Acting and Artistic Production
See study programmeThe core subjects of the program are Acting Skills and Artistic Production. Both subjects build the core knowledge, skills and competence in an integrated and progressive manner. The work in Acting Skills and Artistic Production develop in tandem and feeds into and enriches each subject reciprocally.
Each semester your progress is assessed and evaluated to validate mandatory work and learning.
Year 1: Semester 1 and 2.
Acting Skills 1, 25 ECTS
Artistic Production 1, 26 ECTS
Music 1, 9 ECTS
Exchange students
Semester 1 : Acting and Devising 1 (exchange course), 30 ECTS
Semester 2 : Acting and Devising 2 (exchange course), 30 ECTS
Year 2: Semesters 3 and 4
Acting Skills 2 , 25 ECTS
Artistic Production 2, 25 ECTS
Music 2, 7 ECTS
Film 1, 3 ECTS
Year 3: semester 5 and 6
Acting Skills 3, 9 ECTS
Artistic Production 3, 39 ECTS
Film 2 ,12 ECTS
Semester 5 : Window for outgoing Exchange Students 30 ECTS
Overview of Acting Skills
Acting Skills is sub-divided into 3 subjects: Acting, Movement and Voice. These 3 subjects are taught in an integrated manner as each subject supports and enriches the other.
You will develop your craft in creating compelling and rich performances and grow the power of your imagination and your means of expressive embodiment in movement, gesture and voice. You will learn an integrated and embodied acting method and apply this to improvising, ensemble devising and playing texts.
You are encouraged to view the process of acting as lifetime’s research, to avoid dogmatism, and to always be ready to embrace ways of working that will allow you to flourish as creative actors.
Year 1
You will learn the foundation skills that you will build on throughout the 3 years.
Acting develops your ability to play, to improvise, and to bring to life text.
Movement and Voice, you will learn both fundamental functional and expressive skills and knowledge.
Year 2
Acting focuses on playing with theatrical forms: movement theatre, physical storytelling, realistic drama, commedia, expressionist cartoon theatre, tragedy, grotesque, satire, bouffon, mystere, comedy, clown, slapstick, cabaret, absurd.
You will learn to improvise and create in different theatrical forms each with specific artistic aims and acting skills in terms of voice, movement and thought.
You will learn how to use improvisation as developmental and exploratory process in theatrical form and creative writing.
You will learn to how to play with different forms of texts.
Movement and Voice builds on the functional and expressive work of the first year and focuses on how these skills underpin and create meaning in different theatrical forms and texts.
Year 3
You will refine and maintain all skills in movement, voice and imagination.
You will continue building your interpretive methods and psycho-physical process in approaching texts.
You will learn to be aware of your individual strengths and weaknesses and how to keep developing in working life.
Overview of Artistic Production.
The program fosters a collaborative ethos that is at the heart of Artistic Production. You will explore ensemble creation as a creative method and develop competence in directing, dramaturgical structuring, movement direction, writing, composition, and storytelling. You will practically develop a way of working that embraces the inter-play between the individual and the group, between personal artistic vision and ensemble collaboration.
Theory and critical reflection follow the practical work though out the course. You will learn to reflect on the broader historical, social and artistic context of your field and see how these effect your artistic and political choices as a performer and citizen.
By the end of the course, you will have a broad spectrum of artistic competence and have knowledge of how to work and what kind of work you want to do professionally.
Year 1
Artistic Production is a foundation year. It consists of weekly projects in the form of études that are shown each week to teachers and classes. In the second semester there is a longer research project. This is developed into public show the end of year 1. Fundamental elements of the theory and practice of artistic production are established. Cultural, historical, and theoretic knowledge integrally follows the development the subject.
Year 2
Artistic Production deepens understanding of artistic forms. It consists of short projects that focus on different artistic forms. This work is developed into a public show 3 times during the year. The theory and practice of artistic forms is extended and deepened.
Year 3
Artistic Production strengthens your independence and artistic vision. It becomes the main subject and consists of free-standing projects often led by visiting teachers and artists. You will explore different artistic viewpoints and creative methods.. You will increase your understanding of the practice and theory of developing artistic projects. In addition, you will acquire the survival toolkit to work as a freelance worker or independent producer (production processes, funding, and organizational work).
Overview and structure of Music
Music adds vital elements to your competence profile and will develop you as a musician and singer with compositional skills. It also allows you to integrate these skills into your creative and acting work.
