BA (Hons) Musical Theatre Bachelor's degree at Edge Hill University
BA (Hons) Musical Theatre at Edge Hill University was founded in 2006 and is a nationally recognised UK degree. Teaching quality has been rated Silver by the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
About this course
BA (Hons) Musical Theatre is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Edge Hill University, based in Ormskirk. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Performing arts graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 50% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £24,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Music & Performing Arts, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 69% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 7 modules
- Acting FundamentalsCompulsory20 credits
Module details
An introductory practical exploration of the fundamental skills required by the theatre actor. The module will cover a range of historical and cultural contexts, ranging from ancient times to the dawn of the modern age of drama. The module provides a creative environment in which your own performance and awareness of the art of acting can be developed in the context of the socio-cultural role of actors in history.
Assessment: 100% Practical
- Musical Theatre Dance TechniquesCompulsory20 credits
Module details
Introduces you to the cultural and performance aspects of dance within musical theatre. You will study the history of dance in musical theatre and get practical experience, with focused studio practice, in the physicality and basic technical dance skills that are required of musical theatre performers.
Assessment: 100% Practical
- Performance ContextsCompulsory20 credits
Module details
Surveys the key elements of dance, drama and musical theatre contexts and histories. While not intended to offer an exhaustive account of all performance histories, the module will highlight shared terminologies and practices, while also offering an introduction to appropriate modes of study, including research, performance and workshop skills.
Assessment: 100% Practical
- Voice and Musicianship 1Compulsory20 credits
Module details
Develops your vocal technique through ensemble singing. The module will help you demonstrate technical voice control and agility and learn to make sensitive musical performance decisions across a range of musical styles. You will discover a range of singing techniques, from the basics of breathing to alignment, phonation, registration, acoustics, harmonics and formants.
Assessment: 80% Practical 20% Exam
- What Made Musical Theatre? Approaches to History and Development 1Compulsory20 credits
Module details
Explores the emergence and development of musical theatre as a genre, revealing the key moments, practitioners and works that have shaped the genre. You will develop a broad, historically-informed understanding of musical theatre as a distinctive form. Tracing its early development as an art form, you will discover how musical theatre emerged from diverse music theatre traditions such as opera, operetta, ballet, vaudeville, minstrelsy, burlesque and revue.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Applied, Community and Outreach Practice 1Optional20 credits
Module details
A project-based module where you will be guided through the creation of a performative outreach project focusing on a range of community settings. This will involve the study of performance interventions, their histories and practices, and consequences and meanings.
Assessment: 100% Practical
- Language 1Optional20 credits
Module details
Ideal if you want to learn a new language, or further develop your current language skills, as an integrated part of this degree. The module will be taught in an interactive, communicative manner, using authentic materials in the target language. Emphasis will be placed on all four areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Assessment: 85% Coursework 15% Practical
Year 2 5 modules
- Acting: Genres and StylesCompulsory20 credits
Module details
Investigates the cultural significance of acting across a range of theatrical genres and styles which rose to prominence in the modern era of theatre and continue to exert significant cultural influence on live performance. The module enables you to deepen your focus on the art and role of the actor in the theatre - what actors do and how they do it.
Assessment: 80% Practical 20% Coursework
- What Made Musical Theatre? Approaches to History and Development 2Compulsory20 credits
Module details
Interprets and applies interdisciplinary theories and approaches to the study of musical theatre. The module will equip you with a toolkit of methodologies with which to analyse the variety of meaning in works, performances and recordings of musical theatre in context.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Voice and Musicianship 2Compulsory20 credits
Module details
Develops and refines the fundamental styles and techniques used in musical theatre singing and helps you to identify and develop your personal vocal style. You will learn a range of vocal techniques and also discover the mind-body connection in singing. The anatomy and physiology of the voice will also be examined.
Assessment: 80% Practical 20% Coursework
- Performance Contexts 2Compulsory20 credits
Module details
Explores dance, drama and musical theatre as a cultural product of its own specific cultural setting. By considering examples of performances drawn from each genre, across a wide range of different cultures, the module will explore how performance traditions can communicate and appropriate cultures and ideologies.
Assessment: 100% Practical
- Applied, Community and Outreach Practice 2Optional20 credits
Module details
Enables you to create a performance and/or facilitate artistic educational workshops in response to the needs of a specific community, educational setting or selected client group. The module provides the opportunity to devise, plan, implement and evaluate a 'real world' project.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
A BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre integrates performance, composition and music technology with an emphasis on theatre practice and collaborative production. Like most UK Music & Performing Arts degrees, the course typically progresses from foundational skills through to specialist study. Year 1 establishes performance technique, musicianship and theory. Year 2 deepens performance work, introduces composition and music technology, and covers teaching and community music practice. Year 3 allows you to pursue specialist pathways such as performance, composition, music production, musicology, music education or ensembles, alongside professional development covering the business side of the music industry. The course culminates in a final recital or major project.
Who it's for
This course suits students with A-levels or equivalent qualifications. Most accepted students held A-levels, and the typical UCAS tariff among entrants was 112–127 points. You should be interested in both performance and the broader contexts of musical theatre as an art form.
Careers & job market
Nationally, 90% of Music & Performing Arts graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 55% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. Graduate earnings across the field vary: starting salaries (at 15 months) typically fall between £20,000 and £28,000; after three years, £15,725–£22,200; and after five years, £19,975–£28,200. These are national figures from Graduate Outcomes and LEO data, not university-specific guarantees.
University & format
This BA (Hons) Musical Theatre is offered by Edge Hill University, a public university based in Ormskirk. The course is a 3-year full-time degree taught in English. As a recognised UK degree-awarding body, the qualification is nationally recognised. The university holds a Silver award for teaching quality from the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 95% |
| an Access course | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code T279). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at Edge Hill University →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Music & Performing Arts graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £24,000 | £22,000 – £28,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £17,000 | £13,000 – £21,500 | 205 |
| 5 years after | £22,500 | £18,000 – £26,500 | 195 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in music & performing arts · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Music & Performing Arts nationally
National figures for Music & Performing Arts graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Music & Performing Arts courses at the same study level.
Compared with 527 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Artistic, literary and media occupationsSOC 2020 341 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 50; response rate: 50%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Music & Performing Arts graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Music & Performing Arts graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Orchestras & ensembles
- Schools & conservatoires
- Studios & venues
- Media & freelance
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Music & Performing Arts graduates.
Music Tech Beta Liaison & Support SpecialistinMusic Brands, Inc.Music QTSColmore Education Recruitment LtdMusic Teachers in HuddersfieldAcademicsMusic Rights Operations & Data Services LeadPPLMusic Engagement Officer - Alternative Provision · Coventry MusicMusiceducationukMusic Audio & Tech Support Desk SpecialistMandarin RecruitmentIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.2 out of 10: NSS 82.6% · in work or study 95% · continued 69%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Edge Hill University
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Ormskirk
220 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Music & Performing Arts right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Edge Hill University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £14,500 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Edge Hill University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Edge Hill University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Edge Hill University
Music & Performing Arts at other universities
BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre Studies (with integrated foundation year)Aberystwyth UniversityBA (Hons) Drama and Theatre Studies (with integrated year in professional practice)Aberystwyth UniversityBA (Hons) Drama & Theatre StudiesAberystwyth University
BA (Hons) Creative Industries Futures (including Foundation Year)ACMCommon questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
Request information about BA (Hons) Musical Theatre
Prospectus, key dates, entry and funding, free to your inbox.