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Musical Theatre BA (Hons)

UCAS code: T279

Does the stage call to you? Immerse yourself in the history, culture and characters of musical theatre. Refine your technique and develop your own style as you act, sing and dance to a professional level on our musical theatre degree.

Overview

Course length: 3 years full-time
6 years part-time
Start dates: September 2024
September 2025
Location: Edge Hill University
Example offers: BCC-BBC (A Level) or DMM (BTEC) View full entry criteria
Subject(s): Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre
Faculty: Arts and Sciences
Department: English and Creative Arts
Musical theatre students, many with arms aloft, perform a song.

Singing workshops. Dance technique. Acting through song. Our specialist musical theatre course prepares you for a life under the lights. You’ll blend practical training with reflective study as you develop as an artist.

Voted 2nd in the North West for Learning Resources (National Student Survey 2023 – Music), exciting live performance takes centre stage throughout the course. You’ll explore ensemble work, dance theatre and innovative interpretations in our Arts Centre.

Find room to experiment in our dance studios, black box drama studios, and rehearsal rooms. Train your voice in our digital sound studio, music practice studios and recital room. Perform in our theatres and outdoor amphitheatre.

Our outstanding links with the performing arts industry mean you could make connections you’ll carry throughout your career. Many of our students go on to become graduate members of Spotlight, a real advantage in the competitive world of musical theatre, providing enhanced visibility and networking opportunities. And new musical theatre is in the course DNA. Following world premieres of new musicals The Girl in The Hat and Pop Art, our students raised the curtain on another in 2024. The Forty Elephants tells the thrilling story of Victorian London’s all-woman crime ring.

Course features

  • International students can apply

  • Learn a language option available

  • Sandwich year option available

  • Studying abroad option available

What you'll study

Where did today’s song and dance styles originate? Begin by learning how to critique key works and important figures from the industry’s history. Study trends in choreography and examine the relationship between words and music. Then develop your talents as you experiment with a range of acting, dancing and vocal techniques.

Compulsory modules:

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Acting Fundamentals
Musical Theatre Dance Techniques
Performance Contexts
Voice and Musicianship 1
What Made Musical Theatre? Approaches to History and Development 1

One of:

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Applied, Community and Outreach Practice 1
Language 1

In Year 2, you’ll develop your own distinctive voice. See how social questions connect to movements In Year 2, you’ll develop your own distinctive voice. See how social questions connect to movements within musical theatre. Analyse important theatre-makers in context. Then take part in creating an original piece of work, informed by your studies. You’ll support your growth by picking two modules to develop your interests – choose from options including Choreography and Technique for Musical Theatre and Applied, Community and Outreach Practice.

Compulsory modules:

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Acting: Genres and Styles
What Made Musical Theatre? Approaches to History and Development 2
Voice and Musicianship 2
Performance Contexts 2

Two of:

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Applied, Community and Outreach Practice 2
Choreography and Technique for Musical Theatre
Language 2

Grow into an independent artist in Year 3. Create and perform ensemble pieces using everything you’ve learned throughout your musical theatre degree. We’ll help you explore practice-as-research and artistic debate and develop your personal portfolio. You’ll also study specific aspects of musical theatre, with the option to explore jazz dance. Learn how to set up a performance company and apply for funding, too.

Compulsory modules:

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Acting Reconsidered
Creative Entrepreneurship: Production and Touring
Research Project
Voice and Musicianship 3

One of:

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Jazz Dance Routes
Musical Theatre Ensemble Production
Musical Theatre - Choreography
Language 3

Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course curriculum. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by timetabling requirements. Some restrictions on optional module choice or combinations of optional modules may apply.

How you'll study

Through formal lectures and seminars, practical workshops, production projects, independent ensemble work and personal research, you will acquire critical and creative skills which will be of use in your future career. Alongside your study programme, you will maintain person reflective journals and prepare practice CVs for employment.

Through compulsory full-scale productions you will have the opportunity to develop your practical skills in live theatre in front of audiences in fully-equipped professional theatre spaces.

Some modules include placements alongside taught sessions. In previous years, students have had the opportunity to undertake placements with companies and organisations including ENB Dance for Parkinson’s, Wired Aerial Theatre, Avanti, U Dance and The Lowry in Salford. They have also delivered a number of workshops in regional education and community settings.

Timetables for your first week are normally available at the end of August prior to enrolment in September. You can expect to receive your timetable for the rest of the academic year during your first week. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities.

How you'll be assessed

Assessment is through a balanced mixture of practical and written work including essays, reflective journals, workshop performances, full productions and oral presentations and you can expect to be tested on both your practical and theoretical knowledge and understanding. You will be encouraged to reflect critically on your learning in each assessment and use journals to reflect regularly on your personal development.

There are no formal written examinations as part of the current assessment methods on this degree.

Who will be teaching you

You will be taught by a dedicated team of academic specialists and professionally-experienced practitioners and benefit from a wide range of learning experiences. Learning is driven by the principle of research-informed teaching and supported by a team of technicians.

To enhance your experience, the department has industry links with a range of professional bodies both regionally and nationally, for example the Everyman and Playhouse theatres in Liverpool.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements (2024 / 2025)

Typical offer 104-112 UCAS Tariff points. No specific subjects are required.

