MA Acting

Overview

The ArtsEd MA Acting course offers rigorous and intensive vocational actor training that enables you to harness your potential as a highly skilled, creative and autonomous actor.

You will be immersed in a dynamic and rigorous acting programme that is challenging and robust. Our team of experienced industry professionals will work with you to hone and develop your actor’s craft, enabling you to be prepared and resilient for the demands of the contemporary industry.

Inclusive and questioning, the course gives you techniques to work with classical and contemporary texts with imagination, truth and specificity. The course is vocational and highly practical where techniques are acquired through the year in classes, workshops and performances. Both theatre and screen acting is explored. The MA in Acting enables its graduates to have an autonomous, responsive process that is alive to the world around it, flexible to the needs of the industry, and full of the actor’s imagination and creative potential.

The MA course is based at studios at 2 Dukes Avenue in Chiswick, just a short walk from ArtsEd’s main building in 14 Bath Road. All MA students have full access to the resources in the main building, these include the library, canteen, and studio and rehearsal spaces. The latter are free to book outside of timetabled hours.

In the final term, rehearsals for the public performances take place in the rehearsal rooms at 14 Bath Road. The performances also take place there, in the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Theatre, our beautiful proscenium arch theatre run by our highly skilled in-house production team.

Applications for September 2024 open 16th October 2023. Applications close 1st March 2024. Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest news on our degrees and diplomas.

Duration 1 year (full-time)

Academic year September 2024 - July 2025

Application deadline 1st March 2024

Apply now

Course Leader: George Richmond-Scott

At a glance

Only 30 students are accepted each year
A minimum of 35 contact hours per week
Teaching delivered over three terms (35 weeks)

Term 1

Acting technique – Stanislavsky, Meisner, Michael Chekhov
Clown
Rehearsal projects – Contemporary text, Naturalism project
Movement – Laban, Chekhov, Core Strength and Flexibility, Yoga, Intimacy and Stage Combat
Voice – Release and Vocal Connection, Singing for Actors, Connecting to Text
Critical Appraisal – Developing a Reflective Practice (Essay)
Screen – Acting for Screen, Self-tape Technique
Professional Practice – Introduction to Industry Professionals

Term 2

Acting technique – Practitioners examined in Term One will be applied to Scene Studies and Acting Clinic
Rehearsal projects – Classical Text project, 20th/21st Century Iconic project
Movement – Core Physical Skills continue, Laban, Animal Studies
Voice – Vocal Presence and Projection, Singing for Actors, Dialect and Accent work
Screen – Acting for Camera
Professional Employment Skills – Audition Technique, Business Skills, sessions with industry professionals continue
Critical Appraisal – Reflection and Observation Techniques, Annotated Bibliography

Term 3

Performance – West End Showcase, Public Performance at ArtsEd
Screen – Filmed duologues
Professional Employment Skills – Professional Preparation and Development Plan
Critical Appraisal – Performing Reflection (performance)

Fees

Audition Fee	Round 1 FREE, Recall £25	(Waivers available)
Course Fee 2023-24	£16,850 p.a.
Acceptance Deposit	£350	UK / EU Students
	£2,000	Overseas Students
MA Validation fee	£148.30	(one off payment to register with City, University of London)

The deposit will be held by the School and will be refunded on completion of the course, without interest, less any outstanding sums owed by the student to ArtsEd.

Fees are subject to annual review.

Additional Costs

Accommodation and living costs – ArtsEd does not offer on-campus accommodation.
The cost of scripts/books that you might wish to purchase
Professional headshot
Spotlight entry
Visits to the theatre

Find out more about Funding & Scholarships.

How to apply

Am I Eligible?

If you are aged 21 or over, have an under-graduate degree or the equivalent professional experience you are eligible to apply for an audition. Candidates whose first language is not English must provide proof of their English proficiency by having achieved one of the following in the last two years:

ELTS overall score of 7 with a 7 in writing and no section scoring less than 6.5
TOEFL score of 100/IELTS score of 6 or equivalent

If an applicant fulfils the audition criteria, but comes from an unconventional academic background without formal qualifications, the academic requirements may be waived.

What next?

Applications for 2023 entry are now closed. Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest news on our degrees and diplomas.

Course Guide

Click here to view the full Course Guide for MA Acting

Alumni Stories

“For me the course really was a toolbox. Teachers are practitioners that give you their knowledge about specific techniques and specific ways of doing things. And then it was for us to say “Great, I embrace this, this is maybe something I’ll work on in future or maybe this isn’t quite for me. So I felt like I graduated as my own actor rather than one that had been created by the course.”

Joanna Clarke, 2018 Graduate

“MA course at ArtsEd is the huge variety of people we have on the course. We’re all from different walks of life, we all have different backgrounds, and that’s what makes it so interesting!”

Aimee Corry, 2020 Graduate

“I’m surrounded by amazing teachers and students who all have a thirst for learning and a thirst for drama. We have so much fun every day. We learn new things: from Meisner to Laban; to doing voice work; to doing breath work; to physical movement. Every day is new and every day is exciting.”

Laura Essex, 2020 Graduate

Careers

Marc Zayat (2018)

Marc recently appeared as Balthasar and cover Mercutio in Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's production of Romeo & Juliet (2021).

