Program Overview

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Acting BA (Hons) - 2026/7

The Acting BA (Hons) programme is offered by the University of Surrey, with the teaching institute being the University of Surrey as well. The programme operates under the FHEQ Level 6 framework.

Awarding Body and Teaching Institute

• The awarding body for this programme is the University of Surrey.
• The teaching institute is also the University of Surrey.

Final Award and Programme/Pathway Title

The final award for this programme is a BA (Hons) in Acting.

Subsidiary Awards

The subsidiary awards for this programme include:

• Ord: Acting
• DipHE: Acting
• CertHE: Acting

Modes of Study

The programme is available in full-time mode, with the following details:

• Route code: URC13003
• Credits and ECTS Credits: 360 credits and 180 ECTS credits

QAA Subject Benchmark Statement

The QAA Subject benchmark statement applicable to this programme is Dance, Drama, and Performance.

Faculty and Department/School

The programme is offered under the Faculty of Arts, Business, and Social Sciences, specifically by the Guildford School of Acting.

Programme Leader

The programme leader for the Acting BA (Hons) is BESSELL Jaq (GSA).

Date of Production/Revision of Spec

The programme specification was produced or revised on 27/01/2026.

Educational Aims of the Programme

The educational aims of the programme are to:

• Foster an appreciation and understanding of diverse cultural experiences through the study of acting with a global view.
• Develop resilience and resourcefulness as part of a range of effective strategies to sustain a career within the creative industries.
• Enable a deep embodied knowledge and experiential understanding of the practice of acting.
• Enable an advanced knowledge of context, style, and genre within the practice of acting.
• Develop and demonstrate digital capabilities to enhance understanding, employability, and creativity in acting and other areas of the creative industries.
• Cultivate an ethos which values and supports the artist and person, as well as the actor-technician.
• Provide an inclusive ensemble training environment for the development of professional acting skills, based on practical understanding and self-reflection.
• Understand the shared responsibility of sustainability within the creative industries, in personal and collective practice.

Programme Learning Outcomes

The programme learning outcomes are as follows:

• Develop embodied skills in acting, movement, and voice.
• Develop an embodied knowledge and understanding of key practitioners, theories, and practices.
• Build a knowledge and understanding of a range of performance texts, through research and analysis.
• Employ a range of rehearsal and performance techniques in live and recorded formats, including theatre, screen, and recorded voice.
• Develop imaginative and embodied approaches to work across a range of contexts, styles, and genres.
• Develop an understanding of the responsibilities of the artist in the creative environment, and the need for sensitivity towards others.
• Develop and apply self-discipline and consistency of approach in a professional context.
• Communicate effectively in physical, verbal, written, and digital formats.
• Through self-reflection, evaluate and articulate embodied knowledge.
• Demonstrate effective collaborative and autonomous working practices within a creative process.
• Develop intercultural awareness and informed views on sustainable practice and global, social, and ethical issues within the creative industries.
• Develop a resourceful and resilient approach to problem-solving with the application of creative thinking and solutions.
• Establish an understanding of the individual's professional profile within the acting and creative industries.

Attributes Developed

The attributes developed through this programme are categorized as follows:

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

Programme Structure

The programme is structured as a full-time Bachelor's Degree (Honours) studied over three academic years, consisting of 360 credits. All modules are 15, 30, 45, or 60 credits and are either semester-based or year-long.

Full-time Programme

• The programme is delivered 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)

Modules

The modules for each year of the programme are as follows:

Year 1 - FHEQ Level 4

• ACT1029: Acting Fundamentals (Compulsory, 30 credits, Year-long)
• ACT1036: Embodied Voice and Movement 1 (Compulsory, 30 credits, Year-long)
• ACT1037: The Actor in Rehearsal 1 (Compulsory, 30 credits, Year-long)
• ACT1038: Collaborative Principles (Compulsory, 30 credits, Year-long)

Year 2 - FHEQ Level 5

• ACT2027: Embodied Voice and Movement 2 (Compulsory, 30 credits, Year-long)
• ACT2028: Screen/Acting Fundamentals (Compulsory, 30 credits, Year-long)
• ACT2029: The Actor in Rehearsal 2 (Compulsory, 30 credits, Year-long)
• ACT2030: Bridge Project (Compulsory, 30 credits, Year-long)

Year 3 - FHEQ Level 6

• ACT3018: Collaboration Within Industry (Compulsory, 30 credits, Year-long)
• ACT3019: Public Productions (Compulsory, 60 credits, Year-long)
• ACT3020: Self-Generated/Devised Season (Compulsory, 30 credits, Year-long)

Opportunities for Placements/Work-Related Learning/Collaborative Activity

• Associate Tutor(s)/Guest Speakers/Visiting Academics: Yes
• Professional Training Year (PTY): No
• Placement(s) (study or work that are not part of PTY): No
• Clinical Placement(s) (that are not part of the PTY scheme): No
• Study exchange (Level 5): No
• Dual degree: No

Digital Capabilities

Throughout the programme, students will engage with digital technologies to develop their digital literacy, support their learning journey, and explore and secure employment opportunities.

Employability

The programme focuses on employability, nurturing career-ready graduates sought after by employers in the creative industries. Expert staff deliver authentic and practical modes of working, mirroring professional practice. Students develop transferable skills, including independent and collaborative working, creative, critical, and reflective thinking, and problem-solving.

Global & Cultural Capabilities

Students will develop their global, social, historical, and cultural awareness, sharing experiences and knowledge from their own backgrounds and cultures, and appreciating, recognizing, and interpreting diverse perspectives.

Resourcefulness & Resilience

The programme is structured to help students acquire a broad range of resources, learning to navigate uncertainty, deal with risks and challenges, and take on personal and professional responsibilities.

Sustainability

Throughout the programme, students are encouraged to reflect on the social, cultural, ethical, political, economic, and environmental impact of their work, recognizing their shared responsibilities and understanding the impact on audiences of the values, perceptions, and actions of their own and of characters they portray.

Quality Assurance

The Regulations and Codes of Practice for taught programmes can be found on 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.