Overview
The Advanced Professional Diploma in Performance (APD) is for students seeking a final-stage bridge to professional work. The course supports development of a range of industry-related skills (as appropriate to the individual profile) with course supervision provided in addition to one-to-one lessons (see list of possible specialisms below).
Successful applicants will have highly developed performance or compositional skills and a detailed understanding of their individual professional development needs. This will need to be articulated in the form of a deliverable set of outcomes/goals for the work during the course.
APD students will be supported in developing a high degree of independence in their work through the course, in order to be able to meet professional expectations. The course is at level 8 of the FHEQ, which demands a high level of autonomy and initiative.
This course is right for you if you are almost ready to enter the profession and have a strategy for refining or developing specific skills to make the transition. It is designed to enable students to make the most of the artistic and educational opportunities afforded by the Academy and its location in the heart of London.
A note on assessments
The Professional Diploma and Advanced Professional Diploma are designed for musicians who already hold a Master's degree or equivalent professional experience. You will be asked within your Acceptd profile to state if you also wish to be considered for alternative postgraduate courses and your ultimate course placement remains flexible; the panel may discuss and recommend a different postgraduate pathway (such as the MMus or MA) during your assessment if they feel it better matches your academic needs.
Applying for both the Professional Diploma and Advanced Professional Diploma pathways
Students completing the Professional Diploma (ProfDip) in June will also be eligible to apply to the Advanced Professional Diploma (Adv ProfDip) as a nine-month enrolment starting the following September in Year 2 of the course.
The first year of the Adv ProfDip is identical to the ProfDip, meaning that the ProfDip will be a potential exit award for students unable to continue into, or complete, the second year of the Adv ProfDip.
If you want to apply for either of these courses alongside your main application, you do not need to create a second profile or submit a new application on UCAS Conservatoires. Instead, just:
- Opt-in: When prompted in Acceptd, indicate that you would like to be considered.
- Upload your documents: Add the required specialist proposal document (for the Prof Dip) or written requirements (for the Adv Prof Dip) directly to your existing Acceptd profile.
