How to apply

Overview

The details

Course: Stage and Production Management

UCAS code: DKAS

Start date: October 2025

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 3 years

Location: East15 (Loughton) Campus

Based in: East 15 Acting School

East 15 Acting School's BA Stage and Production Management course is a practical-based professional training that prepares you for careers in a range of production and technical roles in theatre, events and related creative industries.

We emphasise learning through practice and you are part of a creative production team from early in the course. Based at our picturesque Loughton Campus, our proximity to London means you will be able to keep up-to-date with the latest technical innovations in one of the world's greatest theatre capitals. Our specially equipped Unit Four building is complete with workshops, an IT suite and seminar rooms – the perfect environment for learning your craft!

In response to developments in the creative industry, and working closely alongside it, we are making exciting updates to the BA Stage & Production Management course. Starting in 2025, we are introducing different pathways which will allow you to tailor your progression in line with your interests and career aspirations. The new structure* will give you more choice, leading to graduation with one of the following degrees:

BA Stage Management and Technical Theatre

BA Stage Management and Technical Arts

BA Stage Management and Technical Production

*pending final approval

Our Stage & Production Management Open Day on 17 October is the ideal opportunity to speak directly to our staff and learn more about the new pathways. If you can’t make it to the Open Day, please check this page for updates, which will be available soon.

View more undergraduate courses from East 15 Acting School, including our Creative Producing (Theatre and Short Film) vocational training program.

Why we're great.

Professional industry placement during study.
Immersion in full production work from year one.
Introduction to sound, lights and costume skills.

Our expert staff

Our training is by professionals and for professionals, allowing our graduates to work successfully across the globe.

Our international, outstanding teaching faculty is made up of professionals from all areas of live and recorded performance.

Learn more about our staff here.

Specialist facilities

Our Loughton Campus is perfectly located, providing access to both the rich, cultural diversity of London and an attractive and peaceful setting in which to study.

We are just a five-minute walk from London Underground station, Debden, where you can travel in only thirty minutes to Central London, West End theatres and mainline train stations including the Eurostar.

We have three sites at our Loughton Campus – Hatfields, Roding House and Unit Four. Hatfields is a beautiful Georgian dower house, set in five acres of lawns with orchards, flowerbeds and a small lake, providing an idyllic atmosphere for study and relaxation.

Just a short walk from Hatfields is Roding House, a £1.3 million facility containing 10 rehearsal rooms, a green room/café, a sound recording studio and a video editing suite, and our costume department.

Next to Roding House, Unit Four is a £1.5 million facility which is home to the Stage & Production Management department. The Unit contains a large workshop, paint shop, prop shop, prop storage facilities and teaching spaces.

Our on-site Corbett Theatre is named in honour of Harry H Corbett, a key member of Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop and early benefactor of East 15. It is used extensively for student productions and is a practical training hub for our BA Stage and Production Management students.

The building is a medieval tithe barn that was dismantled and transported to Hatfields in the 1960s. These unusual origins create a unique performance space with a special atmosphere. Renovated to include full technical facilities, tiered seating for 130 people and fitted dressing rooms, the theatre provides an excellent resource for public productions, while the adjacent Bar and Café provides a social meeting point for students and staff.

Your future

In addition to the widespread opportunities offered in the stage, film and television industry, there is huge demand across the events sector for production staff at festivals, concerts, exhibitions, sporting events and large scale outdoor events. Students often gain employment through successful work placements. Alumni have previously worked in production and technical roles at leading British performance venues such as The National, RSC, and Northern Ballet. We also have graduates working at the BBC, on Game of Thrones and international theatres in Dubai and China as well as international tours and theme parks.

“The opportunities to get involved with not only our personal shows, but other shows around the campus and beyond is a constant flow, and the tools and equipment give you the chance to try something new, and experiment with different ways of producing certain props.”

"I have become a much more rounded person, due to being able to get a little bit of knowledge in all technical areas, and this has led to me being asked to work in Soho, London as a lighting technician, which I wouldn’t have even contemplated before the course."

Caroline Sheard, BA Stage and Production Management

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

Applicants will need to be successful in an interview. Applicants should also have, or expect to have:

A-levels: EE, or 32 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A-levels.
BTEC: PP, or 32 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of the equivalent of 2 full A-levels.
Combined qualifications on the UCAS tariff: 32 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A levels or equivalent. Tariff point offers may be made if you are taking a qualification, or mixture of qualifications, from the list on our undergraduate application information page.
T-levels: Pass with E in core
IB: two Higher Level certificates with 33
IB Career-related Programme: We consider combinations of IB Diploma Programme courses with BTECs or other qualifications.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Undergraduate Admissions team at ugquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

If you do not require a student visa to study in the UK then we will assess your English language proficiency/ability at your interview or audition.

