Musical Theatre BA (Hons)

This is a great time to get involved in musical theatre. This unique Musical Theatre course will allow you to explore acting, singing and music making, dance and choreography, and making new work that has aesthetic and social significance. We have decades of experience in delivering theatre and music courses and will support you to become a skilled and creative performer.

On our Musical Theatre course you will study modules dedicated to:

• Acting and acting through song
• Company practice
• Dance technique and choreography
• Devising musical theatre
• Individual and group vocal technique
• Musical theatre academic writing
• Producing both repertoire musicals (book musicals) and showcase musicals

We will teach you to think on your feet and solve problems, which are essential skills for creating performances. When you graduate you will have the confidence to audition for musical theatre roles and collaborate on musical theatre productions.

This course has a focus on practical performance, but you will also explore the theory of music, theatre and dance. Through group discussion you will reflect on performance practices in musical theatre, evaluating them and working to develop new, creative ways to devise performances. This will develop your critical thinking and communication abilities, preparing you for your career, and life beyond university.

Year 1

Our academic year is split into 2 semesters. How many modules you study each semester will depend on whether you are a full time or part time student. 

In your first year, if you are a full time student, you will study: 

• 2 compulsory modules across semester 1 and 2
• 2 compulsory modules in semester 1
• 1 compulsory module in semester 2

If you are a part time student, the modules above will be split over 2 years.

You can find out which modules are available in each semester on the Course Specifications.

Modules

Year 2

In your second year, if you are a full time student, you will study:

• 4 compulsory modules across semesters 1 and 2
• 1 optional module in semester 1

If you are a part time student, the modules above will be split over 2 years.

Optional modules are timetable dependent and may change in subsequent years. It is not guaranteed that all modules will run every year.

You can find out which modules are available in semester 1 on the Course Specifications.

Modules

Year 3

In your third year, if you are a full time student, you will study:

• 3 compulsory modules in semesters 1
• 2 compulsory module in semester 2

If you are a part time student, the modules above will be split over 2 years.

You can find out which modules are available in each semester on the Course Specifications.

Modules

Teaching and learning

We keep our group sizes small so that we can get to know your creative personality and support your aspirations. We deliver your modules through:

• Practical workshops
• Seminars
• Tutorials
• Rehearsals, shows and concerts
• Individual vocal lessons
• Lectures

Each module has 2 to 3 hours of contact time a week. We schedule our taught sessions between 9.00am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. Beyond your contact time, there may be concerts, rehearsals and tutorials to attend.

You will need to conduct independent study outside of this time. This might include individual practice, listening to music, reading, researching and completing assignments. You can also arrange academic tutorials with your module tutors throughout the year to receive feedback on your work and discuss the course content.

Our teaching draws on both our research and professional experience. This means your learning is informed by the most current thinking in the subject area. You can find out more about our research and backgrounds by visiting our staff pages.

Assessment

There are no formal examinations on this course. You will be assessed through live events and coursework, which will include:

• Performances
• Presentations
• Placements
• Essays
• Compositions
• Recordings
• Online portfolios

Your future with a degree in Musical Theatre

Through this degree you will develop a unique portfolio of skills based on your individual aspirations. This degree could be the first step toward your career as a:

• Musical theatre performer
• Actor/singer/dancer
• Director
• Musical director
• Composer
• Choreographer 
• Drama/dance/music therapist
• Community arts practitioner
• Teacher

Discover more career options on Prospects careers advice pages.

PGCE at York St John University

Further your education and work towards a rewarding career in teaching by studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) after you graduate. For over 180 years, we have worked with enthusiastic individuals who want to shape the future of young people across both primary and secondary school settings. You'll spend a lot of time in schools, developing your practice by teaching. You will graduate with Qualified Teacher Status and become part of the well respected alumni of York St John educators.

Discover more about PGCE

Whatever your ambitions, we can help you get there.

Our careers service, LaunchPad, provides career support tailored to your ambitions. Through this service you can access:

• Employer events
• LinkedIn, CV and cover letter sessions
• Workshops on application writing and interview skills
• Work experience and volunteering opportunities
• Personalised career advice

This support does not end when you graduate. You can access our expert career advice for the rest of your life. We will help you gain experience and confidence to succeed.

Qualifications

Calculate your UCAS Tariff points

Additional requirements

If your UCAS application is suitable, we will make you an offer for our Acting or Musical Theatre courses. Once you have your offer, you will have the chance to 'upgrade' from a conditional offer to an unconditional offer by submitting an audition.

For Musical Theatre, your audition will be 1 song from a musical theatre production of your choice. The song should be 1-2 minutes long.

International students

If you are an international student you will need to show that your qualifications match our entry requirements.

Information about international qualifications and entry requirements can be found on our International pages.

If English is not your first language you will need to show that you have English Language competence at IELTS level 6.0 (with no skill below 5.5) or equivalent.

International entry requirements

Mature Learners Entry Scheme

If you have been out of education for 3 years or more and have a grade C GCSE in English Language or equivalent, you are eligible for our entry scheme for mature learners. It's a scheme that recognises non-traditional entry qualifications and experience for entry onto this course. Information on how to apply can be found on our dedicated page.

Mature entry offer scheme

Terms and conditions

Our terms and conditions, policies and procedures contain important information about studying at York St John University. You can read them on our Admissions page.

To study for an undergraduate degree with us, you will need to pay tuition fees for your course. How much you pay depends on whether you live inside the UK, or internationally (outside the UK).

Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may be increased in line with inflation, prior to the start of each academic year, and subject to the fee cap set by the UK government. Such increases to fees will be at the Retail Price Index (RPI) forecast rate, as advised by the Office for Budget Responsibility and the Office for Students. The only exception to this would be where government legislation deems otherwise.

If a rise in the tuition fee becomes necessary, we will endeavour to inform you as soon as possible and we will explain the reason(s) for the increase. Any tuition fee increase will only be applied from the start of the next academic year and will not be applied 'in year'.

UK 2025 entry

The tuition fee for 2025 entry onto this course is:

• £9,535 per year for full time study
• £7,145 per year for the first 4 years if you study part time

These prices apply to all UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man students

You can find out more about funding your degree by visiting our funding opportunities page:

Funding Opportunities

Placement year funding

If you choose to take a placement year, and your course offers it, you can apply for the Tuition Fee and Maintenance Loan for your placement year. How much you are awarded is based on the type of placement being undertaken and whether it is a paid or unpaid placement. The tuition fee for your placement year will be reduced.

Tuition fees

International 2025 entry

The tuition fee for 2025 entry to this course is £12,100 per year for full time study.

This price applies to all students living outside the UK.

Due to immigration laws, if you are an international student on a Student Visa, you must study full time. For more information about visa requirements and short-term study visas, please visit the International Visa and Immigration pages.

Find out more about funding your degree:

International fees and funding

Accommodation and living costs

For detailed information on accommodation and living costs, visit our Accommodation pages.

Financial help and support

Our Funding Advice team are here to help you with your finances throughout your degree. They offer a personal service that can help you with funding your studies and budgeting for living expenses. 

For advice on everything from applying for scholarships to finding additional financial support email fundingadvice@yorksj.ac.uk.