MA PERFORMANCE – ACTING
Validated by University of East Anglia
Application Deadline: May 8 2026 at 9:00AM
2026/27 Course Fees
Audition Fee (in-person) : £50Audition Fee (online) : £40
UK/ROI students : £19,795
International students : £23,010
Explore the course:
Course Overview
Mountview’s MA Acting course delivers vocational, culturally engaged and practical performance training.
Over an intensive one-year programme of study, students will be thoroughly prepared for a career in theatre, TV, film and recorded arts. The MA is delivered through workshops and classes designed to expand the skillset and develop the individual strengths of each student.
With a strictly limited number of places available each year, early application is strongly encouraged.
Students receive over 30 hours of direct teaching time each week, with a maximum of 17 students per class.
Over the first two terms you will undertake rigorous skills training in all areas of an actor’s professional practice, including acting technique, voice, movement, singing, stage combat and acting for camera and recorded media. In each term, the skills work is then applied to performance projects, working with contemporary and classical texts.
There will be additional lectures and seminars on devising, autobiographical and solo performance, as well as on concepts such as intersectional feminist, post dramatic, queer and critical race theories, socio/political theatre practices and the performance of knowledge.
Through the first and second term, all students undertake the Creative Project, creating an original piece of theatre or film, performed at the end of term two. The Creative Project is supported and developed by one-to-one tutorials and influenced by the concepts discussed in the seminar/lecture programme.
Course Content
Acting
Approaches to Acting
Acting for Screen & Recorded Media
Form & Context
Essential Skills
Voice & Text
Speech
Actor’s Movement
Projects
The Open Space Project
The Bridging Project (Contemporary Scenes & Documentary Dance)
Early Modern Verse Play
Performance
Public Production
Screen Scenes
Creative Project
Performance
Project Map
In the third term, students perform in a professional showcase for agents, casting directors and other prominent industry professionals, as well as a fully staged public production of a play and a screen project.
Students also work closely with Mountview’s Industry Liaison Manager to prepare for life as a working actor.
Full Module Specifications document: MA Performance – Module Specifications 2025-26
Course Dates
2025/26 Term Dates
Autumn term 8 September – 12 December 2025
Spring term 5 January – 27 March 2026
Summer term 7 April – 7 August 2026
2026/27 Term Dates
Autumn term 7 September – 13 December 2026
Spring term 4 January – 25 March 2027
Summer term 5 April – 6 August 2027
Graduates
Recent graduates of MA Performance have gone on to work for the National Theatre, National Theatre of Wales, National Theatre of Scotland, Donmar Warehouse, Globe, Royal Court, Edinburgh Lyceum, Lyric Belfast, Turun Kaupunginteatteri Finland, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Foro Shakespeare Mexico, Shanghai Grand Theatre and across the West End.
On screen, recent graduates have worked for BBC, ITV, Netflix, Amazon, Warner Bros and Disney. Many have also created their own work, for companies including Bush Theatre, Royal Court, Soho Theatre, Theatre Peckham and Lyric Belfast.
Read an interview with MA Acting graduate Melissa Kiplagat here.
Read an interview with MA Acting graduate Vinnie Monachello here.
"Training at Mountview was both the most challenging and rewarding experience I've had. The support and guidance I received whilst facing fears and insecurities that performing naturally brings was fantastic."
Entry Information
Admission onto the course is by audition. Applicants must be aged 21 years or over at the start of the course. Students who do not hold an undergraduate degree will need to undertake an access assignment to establish suitability for undertaking the MA.
If an applicant requires a student visa and their first language is not English, they will need to prove their knowledge of the English language before applying for their student visa. This must be demonstrated by passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider or having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that they began when they were under 18.
Mountview welcomes applications from people with disabilities and is keen to support all applicants to achieve their best. If applicants have any special requirements or access needs, these should be discussed with the course leader/administrator.
Mountview is committed to a comprehensive policy of equal opportunities for students in which individuals are selected and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. No applicant will receive less or more favourable treatment on grounds of sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnic origin, disability, religion and marital/parental status or any comparable grounds.
Fees
| Audition Fee (in-person) | £50 |
| Audition Fee (online) | £40 |
| UK/ROI students | £19,795 |
| International students | £23,010 |
All fees listed are for 2026/27 entry.
Additional costs include grey palette active wear for workshops and dance shoes – allow around £180. Headshots, Spotlight membership and some travel – allow £350.
Please note that at this stage, Student Finance Scotland and NI do not currently fund Mountview’s postgraduate programmes.
Funding and ScholarshipsAuditions Info
MA Performance auditions will take place in-person over a full day, with the first round taking place in the morning and successful candidates being invited to stay for their recall the same afternoon.
For international candidates and those with exceptional circumstances, the option of an online audition is available.
There is a £50 audition fee for in-person MA Performance auditions and a £40 audition fee for online MA Performance auditions, with waivers and reductions available for candidates with a household income of less than £21,000.
For detailed information on what you need to prepare for auditions and for audition dates visit
Auditions and Interviews
