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Contemporary Circus and Physical Theatre

Entry requirements


T Level

M

Grade Merit is preferred.

You may also need to…

Attend an interview

Perform an audition

About this course


Course option

1year

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Circus arts

**Unleash your creativity and elevate your performance artistry with our BA one-year top-up in Contemporary Circus and Physical Theatre – where innovation meets expression under the big top of academic excellence.**
- Engage with ideas and concepts of physical performance

- Immerse yourself in the creative process of devising new and innovative work

- Explore how to integrate circus disciplines within theatrical contexts

Taught by Circomedia, this BA year works as both a stand-alone year of study and as the drawing together of two years’ worth of learning and exploration for FdA graduates.

The team at Circomedia believes in the power of practice. The one-year BA top-up programme is distinguished by its emphasis on hands-on, practical training. Immerse yourself in a state-of-the-art training environment where you'll finesse your physical abilities, from mastering awe-inspiring circus acts to crafting compelling narratives through physical theatre.

This immersive approach ensures that you not only grasp the theoretical underpinnings of contemporary performance but also develop the practical skills necessary to captivate audiences and thrive in the ever-evolving world of circus and physical theatre.

**Taught by Circomedia, Bristol**
Step into the heart of Bristol's creative scene and connect with like-minded artists at Circomedia. The one-year BA top-up program is more than an academic endeavour; it's a gateway to a thriving creative hub where you'll forge valuable connections with industry professionals and fellow students.

Engage in collaborative projects, attend exclusive workshops, and benefit from the mentorship of seasoned practitioners. This unique environment positions you at the intersection of academic rigour and industry relevance, ensuring that you graduate not only with a degree but also with a network and experiences that will propel you forward in your professional journey.

Modules

Performance Compilation
In this module, BA students will devise two acts or pieces, each for a different intended audience or market. You might make a slick and skilful act perfect for a corporate event, or perhaps something more experimental and contemporary, ideal for the theatre. Students have also produced installations, interactive street theatre, walkabout routines, and playful work for younger audiences.

There are opportunities to work with our MA students during this module, who can provide a valuable ‘outside eye’ and contribute ideas and direction.

Professional Touring
This module sees the entire BA cohort working together to devise a full-length ensemble production. As well as performing, students take on company roles such as tour managing, costume design, and marketing.

This holistic approach ensures the development of valuable employability skills and provides our students with much-needed industry experience. In fact, some of our graduates have gone on to work in such roles as a direct result of their experience on this module.

Practice As Research
This module is an artistic research assignment that invites students to analyse their own practice, pose questions and carefully examine the skills they’ve spent so long developing.

Students share their findings in a presentation to their tutors and peers. Very often, these conclusions and realisations will go on to inform the work made during the Final Major Project module.

Final Major Project
This is a self-devised solo or group performance of between 20 and 30 minutes in length. The FMP can be the apogee of three years of hard work – a gathering together of every idea, influence, and inspiration – or it can be a snapshot of what an artist is capable of physically and creatively at that moment.

Some students have adapted their FMP into full-length productions. Other graduates have chosen not to return to their FMP, but instead to use the lessons learned during its creation to inform the development of other work.

Assessment methods

Assessment methods may include:

- Critical analysis and reflective essays
- Live showcases and public performances
- Comprehensive performance portfolios

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
for the whole course
England
£9,250
for the whole course
Northern Ireland
£9,250
for the whole course
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
for the whole course
Scotland
£9,250
for the whole course
Wales
£9,250
for the whole course

The Uni


Course location:

Circomedia

Department:

School of Music and Performing Arts

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

88%
Circus arts

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Drama

Teaching and learning

93%
Staff make the subject interesting
91%
Staff are good at explaining things
92%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
92%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

74%
Library resources
80%
IT resources
83%
Course specific equipment and facilities
75%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

90%
UK students
10%
International students
32%
Male students
68%
Female students
95%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Drama

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£16,016
med
Average annual salary
94%
med
Employed or in further education
55%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

39%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
15%
Other elementary services occupations
14%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Drama

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£14k

£14k

£18k

£18k

£22k

£22k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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