Francessca Rusling
Graduate
Graduated: 2017
2022
UCAS Code:
WW31
Institution code: S30UCAS Points:
96 - 112
Campus:
Southampton City Centre
View on Google MapsIf you dream of being in the cast of a West End or Broadway musical, Solent’s dynamic BA (Hons) Musical Theatre degree will help you build your practical performance skills in singing, dancing and acting alongside the academic study of musical theatre performance and production, helping you gain the knowledge to kick-start a fantastic career.
With a key focus on future employability, you will be trained in up-to-date acting techniques, and receive vocal coaching based on the highly regarded Estill Voicecraft model. You will also have the opportunity to develop your skills in related areas, such as directing, theatre in education, and theatre and well-being, as well as engaging in extended dance, vocal or instrumental training.
In the final year, you have the opportunity to participate in a performance showcase, providing the perfect opportunity to present yourself to the industry and develop professional networks that will help launch your career in the performing arts.
The supportive academic team have a broad range of international and national industry experience and maintain excellent links with industry, enabling you to benefit from connections with local theatres including The Nuffield Theatre, The Point Theatre and Soloman Theatre. Recent guest speakers have also included Earl Carpenter (Les Mis, Phantom of the Opera), Kathryn Barnes (West End performer and choreographer), Mark Wheeler (Playwright and director), and representatives from Equity and Spotlight.
Studying musical theatre at Solent combines practical performance skills with academic study to help you become a well-rounded musical theatre performer. It also enables potential career directions in other areas of the creative industries. Whatever direction you choose to follow, musical theatre at Solent offers an exciting, collaborative and professionally-focussed starting point.
Why choose this course?
Students have full access to rehearsal spaces as well as an additional 200-seat flexi-form space on campus, which can be used for live performances.
Recent guests include representatives from Equity, Spotlight, The Point Theatre; Earl Carpenter (Les Mis, Phantom of the Opera); Elizabeth Healey (playwright); Debora Gearing (playwright and director)
Extensive collection of musical instruments, high end microphones, pro tools and logic digital editing workstations, analogue processing, synthesisers and live sound mixers include Allen and Heath.
Course features
- Specialist facilities
This course has access to specialist facilities
- Top-up option
If you have an appropriate Level 5 qualification, you can top it up to a degree in just a year
- Further studies
After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent
Who is this course for?
Solent’s musical theatre degree is ideally suited to students who want to develop a career in the performing arts, as a musical theatre performer or actor/singer. Applicants will ideally have some previous experience and/or qualifications in drama and will be required to present an audition.
What does this course lead to?
This course offers excellent preparation for a career as a musical theatre performer or actor, and also roles in broader areas such as screen acting, radio presenting, directing and teaching.
Solent Stories
Meet the team
Course tutors are academic and/or industry professionals whose knowledge and contacts provide you with an invaluable resource for understanding contemporary trends and opportunities in the performing arts. In addition, visiting lecturers provide further insight into current workplace practice. Our focus on employability ensures that you leave us with the skills and confidence to realise your career ambitions.
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Students have full access to a variety of rehearsal spaces including rehearsal rooms and a dance studio with sprung floor, as well as an additional 200-seat flexi-form space on campus, which can be used for live performances. Final productions take place in a professional theatre venue. Performance students can also use the University's three multi-camera television studios with green-screen technology, additional television studio space and radio recording studios.
Students will be able to use the University's extensive collection of musical equipment, including a piano, electronic keyboards and portable stereo systems, as well as technical equipment including Panasonic 151 HD cameras, rifle mikes, tripods and monitors, radio microphones, a mixing desk, and dictaphones for interviews and research.
Come to an open day
Fancy a sneak peek? Take a look around!
Core modules
The Broadway Musical
The American repertoire of Broadway shows remains central to your work as musical theatre performers and scholars. This module will help to familiarize you with a range of key American Musicals, each of which demonstrates different aspects of style and genre.
Body and Voice
This module focuses on different techniques and practitioners that will enable you to free, release and develop your physical and vocal apparatus building a toolkit of exercises that will be used throughout your training and forward into the profession.
Acting in Musicals
This module could make a real difference to your musical theatre performances. It’s your opportunity to focus on advanced acting techniques using a range of popular and contemporary practitioners.
The West End Musical
This module will help to familiarize you with a number of key West End Musicals, each of which demonstrates different aspects of style and genre. You will also be asked to think about and research contexts - the circumstances, from which particular shows were written, performed and understood by their first audiences.
Directed Musical Theatre Production
In this practical module, you will use the skills you have learned to prepare and rehearse an extended 20 – 30 minute ‘work in progress’ excerpt from a musical.
Musical Theatre Styles
A fast-paced and energetic module that provides an exploration into different musical theatre styles which may include ensemble, solo and chorus work.
Core modules
Musical Theatre and Identity
We will use several case studies from the mid twentieth century onwards to investigate how musical theatre reflects, constructs, reinforces and challenges individual and community identities.
Musical Theatre – Live Brief
This module throws you into making theatre for a professional context where a brief will be set by an individual or company who requires a musical theatre response to a real world situation.
Performance Techniques
In this challenging module you will strengthen your understanding, knowledge and application of how to use your body and voice in combination as a unique instrument to create performance work.
Musical Theatre Inside and Out
In this module you will investigate popular musical theatre from the 'inside' - how it is produced - and from the 'outside’ - how audiences receive it.
The Show
In this practical module, you will use the skills you have learned to prepare, rehearse and perform a show in front of an audience.
Scene into Song
In this dynamic module, you will research and explore the essential ingredients needed to make a great musical theatre number – a scene into a musical song and dance.
