Study Guide

Descriptions

Study objectives
Studies in the Performing Arts provide students with the basic skills and knowledge to be experts in their field. These studies are integrated in development projects that create natural contacts with working life. A graduating student will be to find diverse performance art work as a producer, director and teacher, or as an organiser or entrepreneur. The specific degree gained in the programme is a Theater Instructor (UAS) degree. The extent of the degree is 240 credits (4 years). Circus studies are including national teacher´s pedagogical qualifications (60 credits).

The aim of the circus education is to support the professional growth of a Circus Artist who is able to work independently and has own vision of Performing Arts. Circus Artist is able to work in different environments. The graduate has a wide range of circus knowledge and skills, as well as the ability to apply their skills as an arts educator and a performer in the field of circus. In addition, they have the skills to work in different ventures and projects, presentations, production tasks and as educators in their field. A graduate will also have the fundamentals for starting a business and applying artistic methods in real-world situations.

Earlier graduates from the circus education have found work as circus artists as performers and directors, and as teachers of circus schools and clubs, and as organisers, both in Finland and abroad.

Structure of studies and study contents
In the Performing Arts one achieves a degree in circus education by completing basic studies, professional studies, elective studies, internship and a final thesis work. The studies are developed towards professional competency by combining the know-how gained through the traineeship and those gained in creative artistic work.

The circus studies curriculum contains also circus pedagogical studies and didactic circus teaching studies. In the basic studies, a foundation is laid for performing arts studies and the selection of a studies’ specialisation.

Professional studies focus on circus and performing arts techniques, expression, interpretation and directing. In elective studies, the student can continue with circus or performing arts specialist studies and choose interesting courses for themselves from other the rest of the University curriculum or studies through the JOO-Agreement (flexible study rights) at other Finnish or international higher education institutes. Elective studies may also be undertaken on international student exchanges at foreign universities and colleges. The traineeship is focused on field-specific tasks in an actual work environment in either Finland or abroad. The final thesis ensures that knowledge of circus arts is deepened and applied regarding the knowledge and skills acquired through studies.

Constructing presentations, performance, reception and analysis provide the student the foundations for the development of personal expression, knowledge in their field about its traditions, as well potential for being a trailblazer. With the aid of artistic expression and professional skills, we build the basis for performing and creating acts. Professionalisation in the performing arts is sought by combining the technical studies and traineeships know-how into creative artistic work. Independent working, practical training, as well as the opportunity for producing one’s own artistic production increase as studies go forward.

Contacts with the labour market are created before the actual real-world traineeship through participation in the studies program’s integrated research and development projects. Practical work experience periods and performance projects will familiarise students with the future work tasks and support them in developing and prolonging their work lives.

Circus studies are comprised of 5 different parts:

1. BASIC STUDIES include language studies, professional development studies, knowledge of work life and entrepreneurship, as well as intermediate circus studies and teacher´s pedagogical studies. The goal of basic studies is to build a broad-based foundation for a student’s professional skill development, ethical knowledge, communication and interpersonal skills, information gathering skills and familiarity with the international dimension of the field. Intermediate circus studies form the analytical core of professional circus studies. Awareness of one’s own body and understanding how it functions, as well as riggingl methods for circus equipment and an understanding of work safety, set the foundation for safe learning about the circus and practice. Circus history studies further deepen the student’s understanding of the circus as a developing art form. History studies also further deepen the student’s performance arts analysis knowledge.

2. PROFESSIONAL STUDIES are grouped into three modules that progress, partially parallel to each other, in deepening the knowledge of studies, and a portion that progresses successively by aiding education through cumulation.

Professional technical studies build the foundations for survival in the field of circus art. Technical studies are consisting of basics in circus techniques and advanced circus techniques as an area of specialisation. During the first year of studies, the student will build the physical, technical and methodological foundations for future studies. The students are studying their major circus discipline techniques intensively from the 2nd study year to the fall semester of the 4th year. The student will chose one or two specialised circus skills by the end of the spring semester in the first year. Advanced studies are concentrated on developing the student’s personal skills. The goal is to reinforce students creativity, in combination with technical skills, for further development. The specialisation technical studies progress according to each student’s selected personal study plan. The student will learn to train on their own and learn to listen to their body. Movement expression and dance, stage expression and theatre and body conditioning are supporting the student’s expression and the potential for physical development and maintenance. These studies also take special note of the student’s analytical ability to take note of developing their own capabilities.

Teaching circus and pedagogical studies widen the students educational base to prepare them work as a circus teacher. Studies focus on the examination questions related to circus teaching and studies, circus arts education and circus didactics. These studies are closely linked with the enhancement of professional studies in the 3rd and 4th years of study.
Performance projects are deepening students skills in creating circus productions, performing circus and marketing for various audience groups. In these studies, students will learn various approaches to preparing and undertaking presentations. In Solo and directing projects the students are creating their own performances and in artistic work in practise to students are working under guidance of outside directors.
3. TRAINEESHIP is closely linked to the circus pedagogical studies and artistic projects. The goal of the traineeship is ensure that the student will become familiar with circus arts work tasks and will further obtain teaching perspectives. The traineeship challenges the student to put the theory that they have learned into use. Practical work experience culminates in the spring of the 4th year in the circus teachers work experience, circus teacher traineeship.
4. ELECTIVE STUDIES the student will have opportunities to broaden and deepen their circus skills through various methods according to their own preferences. A student may, for example, work as a circus performer or in the technical support group of a production.
5. THESIS work is completed in during the final year in which the student deepens, trains and completes the professional preparations needed before finding work in the field of circus art.

