MA Performance Design

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is an associate school of the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), a Higher Education Provider registered with the Office for Students. On successful completion of this course, you will receive an award from UWE Bristol. Because of the vocational nature of the degree courses, BOVTS does not award degree classifications – all assessments are completed on a pass or fail basis.

This course is taught predominantly at the School’s site at Downside Road, Clifton. This site is equipped with two communal design studios where you will have your own workspace.

The School stages theatre productions at venues across Bristol, and the spring and summer term productions that you design for will be based in one or more of the city’s many performance spaces. Recent venues have included Bristol Old Vic, the Redgrave Theatre, the Wardrobe Theatre, Circomedia, Tobacco Factory Theatres and the Station, amongst others.

Your learning experience at BOVTS will revolve around practical project-based work and productions that take place throughout the academic year with the school and our close partners. Your training will largely centre on hands-on work for productions, supplemented by seminars, practical and technical workshops, peer learning, collaborations with other creatives across courses, industry expert-led sessions, field and production visits, and participation in industry events.

Throughout the course, you will develop your individual design portfolio which showcases your specialisation as a Performance Designer with a critical understanding of current industry standards. Given the industry’s self-driven nature, much of your time will be spent undertaking independent work in our well-equipped design facilities. The course leader, tutors and visiting professionals will provide you support and feedback through one-to-one sessions, critical evaluations etc.

Your independent work will be supplemented by lectures, masterclasses, one-to-one tutorials, and peer-reviewed learning sessions amounting to around 20 hours of contact time per week. Additionally, you can expect to undertake approximately 25 hours of independent work per week. While normal working hours are from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays, you may be required to work in the evenings and on weekends during production periods. 

The course is led by the Head of Design, along with a range of visiting industry professionals who will teach specialist masterclasses and workshops, supporting you in developing your professional network. There is typically a small cohort of students on the course and you will also have collaborative classes with other BOVTS students, such as the MA Drama Directing cohort. Work on productions involves working with staff and students from across the School, particularly those in production disciplines.

The MA in Performance Design is an unclassified Master’s of Arts degree. This means that on completion of your course, you will receive a degree without a classification (i.e. without distinction, merit or pass).

Assessment at BOVTS is continuous throughout each term and all your modules will be marked on a pass or fail basis. Timetabled classes are compulsory and your tutors will monitor your progress closely, providing you with the regular feedback to help you develop. This includes verbally in the studio and in individual tutorials, as well as written feedback at the end of each module. You will also receive feedback from a variety of different staff – for example specialist staff teaching masterclasses or workshops, directors working on spring term productions, production staff, and other core staff observing your presentations. 

Nearly all of your assessment will be based on practical work including demonstration of specialist skills within your production designs and portfolio, design presentations to an audience, and input at production meetings. You will be assessed against relevant industry standards and your ability to bring together all aspects of your learning. There are no written exams although you will be encouraged to complete written self-evaluation of your work for discussion within tutorials.

The course curriculum is structured across four modules, aimed at progressively enhancing your skills and experience. The course shifts from theoretical projects and skills sessions to specialised self-directed projects and realised design practice.

🎭 The first module is a design project, aimed at developing your approach to the design process as well as your collaborative strategies. Alongside this, you’ll also attend skill-development classes in model-making, computer-aided design (CAD), costume history, and theatrical context and style.

🎭 In the second module, you’ll delve into your specialisation in greater depth by exploring design through a self motivated, speculative project. This is a chance to investigate current practice in the industry, and apply that to your own practice. Giving you the opportunity to develop skills and expertise in your desired area of specialisation – whether it is set, costume, lighting, projection or prop design.

🎭 The third module gives you a chance to work on at least one ‘live’ project that focus on realising your work at a practical level. Designing for the School’s theatrical and film based projects or with one of the School’s partners, and working in collaboration with both professionals and other MA courses.

🎭 The fourth module prepares you for your career launch: reviewing and refining your work; developing your website and portfolio; and preparing an end of year graduate exhibition where you will practice talking about your work to industry profeassionals.

The course’s collaborative approach and structured progression ensure your readiness for professional performance design standards.

We typically expect applicants to have an undergraduate degree in a relevant visual arts subject such as Fine Art, Sculpture, Architecture, Costume, Illustration, Theatre Studies, or Production Arts. We’re also open to considering those who do not have a visual arts degree, if you possess relevant professional experience or can showcase high-calibre visual arts skills in your portfolio. Additionally, we expect you to possess entry-level skills and experience aligned with your intended design specialisation – see the information under selection process for further information.

If English is not your first language, you will need to demonstrate English language proficiency through a relevant qualification such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). For MA Performance Design, we normally require an overall score of 7.0, with a minimum score of 7.0 in each component of reading, writing, listening and speaking.

To apply for this programme, you’ll need to submit an application form along with a portfolio of your art and performance design work. We’ll shortlist applicants for interviews based on the work demonstrated within these portfolios. We highly recommend that you include a self-motivated design for a stage production as part of your portfolio. Your portfolio and interview will help us assess your skill level, practical experience, understanding of the role of a Performance Designer within a production, as well as communication and interpersonal skills. 

Our interview panel will consist of the course leader alongside professional practitioners. The interview is also an opportunity for you to ask questions to our staff and current students, and be shown facilities at the School where possible. We do not charge any interview fees.

All students £18,000

We regret that we are unable to consider applications from students requiring a visa to study in the UK during the 2027–28 academic year. For further information, please see the dropdown “Students requiring a visa to study in the UK.”

Accommodation and living costs are not included in your tuition fees. 

Further information about financial support from the government, and bursaries and scholarships that you may be eligible to apply for is available from our fees and funding page.

There are some additional costs associated with this course that are not covered by your tuition fee. The costs given in brackets are to help with budgeting and are indicative only.

🎭 IT equipment – it is recommended that you have your own laptop or computer which is able to run design software. (AutoCAD or similar)

🎭 Essential tools (£100) additional tools (£200)

🎭 Consumable materials (£250)

A detailed equipment list will be sent to new students ahead of beginning their training. If you are facing financial hardship, then the School may be able to loan you equipment or help you meet these costs with a bursary. New students should contact admissions for further advice.

Due to a recent change in the Theatre School’s governance, our Higher Education provider UWE Bristol is unable to issue Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) documentation for BOVTS courses. Regrettably we are therefore unable to consider applications from students requiring a visa to study in the UK for 2025 entry.

The Theatre School is able to consider applications from international students who do not require a visa to study in the UK. If you are unsure of your tuition fee status, please consult the UK Council for International Student Affairs guidelines or contact our admissions office for further guidance. Prospective international students for future years of entry are encouraged to join our mailing list to learn more about training at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

In the meantime, there are several ways that prospective international students can undertake training with BOVTS:

– We run a series of online masterclasses throughout the year, which are accessible wherever you are in the world. Find out more about what’s coming up on our short courses webpages.

– We offer intensive, in-person short courses for adults throughout the year in acting, creative and production disciplines. These currently range from day-long masterclasses to a ten-week acting foundation course. International students for these courses can normally visit the UK on a standard (holiday) visa, where required. Find out more about what’s coming up on our short courses webpage.

– We run acting international masterclasses in selected destinations throughout the year. Sign up to our prospective student mailing list or follow us on social media to be the first to know when new dates are set.