Bird College - Performer from Nine singing Bird College - Performer from Nine singing

BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre

  • A 3-year course designed to equip students with the skills needed to graduate into the professional performing arts sector
  • Term dates for the 2025-26 school year may be found HERE
  • Applications for September 2026 entry are closed; the admissions window for September 2027 entry will be announced in Autumn 2026

 

Bird College - Two dancers at Bird College

BA (Hons)

Educational Aims

The aim of the degree is to create graduates who are equipped with diverse skills and strengths in the dance and musical theatre genres. The structure of the degree will develop your artistic and academic potential in a culturally supportive setting. In each course of study you will gain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of your own strengths and expertise in dance and musical theatre in relation to the demands of the profession you aim to join. You will be provided with opportunities to gain a theoretical understanding and critical awareness of the key performance skills which include dance, singing and acting. You will also learn to work effectively both independently and as part of a team and acquire transferable skills.

As a graduate of this degree your expertise in the various forms of performance will allow you to compete in the ever-changing landscape of performance. You will become a thoughtful, versatile and highly skilful performer who will sustain a long career in the various facets of the Musical Theatre and Dance industry.

Summary of Skills

Through the programme of study you will develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of dance and musical theatre performance through the practical and theoretical application of these skills. You will gain the intellectual skill needed to examine the historical and cultural developments in dance and musical theatre. You will gain technical skills in the individual elements of singing, acting and in dance and then transfer this knowledge to a performance context. You will develop critical reflection skills through self, peer and group evaluation. You will be encouraged to become intellectually curious and be provided with the necessary skills for continuing artistic and professional development. You will be given the opportunity and training to improve your performance skills in both a Musical Theatre and Dance setting. Developing you as a ‘Creative Artist’ will also be a strong feature on this programme allowing you to evolve creatively and reach your artistic and idiosyncratic potential. Your literacy, numeracy and ICT skills will be enhanced allowing you to engage in academic writing, problem solving, presentations and self employed skills (including tax responsibilities) and provide you with necessary transferable skills.

This course is changing my approach to performance – I feel so much more confident and have clear goals that I know I am going to achieve

Second Year Student

BA (Hons) Entry Requirements

BIRD welcomes applications from all sections of the community regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender. The Conservatoire is committed to meeting the requirements of students with special educational needs.

  • Have a minimum of 64 UCAS points – 2 ‘C’ Grades at A2 Level or equivalent in Level 3 Qualifications
  • Attend the BIRD audition

Applicants must submit a separate UCAS application, in addition to the BIRD application.

Overseas Students
BIRD Conservatoire is an approved UKVI Sponsor, with a Private Provider Status, and is able to sponsor international students via the Student Visa Route.

Applicants for whom English is not a first language must sit an IELTS (International English Language) test to assess their ability in reading, writing and spoken English at an academic level. An overall result of 6.5 or more is requires for entry to the programme. Applicants should contact their local British Council office for further details.

Bird College - Dance performer at Bird College
Register your interest for Open Days here!

79% of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well.

Data for Professional Dance and Musical Theatre (Full time) at Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts Ltd.

For more official course information visit Discover Uni. See course data

Funding for the BA (Hons)

The current fees are £9,790. UK students are eligible to apply for a student loan. For further information, please see www.gov.uk/student-finance

Overseas Students
The current fees are £17,975 but this is subject to change. For further information, please see https://www.gre.ac.uk/finance/fees/international-fees#international_fees

Other Costs
Course texts and other study resources are available from the Libraries at BIRD and the University of Greenwich (Stockwell Street). You may wish to purchase your own copies.

Students on this course are also required to pay the Conservatoire’s Extra-Curricular Fund (ECF).  The ECF is £1,000 in total, spread over your three years of study. A range of payment options are available.

The ECF covers multiple resource costs at BIRD, including headshots/publicity photos, in-house theatre tickets, lockers and entry systems. The ECF also contributes towards an individual vocal scheme where the student contribution triggers other funding.

BA (Hons) Syllabus

Students receive 32 – 35 contact hours per week.

Year 1

Designed as a ‘starter pack’, where the fundamental elements and techniques of performance are introduced to explore and build upon strengths and address weaknesses.

Dance
  • Ballet
  • Tap
  • Jazz (Technical & Commercial)
  • Contemporary
  • Body Conditioning
Musical Theatre
  • Musical Theatre Technique
  • Singing Technique
  • Acting Through Song
  • Ensemble Singing
  • Individual Singing (every week)
  • Acting Technique
  • Voice
  • Accents & Dialects
  • Vocal Technique
Performance
  • Musical Theatre Workshop
  • Dance or Acting Workshop
Academic
  • History of Performing Arts
  • Dance Science (One Term)
  • Music Theory
  • Independent Professional Study
Read more

Year 2

An extension and reinforcement of the skills introduced in Year 1, focusing on students acquiring the advanced skills and techniques needed for a successful professional career.

