Acting

The purpose of the Institute of the Arts Barcelona's (IAB) three-year BA Acting degree is to prepare you for a successful, rewarding career in theatre and performance. Upon graduation, you will be awarded a BA (Hons) degree from Liverpool John Moores University (UK).

Our students reach professional levels of ability in acting, voice and movement at the same time as they are learning the critical and theoretical knowledge essential to earning a degree. 

Intensive and Practical

Such strong attention to training means working longer and harder. At times you may find yourself on your feet in practical classes for 28 hours a week – a level of intensity aimed at equipping you to confidently move from graduation into professional work as an actor.

Working alongside you will be fellow international students on a unique interdisciplinary campus, where actors, dancers, singers and musicians inspire each other to great things.

And your tutors are all professionals in their specialist field. They share years of experience working at the forefront of the performing arts and have strong teaching experience. They are committed to ensuring you receive the best possible teaching and training. 

Who is this course for?

This is a course for aspiring actors with a real commitment to gaining and sustaining a lasting career in the performing arts. Here, qualities of creativity, imagination and resilience are valued highly, along with an openness to learning and experimentation.

What will I learn?

What you will learn at IAB flows directly into the professional world you will enter. The practical programme focuses on multiple styles and texts in a variety of settings, from workshops through to full theatre-based productions. The BA builds on the ideas of Stanislavski and his followers to then explore the ideas of a range of other practitioners and theatre forms. 

Core studies in Acting Technique, Movement for the Actor, Voice for the Actor and Performance are ever present throughout the course. Each year will advance your range and ability in these key areas. As the programme progresses more time is spent on rehearsals and productions and on creating your own work. Feedback from your tutors will be constant – whether instantly during classes and workshops, or formally assessed after performances, presentations and essays.

Seminars and interactive presentations will be used to teach you how the industry works, and the entrepreneurial and professional skills you will need to be able to manage a career as a successful performer.

Your critical abilities will also grow through seminars, lectures and presentations as you develop your understanding of the nature and philosophy of acting, including its history and styles.

And as you progress through the BA your tutors will ask for greater self-reflection on the quality of the work you produce. They will challenge you to bring more of your own ideas to the table. 

Three years at IAB…

First-year work is focused on the basic techniques that sit at the heart of all high-level acting performance. Much of the practical teaching will be in groups – with a strong timetable of classes in a variety of acting styles.

Year two is centred on personal development and learning by doing. The intense programme of practical classes continues as you advance your skills and add new dimensions your range. 

In year three the focus on your individuality grows stronger. This is when your own style begins to assert itself, with more regular opportunities to develop your own ideas and devise or interpret work in ways that play to your strengths. 

Future Prospects

Graduates of BA (Hons) Acting will have all the key skills required for a sustainable career as an actor. Your training will allow you to seize opportunities in stage, film, television, radio, musical theatre, physical theatre, community theatre practice and in arts education.

Additionally, the IAB’s international dimension means its students are well placed to take advantage of the growing global economy of the performing arts.

The chance could arrive sooner than you might expect, for during your course our industry partners and international talent spotters regularly schedule visits to watch the shows and showcases IAB students present. 

And if your ambition is to study further then this degree, recognised for its quality throughout the world, will allow you to go on to further postgraduate/Masters degree studies in Europe, the USA and beyond. 

Application process

Our admission process is very straight-forward. It involves an audition where you can demonstrate your talent, creativity and commitment to pursuing a career in performing arts.

The first step is to complete an online application, which is available on our website. You can then choose a date for your audition. We conduct auditions several times per year at multiple locations around the world. To complete the registration process, you need to pay an application fee of €50.

When you arrive at the Institute of the Arts Barcelona for the audition, you should bring a passport photo and all supporting documents such as diplomas, qualifications, and certificates. We will inform you shortly after the audition whether you have been accepted to the Institute.