Program Overview

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Theatre BA (Hons) - 2026/7

The Theatre BA (Hons) programme is offered by the University of Surrey, with the Guildford School of Acting as the teaching institute. The programme is designed to develop students as digital citizens, enabling them to participate in the online world and understand the current theatre industry with a sustainable and globally responsible view of the future.

Awarding Body and Teaching Institute

• Awarding body: University of Surrey
• Teaching institute: University of Surrey

Framework and Final Award

• Framework: FHEQ Level 6
• Final award and programme/pathway title: BA (Hons) Theatre

Subsidiary Awards

• Award | Title
  • Ord | Theatre

Modes of Study

| Route code | Credits and ECTS Credits

• Full-time | URC13006 | 120 credits and 60 ECTS credits

QAA Subject Benchmark Statement

The programme follows the QAA Subject benchmark statement for Dance, Drama and Performance.

Faculty and Department/School

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

Programme Leader

• DAVIDSON Andrew (GSA)

Date of Production/Revision of Spec

• 27/01/2026

Educational Aims of the Programme

The programme aims to:

• Develop theatre students as digital citizens, supporting them to embrace the online skills and tools needed to participate in the online world.
• Enable a geographically diverse cohort of students to share global and cultural insights into the social and ethical issues raised in theatre and performance.
• Enhance students' understanding of the current theatre industry with a sustainable and globally responsible view of the future.
• Equip students with informed views on the intercultural contexts of theatre and an ability to engage respectfully with a diverse range of people and practices.
• Integrate theatre practice with theatre research, transforming students' awareness of work they have undertaken previously in training and/or practice.
• Produce resourceful and resilient theatre graduates who take an independent and proactive approach to study, work, and life.
• Complement the embodied skills of students' prior training and experience with digital skills relevant to theatre and theatre studies.
• Deepen the theatre student's capacity for critical reflection as the future generation of interpreters, creators, teachers, researchers, and leaders.
• Empower students with previous practical training and/or professional experience in theatre to develop their academic skills in theatre studies.
• Offer students a flexible and transferable route to employability, upgrading their existing qualifications to a theatre degree at honours level.

Programme Learning Outcomes

| Attributes Developed | Awards | Ref.

• Establish knowledge and comprehension of a range of theatrical texts and performance conventions. | KC | Global & Cultural, Sustainability
• Acquire knowledge and comprehension of a range of theoretical perspectives on theatre and performance. | KC | Global & Cultural, Sustainability, Employability
• Increase knowledge and comprehension of the processes by which theatre and performance are conceived and realised. | KC | Global & Cultural, Sustainability, Employability
• Broaden knowledge and comprehension of theatrical traditions and contemporary innovations. | KC | Sustainability
• Analyse and evaluate the relationships between dramatic texts and their social, historical, and political contexts. | C | Global & Cultural
• Apply critical thinking to theatrical work and articulate the written results with an independent academic voice. | C | Employability, Resourcefulness & Resilience
• Develop an awareness of the global and cultural issues that impact on the nature of theatre and its performance. | C | Global & Cultural, Sustainability, Resourcefulness & Resilience
• Identify areas of special interest within theatre studies and demonstrate resourcefulness and resilience through research. | C | Resourcefulness & Resilience
• Reflect on individual, interpersonal, and professional skills to devise a strategic approach to future employability. | P | Employability, Resourcefulness & Resilience
• Evaluate the effectiveness of one's own capabilities in producing scholarly and creative outputs online and in person. | P | Resourcefulness & Resilience
• Create original work based on independent research and critically evaluate the outcome in relation to the brief. | P | Resourcefulness & Resilience
• Build an awareness of professional sustainability and wellbeing within the creative industries. | P | Sustainability, Employability
• Communicate clearly in written coursework and on digital platforms. | T | Digital, Employability
• Formulate and express ideas in an objective and responsible manner. | T | Employability
• Demonstrate a pro-active and self-regulatory approach to coursework. | T | Resourcefulness & Resilience
• Synthesise verbal and written feedback on coursework from faculty. | T | Resourcefulness & Resilience

Attributes Developed

• C - Cognitive/analytical
• K - Subject knowledge
• T - Transferable skills
• P - Professional/Practical skills

Programme Structure

Full-time

The Bachelor's Degree (Honours) programme is studied over one year via online learning, consisting of 120 credits at FHEQ level 6. All modules are 15, 30, 45, or 60 credits and are either semester-based or year-long.

Possible Exit Awards

• Bachelor's Degree (Ordinary) (300 credits)
• Diploma of Higher Education (240 credits)
• Certificate of Higher Education (120 credits)

Modules

Year 1 - FHEQ Level 6

• Module code | Module title | Status | Credits | Semester
  • TDL3015 | CONTEMPORARY PERFORMER TRAINING | Compulsory | 15 | Year-long
  • TDL3016 | POLITICAL THEATRE | Compulsory | 15 | Year-long
  • TDL3018 | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING | Compulsory | 15 | Year-long
  • TDL3014 | THEORIES OF PERFORMANCE | Compulsory | 15 | 1
  • TDL3017 | MUSICAL THEATRE | Compulsory | 15 | 1
  • TDL3019 | FINAL PROJECT | Compulsory | 45 | 2

Opportunities for Placements/Work-Related Learning/Collaborative Activity

• Associate Tutor(s) / Guest Speakers / Visiting Academics: N
• Professional Training Year (PTY): N
• Placement(s) (study or work that are not part of PTY): N
• Clinical Placement(s) (that are not part of the PTY scheme): N
• Study exchange (Level 5): N
• Dual degree: N

Other Information

The programme is aligned to the University of Surrey's Five Pillars of Curriculum Design, namely:

• Digital Capabilities
• Employability
• Global and Cultural Capabilities
• Resourcefulness & Resilience
• Sustainability

These pillars are covered in the programme through various means, including:

• Digital Capabilities: graduates will be multi-skilled professionals who can confidently use digital tools in their work and have a proactive attitude to lifelong learning and innovation.
• Employability: employability is embedded and inherent in the programme throughout the students' journey, with opportunities for professional development and networking.
• Global and Cultural Capabilities: the programme encourages students to develop their global, social, historical, and cultural awareness, with a focus on the global entertainment industry.
• Resourcefulness and Resilience: the programme supports the development of resourcefulness and resilience in participants, with intensive classes, rehearsals, and performance schedules that evolve their skillset through practice.
• Sustainability: sustainable practices are central to theatre and entertainment production, with students encouraged to ensure their practical work is as sustainable as possible and to reflect on their current and future social, cultural, ethical, political, economic, and environmental impact.

Quality Assurance

The Regulations and Codes of Practice for taught programmes can be found at the University of Surrey's website. 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 2026/7 academic year.