Theatre, Festival and Event Production (Professional Placement Year) BA (Hons)

Bath Spa University

Train in all aspects of traditional, digital and contemporary techniques with our vibrant, future-focused, hands-on production degree.

• Explore all creative aspects of production, including costume, stage design, lighting, sound, video and more.
• Learn backstage management and production skills from highly experienced practitioners.
• Work with professional directors as a member of Bath Spa Productions, our public-facing theatre and events company.

This Theatre, Festival and Event Production degree is a vocational training programme aimed at enthusiastic and imaginative individuals who want to maximise their creative potential, and who are interested in working on a wide range of productions in different venues, settings and locations. Our focus is to train highly motivated, multi-skilled, freethinking individuals to prepare you for the challenges of working within the creative production industries.

You’ll train in all aspects of production, including costume, stage design, lighting, prop-making, scenic art, set construction, live and recorded sound and video, as well as stage and production management.

This degree is unique in its structure, encouraging you to map your own progression and career path through a choice of subjects, experimentation, skills practice and personal development. You’ll receive comprehensive training in all areas of production across a wide range of creative disciplines, and in your second and third years you'll have the opportunity to work as part of Bath Spa Productions, the University's theatre and events company.

To complement your hands-on training in traditional production techniques, you’ll also learn new technologies including 3D design, capture and projection mapping software.

You’ll be taught by highly knowledgeable professionals with extensive industry experience and connections. You’ll work directly with our regional and national partners including Theatre Royal Bath, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Bristol Old Vic, The National Theatre, Bay Productions, Oxford Playhouse, Bath Festivals and Cardiff Theatrical Services.

More about the Professional Placement Year

A Professional Placement Year (PPY), traditionally known as a sandwich year, is where you undertake a period of work with an external organisation for between 9-13 months. The placement occurs between your second and final years of undergraduate study. You can engage in up to 3 placements to make up the total time and are required to source the placement(s) yourself, with support from the Careers team.