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The BA Theatre Design course at Wimbledon College of Arts covers both set and costume design. We prepare you to enter the world of contemporary theatre and performance design with the skills, knowledge and sensibilities that professional designers need.
BA Theatre Design Showreel
A theatre designer designs the environment in which a performance takes place and the costumes. They may also design sound, lighting and other digital aspects. All these areas are covered on the course.
As well as having a range of practical skills, designers must be good communicators and collaborators. They must be resourceful, imaginative, self-assured and effective problem solvers.
The rich mix of practice and theory on the BA Theatre Design course ensures that experimentation and critical thinking are equally valued. This will enable you to produce inventive and imaginative design work underpinned by strong practical skills.
Students gain production experience on the course with our professional practitioners, as well as through specialist work placements with companies or individuals.
Our students also have the chance to collaborate with established and emerging choreographers and directors designing sets and costume for a wide variety of realised performances including, dance, plays, opera, site-specific theatre and new writing projects.
Students can also study abroad in their second year as part of the college’s Erasmus scheme.
BA Theatre Design is offered in full-time mode. It is divided into 3 stages over 3 academic years. Each stage consists of 30 teaching weeks. You will be expected to commit an average of 40 hours per week to your course, including teaching hours and independent study.
A short description of each unit and what you can expect.
This unit is an introduction to your course, the college and the university.
This unit will introduce you to the creative skills that are essential to working within the world of contemporary theatre design. You will begin to get an idea of the range and scope of current professional practice.
This unit will focus on costume design. You will:
In this unit you will create set and costume designs for a set text using a small London theatre as the venue.
In this unit a range of digital processes used in the theatre design and live performance industry will be demonstrated. You will work on short projects in relation to these.
This unit will enable you to investigate the breadth of contemporary theatre and performance design practice. Areas covered will include, but are not limited to, site-responsive theatre, immersive performance and other aspects of design for performance.
This unit aims to introduce you to different ways in which collaborative working can focus and enhance your own creative strengths. This unit has 3 core purposes:
This unit will be mainly self-directed with support from academic tutors, theatre directors and performers.
The main component of this unit will be in the form of a complete speculative design proposal for the same text that was used in unit 8. Your proposal will include storyboards, set, costume, lighting and sound design
During this unit you can undertake a work placement.
The work generated for your final year project will be self-directed and involve extended pieces of work. The unit has 3 elements:
This final unit enables you bring together all the ideas and learning from the course.
Between year 2 and 3 you can opt to undertake the Diploma in Professional Studies or the UAL Diploma in Creative Computing. Whilst these Diplomas are an optional aspect of the course, they are designed as an integrated and assessed part of your journey through the course.
We are committed to making university education an achievable option for a wider range of people and to supporting all of our students in achieving their potential both during and after their courses.
We welcome applications from people with disabilities. If you have a disability (e.g. mobility difficulties, sensory impairments, medical or mental health conditions or Asperger’s syndrome) we strongly encourage you to contact us on disability@arts.ac.uk or +44 (0)20 7514 6156 so that we can plan the right support for you. All enquiries are treated confidentially. To find out more, visit our Disability & Dyslexia webpages.
The standard minimum entry requirements for this course are one or a combination of the following qualifications:
Entry to this course will also be determined by the quality of your application, looking primarily at your portfolio of work, personal statement and reference.
Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:
Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.
All classes are taught in English. If English isn't your first language you must provide evidence at enrolment of the following:
We look for:
Portfolios should show the following:
Please remember:
You must apply through UCAS, where you’ll need the following information:
We recommend you apply by 29 January 2021 at 18:00 (UK time) for equal consideration. Following UK COVID-19 restriction announcements, the deadline for undergraduate applications has been extended from 15 January.
However, this course will consider applications after that date, subject to places being available.
After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We’ll use this portal to contact you to request any additional information, including inviting you to upload documents or book an interview, so please check it regularly.
Please add ccw.ukeu@arts.ac.uk to your contacts to ensure that you do not miss any important updates about your application to UAL.
We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course. If you do, you will be invited to submit a digital portfolio through UAL’s online portfolio review system. These will be reviewed by the academic team and a decision will be made on your application.
You will receive the final outcome of your application through UCAS track.
Applicants for this course may be given an alternative offer. This decision will be based on our assessment of your creative and potential interests.