Dance
  • Ballet
  • Tap
  • Jazz (Technical & Commercial)
  • Contemporary
  • Body Conditioning
  • Pas De Deux (Ballet & Jazz)
Musical Theatre
  • Musical Theatre Technique
  • Singing Technique
  • Acting Through Song
  • Ensemble Singing
  • Individual Singing (every week)
  • Acting Technique
  • Voice
  • Accents & Dialects
  • Vocal Technique
Performance
  • Musical Theatre Project
  • Dance or Acting Project
  • Summer Showcase
Academic
  • Analysis and Appreciation
  • Dance Psychology and Semantics
  • Independent Professional Development
Read more

Year 3

Transition from training to professional, which culminates in performances to showcase the knowledge, expertise and transferable skills attained throughout training.

Dance
  • Ballet
  • Tap
  • Jazz (Technical & Commercial)
  • Contemporary
Musical Theatre
  • Singing Technique
  • Acting Through Song
  • Ensemble Singing
  • Individual Singing (every week)
  • Acting for TV
  • Acting Audition Technique
Performance
  • Cre8: Dance or Musical Theatre
  • Musical Production
  • Agent Showcase (filmed)
Academic
  • Dissertation (written, practical or combined)
  • Employment Skills
Read more

BA (Hons) Online Application

BIRD welcomes applications from all sections of the community regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender.

The Conservatoire is committed to meeting the requirements of learners with special educational needs. For those with additional need, we strongly advise that you alert our Registrar to this at the point of application. This will allow us to arrange to meet this need at audition and adapt our programmes accordingly should you be successful in gaining a place.

Applicants who reside outside the UK may also audition by Video Submission. Please contact the college for further details.

Before beginning the application you should make sure that you fulfill the entry requirements. You should complete all sections of the form and will be asked to include a recent passport-style photograph of yourself; kindly ensure all photographs are jpeg format and that you include your full name in the filename.

Bird College - Four dance performers reaching top left of stage
Bird College - Cast members from Spelling Bee dancing around lead character who is reaching up whilst singing

Preparing for auditions – Our chance to get to know you better

Auditions take place between November and May. Most auditions take place at the BIRD site. Candidates for the BA (Hons) course are normally expected to have received some prior dance training, ideally to Intermediate 1 standard. All candidates must successfully pass the BIRD Audition in order to be offered a place.

The audition is a carefully conceived assessment and is conducted by senior teachers at BIRD. It will assess your current and potential skills in dance, singing and drama, as well as your suitability for a career in the theatre profession.

Through an individual interview, personal qualities such as motivation, communication and flexibility are assessed and career aspirations are discussed. Our aim is to ensure that we advise you on the most appropriate programme for your development. Candidates are notified of their audition date and procedure once we have received their completed application form and fee.

Applicants who reside outside the UK may also audition by Video Submission. Please contact the college for further details.

Frequently asked questions

Online applications can be found in the main menu under ‘Applications’. For the BA (Hons) programme we require both direct application to the college and a UCAS application.

The audition fee is £45.00.

After applying to the Conservatoire you will receive full details about the audition day and preparation material by email.

There will be an introduction to the Conservatoire by the Principal and other members of the audition panel on the morning of the audition. Parents and guardians are welcome to stay for that section.

We aim to get results out to applicants the day after their audition.

Applicants are able to apply to audition only once per year.

If you are ill on the day of audition, please let the Conservatoire know and we will do our best to allocate you an alternative audition date.

Please refer to the entry requirements section above.

Please refer to the funding section above.

Hotels in the local area include:
• Travelodge (Sidcup)
• Premier Inn (Sidcup)
• Holiday Inn (Bexley/Crayford)
• Marriott Hotel (Bexleyheath)
• Premier Inn (Swanley)
• Campanile Hotel (Dartford)
• The Bulls Head (Chislehurst)

By Bus: A comprehensive service exists for the local area and for central London.

By Train: Sidcup station is a 5 minute walk from BIRD, with trains going in and out of London every 20 minutes. The journey will take about 30 minutes and the stations include: Charing Cross, London Bridge, Waterloo, Cannon Street and Lewisham (for DLR).

Trains travelling away from London will go to Dartford, Gravesend and Greenhithe (short shuttle bus to Bluewater).

For further travel information please visit: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

By Road: Exit 3 off the M25, then follow the A20 to Sidcup. From London, follow signs to A20 New Cross/Lewisham and A222 Sidcup.

Students can arrange their own accommodation in flats and houses via local estate agents. There are a limited number of rooms available at the University of Greenwich, Avery Hill Campus, as well as 5 Bird College affiliated blocks of apartments in Sidcup. Students who have gained entry onto a Programme will receive detailed information about the above in their enrolment pack.

Students are exempt from paying Council Tax but they are not eligible to receive Housing Benefit.

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