioner. At Level 4, you will gain hands-on experience across Lighting, Sound, Stage Management and Production Management, developing core technical and professional skills while working in junior production roles. At Level 5, you will refine your focus by specialising in two pathways, undertaking greater responsibility as a Head of Department and developing the advanced practical, leadership and professional skills required for employment, supported by industry engagement and work placement opportunities. By Level 6, you will operate as an independent practitioner, extending your expertise through research, experimentation and reflective practice, consolidating your professional identity and preparing for a sustainable career within the theatre and live performance industries.
- ASM/DSM/SM roles and paperwork
- Lighting design, programming and rigging
- Production management and H&S compliance
- Professional practice and industry placements
- Sound design, mixing and show control
Progress into stage or production management, lighting or sound design/operations across theatre, festivals, touring, broadcast and events; alumni credits include major venues and West End productions.
Our teaching and assessment methods are designed to keep learning dynamic, engaging, and hands-on. You will experience a mix of:
- Practical and studio-based workshops to refine your skills.
- Group discussions to exchange ideas and insights
- Critiques to help improve your work
- Lectures and seminars to explore concepts and techniques
- One-on-one tutorials for tailored feedback
- Group study and peer reviews to collaborate and learn from others
- Independent study to deepen your knowledge and creativity
- Collaborative working in shows and productions
Assessment methods are tailored to each unit and may include:
- Completing project work
- Delivering presentations
- Keeping journals of your creative journey
- Developing a research proposal
- Writing assignments to showcase your understanding
With this variety, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow and demonstrate your skills in ways that suit your strengths!
- Tutorials
- Small group study
- Self-directed study
- Study trips
Assessment methods are tailored to each unit and may include:
- Presentations (of practical work)
- Journals
- Research proposals
- Sketchbooks / drawings
- Written assignments
With this variety, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow and demonstrate your skills in ways that suit your strengths and challenge your creativity, problem-solving, and adaptability.
Flexible Exit Awards
This programme is designed as a three-year course leading to the award of a BA (Hons) degree. It is delivered through a flexible 1+1+1 structure, with each year representing a distinct stage of learning and achievement. This approach allows students to progress through the programme in clearly defined phases while retaining the flexibility to exit at the end of any academic year if their circumstances change.
Students who complete the full programme will be awarded a BA (Hons). However, students who choose to leave the course before completion may be eligible for an interim award that formally recognises the credits they have successfully achieved.
Level 4 (Year 1) Students who successfully complete 120 credits at Level 4 and then leave the programme may be awarded a Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE).
Level 5 (Year 2) Students who successfully complete 240 credits, and then leave the programme may be awarded a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE).
Level 6 (Year 3) Students who successfully complete 360 credits, will be awarded a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA Hons).
This flexible 1+1+1 model ensures that students who do not complete the full degree can still receive formal recognition for their achievements, while those who continue through all three years graduate with a BA (Hons) qualification.