BA Acting

About this course

Acting is one of the oldest and most demanding of the performing arts, requiring you to develop physical and vocal instruments that can carry character, emotion, and meaning to an audience. It draws on truthful human observation, imaginative freedom, technical discipline, and the ability to collaborate and respond in the moment. Professional actor training is challenging precisely because it asks you to work at the edges of your understanding of yourself and others, and the best programmes combine rigorous craft development with the kind of creative risk-taking that genuine performance requires. At Leeds Beckett University, this part-time acting degree is located in a city with a vibrant and diverse cultural scene, giving you access to a wide range of theatre, live performance, and creative opportunities alongside your formal studies. You will develop skills across the core practices of acting, including text analysis, character construction, voice and movement, improvisation, and ensemble work. The programme builds from foundational technique towards more complex and independent performance projects, and you will work on material drawn from a wide range of dramatic traditions. A placement year and a year abroad are embedded in the programme, meaning you will have the chance to gain professional experience and to study or work in an international context, broadening both your skills and your understanding of how performance operates across different cultures and traditions. Work placement opportunities are integrated throughout, giving you multiple touchpoints with the professional industry before you graduate. Acting graduates pursue careers in theatre, television, film, radio, and digital media, as well as in applied theatre contexts such as educational drama, community work, and theatre in health settings. The communication, interpersonal, and creative thinking skills developed through actor training are also valued in careers in teaching, facilitation, arts administration, casting, and directing. Many graduates continue their training through postgraduate programmes or vocational conservatoire pathways.

Student Satisfaction