Establishing the foundations for connected, imaginative artists, who are employable, knowledgeable and ready to take the next step in their training journey.
Fourth Monkey’s CertHE Acting & Theatre Making is a one-year professional, vocational actor training course aimed primarily (but not exclusively) at post-A Level or equivalent students who are embarking on the very first steps in their drama school training journey.
The CertHE Acting & Theatre Making course aims to establish the foundations for fearless, connected and imaginative artists who are employable, knowledgeable and ready as both actors and theatre makers to take the next steps in professional vocational training.
The CertHE Acting & Theatre Making course offers innovative and inclusive training to empower and develop those embarking on their creative journey through experiential acting technique, movement, voice and collaborative theatre making.
The CertHE Acting & Theatre Making is validated by Falmouth University. This means that our students are able to access Student Finance to pay the fees, making Fourth Monkey training accessible and affordable to those who wish to explore life at a drama school, in advance of further vocational training at a higher level.
Training on the CertHE encourages connections between training disciplines, practices and activities within the field of performance and creation. There is no academic written work, instead students “learn by doing” in a range of professional vocational classes, workshops, performance projects and presentations using Fourth Monkey’s unique thematic training structure of ACT, MAKE, MOVE, COLLABORATE.
Below is an outline of the key features of the CertHE Acting & Theatre Making course:
• Foundation-level training for post-A Level or equivalent performers and theatre makers
• “Learn through doing” – professional vocational classes, workshops, performance projects and presentations, rather than academic written work
• Accredited by Fourth Monkey’s degree awarding partner, Falmouth University
• Access to Student Finance to pay course fees
“I loved it, found myself as an artist and person, … I’ve changed so much and I can’t stress how important that was for me.” – Simrita Khela, Fourth Monkey Alumnus 2020.
The programme leads to the award of a Level 2 Progression Diploma in Creative Media for Film and TV and to pass grades in GCSE maths and English
This is a unique and industry led London-based programme delivered by leading professional practitioners. The training also includes European and International residences to further enhance skills and industry contacts.
The aim of the MFA is to produce highly skilled, versatile and independently thinking professional actors who can confidently shape a sustainable career in the diverse and continually evolving Performing Arts industries including stage, screen and audio. It includes modules in Independent Production in recognition that today’s actor must create work as well as be in it.
The course is practical, in-depth and industry informed in its design and delivery. You will be taught throughout the two years by current professional practitioners and working directors in all the specialist training areas of voice, movement and acting for stage, screen and audio; providing you with advanced actor training, alongside rigorous academic study and performance research. Regular contact is also maintained with leading producers, directors, casting directors and agents to ensure that you emerge confident, capable and industry ready.
The course includes two international residencies. Year 1 will include a one-week, intensive training workshop with a European partner organisation. Year 2 will include a substantial training residency which last year took place in the USA, at a leading performing arts conservatory. Both these residencies will extend your understanding of specialist areas and explore creative possibilities across cultural landscapes. Please note that the travel and accommodation for these residencies will be covered at your own expense. We will give you an estimation of the costs as soon as possible at the start of the course but please make sure you budget for this.
Our full-time courses are vocational and practical. We will guide you through Spotlight and Equity membership and provide an industry career launch to present you to professional agents and casting directors. You will leave the MFA with a professionally shot filmed scenes a voice clips. You will be given the opportunity to showcase your talent in events for the public, agents and casting directors, as well as emerging with your own fully realised production that is ready for touring, viewing or listening.
The MFA is validated and awarded by the University of West London which prides itself as the Career University. Drama Studio London is also accredited by the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT), a governing body which accredits excellent professional training in the leading drama schools. It is an integral member of the Federation of Drama Schools (FDS), an organisation dedicated to good practice in conservatoire training.
The YAFTA Acting for Screen Diploma is an 18-month, blended learning course. The diploma has been designed for those with little or no experience of screen acting who wish to undertake intensive training to equip them with the necessary tools and experience to progress from beginner to professional screen actor within 18 months. Students will have the unique opportunity to work directly with TV directors who are looking to help YAFTA students secure their first TV role.
