BA (Hons) Design for Performance

Summary 2012/13

• Influence the creative outcome of performances with your skills and designs;
• Create, collaborate and reflect critically on contemporary design practice;
• Make use of our professional standard workshops and draw on the experience of the Performing Arts team.

Explore the power of the visual in performance as part of small and large-scale performance projects and consider how the designer can shape the creative outcome. The professional venues on campus are fully equipped to give you the practical experience of professional standard theatre creation and collaboration with other students on design for performance projects.

You will be supported and guided towards creative and artistic autonomy with a wide range of skills in performance production, theatre technology and design for performance. Your work as a designer and student of performance will be applied to, and realised in, the live performance environment. A full theatre workshop and workshop technician are available to realise construction projects.

2012 Entry Requirements

Places are offered on the basis of the assessment of a portfolio of work and an interview. Students will be expected to be suitably qualified at Level 3 with a minimum of five GCSEs. Students who have completed an art foundation course have a distinct advantage although candidates with an Art and Design or related A level and a suitable portfolio are also encouraged to apply. We also welcome applications from students who can demonstrate high levels of practical ability and can present portfolio content of a suitable standard.

Summary 2013/14

• Influence the creative outcome of performances with your skills and designs;
• Create, collaborate and reflect critically on contemporary design practice;
• Make use of our professional standard workshops and draw on the experience of the Performing Arts team.

Explore the power of the visual in performance as part of small and large-scale performance projects and consider how the designer can shape the creative outcome. The professional venues on campus are fully equipped to give you the practical experience of professional standard theatre creation and collaboration with other students on design for performance projects.

You will be supported and guided towards creative and artistic autonomy with a wide range of skills in performance production, theatre technology and design for performance. Your work as a designer and student of performance will be applied to, and realised in, the live performance environment. A full theatre workshop and workshop technician are available to realise construction projects.

2013 Entry Requirements

Places are offered on the basis of the assessment of a portfolio of work and an interview. Students will be expected to be suitably qualified at Level 3 (typically 280 UCAS tariff points) with a minimum of five GCSEs. Students who have completed an art foundation course have a distinct advantage although candidates with an Art and Design or related A level and a suitable portfolio are also encouraged to apply. We also welcome applications from students who can demonstrate high levels of practical ability and can present portfolio content of a suitable standard.

Details

Who is this course for?

This degree is for anyone who wants to explore the power of the visual in performance as part of small and large-scale performance projects.

What will I gain from this programme?

You will develop a deep knowledge and understanding of the nature of design for performance in an integrated theoretical and practical exploration of all aspects of the work of the designer. In addition, you will have an opportunity to study design approaches and engage in making and construction and consider how the designer can shape the creative outcome of performance projects.

How we will support you

The Department offers an 'open office' policy to ensure you have ready access to a tutor for academic advice and pastoral care. You are assigned a Personal Tutor at the beginning of each year of study. A Personal Tutorial week occurs in each semester to ensure you engage at least twice a year in a reflective discussion on your progress with your Personal Tutor. The University Library provides relevant books, journals, DVDs and other learning resources. Our dedicated 'Edge Ahead Centre' offers independent study skills tuition to support you in your learning.

What will I study?

In Year 1 you will study design approaches and engage in making and construction.

In Year 2 you will learn how to apply your skills and knowledge in the live performance environment and in collaborative work. You will consider important theories about audience and reception, the politics and cultural impact of drama and design, and ways in which we interpret performance events. You will also learn how to efficiently and effectively create performance.

In Year 3 you continue performance studies and performance and production design as well as working alongside other performing arts students in street theatre, mask work and puppetry. The course is led by project based portfolio work where you are seconded to drama, dance or physical theatre projects within the department.

How will I study?

You will share work and collaborate with colleagues at all levels in Performing Arts which enables you, from the outset, to develop collaborative working practices which will be nurtured throughout your degree. Through lectures, personal study and time 'in theatre' you will be able to develop skills in a wide range of areas, building the experience you need to progress into a range of areas which may include professional theatre practice.

