BA (Hons) Creative Expressive Therapies

UCAS code: W191 Art pathway, W590 Dance, W490 Drama, W391 Music

Start date: September

Course length: full time: three years, part time: up to five years.

Campus: Markeaton Street, Britannia Mill, Derby Dance Centre and Kedleston Road, Derby

Number of students: 50 students across the four pathways

This course is available to international students

If you love dance, drama, music or art and think it's played an important part in your own development, and you want to develop your skills so that you can work creatively with others, then this course is for you.

During this course you'll be able to specialise in art, drama, dance or music, so that you can develop your artistic ability. These sessions involve studio, performance and exhibition work. You'll also learn about the potential of creativity and the arts to promote well being and their therapeutic application in various settings such as the community, voluntary, health, education and the corporate sector.

The course involves lots of group work where you can have the chance to reflect on your own personal development, awareness and communication skills. As part of this course, we'll give you a deep insight into leadership, coaching and group processes which will help you in your future career. You'll also study different therapeutic principles and the meaning of health and illness in the context of historical and cultural values.

We've designed fantastic specialist facilities to give you the best experience. There are dedicated art, dance and music studios and we have a new learning theatre based in the city centre if you choose the drama pathway. We've also got strong links with déda - the Derby dance centre.

You'll be assessed in many ways to help develop and vary your skills. These range from essays, reflective journals/diaries, performances, exhibitions, videos and production projects. You'll also get real opportunities to put your skills into practice during your work placements or through community projects.

Throughout the course you'll develop skills which are transferable. Our flexible and creative approach enables you to adapt to varied and changing circumstances. You'll also be studying therapeutic principles and the meaning of health and illness in the context of historical and cultural values.

Every year we hold a degree show to celebrate the work created by our final year students. View the gallery of work created for the Degree Show in 2011.

Stage one

You'll study these modules:

• Human Development and Creativity
• Effective Interaction
• Expression and the Arts
• Working Creatively with People 1
• Perspectives of Healing

And you'll choose one specialist pathway module from the following:

• Visual Art (Art Pathway)
• Dance Making: Physicality, choreography and technique (Dance Pathway)
• Applied Drama (Drama Pathway)
• Music and Musicianship 1 (Music Pathway)

Stage two

You'll study these modules:

• Experience of Illness
• Working Towards the Future
• Inter-personal Development
• Working Creatively With People 2

And you'll choose two modules from your chosen specialist pathway:

• Visual Art 2 (Art Pathway)
• Image of Self (Art Pathway)
• Dance Making: Choreography as creative story (Dance Pathway)
• Performance (Dance Pathway)
• Applied Drama 2 (Drama Pathway)
• Performance (Drama Pathway)
• Music and Musicianship 2 (Music Pathway)
• Performance (Music Pathway)

Stage three

You'll study these modules:

• Working Creatively in Context
• Working Creatively on Placement
• Independent Scholarship

And you'll choose one module from your chosen specialist pathway:

• Statement as Image (Art Pathway)
• Dance Production (Dance Pathway)
• Applied Drama 3 and Applied Drama 4 (Drama Pathway)
• Music and Musicianship 3 (Music Pathway)

Our entry requirements are usually 240 UCAS points, of which at least 200 will be from your core A2s (full A levels) or equivalent qualifications such as BTEC Diploma, International Baccalaureate, Scottish Highers etc.

We'll accept up to 40 points towards the total from level 3 qualifications such as AS levels (where those AS levels are not taken on to A2 level), the Extended Project or Music qualifications.

We don't accept points from Key Skills Level 3. If you have any questions about what is or isn't accepted, please contact our Admissions team.

We also accept the Access to HE Diploma.

Your points at level 3 will be in addition to 5 GCSEs at grade C or equivalent level 2 qualifications.

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The UCAS tariff points are a guide - we'll also consider all the information that you've included in your application. We'll also want to see that you're enthusiastic and motivated to take this course and that you have the potential to benefit from coming to university.

General undergraduate entry requirements

Fees for 2013/14

This is a resource intensive course.