Feedback requests:
This course receives a high number of applications. Unfortunately, we can’t provide feedback to everyone who is unsuccessful. We can only provide feedback after you’ve had an interview.
If you would like to request feedback - please email ccw.ukeu@arts.ac.uk. We are only able to provide feedback to you directly, or to someone you have told us in writing can receive it on your behalf.
This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.
If you are currently studying somewhere else on a course in an equivalent subject area and would like to transfer to this course, you can transfer to:
Apply via UCAS and choose Year 2 or 3 for your POE (Point of Entry)
Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and Year 1/Year 2 unit transcripts.
There are 3 ways international students can apply to an undergraduate course:
If you are applying via UCAS you will need the following information:
You can only apply to the same course once per year whether you are applying via UCAS, UAL representative or using the UAL online application system. Any duplicate applications will be withdrawn. Read the UAL international application advice for further information on how to apply.
We recommend you apply by 29 January 2021 at 18:00 (UK time) for equal consideration. Following UK COVID-19 restriction announcements, the deadline for undergraduate applications has been extended from 15 January.
However, this course will consider applications after that date, subject to places being available.
After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We’ll use this portal to contact you to request any additional information, including inviting you to upload documents or book an interview, so please check it regularly.
Please add ccw.international@arts.ac.uk to your contacts to ensure that you do not miss any important updates about your application to UAL.
Whether you’re applying online via UCAS, through a UAL representative or by direct application you will need to complete an Immigration History Check to establish whether you are eligible to study at UAL. If you don’t complete the check we won’t be able to proceed with your application.
We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course. If you do, you will be invited to submit a digital portfolio through UAL’s online portfolio review system.
Following receipt of your digital portfolio you will be invited to book a telephone interview selection event.
Applicants for this course may be given an alternative offer. This decision will be based on our assessment of your creative and potential interests.
Feedback requests:
This course receives a high number of applications. Unfortunately, we can’t provide feedback to everyone who is unsuccessful. We can only provide feedback after you’ve had an interview.
If you would like to request feedback - please email ccw.international@arts.ac.uk. We are only able to provide feedback to you directly, or to someone you have told us in writing can receive it on your behalf.
This course allows offer holders to defer. If you have an offer of a place, but you would like to defer starting for a year, please contact our Admissions Service as soon as possible via your UAL Portal. Make sure you check our Admissions Policy before requesting a deferral.
If you are currently studying somewhere else on a course in an equivalent subject area and would like to transfer to this course, you can transfer to:
Apply via UCAS and choose Year 2 or 3 for your POE (Point of Entry)
Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and Year 1/Year 2 unit transcripts.
If you are an International applicant and studying outside the UK, please complete your direct application and then contact us via your UAL Portal to ask to be considered for Year 2/Year 3.
Please be ready to provide an official document (translated into English) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.
Through the Study Abroad programme international students can apply to join an undergraduate course.
For information on how to apply visit the Study Abroad section.
£9,250 per year
This fee is correct for 2021/22 entry and is subject to change for 2022/23 entry. Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students.
Home fees are currently charged to UK resident nationals. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees.
From 2021/22 entry, most EU students will be charged the International tuition fee rate, depending on your individual circumstances. If you started your course in October 2020 or earlier, you’ll continue to pay Home (UK) fees for the duration of your course. Read more advice for EU students.
£22,920 per year
This fee is correct for 2021/22 entry and is subject to change for 2022/23 entry. Tuition fees for international students may increase by up to 5% in each future year of your course.
Students from countries outside of the UK are currently charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about our tuition fees.
From 2021/22 entry, most EU students will be charged the International tuition fee rate, depending on your individual circumstances. If you started your course in October 2020 or earlier, you’ll continue to pay Home (UK) fees for the duration of your course. Read more advice for EU students.
BA Theatre Design graduates progress into a wide range of roles within the field of theatre and performance.
As well as working as designers in television and film production, production managers and scenic artists our graduates work in site-specific theatre, opera, musicals, music concerts, festivals and animation.
They also possess a range of skills, which enable them to transfer into other areas such as further academic study, exhibition and retail design.
Alumni have been finalists and winners of the Linbury Prize for stage design, progressing to being BAFTA and Olivier Award-winning designers with the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and the BBC. They have also exhibited at World Stage Design.
Find out how careers and employability helps our students and graduates start their careers.
Telephone
+44 (0)20 7514 9641