Take your career to the next level with Italia Conti’s BA (Hons) Professional Arts Practice (Top-Up), validated by The University of Chichester.
Designed for performers and creatives looking to refine their craft, this fully online, industry-leading Programme offers a unique opportunity to reflect on your journey, explore new possibilities, and develop the professional skills needed to shape your future in the performing arts.
The Italia Conti BA (Hons) Professional Arts Practice (Top-Up) is a bespoke professional development experience, equipping you with the skills, insights, and resources to build a successful and sustainable career in the industry.
You’ll gain essential research and analytical skills, alongside critical reflection techniques that will help you take ownership of your career trajectory. Tailored to your specialism, this Programme helps you identify new pathways, whether you are advancing in your current field, or pivoting in a new direction.
With a deep dive into your industry sector, you’ll have the chance to implement change immediately within your practice while developing tangible assets to enhance your visibility and professional brand. Whether you want to curate a standout portfolio, embark on practice-led research, or craft a compelling dissertation, this programme is designed around your career ambitions.
This Programme is ideal for those who have completed a Level 6 Trinity Diploma or equivalent Level 5 qualification, as well as industry professionals looking to return to education. With flexible, real-world application, it’s the perfect next step for performers and creatives ready to push their careers forward. If you have further questions, please contact the Programme Leader: Jenny.Coyle@italiaconti.co.uk or apply
This module deepens your understanding of reflective practice and its impact on your development as a performer or creative professional. You’ll explore key models of reflection and learn how to embed reflective thinking into your artistic process, culminating in a short literature review.
You’ll apply these concepts to your own experiences, critically assessing your skills, strengths, and areas for growth in a written essay.
To complete the module, you’ll create a video presentation outlining your career trajectory, identifying your aspirations within the performing arts or creative industries, and mapping out your next steps.
This module is all about opportunity, strategy, and action. You’ll research and analyse your specialist area, exploring the various career pathways available to you. Whether you’re refining your skills, pivoting into a new creative direction, or even launching your own business, this module helps you develop a strategic approach to your career.
You’ll present your findings as a pitch or presentation, outlining a concrete plan for your professional development.
To complete the module, you’ll create a detailed Action Plan: a practical roadmap that can support you in securing employment, building professional opportunities, or pursuing further study.
This module allows you to tailor your learning to your specific career goals by choosing one of three pathways:
Professional Practice Portfolio
Build a comprehensive, industry-ready portfolio showcasing your work, designed to enhance your professional brand and visibility in your area of industry. Depending on your field, this could include (but is not limited to): showreels, voice reels, self-tapes, promotional videos, brochures, website content, business plans, cash flow projections, social media marketing materials, and short research essays.
This option is ideal for those looking to promote themselves as performers, creatives, or entrepreneurs and develop professional materials for their next steps.
Practice Research Project
Engage in a practical, exploratory project, testing and expanding your creative practice through hands-on research. Your findings will be presented as a filmed performance, accompanied by a written commentary detailing your process. This option is ideal for those who want to experiment, push boundaries, or explore new creative methodologies. For example, a dancer might investigate improvisational techniques, or a director might test a new approach to devised theatre, a playwright might experiment with a new piece of work through a rehearsed reading.
Written Dissertation
Conduct a deep-dive research project within the performing arts or creative industries. Your dissertation could focus on:
This option is ideal for those who enjoy academic research and want to critically engage with their field, producing a full written dissertation as a result.
Tuition Fees | Fees are £9790 per academic year, (paid in advanced termly instalments).
Student Finance | Student finance is available, which includes access to a Tuition Fee Loan and a Student Maintenance Loan.
Deposit | A deposit of £150 is required to hold and accept a place on the programme.
Programme Deposit Waivers are available.
An outline of associated programme costs and more Info on Fees Waivers are available on the Fees and Funding page
International Student fees are £13,449 per academic year, (paid in advanced termly instalments).
A deposit of £150 is required to hold and accept a place on the programme.
Programme Deposit Waivers are available.
An outline of associated programme costs and more Info on Fees Waivers are available on the Fees and Funding page
Applications are made directly to Italia Conti and do not require a UCAS application.
Applicants should have completed Italia Conti’s application form by 01 August in the year of application, in order to be considered for an interview for the September intake, i.e. 01 August 2026 for September 2026 entry.
Late applications may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants should have completed Italia Conti’s application form by the 10 December in the year of application in order to be considered for an interview for January intake, i.e. 10 December 2026 for January 2027 entry.
Late applications may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
After completing the application process, applicants will be invited to attend an online interview with members of the Programme management team. Please be prepared to discuss your:
Applicants can also use the interview as an opportunity to ask for more specific information about the programme.
Note: There is no audition/interview fee for this Programme.
Entry to BA (Hons) Professional Arts Practice (Top Up) requires the following:
Non-Standard Entry and Approved Prior Learning
Applicants without standard entry qualifications may be considered through Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL).
Where prior qualifications do not provide sufficient evidence of academic readiness, applicants may be required to complete an additional written exercise alongside the audition and interview process.
We welcome applications from candidates with relevant vocational training or professional experience. All such applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and may require additional evidence, such as a portfolio or written work.
Mature applicants (21+) without formal qualifications are encouraged to contact Admissions prior to applying to ensure appropriate guidance can be provided.
Recognition of Professional Experience
Applicants with significant industry experience may be considered in the absence of formal qualifications.
Evidence may include:
All applications are reviewed by an academic panel, with final approval subject to standard institutional processes.
Italia Conti offers fee waivers to eligible applicants who meet set criteria, helping to ensure that financial circumstances do not act as a barrier to applying.
I have just graduated from Liverpool Theatre School with a Level 6 Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre. I wanted to do the BA Hons (Top Up) in Professional Arts Practice Programme to further develop my skills for the industry. It is the perfect balance between academic writing and creativity. I already have seen improvements, both in my academic and performing work, and I now really value the ability to critically reflect on past experiences in order to improve my current skills.
I have found that my first term at Italia Conti has been better than I could’ve imagined. I am working with driven, passionate, likeminded people within all different realms of the performing arts industry. I find that the course is very tailored to each individual and the content is broad enough to apply to everyone but specific enough to challenge each person within their abilities. I find the course to be a place where I can collaborate and interact with people who I’d never had met otherwise. I only look forward to what the next few months of the course bring and feel more motivated than ever.
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