Overview and structure of Film
Film develops your acting and creative skills and puts them to work in the context of film.
KNOWLEDGE
The student:
- has a broad practical knowledge of acting and artistic production.
- knows how to adapt their knowledge and skills to diverse artistic work.
- has a broad knowledge of their subject’s traditions, methods and place in society and knows how to make informed choices about their work.
- knows how to relate their subject to a wider cultural, social, and political context, and can see how this relates to their professional work.
- knows how to update knowledge of the subject and to keep growing as an actor and artist.
- knows about artistic research and creation in acting and artistic production.
SKILLS
The student:
- can master the skills required to work as an actor at a high international level in theatre, film, TV, and other media.
- can apply acting, vocal, movement and musical skills in artistic work.
- can apply their knowledge to make acting and/or artistic choices for different artistic work.
- can research, develop, and employ different styles, and different interpretive and creative methods in producing artistic work.
- can apply their embodied knowledge of interpreting texts to make justified and compelling acting choices.
- can use their knowledge of workplace ethics to work professionally, and also work safely with intimacy and contribute to a safe working environment.
GENERAL COMPENTENCE
The student:
- can perform as an actor in a professional production with a competent level of creative autonomy.
- can make creative propositions in artistic work, both individually and in a group.
- can exchange and collaborate with colleges in the field to create compelling and thought-provoking artistic work.
- can identify their own strengths and weakness and make informed decisions about how to continue growing as a creative actor and artist throughout their professional life.
- can apply their understanding of work ethics to collaborate on artistic projects and advance good practice in a constantly evolving professional field. .
- can imagine, research, plan and accomplish artistic projects, both individually and in a group.
- can exchange and collaborate with partners in the professional field and has an awareness of contemporary practice in artistic research and performance.
- can use their knowledge of the professional field to be able to manage and plan career choices.
The study is a performing arts education, and is exempt from the requirement for general study competence. Admission takes place on the basis of a passing entrance examination (See Regulations on admission to higher education § 3-6.
Quotas between men and women are used as a basis.
All exams in the first year of study must be passed to advance to the second year of study.
The theater education educates professional actors. Emphasis is placed on the individual student's individual expression and uniqueness. For three years, students have the opportunity to explore a wide range of themes, inspirations and styles. This will be the start of developing the individual student's artistic signature, which is based on theatrical methods taught throughout the course of the education.
The theater education educates professional actors. Many of our students have formed their own theater companies.
Former students from Nord University have performed on almost all stages of importance in Norway. Former students work or have worked at the National Theater, Trøndelag Theater and Hålogaland Theater, to name a few.
Former students also work with film and television, including in NRK. In the spring of 2015, our former students Stine Fevik and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas were nominated for the Hedda Prize and the Amanda Prize, respectively.
It is assumed that the students have their own laptop. If there is a need for digital communication in the study, webcam and headphones are included as part of standard accessories. The students must cover the costs of this themselves.
For each semester there is a material fee of 1000 NOK.
Continuous assessment without a grade is given, and formal assessments with a grade in each course:
Practical exams
At the end of each semester, the academic management has individual conversations with the students.
At the end of each year, those responsible for a subject or teaching period make an assessment of the students.
Attendance is mandatory for all classes.
After the examination first year and third year, a final assessment is held with h.h.v. internal and external examiner and study manager. The assessment will consist of an individual conversation with the student about the student's achievements.
The weekly show
For the first two years, the students produce screenings for the teachers and fellow students every week, based on given tasks. This work gives students the opportunity to mature as involved in creative processes. The assignments will be given in relation to the topics or techniques that are in focus in the teaching, and give the students the opportunity for immediate use of the topics or techniques.
In the third year of study, this forms the basis for Creative Production.
Continuous assessment without a grade is given, and formal assessments with a grade in each course:
- Practical exams
- Folder assessment
- At the end of each semester, the academic management has individual conversations with the students.
- At the end of each year, those responsible for a subject or a teaching period make an assessment of the students.
After the examination first year and third year, a final assessment is held with h.h.v. internal and external examiner and study manager. The assessment will consist of an individual conversation with the student about the student's achievements.
Nord University has a continuous focus on educational quality. Student democracy shall ensure active student participation through, among other things, class lessons, reference groups, student union representatives, the student organization and student representation in relevant committees.
The program is evaluated at the end of each semester, through:
1. Employees' individual conversations with the students
Joint evaluation in each class
3. Employees' own evaluation.