Acting

Acting is the craft of bringing characters to life through voice, body, imagination and the disciplined ability to inhabit another person's emotional and psychological world. At degree level, it is studied as both a practical discipline and an intellectual one, requiring sustained engagement with text analysis, rehearsal practice, performance theory, stage and screen technique, and the physical and vocal training that professional performance demands. The best acting programmes develop not just technique but the self-awareness, resilience and creative confidence that a career in performance requires.

At Portsmouth, this three-year programme provides intensive practical training in acting for stage and screen alongside the intellectual and contextual study of dramatic texts and performance traditions. You will work with directors, voice coaches and movement practitioners, developing your range and precision as a performer through productions, workshops and rehearsal projects. The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad and work placement opportunities, which together give you exposure to professional environments, international performance contexts and the broader creative industries during your studies.

The typical entry tariff is 88 UCAS points.

Acting graduates pursue careers in theatre, film, television and radio performance, as well as in related fields including voice-over, physical theatre, applied drama, arts education, drama facilitation, community arts and theatre-in-education. The profession is highly competitive, and most professional actors combine performance work with related creative or educational roles, particularly early in their careers. The transferable skills that acting training develops, including communication, empathy, collaboration, problem-solving under pressure and the ability to perform to a brief, are also valued in professions such as teaching, training and facilitation, marketing, law and healthcare.