MFA Acting

20 Months On Campus Masters Program

University of Essex

Program Overview

The MFA Acting (International) at University of Essex (East 15) is an intensive, conservatoire‑style professional training programme designed for international students who want to train as stage and screen actors in a leading UK drama school. Over 20 months of full‑time study, the course combines advanced acting techniques, voice and movement training, and real public performances — preparing you to work confidently in theatre, film, television or other performance media.

Curriculum structure:

Year 1
In the first year, roughly half your week is devoted to Acting classes, while the rest is spent on voice, articulation, movement and, where relevant, singing classes — all built around whatever performance project you are working on.
Core modules include Advanced Acting Technique, where you study major European acting approaches such as text‑based methods (e.g. Stanislavski) and movement/body training (e.g. Laban), including voice & singing, physicality and performance readiness.
Another core module is Character and Scene Work, focusing on a research‑based naturalistic approach to acting: developing characters through text analysis, studying dramatic works in their cultural context, and rehearsing scenes — often leading to internal performances.
You also study both Classical Texts (Shakespeare) — including a module just for Renaissance text, verse, voice and rhythm — and Contemporary Texts, working with 20th‑century and modern drama, exploring improvisation, devised performance and contemporary acting styles.
Year 2
In the second year, your training shifts toward ensemble‑based productions: you’ll perform in fully staged plays, working with professional theatre directors and designers. Modules like Theatre Performance 1 / 2 / 3 cover a range of styles — from realist, naturalistic texts to stylised or non‑naturalistic works, and contemporary scripts (1980‑present) — giving you a broad acting and repertory experience.
You also take Film, Radio & Voiceover classes — focusing on acting for camera and microphone, showreel and voice‑reel creation to build a professional portfolio for screen and voice acting.
In addition, there is a strong Professional Preparation component: workshops on audition techniques, self‑tape creation, self-promotion, branding, possibly even guidance on starting your own company — all aimed at readying you for the acting industry after graduation.

Focus areas: Advanced acting technique; voice, movement & physical training; classical and contemporary theatre; stage performance; screen acting & voiceover; showreel/portfolio development; professional industry preparation; acting across mediums (theatre, film, radio).

Learning outcomes: By the end of the programme you should be able to perform confidently in theatre and screen contexts, interpret and embody diverse texts from classical to modern, adapt your skills across stage and camera, build a professional showreel/voice‑reel, and navigate auditioning and self‑promotion — effectively launching you as a self‑sufficient actor ready for international industry work.

Professional alignment (accreditation/industry relevance): East 15 Acting School is one of the UK’s longest established acting conservatoires, with over 60 years of training heritage — combining classical training with contemporary industry practices. The course is deliberately tailored for international students, with performances and showreels designed to showcase your work to UK and global casting directors and employers.

Reputation (employability & outcomes): Graduates have gone on to work in theatre, film, TV, voiceover, and performance media globally; some have formed their own theatre companies, others work in different entertainment industries internationally. The course’s public productions and industry‑oriented training offer strong launch pads for acting careers.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

When you join the MFA, you’ll train intensively in acting, movement, voice, and performance — rehearsing regularly, performing in real productions, working with professional directors/designers, and building your own showreel/voice‑reel. You’ll have access to well‑equipped rehearsal studios, theatres, performance spaces, and production facilities — essentially the same kind of spaces used in the professional performing arts industry.

Here’s how that experiential learning unfolds in concrete terms:

Comprehensive training in acting, movement, voice and performance technique: The course offers acting classes, movement training (drawing from Laban, Feldenkrais, Somatic and Grotowski techniques), voice production and articulation, singing, and even optional stage‑combat training — giving you physical, vocal, and technical versatility.
Work on diverse texts and styles — from classical to contemporary: You’ll study naturalistic and contemporary texts, verse (including Shakespeare), and explore different dramatic styles — through text‑analysis, improvisation and rehearsals — which helps build range and depth as a performer.
Real productions: public, professionally supported shows at multiple venues: Students perform in fully staged, ticketed productions — some in the school’s own theatre, others in central London venues — directed and designed by industry professionals. This gives real‑world performance experience and exposure to audiences and industry.
Specialised training: classical theatre & professional‑level Shakespeare work: The programme includes an intensive Shakespeare module culminating in a residency at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre — you rehearse and perform on the Globe stage with expert directors and stage‑practitioners. That’s a rare, high‑calibre opportunity for any actor.
On‑camera and voice‑recording skills, showreels & voice‑reels: As part of the second year, you’ll do “Acting for Camera and Microphone” classes, record a professional showreel and voice‑reel, and get ready for screen or voiceover work — which is essential if you want to branch beyond stage acting.
Writing and self‑devised projects, solo performance development: The course includes writing workshops and opportunities to create your own solo theatre pieces — useful if you want to develop original work, devise plays, or build a personal creative voice.
Professional preparation & industry exposure: You’ll get sessions on audition technique, self‑taping (very important for modern casting), self-promotion, branding, and even guidance on launching your own company — addressing real-world demands of the acting profession.
Dedicated campus and performance facilities: Training takes place at the Loughton campus, which includes rehearsal rooms, sound‑recording and video‑editing suites, costume and prop workshops, a fully equipped theatre (the Corbett Theatre), a black‑box studio, and other production infrastructure — giving you a full performing/production environment.