Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

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loladd33
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Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by loladd33 »

Hi all,
I was just wondering which of these courses is best to consider as I’m a bit baffled and I don’t understand the difference between these courses!
Any advice would be gratefully welcomed! Thank you x
2dancersmum
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by 2dancersmum »

Funding is one major difference.

Level 6 diploma is either self funded or with a DADA (dance and drama award). A DADA is a an award, not a loan so nothing to pay back. The amount varies as it depends on parental income for parental contribution on a sliding scale. Not everyone offered a place on a level 6 diploma course will get a DADA as there are not enough to go around.

BA Honours course will normally be with a student loan - like university students - but it may not be the full amount to cover the course fees. It depends on the course provider as for private institutions the loan will be capped - around 6k .

Age can also be a difference. Some BA Honours courses are 18+ (if not the majority) but there are a few exceptions. Diploma courses you can usually start at 16 or 18 or other ages.

Course content : level 6 diploma according to the specification is approx. 75% practical and 25% theory. BA Hons degree has a higher academic percentage (and therefore less practical). It will depend on where the degree is taken for the actual percentage - 40-50% perhaps typical. University terms are often shorter too so a BA hons degree through a university rather than a performing arts college may end up having a lot less hours at the end of the 3 year course.

Hope something I have said here is of use to you
Scarytimes
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by Scarytimes »

Superb description! =D>
loladd33
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by loladd33 »

Thank you so much that’s really helpful!
jennifer1972
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by jennifer1972 »

Just something to add about the BA hons. There is a bigger percentage of coursework at the unis. The degrees at the private colleges involve a lot, lot less coursework and usually have many more contact hours (30+) and the difference between a level 6 and degree is maybe that the degree students have an extra essay to write but that is about it. A lot of the private colleges that offer a degree will usually involve a top up payment, you may be able to get £6000 student loan when the cost of the degree is £9000, or £9000 student loan when the cost is £13000. Hope this helps, it is a bit of a minefield!
Scarytimes
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by Scarytimes »

jennifer1972 wrote:Just something to add about the BA hons. There is a bigger percentage of coursework at the unis. The degrees at the private colleges involve a lot, lot less coursework and usually have many more contact hours (30+) and the difference between a level 6 and degree is maybe that the degree students have an extra essay to write but that is about it. A lot of the private colleges that offer a degree will usually involve a top up payment, you may be able to get £6000 student loan when the cost of the degree is £9000, or £9000 student loan when the cost is £13000. Hope this helps, it is a bit of a minefield!
Mountview said to us in the parents talk that their courses are essentially the same. If you get in, they look at your financial situation and advise which one to go for to fund it.
dancemom43
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by dancemom43 »

DD at Bird and classes are shared with degree and diploma students. The course is exactly the same apart from 1 - 2 hours a week where they do different written work - I also think degree have a few more assignments to write in their own time. It is just some funding suits people better.
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Caroline A-C
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by Caroline A-C »

I am pretty sure when DS was at Arts Ed he was offered a place on the diploma and could pay an extra £400 for the degree. The course was absolutely exactly the same with the degree requiring a dissertation.
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by ajbew »

DS has just finished at Mountview. The degree and diploma courses are exactly the same - not even any extra written work. It is just the funding that is different. The diploma students can pay to register to get the degree too. There is practically no written work on the course - just one actors written report (like a working notebook) on one of the acting projects each year. There are no other essays. It is all practical.
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by Munchpot »

I was always led to believe that a BA (Hons) degree required a dissertation and a BA didn't. Something about the Hons degree requiring 'a greater degree of learning' something about the number of credits received

Personally I think it's all about the funding choices as I don't think having a degree or a level 6 diploma will make a difference in front of a casting director - it's all about whether you can do what they want
amo185
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by amo185 »

Friend of DD starting Mountview in September will do Trinity diploma and degree - i.e. gets both qualifications at the end. Is that the same as Arts Ed?
Laine students can do degree in their third year - so they can also finish with Trinity diploma and degree (it's optional). I think it is more to do with funding rather than course content although there is certainly some element essay/dissertation writing involved for the degree in most places. Not important for a casting director, but may have a bearing on future non PA job prospects - although I haven't heard of anyone regretting not getting a degree! I still don't fully understand why some students are offered one route and others another (eg at Urdang, Bird, Italia Conti) and the students don't seem to know either! Maybe "all roads lead to Rome"?
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Caroline A-C
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by Caroline A-C »

DS came out of Arts Ed with the BA degree. Think you sign up to one or other of the courses not both.
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ajbew
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by ajbew »

DS just finished degree course at Mountview. Definitely no dissertation to write. A couple of friends of his started the degree with a student loan but then switched to diploma part way through the first term when Dada funding became available (they had been on reserve for a DaDa). Practically it made no difference at all, just meant that the student loan was stopped and the DaDa funding kicked in. The course has the correct content for both the degree and diploma so it is only the funding that is the difference at Mountview. They all have the same classes and course content regardless.
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by lawn »

Something you may want to consider is if you go for the diploma, it isn't using up your years of entitlement to student loan funding (4 years I believe). So in the future if they want to do a degree in something else, following a change of mind or later on in life they could still get student funding.

With the diploma though, even if you get a Dada, unless your income is below £30K I think, you will have to fund the living/accommodation costs yourself. I always think this is a real tough one, unless you live within a commutable distance or have a conveniently situated family member they can lodge with.
Robin64
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Re: Level 6 diploma or BA Hons in Musical Theatre?

Post by Robin64 »

lawn wrote:Something you may want to consider is if you go for the diploma, it isn't using up your years of entitlement to student loan funding (4 years I believe). So in the future if they want to do a degree in something else, following a change of mind or later on in life they could still get student funding.

With the diploma though, even if you get a Dada, unless your income is below £30K I think, you will have to fund the living/accommodation costs yourself. I always think this is a real tough one, unless you live within a commutable distance or have a conveniently situated family member they can lodge with.
That is a good point about the degree and I hadn't thought of it that way. For us the Dada just doesn't work out - there is too much to top up and we would have to pay for all the maintenance. With 3 kids at or nearly at uni we can't manage it. In the right circumstances a dada is preferable especially as it is not a loan that needs paying back. Loladd there is basically no difference in the courses at the big dance/drama schools as others have said. it is an age/funding thing. If you are thinking of more mainstream uni MT courses then check carefully about contact hours and actual training - some might fall far short of what you get elsewhere.
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