Placement

As a student in the Performing Arts many projects are public performances and as such professional perspectives and experiences are built into the course, enhanced by the Rose Theatre’s presence on campus and the department’s participation in the programme. In year 2 of the degree you will undertake an extended placement, specialising in a specific area, in a setting of your choice.

Who will be teaching me?

The Performing Arts team includes academic and technical staff and a wide range of professionals and associate tutors offering professional and academic expertise.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment is through a mixture of practical and written work, including essays, portfolios, seminar presentations, design for workshop performances and full productions. You will complete a number of speculative designs and realised designs during the course. Design projects include conventional theatre and costume design, installations, site specific performance, puppetry and mask work.

There is the opportunity to work with light, sound, projection and video. All practical work demands theoretical justification, so most modules will require either a piece of writing or a presentation.

You are asked to reflect on your learning at each assessment and summarise your development annually. The design portfolio will constitute a significant part of your assessment.

What are my career prospects?

You will be prepared for a career in designing for theatre, TV and film, prop making, sets and costume design, community arts work, publicity, marketing, education, business, teaching and the service industries.

Further study at Edge Hill University

MA Making Performance

Related Programmes

BA (Hons) Visual Theatre

A Great Study Environment

As a Performing Arts student at Edge Hill University, you will enjoy excellent facilities and technical support, and benefit from having a purpose-built professional venue, The Rose Theatre, integrated into the department’s buildings. Our £5 million Centre for the Performing Arts contains a second fully-seated auditorium; three dance studios; four additional performance studios; three rehearsal studios; seminar rooms; costume, props and scenic design workshops; a fully-equipped scene dock; and state-of-the art equipment for developing skills in theatre technology.

Based in 160 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, the Ormskirk Campus is a unique and inspirational place to study. Industry standard resources and cutting edge technology combine to make an interactive and highly advanced teaching and learning environment. Everything you could want is on one site with 25 acres of sport and leisure facilities, more than 1,400 rooms in halls of residence and fantastic modern spaces in which you can study and socialise.

The University library gives you access to thousands of books, journals, online resources and extensive PC and media provision. You'll get all the support you need to succeed, reflected in Edge Hill University being ranked in the top two in England for students' personal development, and the top three in the country for assessment and feedback, in the 2011 National Student Survey. The University is also featured in the top four in England for graduate employment.

How do I apply?

Apply online through UCAS at www.ucas.ac.uk.

Visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/apply for more information on the application process and our Admissions criteria.

Fees and Finance

For academic year 2012/13, Edge Hill University will charge £9,000 for full-time BA, BSc and LLB degrees. Eligible students will not have to pay upfront for their tuition. The cost of tuition will be paid by a loan which you will only start to repay once you have finished the course and are earning over £21,000.

Eligible full-time students can also apply for a maintenance grant, subject to household income, and a non-means-tested loan to help with living costs.

Edge Hill University offers a range of scholarships for prospective full-time students. These include £2,000 Entrance Scholarships rewarding determination, commitment and achievement in creative arts, performing arts, sport and volunteering. Eligible entrants with outstanding grades are recognised through the £1,000 High Achievers Scholarship.

The University will also be offering awards, worth £3,000 in cash benefits and fee/accommodation waivers for academic year 2012/13, to eligible prospective full-time students through the National Scholarship Programme.

For more information on scholarships, including eligibility criteria for each award, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/scholarships.

To find out more about fees, grants and loans for academic year 2012/13, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/undergradfees2012.

Please note, the above information is for UK and eligible EU students only. International students should check the fees and finance information at www.edgehill.ac.uk/internationalfees2012.

Not got the entry requirements?

Students returning to education may present their previous experience in work to support their application and other Access to Higher Education qualifications are welcome. Those with relevant study through either a professional body or appropriate academic course can apply to join the programme at an advanced stage. In all cases, students returning to education will also be required to go through the interview, portfolio presentation and written assessment process.