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component, or specified score in another equivalent test that we accept.

Details of English language requirements, including component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here

If we accept the English component of an international qualification it will be included in the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.

English language shelf-life

If you require a Student visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.

Pre-sessional English courses

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Pending English language qualifications

You don’t need to achieve the required level before making your application, but it will be one of the conditions of your offer.

If you cannot find the qualification that you have achieved or are pending, then please email ugquery@essex.ac.uk.

Additional Notes

If you’re an international student, but do not meet the English language or academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College

Structure

Course structure

We offer dynamic and unique courses for actors, directors, producers, technical theatre specialists and students of theatre practice. Training at East 15 draws upon 50 years of tradition combined with a keen sense of the world of stage and screen today.

Our carefully selected modules will give you the chance to explore and develop your specialist training.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Stage Management Skills 1

(30 CREDITS)

In this module you will; Define the various roles within a stage management team and its role within the wider production department team, develop an understanding of the Assistant Stage Manager role within the pre-production, rehearsal, performance and post-production periods, introduce the skills of research and how these methodologies support prop sourcing for a production, develop an understanding of the Deputy Stage Manager role within the pre-production, rehearsal, performance and post production periods, introduce the understanding of the prompt script, blocking and how a Deputy Stage Manager supports rehearsals, and develop an understanding of the Stage Manager role within the pre-production, rehearsal, performance and post-production periods.

View Stage Management Skills 1 on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Foundation Skills in Lighting and Sound

(15 CREDITS)

Use the working script as the basic source for lighting design, effects and cues. Understand and be experienced in the safe use of electricity and have an awareness of the appropriate use of A/C, D/C, single phase and three phase power supply. Develop relevant computer literacy. Understand and use current lighting control systems. Read and interpret a lighting rig plan. Rig and focus a range of conventional lanterns. Operate follow spot and a range of other basic stage electrics. Understand the artistic decisions behind using effects such as gobos, smoke machines, dry ice and pyrotechnics. Explore and gain experience in the use of creative lighting in performance. Understand the use of rehearsal notes. React positively to changes communicated throughout the rehearsal process.

View Foundation Skills in Lighting and Sound on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Foundation Skills in Construction and Stage Craft

(15 CREDITS)

Use a working script as a source for scenic information. Use hand and power tools and bench machinery safely. Construct scenery using a range of materials including timber, ironmongery, adhesives, and canvas. Apply a range of techniques in the making of scenery including joinery, fastening and canvassing. Develop relevant computer literacy. Fit up and secure scenery safely, including flown scenery. Move and assemble scenic units safely. Use appropriate theatre and workshop terminology. Use further processes, following construction, required to finish scenery. Understand the use of rehearsal notes. React positively to changes communicated throughout the rehearsal process. Interpret ground plans in relation to staging and rigging. Participate in get-ins, fit-ups, strikes and get-outs.

View Foundation Skills in Construction and Stage Craft on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Foundation Skills in Production Arts

(15 CREDITS)

Undertake effective research of visual and technical references to support production and project work. Use appropriate theatre and workshop terminology. Discuss with the Costume Designer and Costume Supervisor how to create the best possible effect and be able to undertake research into special requirements. Use a working script as a source for costume information. Apply a range of techniques in the making of costumes including over-locking, hand sewing, machine sewing, and industrial machine sewing and dying. Develop relevant computer literacy. Cut patterns both from a block and by draping. Make alterations and maintain costumes during a run. Work as a dresser during performances. Understand the use of rehearsal notes. React positively to changes communicated throughout the rehearsal process.

View Foundation Skills in Production Arts on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: CORE

Industry in Context 1

(15 CREDITS)

You will gain an understanding of the profile, characteristics, size and structure of the hotel and hospitality industry. This includes an understanding of different types of business enterprise, ownership models and structures within the industry. This module explains the economic profile of the industry and the issues and trends that continue to provide challenges.

