Two Foundation degrees in the Performing Arts
LEAD ORGANISATION
PROJECT SUMMARY
Progress South Central contributed funding to support the development of two new Foundation degrees at Amersham & Wycombe College, as part of a wider reworking of Level 4/5 provision at the College and specifically the replacement of HNDs with Foundation degrees. The HND courses offered formerly all required reworking to take into consideration changes both in educational practice and in the evolving employment world. The rationale for Progress South Central's decision to fund this curriculum development was a desire to support employer engagement and the reworking of curriculum based on employer needs.
The new Foundation degrees in Acting for New Media and in Musical Theatre were developed by the School of Higher Education Performing Arts at Amersham & Wycombe College and validated by Bucks New University. Developmental activity took place from September 2007 to April 2008 and the new Foundation degree was validated in June 2008.
The wider refocusing of the School's Performing Arts provision stemmed in part from the need to develop a more vocational training ground for hopeful future performers. Extensive consultation across the industry took place to ensure that the new programme would meet this criterion. The philosophy behind the new course development was to deliver relevant industry-focused training in a practical vocational area that would allow students to enter the profession (opportunities permitting) at the end of their studies, while at the same time allowing them to develop sufficient academic knowledge and skill to progress to Honours degree study should they wish it.
There was significant employer engagement in the development of these Foundation degrees. Among the industry professionals who made contributions that informed the development were the Independent Theatre Commission, the National Film & Television School, Equity, the Society of London Theatre and the Theatrical Management Association, as well as several notable individuals in the musical theatre world.
IMPACT
Both Foundation degrees were successfully validated in 2008 and recruited their first cohorts for the 2008-09 academic year. 13 students enrolled on the first cohort of the Foundation degree in Acting for New Media, 10 of whom progressed to their second year in 2009-10. 25 students enrolled as part of the Fd Musical Theatre's first cohort in 2008-09, all of whom progressed to their second year in 2009-10 with two additional students transferring internally onto the course from other courses at Amersham & Wycombe College. Around 5 of the cohort were internal progressions from within the College, from for example the Level 3 National Diploma in Performing Arts, while the majority of the cohort entered the Foundation degree from outside the College.
The BA (Hons) Musical Theatre offered at Amersham & Wycombe College is the expected progression route for those students who wish to progress further, although the BA is also expected to attract external applicants.
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