Where can I find out more?

If you would like to receive a copy of our prospectus or be kept updated about forthcoming events, contact the Course Information, Advice and Guidance Team by emailing study@edgehill.ac.uk or calling 01695 657000.

If you want to attend one of our open events held throughout the year, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/opendays to book your place.

You will also find Edge Hill University staff at many national careers fairs and UCAS events.

Still want more?

If you have any questions you would like to ask the programme leader about this course, please contact:

• Sidsel Bech, Performing Arts Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L39 4QP
• Tel: 01695 584110
• Email: sidsel.bech@edgehill.ac.uk

Overseas students should visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/international or email international@edgehill.ac.uk for further information.

Modules

Year 1

PAR1071 Nature and History of Performance provides different learning environments in which you can begin to study the essential theoretical and historical study of performance. The module defines fundamental concepts, examines theoretical perspectives and explores diverse practices in the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary field of performance, subjecting each to critical scrutiny. The module addresses at an introductory level the challenge of performance theory and its impact on our understanding of practice, seeking preliminary answers to some fundamental questions.

VTH1072 Visual Theatre concerns itself with the practice and theory in the making and animation of specific performance objects associated with traditional forms of visual theatre. The module explores the basic theory and practice of the making and animation of masks, puppets and clowns. Through theoretical examination and practical involvement the module addresses preliminary answers to some fundamental questions: What is visual theatre? How did it originate and develop? How do we define it and what does it involve?

DES1072 Design for Performance introduces you to the historical, theoretical and critical perspectives that contextualise the development of design for performance. You will examine and define fundamental concepts and theoretical perspectives in the field of design for performance, allowing you to develop your knowledge of the essential historical study of design for performance. You will apply the results of research and study in a practical context providing you with a basic training in the fundamental skills and techniques central to the designer’s work

Year 2

DES2072 Process and Purpose of Design for Performance continues to establish the pattern of integrated theory and practice in the study of design for performance, visual theatre and scenography. The module develops theoretical and critical perspectives in the context of 20th century development of performance and performance design and it applies the results of focused research and study in enhanced speculative and practical design projects. The practical making and construction skills developed in the previous year will be built upon and taken further with the introduction of computer-aided design programmes.

VTH2072 Making of Modern Visual Theatre develops theoretical and critical perspectives in the context of 20th century development of visual theatre and it applies the results of focused research and laboratory studies in enhanced practical production projects. The practical performance, devising and making skills developed in the previous year will be built upon and taken further with the specific focus on modern visual theatre and street art.

VTH2031 Site Specific Performance offers you the opportunity to engage with the practice and theory of site specific performance. In this context ‘site specific’ is used as a generic term relating to work that arises from and responds to its immediate environment and surroundings outside of the traditional theatre environment. As with other modules, the interdisciplinary collaboration between students from across other programmes provides a structure in developing an understanding and knowledge of the performing process where it is particularly informed by the site/space in which it takes place. You will participate in workshops concerning designing, making and performing in various spaces in order to better inform and expand your particular skills in an interdisciplinary context.

DES2074 Light, Video and Digital Imagery explores the relationship of lights, video and digital imagery to space and the body in order to create and explore mediated environments. The module provides an exploratory approach to lighting, video and digital image design. You will embark upon creative procedures that provide a working familiarity of the power and effect of light, space and perception. The module enables you to gain a critical perspective of how space, body and environment can be mediated by the use of the camera as a moving image utilised in a variety of spatial contexts.

DES2075 Stage Design 1 concerns itself with the practice and theory of scenography. The module will introduce you to the principles and practice of stage design with an emphasis on set as well as costume design. The module will look at the ways in which space, time, light, sound, colour and form can be composed and used to influence and communicate with the spectator. The aim of this module is to open up the possibilities of stage design as a central element in the making of performance, and to engage you in a visual and creative response to music, text, character and shapes. You will develop skills in critical analysis and visual communication.