View Industry in Context 1 on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: CORE

Production Skills

(30 CREDITS)

This module will enable you to; take on stage management roles within productions with more responsibility, develop further their understanding of the production process in a professional environment, develop their use of working with a script as a source for information, develop the ability to interpret Design, and apply a range of techniques and practical skills when working on a practical productions

View Production Skills on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Production Practice 1

(30 CREDITS)

In this module you have the opportunity to gain practical experience working on external productions and projects to develop your understanding of the operations of stage production. You have a choice of roles, including but not limited to: stage management, scenic construction, prop making, costume production and lighting and sound.

View Production Practice 1 on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Production Practice 2

(30 CREDITS)

View Production Practice 2 on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Production Practice 3

(30 CREDITS)

View Production Practice 3 on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Industry in Context2

(30 CREDITS)

You will analyse current concepts in the hotel and hospitality sector, including the management structure of different operations, revenue management and the systems used to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction and profitability. This includes evaluating the influences of industry developments on the contemporary hotel and hospitality sector.

View Industry in Context2 on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Production Practice 4

(30 CREDITS)

In this module you have the opportunity to gain further practical experience working on external productions and projects to further develop your understanding of the operations of stage production. You have a choice of roles, including but not limited to: stage management, scenic construction, prop making, costume production and lighting and sound.

View Production Practice 4 on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Production Practice 5

(30 CREDITS)

View Production Practice 5 on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Production Practice 6

(30 CREDITS)

View Production Practice 6 on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Context in Industry 3 - Professional Placement

(30 CREDITS)

Here you will develop your knowledge and skills with regard to creative leadership. With a focus on innovation management, you will analyse the strategic implications of managing within changing industry environments and evaluate the necessary theories, tools and skills to develop realistic, coherent and effective business strategy.

View Context in Industry 3 - Professional Placement on our Module Directory

Teaching

Year 1

In your first year you acquire a range of core stage management and technical theatre related skills whilst working as part of East 15's production crew on professional productions at our in-house theatre. Our professionally experienced staff help you to develop practical experience and expertise across a range of areas, including:

Lighting
Sound
Set design
Costume
Prop making
Construction
Stagecraft
Stage and Event Management
Training in specialist software pertaining to technical theatre roles

Students also undertake a design project to support and enhance their own working with professional directors and designers.

Year 2

Your second year enables you take on increasing responsibility for productions, with a combined emphasis on managerial and organisational abilities alongside your broader stage and technical theatre skills.

This includes being responsible for production budgets and collaboration with professional directors and designers.

Year 3

By your final year you work at a fully professional level, with the skills, experience and confidence to take responsibility for the organisational and financial aspects of a range of public productions across different venues both on Campus and in central London.

You also undertake an industry-based work placement – a perfect preparation for professional life after you graduate.

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£9,250 per year

Additional costs for materials and field trips of up to approximately £430. Equipment lists are reviewed annually.

International fee

£21,525 per year

Additional costs for materials and field trips of up to approximately £430. Equipment lists are reviewed annually.

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

Home/UK fees and funding information

International fees and funding information

What's next

You can apply to our full-time undergraduate courses through either the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) or the University of Essex Direct Application Form.

If you choose to apply through UCAS, you can find step-by-step guidance on how to fill your UCAS undergraduate application. UK students (as well as some EU and international students) who are still in school or college may apply through their institution. Your school will help you complete and submit your UCAS application. The option to apply through UCAS is also available to independent UK and international applicants.

The UCAS code for the University of Essex is ESSEX E70. The individual campus codes for our Loughton and Southend Campuses are ‘L' and ‘S' respectively.

For full details on how to apply, please visit the Applying for an Undergraduate Course page on the East 15 website.

Apply now

Interviews

Applicants to this course will need to participate in an interview, either online or in person. Once you have submitted your UCAS or University of Essex application, you will receive an email from us with instructions on how to book your interview. There is no fee to attend the interview.

The interview is an opportunity for you to share your passion and enthusiasm for the creative industries, be it theatre, film, TV, radio, or events.

If you live in the UK, you’ll have the chance to visit our campus and meet some of our staff in person during your interview.

Offers for this course are made only after a successful interview.

You’ll be in intensive training at one of the most prestigious and internationally respected conservatoires in the country, gaining the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue a career in the performing arts. You'll arrive at a campus with state-of-the-art study and performance facilities, nestled in the stunning grounds of a country house.

But fear not! It’s not all work and no play at East 15 Acting School in Loughton and you're just a short step away from the bright lights and big city of central London.

Find out more

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

Find out more

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.