CertHE Musical Theatre

Foundation in Musical Theatre

Overview

Our full time foundation course in Musical Theatre develops your skill and confidence in all three of the essential disciplines required for this demanding training. Delivered by tutors from our BA course, this is an excellent foundation for progression into a full-time training course.

Ensuring that you excel in all three disciplines our Full Time Foundation includes intensive one-to-one singing tuition, ensemble dance training in jazz and ballet and a rigorous acting programme. Throughout the course you will be working with our highly experienced ArtsEd tutors, who have a very thorough understanding of what drama schools are looking for in auditions.

This programme is validated by City St George’s, University of London and you will receive a City St George’s, University of London award on successful completion.

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Duration 3 terms - 30 weeks (full-time)
Academic year September 2025 - May 2026
Application deadline Applications for 2025 are now closed
Course Leader: Barney McElholm, Foundation Musical Theatre Course Leader
At a glance
  • A minimum of 35 contact hours a week
  • Teaching delivered over 3 terms (30 weeks)
Dance

An integral part of Musical Theatre, this course will cover:

  • Jazz
  • Ballet
  • Contemporary
  • Plus weekly fitness sessions in the gym with a personalised regime
Singing

Develop the correct singing techniques to excel in your audition through:

  • Weekly one-to-one singing lessons
  • Ensemble singing sessions
  • Musical Theatre Skills Consolidation classes that allow you to combine all three disciplines.
Acting

Build a confident stage presence to stand out from the crowd through:

  • Acting workshops that help build teamwork and confidence
  • Sessions focused on the skills and techniques required to create truthful characters.
  • Development of a well-supported and expressive voice with speech and voice techniques.
Audition Technique

Audition technique classes will prepare you for drama school auditions. These will include:

  • Advice from in-house staff, guest tutors and speakers from other colleges.
  • Song workshops to develop your acting though singing
  • Dance routine interpretation and performance practice
  • Help with choosing the right audition monologue and guidance around how best to perform it
Tutorials

At ArtsEd, we support our students in every way we can. In your weekly Company Meetings and regular tutorials, you can discuss Drama school options and career guidance, health & nutrition, Injury prevention, Crime and safety.

Fees

Learn More About Fees

 

 

How to apply

Am I Eligible?  If you are over 18 with a good general standard of education you may apply for the Musical Theatre Foundation Course. Entry is by audition. You can find out everything you need to know about auditions here

Accreditation: CERT HE Foundation in Musical Theatre is a Certificate in Higher Education as awarded by City University and is worth 120 Credits/Level 4 Qualification. ArtsEd is a member of the Federation of Drama Schools, set up in June 2017 to provide information for prospective students about conservatoire drama training.

UCAS code: ArtsEd does not subscribe to UCAS.  All applications should be made online through our website.

What next? Applications for 2025 open 1 October 2024. Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest news on our degrees and diplomas.

What else? What else?  If you need to work whilst you study, then why not take a look at our Part-Time Foundation Musical Theatre Course as an alternative training option. With evening sessions spread over two terms, this course might be a good fit.

Course Guide

Click here to view the full Course Guide for CertHE Musical Theatre

Alumni Stories

“Picking Arts Ed’s foundation course was the best decision I have ever made. The training is phenomenal, and I am very privileged to have worked with the teachers and industry professionals that I did. The course really does set you up for a degree regarding building and improving your technical base within the 3 disciplines, approaching the work and understanding yourself as a performer. Even now, being on a degree course I am regularly reaching for my notebooks from my foundation year.”

Destination: Guildford School of Acting, Musical Theatre

Poppy Williams, 2022 Graduate

“I’m currently in 2nd year at ArtsEd and I absolutely loved my time on the Foundation course here. It fully prepared me for BA auditions: I went in knowing how to talk to a panel, present my sheet music and showcase myself to the best of my ability. The training is beyond outstanding, I feel so privileged to have been taught by such unique, knowledgeable, kind and professional tutors.”

Destination: ArtsEd, Musical Theatre

Maisie-Kate Robertson, 2020 Graduate

“Joining the ArtsEd Musical Theatre full-time Foundation course was the best decision I could ever have made! It is the most fun and exciting course blended with intense training led by incredibly supporting teachers. My time at ArtsEd gave me an amazing foundation for the future and I will forever be grateful for all I have learned!”

Destination: Mountview, MA Musical Theatre

Julia Fankhauser, 2021 Graduate

“I decided to do a Foundation course so I could enrich my skills, so I could enroll for BA course. And when I now go into auditions I can focus on what I actually want to deliver.”

Destination: Laine Theatre Arts, Musical Theatre

Nay-Nay, 2018 Graduate

“I really needed some help to improve in all three disciplines [Acting, Singing, Dance], and I think that ArtsEd was the best place for me to do that. It gave me so much more confidence and technique.”

Destination: ArtsEd, Musical Theatre

James Oxby, 2018 Graduate

Destinations

ArtsEd

Mountview

Bird College

GSA

Urdang Academy

Central School of Speech & Drama

Italia Conti

Trinity Laban

PPA

London School of Musical Theatre

Emil Dale Academy

Royal Scottish Conservatoire

The Brighton Academy

London College of Music

FAQs

Will the ArtsEd Foundation course give me an automatic place on the ArtsEd BA course?

No, you will still have to go through the regular audition process for the BA course – a place is not guaranteed. However, the ArtsEd Foundation course will teach you the skills that the tutors on the BA course are seeking, so it is excellent preparation for the audition.

How well does the ArtsEd Foundation course prepare students for getting onto BA courses?

In 2019, 80% of our foundation students went on to do BA courses in a variety of top drama schools including Mountview, GSA, Urdang and of course, ArtsEd.

You can find more general FAQs here.

Foundation in Musical Theatre (Part-Time)

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BA (Hons) Musical Theatre

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What’s On

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