Choosing a main subject or field of specialization, qualifications
The goal of circus studies is to support the professional growth of a circus artist who is able to function as an arts educator and performer in the field of circus.

A circus artist has multifaceted knowledge and skills, as well as the ability to apply their skills in the performing arts field. In addition, they will have skills to work in different productions and projects, in performance work, in theatre production and also as teachers. Graduates have the capacity to start their own company and apply artistic methodologies to their own work. During the course of studies, the student will specialize in 1 or 2 different technical fields.

Thesis
THESIS work is completed during the final year in which the student deepens, trains and completes the professional preparations needed before finding work in the field of circus arts. In the final thesis the students will thoroughly study issues that are of personal interest to them as an art thesis project, a pedagogical project or as a written study. Each thesis will contain both a practical and a written section.

The foundation for the thesis will already be laid in the first year of studies, but that actual preparation process for the thesis won’t being until the third year of studies with the introduction of methodological and development studies. In the thesis seminar, the students will familiarise themselves with circus arts research and development possibilities and receive assistance with selecting their thesis topic and its limitations.


Internationalization
The circus arts field is truly international and graduates from these studies can work in this field all over the world. The Turku University of Applied Sciences Circus education participates with foreign institutes of higher education through an international network and therefore the international dimension of the studies is a natural part of the curriculum. The circus programme is an active member of FEDEC (European Federation of Vocational Circus Schools). During their studies, students will have the possibility to complete at least 15 ECTS credits in a foreign language and deepen the area-specific language skills in international projects and student exchanges. As an exchange student, one has the opportunity to complete professional studies, practical work experience and elective studies. The faculty also plays host to foreign teachers taking part in different performance projects.

Career opportunities
This schooling prepares graduates to be different, diverse types of circus artists who have the skills and the know-how to work in different productions and projects, in performing roles, as directors, as teachers, in performance production roles, to operate one’s own business and in applicable performing arts tasks.

Possible jobtitles after graduation
Circus artist, circus teacher, circus director, circus artist, circus performer

Postgraduate study opportunities
This education provides eligibility for further studies and Master’s degree programs, such as the University of Arts Helsinki, Theatre Academy and international Master’s level graduate education.

Further information

Evaluation and feedback
Continuous, constructive feedback is at the heart of all performance arts functions. Circus students are guided to conduct constructive self-critiques and also to develop the ability act as a peer reviewer. Course evaluation criteria are explained to the students at the beginning of each studies plan and in each precise implementation plan, as well as at the beginning of studies. Student feedback is collected, from among other things, in personal counselling sessions, feedback questionnaires and on the annual feedback day. Credits are recorded in the studies register as ECTS credits, 1 credit being approximate to 27 hours of work, while one week, 40 hours, is equivalent to 1.5 credits. The average amount of ECTS credits that a student will accumulate in a year is 60.

Completed studies are assessed as study assignments, physical and written demonstrations and according to other accomplishments. Completed studies are assessed on a scale of 1 to 5: 5 (Excellent), 4 (Very Good), 3 (Good), 2 (Satisfactory), 1 (Adequate) and 0 (Fail). The student is allowed to have 2 failing grades in their studies. After receiving the failing grade, the student will have the opportunity to take the course again. Further, according to the course plan, some studies may use the grade “pass.” Pass or fail grades are not, however, possible to equate to anything on the regular numerical scale.

Course evaluation is assessed according to the personal study plan and is determined in the evaluation framework. The evaluation framework is described in the student’s basic studies phase, as well as in the advanced studies phase on three different levels (1, 3, 5).

Evaluation Framework
INITIAL STUDIES PHASE (1st to 2nd years of study)

First Level Students
•work according to the instructions provided
•can identify the key professional concepts and terminology
•take part in joint discussions
•use the basic techniques and materials of their art field

Third Level Student
•expands their knowledge by taking advantage of their study environment
•knows how to use key, core concepts purposefully
•utilises their previous studies in their work
•can identify ethical and ecological points of departure in their work
•is aware of the artistic criteria in their activities

Level 5 Student
•works in a self-guided and goal oriented manner
•can assess what they have learned in comparison to their previous studies
•develops their professional skills in artistic expression
•can clearly rationalise their artistic views

ADVANCED STUDIES PHASE (3rd and 4th years of study)
Level One Student
•can purposefully follow instructions in their work
•can effortlessly use and apply professional concepts in art productions
•will participate in an open dialogue in community feedback situations
•has mastered the multifaceted professional techniques and equipment of their field of art

Level Three Student
•can identify their own learning style and work on developing it
•will rationally self-assess their own professional competence with regards to skills and abilities
•can creatively integrate and apply their earlier studies in their work
•develops their own skills in accordance with ethical and ecological traditions
•analyses and develops art and educational arts activities

Level Five Student
•masters a wide array of performing arts skills and knowledge, and applies them creatively
•analyses and develops their work habits in their field of art
•will analyse and contribute to development in the arts field
•works professionally and creatively in different jobs in their field of the arts