Please note that this degree is now closed for 2025 entry.
Key information
Duration: 3 years full time or 6 years part time
UCAS code: W450
Institution code: R72
Campus: Egham
The course
Performing and Digital Arts (BA)
The BA Performing and Digital Arts at Royal Holloway offers you a truly interdisciplinary experience to explore your passions and interests across our departments of Drama, Theatre and Dance, Media Arts and Music.
Taking full advantage of the breadth of both the practical and theoretical expertise of our academic staff, you’ll be able to tailor a journey through the course that is unique to you and fits with your special interests and ambitions. From learning about sound design in video games, to exploring the world of theatre and acting for camera, from coding for the arts and digital storytelling to discovering world music – there are a wealth of opportunities open to you to explore the Arts with us.
As part of your studies you’ll also have the opportunity to make use of the outstanding facilities we have on offer across the different departments, including our Media Arts computer labs, our professional-grade composition studios and our Caryl Churchill Theatre which is a fully flexible learning and performance space which seats over 150.
- Embark on an interdisciplinary exploration of Drama, Music, and Media Arts.
- Industry-focused 2nd year module to prepare you to take your skills to the workplace.
- Enjoy a flexible curriculum where you make your own path.
- Ability to specialise within one Department if you wish to.
- Your choice of an interdisciplinary written or creative dissertation in your final year.
From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience, and this is particularly the case as we continue to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as we can.
From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
Teaching & assessment
Students will take a range of different modules from across the departments of Drama, Music, and Media Arts. You will be taught in a range of different styles, including seminars, workshops, tutorials, lectures, and individual supervision. The assessments across the degree modules vary and include essays, presentations, performances, practical projects, and open-book exams. In the final year, you will complete either a written or creative dissertation. You’ll also be allocated a personal tutor from one of the departments to guide you through your course.
Entry requirements
A Levels: ABB-BBB
Required subjects:
- At least five GCSEs at grade A*-C or 9-4 including English and Maths.
Where an applicant is taking the EPQ alongside A-levels, the EPQ will be taken into consideration and result in lower A-level grades being required. For students who are from backgrounds or personal circumstances that mean they are generally less likely to go to university, you may be eligible for an alternative lower offer. Follow the link to learn more about our contextual offers.
T-levels
We accept T-levels for admission to our undergraduate courses, with the following grades regarded as equivalent to our standard A-level requirements:
- AAA* – Distinction (A* on the core and distinction in the occupational specialism)
- AAA – Distinction
- BBB – Merit
- CCC – Pass (C or above on the core)
- DDD – Pass (D or E on the core)
Where a course specifies subject-specific requirements at A-level, T-level applicants are likely to be asked to offer this A-level alongside their T-level studies.
English language requirements
All teaching at Royal Holloway (apart from some language courses) is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.
The scores we require
- IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
- Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
- Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
Country-specific requirements
For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please visit here.
Undergraduate preparation programme
For international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements, for this undergraduate degree, the Royal Holloway International Study Centre offers an International Foundation Year programme designed to develop your academic and English language skills.
Upon successful completion, you can progress to this degree at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Your future career
The skills needed to excel in the creative and cultural industries are becoming more interdisciplinary in nature. Performers, musicians, technicians, and directors are all collaborating in a much more fluid way, which necessitates understandings of each other’s practices as well as digital, collaborative, and critical thinking skills.
The Second Year compulsory module “Arts and Cultural Industry” cultivates these skills in an interdisciplinary framework and investigates career pathways. As a student on BA Performing and Digital Arts, you will also be encouraged to take a Year in Industry to grow your real-world skills of the workplace and put your learnings from your course into practice.
Fees, funding & scholarships
Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £9,250
EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £25,900
Other essential costs***: There are no single associated costs with studying this course greater than £50 per item. It is a requirement to purchase a pair of safety boots in the first year, for which a range of cost options are available. Ticket costs for mandatory theatre trips are capped at £10.
How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students who have already taken out a tuition fee loan for undergraduate study should check their eligibility for additional funding directly with the relevant awards body.
*The tuition fee for UK undergraduates is controlled by Government regulations. The fee for the academic year 2024/25 is £9,250 and is provided here as a guide. The fee for UK undergraduates starting in 2025/26 has not yet been set, but will be advertised here once confirmed.
**This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2025/26.
Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually for overseas fee-paying students. The increase for continuing students who start their degree in 2025/26 will be 5%. For further information see fees and funding and the terms and conditions.
*** These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2025/26 academic year and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included.