Jasmine Raymond (2019)

Ted Lasso – Apple TV; The Last Letter From Your Lover (StudioCanal)

Bailey Pilbeam (2018)

The Inheritance (Young Vic) ; Salome (Greenwich Theatre); Care (The Pappy Show)

Aram Armaghanian (2015)

The End of the F***ing World (Netflix / Ch.4)

Luis Torrecilla (2018)

Wonder Woman 1984 (Warner Bros)

Rameet Rauli (2013)

Find Me In Paris (Disney / Hulu); Warren (BBC); Call The Midwife (BBC)

Pete Picton (2018)

’83 (film directed by Kabir Khan) Jellyfish (film directed by James Gardner)

Mateo Oxley (2013)

The Windsors (Ch4); Angels in America (National Theatre)

Talisa Garcia (2002)

Baptiste (BBC One)

Thomas Fitzgerald (2017)

Enterprice (BBC3)

Vinay Lad (2017)

The Railway Children (Tour) nominated for Best Newcomer MEN Awards

Brandon Dodsworth (2019)

Two Gentlemen of Verona (RSC Dell)

Cameron Butterwick (2017)

Marcella (ITV) A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Young Shakespeare Company) Measure For Measure (Greenwich Theatre)

Rosie Hague (2017)

A Very British Scandal (BBC)

Davinia Hamilton (2017)

10 Steps To Murder (Discovery Channel)

Michele Belgrand (2015)

Outlander (Starz)

John Askew (2013)

Recent TV: The English Game (Netflix); Flack (CBS); The Rook (Starz) Recent Stage: Gypsy Queen (International Tour); Rita, Sue & Bob Too (Out of Joint); And Did Those Feet (Bolton Octagon); Wuthering Heights, Ladies in Lavender (Theatre Royal Windsor); Revenger’s Tragedy, Darkness Darkness (Nottingham Playhouse)

James Lawrence (2013)

The Great Gatsby (West End)

Yasen Atour (2012)

Dark Heart (ITV)

Muireann Bird (2012)

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (Warner Bros); Outlander (Starz); The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart (National Theatre Scotland)

Conor Boru (2012)

Without Remorse (Paramount Pictures); Hold The Dark (Netflix); Casualty, Doctors, EastEnders (BBC)

Peter Rose (2012)

Anthony & Cleopatra, The Tempest (The Globe)

Tom Holloway (2011)

Homeland (Fox); Doctors, EastEnders (BBC)

Luiana Bonfim (2011)

The Widow (ITV/Amazon)

Kevin Layne (2011)  

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Universal/Amblin); Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (Disney/LucasFilm); Giri/Haji (Netflix/BBC); Patrick Melrose (Sky/Showtime)

Marc Graham (2011)

Marc is a co-founder of the pioneering and multi award winning gig theatre company Middle Child.

Abeille Theatre

formed by Bettina Paris & Emma Rowbotham (2017) Their first show, Little Big Girl, was developed through Theatre N16 and premiered at Waterloo East. This show is still developing for a production in Malta and the company is also working on their next show, whilst running ongoing workshops for theatre practitioners.

Fancy Another?

A company made up of Katherine Lea, Elrik Lepercq, Ellen McLeod, Emma Nihill, Jasmine Raymond, Tina Rizzo, Rob Shaw, Anna-Rose van der Wiel (2019) Their first show, Shaping Dust, was originally developed on the MA before winning a development opportunity from the Actor’s Centre. The show has subsequently been given a run at London’s Cockpit Theatre in February 2020.

Tunji Joseph (2018)

Wrote, produced and performed in 1-man show ‘White Board – Black Pieces: Race in the West’; two very successful runs at Matthews Yard Theatre Croydon and Waterloo East Theatre

Stuart Vincent

Kite Runner UK Tour

Pathway Theatre  

formed by Kelly Long & Joanna Clarke (2017) Pathway bring exciting, bespoke, immersive productions to audiences who would otherwise be unable to access theatre. They also offer workshops and ongoing training to actors.

Sara Sioufi (2019)

Death on the Nile – (20th Century Fox)

FAQs

What’s the maximum applicant age?

There is no maximum age.

What’s the minimum applicant age?

You need to be 21 when the course commences.

Are you able to audition online or via video?

No – we need to see you in person. Exceptions may be made for those applying from overseas and an online audition might be possible. Contact ArtsEd for further details.

Do you need any specific exam results or grades to be able to apply?

No.

When do you hold MA Acting auditions and can we choose when we want to audition?

Auditions are generally held on Tuesdays or Thursdays from January to July during term time. If we offer you a date please do your best to attend. We can only reschedule under extreme circumstances such as illness or an exam commitment.

How much written work will there be on the course?

There is one essay of 2500-2750 words to be completed within the year, plus two shorter pieces of reflective writing (600-750 and 450-550 respectively).

Will I work with the BA courses at any point in the training?

No.

Am I able to work whilst studying on the MA?

The training is an intense programme that requires full attendance on each 9-hour day, Monday to Friday. Any extra employment is not recommended if you are to be able to focus on the considerable requirements that the course will make of you. We recognise that the financial burden of training and living in London can be substantial and would suggest that any employment undertaken, if essential, is considerably limited to one or two evenings per week, and one weekend day per week. Any more than this and you are going to find it very difficult to complete the course.

You can find more general FAQs here.