Hello, and welcome to Sheffield Hallam University! My name is Tom Payne and I'm the Course Leader for the BA (hons) Acting and Performance.
It's not long since we said a fond farewell to students who have been with us since September 2017, and now we're busy finalising preparations for the coming academic year. As one year group departs, a new cohort of students are set to arrive. I'm really looking forward to meeting all of our new Level 4 recruits as they begin their journey on the recently designed BA (hons) Acting and Performance: an industry facing degree that places 'acting', 'performing', and 'change making' at its core.
The University's mission is simple: it aims to transform lives. And this is something that we take very seriously as a course team, not only by shaping our students' futures and preparing them for life after graduation, but also by creating knowledge through research and industry partnerships that provide practical solutions to some of the world's greatest challenges.
In the first year of the degree students can expect to learn acting and technical skills in audio, screen, and ensemble performance. They will also engage with industry partners, with the aim of responding to commissions that have real world value and impact. And they will begin the process of developing a professional portfolio that they will be encouraged to populate over the course of the degree, in preparation for graduation and whatever awaits them on their journey after their time with us.
In the final year of their degree, they will take part in Change Makers festival, a new, outward facing showcase event that our new Level 5s have been busy developing in the last academic year in partnership with Theatre Deli. Change Makers festival will provide a platform for our students to present innovative new work, some of which will engage with issues of social justice and creative ways of making change through theatre and performance.
While much teaching will be online, we've got some exciting face-to-face practical work planned too. We're also keen to use digital methods to ensure that there are social opportunities for students from across the year groups to meet up online. With this in mind, our Level 6 students are busy organising a regular 'scratch night', where there will be an opportunity to get involved and share short, fun, informal, work-in-progress performances. The first of these will be online on the first Wednesday in October (that’s the 7th), and then others will follow on the first Wednesday in November and December. The organising team will be announcing details soon, so watch out for that!
The course team (myself, Henry, Neil, Kate, Sophie, Dani, and Hayley) are really looking forward to getting to know you. You can find out a bit more about us here. We're keen that you settle in quickly and comfortably, and to help with that, you will be allocated an Academic Advisor. These will be Dani and Neil, and there will be an opportunity to meet them online in induction week.
Our website features lots of information about the course, so if you're joining us this September, I encourage you to take time to have a look. There are lots of photos and videos of the work that we have made in the past in the 'projects' section, see here.
In the meantime, feel free to join me on this online community where you can take part in the course conversation. Create an account, set up a profile and say hello! Follow the link top right.
See you at Induction!
Tom
(Course Leader, BA Acting & Performance)
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