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10875NAT Diploma of Screen Performance

Course code C75

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Important

This course is not offered for study on-campus to international students with a student visa.

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Teacher Education

Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

About this Course

If you aspire to being a TV or film actor, this could be the starting point.

This nationally recognised course prepares performers with a range of knowledge and skills to enter the performing arts industry as a screen performance actor for roles in television and film productions. Students train in skills including acting techniques, improvisation, movement, auditioning and self-testing. On successful completion of the course, you will understand the pre-professional skills necessary to successfully audition and perform for the screen.

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level

This course has been accredited by ECU as an AQF Level 5 Diploma Award.

Course code

C75

Entry requirements

ECU admission and English language requirements apply.

See Course Entry for further information.

Admissions

ECU admission profile

Fees

See Fees and Scholarships for further information.

Duration

1 year full-time

See Course Details for further information.

Availability & Campus

Location Semester 1 Semester 2
Joondalup
Mount Lawley FT
South West
Online
*FT = Full-time study PT = Part-time study ECU City 2026** **ECU City will redefine higher education in Western Australia and will be open to students from February 2026. If you are unsure about how this course is affected, speak to one of our future student specialists.

Timetable

This course has a modified timetable. See Course Notes.

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Course Entry

Admission requirements you'll need to meet for this course.

  • The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.

    All applicants are required to attend an audition. Applicants must submit two different self-test auditions via a link, provide a one page personal statement, and a recent head shot. Additionally applicants must attend an interview. Short listed applicants will be interviewed either in person or by Skype if interstate. Additionally applicants must normally be turning at least 18 by 30th June the year of commencing the course. Alternatively applicants can provide some other form of evidence where the candidate demonstrates competence in screen, theatre performance, and/or acting skills at Certificate IV level.

    For more information, including guidelines for specific disciplines, please see our Interviews, folios and auditions web page.

    Academic admission requirements (Band 1) may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

    • Completion of Year 10 or equivalent.

  • English competency requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

    • Year 10 English completion or equivalent.

Course Details

Semester availability

Semester 1: Study full-time at Mount Lawley

Course Structure

Year 1 - Semester 1

Acting 1
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAACT411Use acting techniques in performance
Performance Techniques
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAPRF511Refine performance techniques
Present to Camera
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAAIR312Develop techniques for presenting to camera
Screen Acting 1
Unit Code Unit Title
NAT10875001Develop fundamental acting skills for film and television

Year 1 - Semester 2

Acting 2
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAPRF413Use different performance techniques
Audition
Unit Code Unit Title
NAT10875003Develop audition techniques for screen and television
Dialect
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAIND411Extend expertise in specialist creative fields
Editing
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAPOS211Perform basic vision and sound editing
Filmed Project
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAPRF420Develop on-camera performance skills
Industry Practice
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAPPR512Develop sustainability of own professional practice
Screen Acting 2
Unit Code Unit Title
NAT10875002Develop specialised skills to perform for camera
Self-Testing
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAPRF513Prepare for and perform in competitive environments

Year 1 - VET Full

Movement
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAPRF412Develop conceptual and expressive skills as a performer
Project Weeks
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAPPM512Realise productions
Story and Scriptwriting
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAWRT402Write extended stories
Voice
Unit Code Unit Title
CUAVOS312Develop vocal techniques for use in performance

C75|4

For more detailed unit information for this course take a look at our Handbook. To organise your life for next semester visit the Teaching timetable.

Student handbook

Course notes

Important course notes

  • Delivered weekday evenings, Saturdays, and during semester breaks.

Course learning outcomes

  1. Analyse and plan approaches to technical problems or management/performance requirements.
  2. Effectively demonstrate the concepts, skills and knowledge required by a screen actor in rehearsal, performance and studio work.
  3. Evaluate information, using it to review self or others performance and planning purposes.
  4. Have a thorough understanding of the concepts, skills and knowledge required by a screen actor.
  5. Self-directed application of knowledge and skills, with substantial depth in some areas where judgment is required in planning and selecting appropriate equipment, services and techniques for self and others.
  6. Transfer and apply theoretical concepts and/or technical or creative skills to a range of situations.
  7. Understand and respond appropriately to terminology employed by the industry.
  8. Understanding of a broad knowledge base incorporating theoretical concepts, with substantial depth in some areas.

Fees and Scholarships

Fees

VET course fees are set by the WA Government and they vary from course to course. For more information, please go to Fees and Scholarships.

Some units require the payment of a fee for incidental goods or services required to complete those units. For more information and the full list of incidental fees for courses and units, visit What are Incidental Fees.

Scholarships

ECU has a scholarship program that provides many opportunities each year to students undertaking studies here.

Find a scholarship

Career Opportunities

Graduates may choose to audition for higher level qualifications or audition for roles in industry. Recent alumni have worked in national and international film and drama series.

Possible future job titles

Actor, Film and Television Actor, Performer, Screen Actor

Need some help deciding what to study?

Our future student events include a mix of on-campus and online sessions designed to help you decide what to study at ECU.

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Quick guide to uni-speak

    • The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national regulator of qualifications in the Australian education and training system. The AQF defines the essential characteristics, including the required learning outcomes, of the different types of qualifications issued across the higher education systems in Australia.

    • ATAR is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, the primary criterion for entry into most undergraduate university courses in Australia. The ATAR is a percentile score which denotes a student's ranking relative to their state-wide peers upon completion of their secondary education.

    • CRICOS is the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. A CRICOS code is allocated to education institutions (like ECU) who are approved to recruit, enrol and deliver education to overseas students. Courses with a CRICOS code are available to international students who meet the entry requirements.

    • A major, or unit set, is your chosen area of in-depth study in an undergraduate course. It usually involves 8 units of study, or one-third of the units in a 3-year degree. Talk to your Student Information Office if you need help choosing a major subject.

    • Minors include between 4 and 6 study units in a specific discipline. Not all courses require you to complete a minor. Your minor subject doesn't appear on your printed degree (parchment), but is part of your academic transcript.

    • If you're enrolled in 3 or more units in a semester this is considered full-time study. To complete most 3-year degrees studying full-time you'll need to complete 4 units per semester, i.e. 24 units over 3 years.

    • If a course is available to study part-time you can generally expect it to take twice as long to complete as it would in full-time mode. Part-time students are enrolled in 1 or 2 units maximum per semester.

      Note: International students who hold a student visa can only choose the full-time study option for our courses. This is to ensure the course is completed within the duration of the student visa.

    • Most courses start in Semester 1 each year, usually in the last week of February. Some courses can be started in Semester 2 (we call this mid-year). There's a week of Orientation before each semester to help you get used to uni life.

    • A lot of our courses start in Semester 2 each year, usually in the last week of July. We call this mid-year. There's a week of Orientation beforehand to help you get used to uni life.

    • We use a points system to make it easier for you to understand your study progress. Most Bachelors degree study units are allocated 15 credit points. If you're studying a 3-year full-time degree you'll need to successfully complete 360 credit points - that's 24 units x 15 points per unit.

    • These are compulsory units you have to successfully complete as part of your course.

    • An elective is a unit you choose to study that counts towards your course requirements, but isn't compulsory. For some courses we recommend elective units. In some situations, a course coordinator may approve an elective unit as a replacement for a compulsory one.

The Important Things

Things you should know about if you're thinking about studying here.

Course Entry

There's more than one admission pathway into an ECU course. It depends on what you've studied already, or your work or life experience.

Fees & Scholarships

Course tuition fees can change, but we can give you an estimate of your costs. If you're eligible, a scholarship or student loan can help too.

Applying

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ECU Experience

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