The Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production) is a three-year full-time degree that offers studies in the creation and production of live performance. You can specialise in the areas of Design, Stage Management, Set and Props, Costume, Lighting, Digital Media and Projection, and Sound. Theoretical knowledge and practical skills are developed through an immersive and practical curriculum in studio and production environments.

The course incorporates broad foundation training in live production processes. You can cultivate your skills in your chosen specialisations as you progress through the course, integrating conceptual and technical skills within studio-based environments.

You will have opportunities to be involved in sustained exploration and experimentation through collaborations on Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) Theatre, Dance and Music Theatre productions. You will undertake design, technical and management roles, increasing in responsibility and endeavour as you advance through the course. This environment provides you with a unique opportunity to develop interdisciplinary collaboration skills with peer and professional theatre makers.

The course is delivered and supported by academic staff and mentors with contemporary industry practice. As a way of furthering your understanding of the industry and developing your own professional network, you will have the opportunity to complete an industry internship in your final year with a professional company or individual practitioner. The course promotes sustainable independent practice to optimally position you to forge strong career pathways in national and international performing arts industries.

Your breadth studies

As part of your course at each year level, you can select breadth subjects either from our VCA elective subjects, or explore cross disciplinary studies from the wider University community, accessing multi-disciplinary knowledge and skills that will build on existing knowledge or present opportunities for you to investigate and develop new interests.

The breadth subjects available to commencing BFA students include those in fine arts (acting, animation, dance, production, film and television, music theatre, screenwriting, theatre and visual art), as well as music education, Indigenous knowledges, law, languages, psychology, social sciences, humanities, science, marketing and many more.

Find out more about the University’s breadth subjects

Workload

First year begins with workshops, studio and classroom-based teaching (18–24 hours per week). As the course progresses, you take on more responsibility for productions (24–36 hours per week). During peak production periods leading up to opening night performances, contact hours can be up to 10 hours per day.