What is Entertainment Design?

We all want to be entertained — but what if you could be the one who designs the magic? From film sets to festivals, live events to immersive worlds, BA (Hons) Entertainment Design puts you centre stage in shaping unforgettable experiences.

What is Entertainment Design?

Entertainment Design is all about creating immersive, story-driven experiences that connect with audiences. It spans a wide range of creative industries — including theatre, film, live events, theme parks, exhibitions, festivals, museums, installations, and more. Entertainment designers shape the spaces, visuals, atmospheres, and interactions that bring these experiences to life — combining creativity, storytelling, and technical skill.

What will you study?

Rooted in a rich legacy of performance design at BCU, the BA (Hons) Entertainment Design course builds on the decades of experience we have gained in creative practice while preparing you for where the industry is heading next. You’ll explore what entertainment can be, and how you can shape it.

This is a doing course. You’ll design, prototype, make, test, present, and refine. Every module offers a balance between developing academic knowledge, building technical skills, and harnessing creative autonomy, so you can develop a practice that’s both grounded and ambitious.

You’ll work with the core principles of entertainment design—storytelling, space, figure, and audience—and learn how they interact to create impactful experiences. You'll also investigate the social, cultural, and ethical contexts that shape entertainment, whilst developing your own creative voice and professional direction through research, studio practice, collaboration, and critical reflection.

Entertainment Design

Find out more about our course

How will you learn and prepare for industry?

The course is built with industry and designed for the future. You’ll work on live briefs, placements, and real-world projects informed by leading organisations such as the RSC, Katapult, Boomtown Festival, and Scruffy Dog Creative Group. You’ll gain practical skills, critical thinking, and a strong portfolio — along with professional training opportunities, like manual handling and working at height certifications, that boost your industry readiness.  Our affiliation with creative professionals ensures that your learning is relevant—and what you create makes you industry-ready.

Where could this course take you?

The course prepares you for freelance work, postgraduate study, or launching your own creative practice. Whether you're interested in designing and making for immersive live events, large scale production design, themed environments, interactive media, or something entirely your own, our aim is that you’ll graduate with the confidence, portfolio, and vision to shape the future of entertainment design.

What should you do next?

Find a course

We offer an extensive selection of more than 100 courses, spanning a wide range of subjects for you to explore.

Find a course

Come to an Open Day

Expert academics, state-of-the-art facilities and an inclusive student community - there's so much going on at Birmingham City University. Be at the heart of it all at one of our Open Days.

View our upcoming Open Days

Sign up to find out more

Our emails are a great way to learn more about the University and find out what it's really like to study with us!

Sign up to hear from us

Download one of our helpful Guides

Our guides contain expert advice and guidance designed to help you before joining university.

Follow us on social media

Follow our social media channels to stay up-to-date with everything that's going on at BCU.