Acting for Stage and Screen with Foundation Year

This course is taught at the Performance Preparation Academy (PPA) in Guildford.

This programme will provide you with the opportunity to develop your skill set and knowledge base through a programme of practice-based classes and theory-based seminars and lectures. The course aims to equip students with the necessary skills to perform both individually and as part of an ensemble.

For the Acting module, you will become equipped with the technical foundations of acting. You will learn theories and practices of a variety of practitioners and will begin to explore the creation of a believable and emotionally rich character. You will also be introduced to the fundamentals of stagecraft.

For the voice component of the Voice/Movement module, you will be helped to develop an unrestricted, well-placed and articulated voice, powered by the breath and free of habitual tension. You will work with tutors to harness the potential of your own voice and explore the ways in which it can be used in response to a range of dramatic texts.

For the movement component of the Voice/Movement module, you will take responsibility for your own body through an informed and balanced approach to the physical demands of professional training. Your risk of injury will thereby be reduced, providing a secure foundation for a professional career. You will learn how to move freely and easily in a manner appropriate to the demands of the performance material and will learn how to assimilate basic choreographed steps.

The Routes to Performance module develops your technique and contextualises what you have learned within rehearsal and performance settings. You are required to work collaboratively as well as on individual performance material. Collaboration is a key part of professional artistic life and opportunities such as these represent valuable learning experiences which will prepare students for degree level training and beyond.

The Contextual Studies module will contextualise what you have learned during a series of seminars and lectures. You will work both individually and in groups to: identify key practitioners and explore a range of dramatic texts; analyse current trends and review potential career avenues. The assigned tasks will develop your understanding of how you can use what you have learning in the theoretical classes to inform your practice.

The programme offers a range of learning strategies including: Workshop based learning, both tutor and self-led; lectures and large group teaching; seminars; tutorials and field trips.

A variety of assessment strategies are deployed to underpin the learning process. These include: formative assessment (students are given verbal feedback on an almost daily basis in classes as a means of developing technique in inherently practical sessions) and summative assessment (a structured format throughout the academic year where students may be asked to undertake essays, practical performances and presentations).

This course is based at PPA in Guildford. Please contact us on 01483 459080 for further information. Alternatively, you can visit our website: https://ppacademy.co.uk/ba-hons-acting-for-stage-and-screen-with-foundation-year.

At DMU, the focus is on your future - with work experience opportunities on every course, an employability-boosting careers award, and industry-led course content, you'll be well prepared to start your career.

You’ll get guaranteed work experience opportunities with UK and overseas placements, internships, and personalised training. DMU has been named the UK’s Best University for Work Experience (RateMyPlacement 2024 & 2025), offering personalised careers support, industry connections, and placements with global names like Rolls-Royce and Adobe.

DMU is one of only a few universities where you’ll benefit from modular, block teaching where you’ll study one subject at a time for deeper learning and better results.

Situated in the heart of Leicester, a vibrant student-friendly city, the campus is just a short walk from everything the city has to offer. Its central location means you can hop on a train and be in cities like London, Birmingham and Nottingham in around an hour or less.