YAFTA’s 18 month diploma course is a Spotlight accredited programme. This means that upon successful completion of this course, you will be eligible to join Spotlight.
Our MA Musical Theatre Creatives is an individually-tailored MA for anyone interested in creating new musical theatre and a professional career as a creative in the industries, whether as a composer, writer, choreographer, lyricist or something that has yet to be defined.
This unique course focuses on students' particular needs to develop their skills in their field (composition, dance and dramaturgy etc), whilst simultaneously generating work as a collective with other creatives across the MAs.
Working with leading institutions from across the North and with practitioners that include composers, lyricists, and book-writers (the creative team of a musical), students will leave the course with a portfolio of work to take into the industry, to peers to build a creative team with, and leave with a unique artistic voice to shape the theatre of tomorrow.
Our MA in Musical Direction is designed to fully-prepare highly-skilled musicians to embark upon a career as a musical director. With tailored one-to-one classes, students will hone their musicianship and be exposed to a wide-range of working practices, working alongside key practitioners, companies and industry professionals from across the region.
This MA encourages students to interrogate the role of the musical director and redefine it for themselves, through the continued collaborative, student-led development of new work across the year.
With collaboration and individual artistry at the heart of all of our Theatre MAs, students will leave this course not only fully equipped to adapt to the changing face of theatre, but also with the skill set and tenacity required to drive that change.
Our MA in Dramaturgy focuses on the development of new work and individual artistry through collaborative practice.
Whether as a practitioner shaping theatre though storytelling, dance or music, or as a dramaturg in a literary department dissecting text, students will be introduced to a multitude of ways of creating new theatre.
Working with leading practitioners and institutions from across the North, students will learn the key components of storytelling, character and structure.
‘Dramaturgy’ has several definitions, due to the ever-evolving nature of how theatre is created. Students will explore them all and be encouraged to define it for themselves, leaving this MA not only with a comprehensive understanding of how things have been done, but a vision for how they want to do things in the future.
Join us for a 10-week term of Saturday Youth Theatre COMPLETELY FREE. We have received funding to provide many more bursary places for our upcoming year of Youth Theatre. We would love to have you join us!
Do you work in arts management and want to take your career to a new level? Designed to fit around your existing work commitments, this practical and relevant PgCert offers a flexible, part-time way to develop your professional skills and knowledge.
Funding, recruitment, sustainability, leadership, international development – there are many burning issues affecting the management of arts organisations and festivals today. As a professional in the field, what is your best way to engage with them? How can you guide an arts organisation into a successful future in such uncertain times? This course offers a blend of practical project work and theoretical study that will deepen your understanding of modern arts management and equip you with some very useful contemporary skills.
If you’re interested in studying business but also have a passion for music, then our Music Business course is an ideal way of actively combining your interests. Whether you’re interested in promotion and branding, artist or events management, or copyright and the law, this course will prepare you for the modern music industry.
Our Music Business degree is designed for entrepreneurs who are serious about getting their ideas off the ground. Your business plan is at the heart of the curriculum and we support you to generate your own work. Many of our students go on to graduate with their own fully-functioning business in addition to their degree.
Our students progress into the industry, employed in a wide range of roles from marketing to artist management, PR to publishing.
You’ll spend time with industry professionals and experts who will mentor you on a one to one basis throughout your studies. You will learn how to raise funds, develop strategic plans, build confidence, manage tours, create merchandise, network and engage with decision-makers. Our business hub provides a dedicated space for developing your ideas, networking and meeting your clients.
With a wealth of musical talent around you, you will easily find acts with commercial viability to work. You’ll coordinate musicians, producers and composers for your independent projects. In your second and third year you will have the opportunity to launch your own label with your course peers, offering guidance to student artists on copyright, promotion, marketing, legal affairs and distribution. You will be able to develop your own independent enterprise project in the final year.
This course has been designed with global scope and benchmarked against institutions in the USA and Europe. Our connections with other European conservatoires have provided collaborative opportunities for our students and a number of our students are involved in professional international projects.
