Foundation Course in Musical Theatre (HNC)

Course accredited by the SQA and recognised by the CDMT

Qualification awarded by The MGA Academy of Performing Arts (HNC)

Duration 1 year (4 or 5 days a week)

Scheduled teaching per week 20 hours average per week

The MGA one-year Foundation course in Musical Theatre offers a pre-vocational year designed to prepare you for the demands of professional, full-time training and provides you with the skills required to audition successfully for the country’s leading Musical Theatre institutions.

It is directed at those students who intend pursuing a vocational training but who either don’t quite yet have the skills required to audition successfully, or who do not have the required academic qualifications to start a Bachelor of Arts qualification.

The course is designed to thoroughly prepare you for the process of auditioning and the rigours of taking up a three-year place at a Drama School, expanding your skill set and enabling you to realise your full potential in your future training.

MGA Foundation students have gone on to study at, among others, the American Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Arts Educational Schools, Bird College, Guildford School of Acting, Laine Theatre Arts, Mountview Academy, Performers College, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama – and, of course, The MGA Academy of Performing Arts.

The Foundation schedule runs for one whole academic year over three full-time terms of training and an HNC qualification is awarded to those who successfully complete all the required modules.

The course is technique orientated, giving you a solid foundation in the three key disciplines of Acting, Singing and Dance that can then be built upon in future studies.

Specialist classes and training workshops include:

  • Singing Skills For Musical Theatre
  • Jazz Dance For Musical Theatre
  • Ballet Dance For Musical Theatre
  • Acting: Developing Skills
  • Vocal Techniques for Musical Theatre
  • Performance 1: Developing Skills
  • Graded Unit: Musical Theatre
  • Audition Technique and Performance for Musical Theatre
  • Personal Development
  • Individual Singing Lesson
  • Group/Ensemble Singing

MGA’s unique focus on audition technique and professional development will ensure that students are best placed to gain entry into any of the UK’s distinguished drama schools.

Though MGA has an excellent track record, given the nature and level of competition for Drama School places, we cannot guarantee that foundation students will be accepted at their chosen full-time provider and successful completion of the MGA foundation course does not automatically mean that students will progress onto MGA’s own three-year programmes.

Entry onto all our courses is by online registration. You will be contacted within two weeks of receipt of your audition submission.

You must be a UK citizen to apply for MGA’s professional full-time training courses and be able to provide proof. MGA is able to accept applications from outside of the UK if a candidate has applied successfully for Settled or Pre-Settled Status. All relevant information regarding our audition requirements will be sent out on receipt of a valid ascertificate. (More information on EU Settlement Scheme.) Please read the information on fees and funding here before completing the application form.

Fees, finance and funding

For more information on tuition fees and available funding visit our Fees and funding page.

Full-Time Auditions

Applications are taken all year round, until course places are full – so the earlier in the year you apply, the more places will be available.

Auditions are in person at MGA campus in Livingston. A member of our team will be in touch within two weeks of submission to take you through the process. Apply now »

In-person audition dates:

  • 2024-25 dates coming soon

If you are unsure which course to apply for, please get in touch admissions@themgaacademy.com and the MGA Team will be happy to discuss it with you.

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Get in touch

Phone: 0330 058 0656

General enquiries/student information: info@themgaacademy.com

Office address:  Silver Rock Studios,  Almondvale Business Park,   Almondvale Way,   Livingston,   West Lothian,   United Kingdom,  EH54 6GA
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