UK/EU students

• Full time: £8,250 (each year)

We'll be announcing our part time and international fees for 2013/14 later in the year.

*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2013 and August 2014. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year.

Due to the nature of the programme, a lot of the learning is by taking part and 'doing' (experiential learning) and requires an average of 14 hours attendance every week at Stage 1 falling to an average of 10 hours per week at Stage 3.

We use a variety of creative teaching and learning methods and there is a good balance of theory and practice. Some modules are delivered in smaller groups which are complemented by larger lectures.

In each module we allocate a number of hours to your own private study, but you can ask for guidance with this whenever you need it. Modules are supported by module handbooks and online course resources and we always try to meet any particular needs that our students have, by developing a Support Plan with them. 

How you're assessed

Assignments range from reflective essays, video projects, exhibition and performance through to journal article reviews. Everyone completes an Independent Study at Stage 3, which is 6,000 - 8,000 words. 

Fieldtrips

All students participate in an Environmental Sculpture project and there are trips to various exhibitions, galleries, festivals and performances, some of which are abroad. As part of this course you'll also visit a 'big wood' on the outskirts of Derby and investigate sculptures made from materials out of the wood.

Work placements

There is also a placement at Stage 3 which builds upon the modules Working Creatively with People and Disadvantage at Stages 1 and 2.

This course is a great stepping stone to go on to further training as a music, drama, dance or art therapist. You could choose to study our MA Art Therapy, MA Dramatherapy or MA Dance Movement Psychotherapy, which will lead to registration as an arts therapist - an exciting and fulfilling career.

You'll gain transferable skills from this course such as effective communication, personal development and leadership skills, which you'll be able to apply to a range of different settings. You could therefore take further training to be a teacher or a social worker, a human resource manager, or you may decide to work in community arts, set up your own business or work creatively with people in different settings.

Recent graduate Sarah Paine has set up her own project with fellow graduate Tracey Cullen and they run an innovative project called 'Fun Friday' every week through the community arts organisation, Inspirative Arts, which they both founded. Inspirative Arts developed after Sarah worked with adults with severe learning disabilities during her final year, while on a placement with independent charity Derbyshire Advocacy Service. Read their full story here.

Graduate Sarah Dunford was recently selected to exhibit her work at the popular Wirksworth Festival. Read the full story here.

Recent graduate Reuben Francis now works for Cambridgeshire County Council as the Lead Playworker at the new 'Play Pathfinder' funded adventure playground in Wisbech. Read more about Reuben's success.

Sophie Hickmott who is in her final year, was nominated for the University of Derby Student Volunteer of the Year Award 2012 for her placement at Derby dance venue Déda. Over ten weeks, Sophie helped to teach four and five year old children creative movement in Deda's 'Skippers' dance class. Every Saturday morning Sophie helped the children express themselves and to tell stories using dance, something she has been developing during her learning on the Dance Pathway of a Creative Expressive Therapies degree. Read more about Sophie's story here.  

Samantha Gomersall who is in her final year, was crowned Student Volunteer of the Year 2012 for her work at Headway Derby, a charity set up to give help and support to people affected by brain injury. Every Tuesday morning for ten weeks she led workshops for groups at the day centre using art, dance and drama, but also stayed at the centre to volunteer every Tuesday afternoon, and helped out on trips and at parties. Read more about Samantha's story here.  

• Read more graduate stories to see what they are up to now.

Sarah Steenson, current student
Sarah Steenson volunteers at the Royal Derby Hospital as Arts Co-ordinator and is working with the hospitals art team, Air. She is helping to organise a series of spring music seasons called Nightingale where they use music to help improve staff and patients well being. Read more about Sarah's story.

Grace Goodbean, one of our current students
"The course has shifted my aspirations. Before I might have been looking at jobs as a support worker but now I'm thinking more about how I can influence policy. I can't believe I'm saying that but with the experience I've gained and now the knowledge to back it up, it puts me in a position where I could and should be applying for those higher level opportunities." Read Grace's full story.