DES2076 Costume Design: Interpretation and Construction 1 engages with different aspects of research, interpretation and construction of costumes. It is intended for those who wish to specifically develop and produce costumes in tandem to their other strands of inquiry. The module includes an in-depth investigation of the history of costumes. Through the practical application of this research you will engage with the development and construction of full scale costumes.

DES2077 Stage and Production Management involves undertaking the role of stage manager for a production project. The module provides the essential training for a stage manager. As well as successfully managing the productions, you will also record and undertake analysis of the production and creative process.

Year 3

PAR3071 Contemporary Practice advances your specialised knowledge and understanding of performance theory and performance practice, with particular emphasis on developments in the field of performance studies from the middle of the 20th century onwards. The module is an intellectually challenging exploration of the work of some of the key figures in the contemporary field of performance theory and practice, tracing some of the paths and directions performance is taking today. The module culminates in your independent creation of your own design work in the light of your personal manifesto vision of contemporary practice.

PAR3072 Ensemble Production Project is concerned with producing creative work that investigates and interrogates approaches to theatre making in the contemporary era. Working within an ensemble company, you will examine the work of key performance practitioners in the contemporary field and design a theatre production. The production will respond to a particular aesthetic and artistic direction in contemporary performance practice or be inspired by a distinctive contemporary production ethos.

DRA3073 Event Planning and Management is concerned with learning about what it means to plan, stage manage, and administrate theatrical events. The module develops your knowledge and understanding of project management, providing you with the enterprise skills necessary to operate independently and professionally, including finance, strategic planning and industry level evaluation as well as more specialised practice. Part of the practical event planning and management experience will involve organising the department’s three week summer festival of student performances at the end of the year.

DAN3007 Performance Project 1 - Enterprise and the Independent Practitioner. In this project-based theory and practice module you will demonstrate independence in the design and implementation of an applied performance project. Utilising the skills of an independent practitioner such as enterprise, project management and evaluation you will plan and deliver an appropriate project in an applied setting. You will then evaluate your work, demonstrating awareness of your immediate arts contexts.

DAN3008 Performance Project 2 - Professional Collaborative Project gives you experience in collaborating with current professional practitioners in dance making for performance in theatre and non theatre settings. You will engage with visiting artists and/or external venues and experience an interdisciplinary approach to design for dance and performance. You will also engage in processes that underpin the making and performance of dance work such as costume, lighting, tour development and management, locating and assessing settings for site work.

PAR3079 Video, Installation and Immersive Performance: Manipulating Video Technologies and Live Events explores the relationship between live performance and subject-matter that is recorded, or mediated, by the camera, in the form of moving images utilised in a variety of spatial contexts. The module examines recent innovative and avant-garde practice in areas such as installation art and immersive performance. The module also enables you to produce your own work exploring your own creative relationship between ‘body as site’, film technologies and live performance.

VTH3031 Live Art and Performance investigates and interrogates various forms of live art, an umbrella term which encompasses a wide range of creative performance and design possibilities. The module develops a knowledge and critical perspective on the subject, and provides you with the opportunity to create live art work. It challenges conventional definitions and boundaries of current understanding of what constitutes performance.

DES3081 Stage and Production Management involves undertaking the role of Production Manager for a number of production projects working with year 2 stage managers. As well as successfully managing a series of productions, you will also undertake active research by devising ways in which data can be collected for analysis in the light of existing ideas about collaborative working and creative processes.

DES3076 Costume Design: Interpretation and Construction 2 enables you to further develop and apply your knowledge and skills in your own design and construction project. The examination of different concepts will be significantly self-directed and your own ideas and interests will be taken into account in the delivery of the teaching.

DES3082 Stage Design 2 builds on scenographic concepts investigated in year 2 and further explores the practice and theory of contemporary stage design, enabling you to develop your analytical and practical design skills. You will be guided through the continuing development of your artistic and professional identity enabling you to develop as a practitioner.