Design for Performance at Rose Bruford College

Course Summary

This course is for designers, artists and makers who wish to explore performance making through the lens of design. It is an interdisciplinary course and is routed in the concept of the thinking practitioner and is multi-disciplinary in nature.

Design is at the core of the course, the concepts of design are then applied through the module teaching and learning strategies to a variety of contexts, primarily: lighting, set, costume, digital content, virtual technologies and visual design for public spaces. The course delivery will ensure a broad foundation across all areas in its early stages, whilst providing the opportunity for an increased focus for students on one or more of the areas as they progress. This approach will ensure graduates are fully rounded practitioners, able to contribute effectively to the world of work on graduation.

The course offers a flexible approach to crafting your own creative pathway and students are encouraged to shape their specialisms, with the ability to graduate as multidisciplinary practitioners. This course provides the understanding and skills you need to pursue a career in theatre, performance, dance, live art, digital performance, immersive experience, event design, art direction, games design, film and moving image.

The teaching team and our students come from a wide range of personal and professional backgrounds. As a course we are committed to diversity and celebrate difference. We encourage creative risk-taking by providing a safe, supportive and acceptive environment in which unique individuals and collaborative processes can flourish and thrive.

Rose Bruford XR Stage

Why choose this course?

Innovative practices

Collaborating across theatre, film, immersive and virtual environments and live art, you will work in contexts where practices overlap in unpredictable ways opening the possibilities for you to create ground-breaking work.

Live projects and Industry Placements

Projects and placements with external organisations, as well as in-house productions will allow you to create work in professional environments.

Transferrable skills

The experience you will gain will lead you to work in all areas of performance-associated industries including theatre, film, immersive experience, gaming, performance events and live art.

World class facilities

Professionally equipped design studios, lighting labs, Virtual Production stage, specialist Motion Capture, virtual reality, green screen technologies.

Choose your pathway

Focus on your chosen area/areas in second and third year: set, costume, lighting, digital content, extended realities or visual design for public spaces.

Rose Bruford College Learn Design for Performance Feb 2023

Course breakdown

Year 1

During your first year you will collaborate and work across contexts, which will prepare you to move on to a more focused negotiated pathway in Year 2 and Year 3.

During Year 1 concepts and skills will be introduced to all students in order to build the foundations required by the sector and help them identify their preferred focus. You will have regular tutorials to support your development and help inform your choices.

The programme is designed to be broad-based and flexible, so that as a student and as a graduate you will be able to apply your abilities to a diverse range of situations and requirements.

Year 2

During your second year you will be able to increase your focus on your chosen pathway: set, costume, lighting, digital content, virtual technologies or visual design for public spaces.

You will continue developing the values and design principles introduced in Year 1 and allow you to develop your skills and practice in a more focused specialist direction.

In your second year you will undertake industry placements and take on roles within realised productions at Rose Bruford College. Towards the end of Year 2, you develop a proposal for your independent research project (IRP) which is to be completed during Year 3.

Year 3

In your third year you further develop your own specialist practice and complete an independent research project.

You will complete a range of creative projects that include at least one individual project and one collaborative project. You will continue working on live projects and will be able to undertake further industry placements.

At this level you will consolidate the personal and professional development journey started at during Year 1 into a fully developed business and career plan.

Your future career

XR Stage at Rose Bruford College

We aim to put you in front of and amongst the profession. This includes the opportunity to network and undertake a placement, as well as introducing your work to the industry at our graduate exhibition in London.

Alumni success

Andy Sinclair Harris

Concept Designer at Walt Disney Imagineering, Hong Kong

Charlie Morgan Jones

Wagner Ring Cycle; Avenue Q; Derren Brown: Underground; London Fashion Week; Eden Project - Rainforest at Christmas

Jessica Hung Han Yun

Lighting Designer: Royal Court; Lyric Hammersmith; Sheffield Crucible; Manchester Royal Exchange; Donmar Warehouse; Edinburgh Festival

Miyu Matsumoto

Motion Capture Technical Artist at Target 3D

Nell Rose

Costume Designer and Maker: Lara Jensen Studio; Madame Tussauds; recipient of BAFTA scholarship.

Shevokie Allen

Senior Lighting Designer, Arup

Valeriya Voronkina

Set and Costume Designer: Museum of the Home; Little Angel Theatre; Polka Theatre

Careers options

Graduating from this course you will have a career as:

  • Performance designer
  • Art director
  • Artist
  • Immersive experience designer
  • Video designer
  • Lighting designer
  • Game designer

Student testimonials

From the end of my second year I started securing paid work. I designed my first professional show at Park Theatre, working with a musical theatre director I met during my placement. From then on I’ve designed shows at Little Angel Theatre, The Museum of the Home, Theatre by The Lake, toured as a stage manager with shows by Spymonkey and did an artist residency in Indonesia. The work I did before graduating allowed me to land a Global Talent Visa and now I continue working freelance, often collaborating with colleagues I met during my placement at uni.
Valeriya Voronkina
Design for Theatre and Performance BA (Hons) / Design for Performance BA (Hons) 2023
The fact that Rose Bruford let me use the motion capture equipment and other software on campus makes me even more creative and it’s just so much fun.

Not many universities own the expensive equipment that Rose Bruford has! Also, my course is small, which gave me more opportunities and freedom to explore those technologies.
Miyu Matsumoto
Virtual Theatre and Digital Experiences BA (Hons) / Design for Performance BA (Hons) 2023
Being part of the vibrant theatre community at Rose Bruford College, I've had the chance to explore a wide range of genres, learning from my missteps and embracing my own unique ideas.

This journey has not only prepared me for a career in the industry but has also allowed me to confidently bring my fresh and innovative concepts to life in the world of performing arts.
Gulika Nagpal
Lighting Design BA (Hons)/ Design for Performance BA (Hons) 2023

Meet the staff

Dr Marina Hadjilouca

Programme Director Design for Performance

Read their profile
Enrique Munoz Jimenez Rose Bruford College Lecturer in Visual Productions and Creative Technologies
Enrique Munoz Jimenez

Subject Leader in Visual Production

Read their profile
Rose Bruford College Lighting Design Subject leader Ben Ratcliffe
Ben Ratcliffe

Subject Leader Lighting Design

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How to join

UK/Republic of Ireland and international applicants

Applications are now open for September 2025.

UCAS application deadline is 29th January 2025.

Institution code: R51

Course code: W461

UCAS Points

64 UCAS points*

This is equivalent to:

  • Two C’s at ‘A’ level/AVCE,
  • A Pass in a single AVCE Double Award at Grade C or above
  • One Merit and two Passes at BTEC (QCF) National Diploma or equivalent,
  • One Pass (D or E on the core) at T level or equivalent.
  • Successful completion of the Access to HE Diploma in Production Arts
*We offer places based upon your future potential. We may offer you a place based on lower UCAS points than shown here, or an offer that is not linked to UCAS points if we have evidence of your potential from your application, portfolio and interview.

Portfolio

Our Portfolio page gives an overview of what we will ask you to provide once we receive your application.

Portfolio

Course Summary

Duration

3 years

Mode of study

Full time

Start date

September 2025

Course Type

Undergraduate Course

Course Fees (2025 Entry)

UK/Republic of Ireland students (Fee per year)

£9535

International students (Fee per year)

£22800

Funding and Support Additional Costs

So, ready?