Core modules
Final Major Project – Musical Theatre
In self-created groups, you will locate and research a one act-musical to produce and rehearse to performance level. This could be an existing show which has been produced professionally, an unperformed show which could be workshopped and brought to performance level or a piece which has been written/devised by you.
Research Project
Here you are given the opportunity to delve into an area that excites and stimulates you. By making your choice of what to research, you will form a deep knowledge, understanding and appreciation of an area that could support your career pathway into the performing arts, building valuable networks and contacts within the industry.
Audition Preparation
Audition Preparation will lead you through a range of audition formats. You will develop repertoire in monologues and song that can be used in auditions for casting directors, agents, and drama schools as well as exploring workshop style and dance group auditions.
Musical Theatre Portfolio
You will develop your own online portfolio, which can include photographs, show reels, voice reels, website, Spotlight page, Social Networking and more, designed to showcase and present your talents to the world. A range of industry speakers will ensure you have real-world experience and knowledge.
Optional modules
Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.
Performing Arts in Education
For anyone interested in performing arts teaching as a career, or in developing skills in leading workshops which you can add to your performance CV, this is the optional module for you.
Directing Performers
You will be given the opportunity to direct a scene from a play script/musical theatre libretto and present it to an invited audience. This module will give you an insight into the task required of the professional theatre director – working with actors, working with scripts and organising people and time.
Music Theatre
An exploration into Total Theatre, building on the inspiring work of Joan Littlewood through to cutting edge contemporary theatre companies such as Punchdrunk, Kneehigh and Shared Experience, Music Theatre has found its place in leading-edge theatre making.
Stage Combat
With the growth in the gaming industry and popularity of action films and television series, it is now more important than ever for a versatile actor to be able to carry out a choreographed combat sequence with confidence and safety. This optional module will prepare you for such demands.
How you will learn and be assessed
You will learn by:
Collaborative Learning
Directed Learning
Guided Learning
You may be assessed by a combination of:
- Individual performances
Group performances- Individual presentations
- Group presentations
Portfolios
Workshops
Quizzes
Devising- Assignments
Solent’s curriculum framework builds on our unique, creative and applied approach to teaching. The transformation of students’ lives is at the heart of our mission as a university, and our curriculum – informed by the latest theory – reflects this shared educational vision.
Find out more
Study support
The student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
Access Solent provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Why choose the industry?
UK creative industries generate more than £100bn a year to the UK economy. It is considered one of the fastest growing industries and continues to outperform the wider UK economy.
Based on the Arts Council England report commissioned from the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR), the arts and culture industry in 2016 was responsible for:
- £21.2bn in direct turnover
- £10.8bn in Gross Value Added (GVA), with £8.6bn of this generated by the market segment of the industry and the remaining £2.2bn contributed by the non-market organisations
- 137,250 jobs
- £6.1bn in employee compensation
Musical theatre continues to grow in popularity both in the West End of London and major touring companies. The Guardian in 2013 claimed that more people went to the theatre in 2012 than attended a music concert or sporting event. ‘87% of 16-19 year olds said they were likely to see something in a theatre’; in 2013 63% of the UK population had visited a theatre in the UK in the past year with major musicals remaining the biggest draw. We anticipate that the development of a course focused on musical theatre will have a broad base of employment opportunities.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2022/23 academic year are:
- UK, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per year
- International full-time fees: £14,250 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2022/23 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, previous other costs have been:
Compulsory costs
Trip to London: Surviving Actors Conference - £50
Movement clothing - £40
Bursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Financial information videos
Student finance in under three minutes Student funding - the essentials
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
96 - 112 UCAS tariff points from A-levels or equivalent
- A minimum of two completed A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at MMM or BTEC Diploma at DM, a T-Level Pass (C+), or equivalent qualification, or a combination of qualifications which comply with the minimum entry requirement of 96 UCAS points.
- Direct entry into the second or third years may be considered for this course.
- UK applicants are required to attend an audition – applicants will be required to prepare one monologue and one song.
- Applicants over the age of 21 may be considered based on relevant experience, without having the required tariff points.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please refer to our course entry requirement statement.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
Applicants from outside the UK will be required to send electronic auditions.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please refer to our course entry requirement statement.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
Applicants from outside the UK will be required to send electronic auditions.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
Note to all international students requiring a visa:
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application and to take a look at this PDF document which outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.
96 - 112UCAS Points
Any questions?
Contact our admissions team!Call: 023 8201 5066Email: admissions@solent.ac.uk
How to apply
Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.
Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.
Your application should reach UCAS by 26 January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until the end of June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.
Alternative entry options
Top-up route:
We welcome applications from students currently studying a Foundation Degree, DipHE, HNC, HND or modules of an undergraduate degree course at another university, who wish to enter directly into Years 2 or 3 of one of our undergraduate degree courses. Please contact our admissions team for more information: contact us
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component
- TOEFL IBT minimum 80 with a minimum of 20 in each individual component
- Duolingo English Language Test - 100 overall with minimum of 90 in each component
or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
We will prepare you for your future
Suitable roles for graduates include
- Musical theatre performer
- Actor/singer
- Theatre/arts administration
- Cruise ship entertainer
- Cabaret performer
- Children's entertainer
- Model
- Teacher
- Theatre in education
- Drama intern
We will help you start your career
The Solent Futures team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
Find out more
Support at Solent
All students at Solent University have access to a range of specialist support services. Whether you are having financial difficulty, need additional help with academic skills or want advice on setting up your own business you'll find that help is always on hand.
Most of our specialist support services are based around the Student Hub, a central space where you can access all the information and support you may need during your time at University. The Student Hub is the first point of contact if you have any queries relating to your course, including questions about your timetable, options, and assessments and extenuating circumstances.
We work in partnership with the University to build a sense of pride and confidence in your Union, University and student experience.
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