Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £9,535 per year (£1,200 for placement year)
International/EU: £17,155 per year (£1,200 for placement year) -
How long will I study?
4/5 Years
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Where will I study?
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What are the entry requirements?
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What is the UCAS code?
C012
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When do I start?
September 2025
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Placement year available?
Yes
Teaching Quality
Sheffield Hallam University is amongst the top ten UK providers for drama in the Guardian University Guide 2023 league table.
Come to an open day
Visit us to learn more about our gold-rated teaching and why we were awarded the highest possible rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.
Course summary
- Develop your skills as an actor and performer
- Create digital materials to showcase your work
- Research, plan and execute a wide range of performances at a professional level
- Use performance to engage with communities and challenge real-world issues.
- Join at the foundation year and develop your personal skills, awareness of resources and commitment to the subject
You’ll be immersed in the creative process of making and presenting theatre and performance in a range of styles and across a range of platforms (such as stage, screen, audio and digital/new media). You will develop your acting skills and contribute to our own festival, The Change Makers Festival.
Find out more about acting and performance courses, facilities and student projects on the SHU performance website.
How you learn
In the foundation year, you will start by developing a good base of knowledge, but also the personal skills and awareness of resources that will help you manage your studies effectively and be self-motivated.
The practical elements of the course will build throughout your time with us. You’ll take part in interactive lectures, seminars and workshops and have the opportunity to work with industry partners on live projects. At the end of your second year, you’ll travel abroad to see performances made and presented in a different context.
You learn through
- practical workshops
- working in an ensemble
- going to see performances
- independent study
- undertaking real-life projects for external clients
- lectures and seminars
Applied learning
Work placements
In the second year, of the full degree, you’ll have the chance to collaborate with external partners, undertake a work placement or develop your own enterprise.
Live projects
We work with a range of local organisations (theatres, film makers, theatre companies and arts organisations) on live briefs, with staff often producing work for local festivals. You’ll be invited to participate in these projects, giving you the chance to work alongside industry professionals.
In the foundation year, you will undertake a series of projects that respond to real world debates.
Field trips
You will have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of trips throughout your time on the course. We are ideally located close to Sheffield Theatres and regularly see performances there, but you will also travel to see work in other cities in the north, nationwide, and where possible, internationally. In past years, students have attended international theatre festivals and/or performed work in Prague, Venice, Berlin and Paris.
Networking opportunities
We have excellent links to local actors, companies and venues, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet and talk to people from the industry.
Future careers
Our students have gone on to rewarding and fulfilling careers in
- the acting profession
- the creative industries
- film production
- marketing, communications and media
- education
- creative arts facilitation
- the charity sector
- public facing professions such as HR, training and customer service
- and a number have set up their own companies
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for
- The Royal Shakespeare Company
- Blowfish
- Forced Entertainment
- Third Angel
- GrowTheatre
- Sheffield Theatres
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
Most of our teaching is conducted in our two studio theatre space, the Performance Lab. These spaces are fully equipped with lighting, sound, special effects, a communications system, changing rooms, a shower, prop, costume and set store, a green room and iMac computers. We also have three dedicated recording studios.
On this course you work with
- industry-standard cameras and sound equipment
- sound recording booths
- editing software
- theatre lighting and sound
360 tour - film and TV facilities
Media Gallery
Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 48
This must include at least 24 points from one A level or equivalent BTEC National qualifications excluding general studies. For example:
- DD at A Level
- PPP in BTEC Extended Diploma.
- Pass from a T level qualification with D or E from core
- A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels and EPQ.
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.
GCSE
- English Language at grade C or 4 or equivalent
Prior learning options available for students that have been out of education for a number of years, but can show some commitment to the subject (e.g. evidence of some creative writing when applying to Creative Writing course).
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Talent Accelerator
Year 2
Compulsory modules
Acting For Recorded Media
Actor In The World
Actor's Toolkit: Body, Space, Text
Collective Creation
Year 3
Compulsory modules
Acting With Texts
Contemporary Performance
Creating Digital Media
Participatory Practices
Elective modules
Study Abroad - Creative Industries
Year 4
Optional modules
Placement Year
Final year
Compulsory modules
Advanced Acting Showcase
Digital Performance Lab
Future Now Festival
Professional Practitioner
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students on full-time undergraduate degree courses in 2025/26 is £9,535 per year. These fees are regulated by the UK government and therefore subject to change in future years. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
We are currently reviewing our tuition fees for the foundation year stage of this course following the Government announcement of fee changes for some foundation year courses and will confirm fees as soon as possible.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,155 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Sheffield Creative Industries Institute (PDF, 153.7KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
