MGA Home

Full-Time Performing Arts Courses

Our full-time professional school is structured so students can complete a course of study tailor-made to their needs. Students can audition to enter a course at whatever level is most suitable to them.

Our professional courses have been designed after thorough consultation with many leading theatre practitioners from the UK and The United States of America. Faculty members and graduates from some of the world’s finest Performing Arts institutions including The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Bird College, Laine Theatre Arts, Mountview Academy, The Royal Academy of Music, Arts Educational and New York University have helped us create a truly comprehensive set of full-time Musical Theatre courses.

Training young people to be successful professional performers in the entertainment industry is our main objective. We believe that with hard work, determination, the outstanding training at The MGA Academy and the subsequent support network of The MGA Company, people graduating from our courses can go on and sustain fulfilling careers.

Details of each course are posted below. If you are unsure about which course is most suitable please contact the Academy to discuss your application. Full course details and application forms are available from The MGA Academy office, or you can can download an application form from the link on the right. Applicants should be aged 15 or over. Full-Time programmes are offered at both Edinburgh and Brighton Academies.

If you want to take advantage of top-quality training at The MGA Academy but live in other parts of the UK or abroad, no problem – Edinburgh and Brighton are great places to live! Read about student life on our Edinburgh and Brighton pages.  

1-Year Pre-vocational (Foundation) Course

In association with Trinity and Guildhall Examinations

Our Performing Arts Pre-vocational Course is designed to prepare students for the demands of professional, full-time training.

The course aims to empower students to successfully audition for our HNC/HND programme and other leading Drama Schools and then enable them to fully realise their potential in their future training.

The Pre-vocational schedule runs for one whole academic year over three terms. Classes and workshops in Dancing, Singing, Acting, Audition Technique, Theatre History and Professional Development will ensure that students are best placed to gain entry into any of the UK’s most prestigious Drama and Musical Theatre schools.

Entry onto the course is by audition only.

For information on course fees see our Fees and Funding page.

 

3-Year Professional Diploma Course

Accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority

Our full-time, three-year diploma course is a comprehensive training programme for students looking for a complete package to take them from student-in-training to working professional. It is aimed at those who have some previous experience of Theatre Arts and Performance or those who show potential and demonstrate a strong natural ability in performance and who seek to develop their skills in order to progress to higher qualifications or to our HND in Musical Theatre.

Course modules include: Vocal Techniques, Singing, Acting, Performance Skills, Jazz, Tap and Ballet, all with a Musical Theatre context. There are also modules on Professional Development Musical Theatre Repertoire, Theatrical Makeup, Technical Theatre, Theatre History and Industry Studies.

The diploma concludes with a London showcase and guaranteed representation by MGA Management, best placing our students to kick-start their professional careers upon graduation. Get the training you need to compete on the international stage without having to spend three expensive years in London.

Entry onto the course is by audition only.

For information on fees for Full-Time courses, see our Fees and Funding page.

 

1-Year Advanced Course

Professional Development and London Showcase

Students who have completed the MGA diploma should not under normal circumstances need to complete our Advanced Course.

Our Advanced, one-year Musical Theatre Course is aimed at students who have already completed full-time Performing Arts training at other schools and colleges but feel that they have either not been offered the appropriate training opportunities or who have not yet responded to their training well enough to successfully make the transition to working professional. It is designed for students who are looking to refine their skills and focus their talent in order to get the very best possible start to a professional career.

The course is designed to push students to the very edge of their ability and equip them with the practical tools-of-the-trade, but also gain the business acumen to make a successful transition from student-in-training to working professional.

We focus on the integration of Singing, Acting and Dancing into a single faultless performance. This aspect of the course runs parallel to a training in personal and professional development and also an introduction to business management. We aim to send students out with all the skills needed to enjoy a long and rewarding career in the performing arts.

Advanced year students will also be cast in the MGA London showcase during the summer term and performed in London's West End to an invited audience of industry professionals.

Entry onto the course is by audition only.

For information on fees for Full-Time courses, see our Fees and Funding page.