What you'll study

Rose Bruford College was the first institution in Europe to offer a degree in Lighting Design, and we’re excited to relaunch this innovative course. Through hands-on experience and creative exploration, this programme equips you with the skills needed to design and work with light across a variety of contexts. You’ll collaborate with a range of industry professionals, learning the techniques and technologies shaping the future of lighting design.

This practical course focuses on the current uses and applications of light, encouraging you to consider its role in live performance and beyond. You’ll develop transferable design skills for a range of industries, including music, film, television, opera, architectural settings, and installation art.

This information is subject to validation approval and the final course outline may be slightly amended.

Why choose this course?

Career-focussed

This course is designed for those eager to develop their own lighting design style and pursue a career across creative industries. Our graduates have gone on to work in diverse fields such as live music, dance, opera, film, corporate events, and architectural installations.

Learn from world-class professionals

You'll have the chance to work with and learn from leading designers, gaining valuable insights into their creative processes. Recent visiting experts have included Willie Williams (Visual Designer for U2, David Bowie, Complicité) and Andi Watson (Lighting Designer for Radiohead)

Professional experience and networking

Benefit from practice-based learning, including work placements with UK and international industry partners. In your final year, you'll have the opportunity to work on individual or collaborative projects, building your portfolio and professional network.

State-of-the-art facilities

Train on professional-grade equipment and technologies, including lighting consoles, projection systems and computer-aided design tools.

Creative Lighting Control at Rose Bruford College

Course breakdown

The course is structured to build your knowledge and skills progressively, preparing you for professional practice. Course content is regularly updated to reflect industry needs.

Year 1

In your first year, you’ll begin developing foundational technical, practical and creative skills as a lighting specialist. Through hands-on projects and simulated professional environments, you’ll explore the core concepts of lighting design. By the end of the year, you’ll be able to:

  • Identify key principles and concepts of lighting design
  • Demonstrate knowledge of lighting and visual media technologies
  • Employ fundamental techniques and practices
  • Develop transferable skills suitable for future employment

Modules include:

  • Essential Lighting
  • Essential Production Skills
  • Essential Video
  • Shared Module

Year 2

Your second year focuses on refining your skills and applying them in more complex professional contexts. You’ll take on roles in live production and develop a deeper understanding of the creative industries. The modules covered include:

  • Advanced Lighting Design

Build on your skills, advancing to a professional standard through practical and theoretical work.

  • Live Events

Explore the theories and practices of live event production. You’ll learn to design and implement lighting systems in new and challenging performance spaces.

  • Production Process

Take on the role of Lighting Designer in a college production, developing your creative and technical abilities.

  • The Sustainable Practitioner

Learn sustainable practices for lighting design and understand the environmental impacts of your work.

Year 3

In your final year you’ll work independently, preparing to transition from study to professional practice. You’ll undertake placements or projects tailored to your chosen career path, gaining real-world experience and developing industry-ready skills. The modules covered include:

  • Vocational Practice

Analyse the techniques and processes of professional lighting designers while undertaking projects or industry placements.

  • Professional Preparation and Practice

Examine the industry sector you aim to join, gaining insights into employment pathways of self-employment strategies.

  • Independent Research Project

Conduct a major piece of research or a creative project, showcasing your expertise and personal interests.

Teaching and assessment methods

Throughout the course, your learning will combine scheduled teaching, practical projects, and independent study.

  • Year 1: Approximately 320 hours of taught sessions and 880 hours of independent work.
  • Year 2: Around 180 hours of taught sessions and 1,020 hours of independent work.
  • Year 3: Around 60 hours of taught sessions and 1,140 hours of independent work.

Assessment methods include coursework, presentations, assessed tutorials and portfolios.

Get a flavour

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Your future career

Creative Lighting Control 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

Tom Young

Lighting, Strictly Come Dancing; Lighting programmer 2014 Common Wealth Games ceremonies

Luke J Collins

Video Content Programmer and Operator, Eurovision

Matthew Kemp, Andrew Bruce and Joe Lott

Established the company Quantum Creatives, Touring artists (incl The Vamps, Jorja Smith, Good Charlotte, Reading Festival); Theatre (regional tours and shows at venues like Dominion and The Albion)

Careers options

Studying an Arts related subject gives you a wide range of skills that can be put to use in many careers. Recent graduates have gone on to become:

  • Lighting/video programmers for live events, theatre, tv & film
  • Lighting and video designers
  • Programmers and software developers
  • Technical managers
  • Information technology and telecommunications professionals
  • Planning, process and production technicians
  • Freelance and Creative start-ups

Student testimonials

My work is about creativity and showing individuality in lighting. Being able to portray passion and emotion through one technical element is important and it's what I aim to achieve. I've made some friends for life and studying in a way of putting on shows has been incredible. Getting to see all the elements come together to create a show is something I will always appreciate!
Ella Welch
Creative Lighting Control BA (Hons) 2023
During my course at RBC I have learnt many new skills and built on existing ones. My eyes have been opened to another side to lighting control, particularly system control for live events and theatre. I have had the opportunity to work on some great projects during the last three years and cannot wait to work on more in the future.
Sam Blackmore
Creative Lighting Control BA (Hons) 2022

Meet the staff

Sofia Alexiadou

Subject Leader in Creative Lighting Control and Lighting Design

Read their profile

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: W4W2

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

So, ready?