Course Introduction

This new 3 year degree is designed to develop your dance skills in preparation for working in the industry. Two main focus points aim to provide a solid grounding in the practical and intellectual skills necessary for a successful career in performance or teaching.

Led by a team of inspiring staff with extensive experience working across the industry and within higher education, you'll embark on a creative journey that aims to provide the tools necessary to excel in your chosen field.

This is a dance training degree, predominantly taught through practical exploration and rehearsal, underpinned by research, practitioner study and critical reflection. Training focuses on building strength and confidence in a broad range of dance styles as well as enabling you to creatively build skills through composition and improvisation techniques. These attributes build confidence and deepen understanding of teaching dance to a range of clients within community or educational settings. You'll have the opportunity to create your own original work, exploring areas of specific and personal interest and finding your own creative voice or teaching style.

We've worked in partnership for many years with Dance4, Lakeside Arts and a variety of local educational settings. We collaborate with other creative departments across college and have our own graduate Dance Company to support placement opportunities and progression.

Indicative Year 1 (Level 4) modules:

Performance skills
Dance technique, history and context
Creative dance practice
Facilitating dance

Indicative Year 2 (Level 5) modules:

Developing dance technique
Choreography, production and performance
Dance education within the community
Independent practice

Indicative Year 3 (Level 6) modules:

The healthy dancer: wellbeing and somatic practice.
Dance in an educational setting.
Ensemble performance
Major independent project

Specialist Facilities

Performing Arts is based at our new £58 million City Hub campus in Nottingham City Centre’s Canalside quarter with state of the art facilities. These include specially-designed rehearsal studios for acting and dance, as well as a 160 seat versatile theatre space with fully-functional wardrobe and workshop facilities and industry-standard lighting and sound. Students also use our brand-new digital TV centre, recording studio and multi-media suites.

Useful links:

Nottingham College is proud to have been awarded the Teaching Excellence Framework Bronze Award for high quality student experience and outcomes. You can read more about this on the Office for Students website.

Course Information

Qualification

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Dance and Education

Level

Level 6

Entry Requirements

We expect applicants to be working at (or to demonstrate competency at) Level 2 or above in English/literacy and maths/numeracy. We accept GCSE passes in English Language and maths at Grades 9 to 4 (previously A* to C).

Applicants must also have a minimum of 48 UCAS points from study at Level 3:

At least two A Levels at A2
BTEC Diploma or Extended Diploma
International Baccalaureate
Access to HE Diploma
T levels

Other combinations of qualifications and experience will also be considered, as will Level 3 qualifications not currently listed on the UCAS tariff.

Applicants may be invited to attend an audition and informal interview. This can be held either on-campus here at the College or remotely.

Mature applicants not meeting the standard entry criteria but with relevant industry or life experience are very welcome to apply.

Teaching & Assessment

A combination of traditional and innovative assessment methods are used: including case studies, group projects, live briefs, peer review, time-constrained assessments and presentations.

There are no examinations.

Progression

Graduates will be well-prepared for a wide range of careers, with vital transferable skills potential employers are looking for. They bring hands-on experience of running dance projects, managing rehearsal schedules, evaluating and reviewing dance work and producing performance works in professional environments.

Previous graduates have moved directly into performance, teaching, dance production, choreography, youth and social work, arts admin, events management or related careers in the creative arts, leisure, health, fitness and well-being industries.

Additional Information

Nottingham College is approved by The Open University as an appropriate organisation to offer higher education programmes leading to Open University validated awards.

You can view the Open University Students Guide 2022 here.

In addition, you can view the OU Validated Award Regulations here.

This programme is subject to validation.