All offers are made on the basis of an audition. Applicants are asked to demonstrate their engagement and skill in singing, acting and dance. You will be asked to prepare and present a song from the musical theatre genre and take part in a practical dance workshop.

Example offers

Qualification Requirement
A Level BCC-BBC.
BTEC Extended Diploma (or combination of BTEC QCF qualifications) Distinction, Merit, Merit (DMM).
T Level Overall grade of Merit.
International Baccalaureate (IB) We are happy to accept IB qualifications which achieve the required number of UCAS Tariff points. Subject-specific requirements at Higher Level (HL) Grade 5 may apply.
Access to Higher Education Diploma 45 credits at Level 3, for example 9 credits at Distinction and 36 credits at Merit or 15 credits at Distinction and 30 credits at Merit. The required total can be attained from various credit combinations.

Please note, the above examples may differ from actual offers made. A combination of A Level and BTEC awards may also be accepted.

If you have a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent), there is no maximum number of qualifications that we will accept UCAS points from. This includes additional qualifications such as Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), AS Levels that haven't been continued to A Level, and General Studies AS or A Level awards.

Entry requirements (2025 / 2026)

Typical offer 112-120 UCAS Tariff points. No specific subjects are required.

All offers are made on the basis of an audition. Applicants are asked to demonstrate their engagement and skill in singing, acting and dance. You will be asked to prepare and present a song from the musical theatre genre and take part in a practical dance workshop.

Example offers

Qualification Requirement
A Level BBC-BBB.
BTEC Extended Diploma (or combination of BTEC QCF qualifications) Distinction, Merit, Merit (DMM).
T Level Overall grade of Merit.
International Baccalaureate (IB) We are happy to accept IB qualifications which achieve the required number of UCAS Tariff points. Subject-specific requirements at Higher Level (HL) Grade 5 may apply.
Access to Higher Education Diploma 45 credits at Level 3, for example 15 credits at Distinction and 30 credits at Merit or 24 credits at Distinction and 21 credits at Merit. The required total can be attained from various credit combinations.

Please note, the above examples may differ from actual offers made. A combination of A Level and BTEC awards may also be accepted.

If you have a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent), there is no maximum number of qualifications that we will accept UCAS points from. This includes additional qualifications such as Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), AS Levels that haven't been continued to A Level, and General Studies AS or A Level awards.

English language requirements

International students require IELTS 6.0, with a score no lower than 5.5 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.

If your current level of English is half a band, one band, or one-and-a-half bands lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.

How to apply

Apply full-time

Read our guide to applying through UCAS to find out more about the application process.

International

Apply as an international student

Please see our international student pages for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.

Part-time applications require a direct application to Edge Hill. Please select the year of entry that you wish to apply for.

Apply for September 2024 part-time.

Apply for September 2025 part-time.

Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.

Did you know?

If you join a full time undergraduate degree at Edge Hill University, we will guarantee you the offer of a room in our halls of residence for the first year of your course.

Discover our accommodation

Facilities

The Arts CentreDance, Drama and Musical Theatre students at Edge Hill University enjoy industry-standard teaching and learning facilities in the £7million Arts Centre which is also home to the Rose and Studio Theatres.

The Department of English and Creative Arts’ outstanding resources ensure you gain practical experience to a professional standard. Contemporary performance environments include dance studios, black box drama studios, rehearsal rooms, a theatre construction workshop, costume construction workshop, scene dock, theatre design studios, digital sound studio, digital design suite, music technology room, music practice studios, a recital room and an outdoor amphitheatre. The Studio Theatre also functions as a fully equipped aerial performance space.

The Arts Centre hosts a diverse range of high-quality productions and performers, including comedy, dance, drama and music, designed to supplement English and Creative Arts programmes and entertain both students and the local community.

Where you'll study

Arts Centre

Finance

Tuition fees

UK Full-Time

£9,250

a year

UK Part-Time

£77 per credit

for 360 credits

International

£16,500

a year

The University may administer a small inflationary rise in tuition fees, in line with Government policy, in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.

Financial support

Subject to eligibility, UK students joining this course can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the full cost of tuition fees. UK students enrolling on the course may also be eligible to apply for additional funding to help with living costs.

Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students.

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). If you are an EU student who does not have settled or pre-settled status, or are an international student from a non-EU country, please see our international student finance pages.

Your future career

You’ll leave us ready to launch your career in the theatre, the media, or community arts. Our musical theatre students graduate with a competitive set of practical skills backed by relevant knowledge and a deep understanding of the industry.

Some of our graduates set up their own independent theatre companies in fringe and community arts. Throughout the course, we support your entrepreneurial instincts, such as how to win funding and find performance opportunities.

Our EHU-Arts HUB offers professional opportunities to ensure you are industry-ready. We have alumni at professional companies and in theatre administration. We also have students who choose to focus on community work.

Other career options include pursuing further academic study, such as taking a postgraduate route into teaching.

Course changes

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.

Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Track changes to this course

Discover Uni: Full-Time Study

Discover Uni: Part-Time Study

Download our course leaflet