Interviews, auditions and portfolios
Once you’ve sent your form in to UCAS/DfE Apply you may need to attend an interview or audition, or show your portfolio, depending on the course you’ve applied for (you can see if this applies to you from the course listings). We’ve put together some information for you about these – but don’t worry, when you are invited you will be given full details of what will happen, including if your interview, audition or portfolio will be online.
Help us get to know you
The important thing to bear in mind is that your interview or audition is a two way thing. As well as tutors checking you can handle the course, it is your chance to check us out, to make sure that Huddersfield is the right place for you. There are no trick questions and we won’t be trying to trip you up. We just want to find out what makes you tick. If you’ve never had an interview or shown a portfolio, don’t worry, it’s not too formal – it just helps us get to know you and assess your application.
The friendly staff in the Student Recruitment Team will be happy to give you guidance on the process, or put you in touch with a subject-specialist who can answer your questions. You can give us a call on 01484 472625.
Architecture
Interview information for Architecture courses.
Art and Design
Interview information for Art and Design courses.
Drama and Musical Theatre
Interview information for Drama and Musical Theatre courses.
Fashion and Costume
Interview information for Fashion and Costume courses.
Health Professional and Social Work Courses
Interview information for Health and Social Work.
Journalism, Media, English and History
Interview information for Journalism, Media, English and History courses.
Music
Interview information for Music courses.
Pharmacy
Interview information for Pharmacy.
Science Extended Degree leading to a BSc(Hons)
Interview information for Science Extended Degree leading to a BSc(Hons).
Teaching
Interview information for Teaching courses
Portfolio review for Architecture
As part of your application, we would like to see a brief portfolio to include pieces of your work which you feel best demonstrate your range of skills and interests.
The below information includes details for Architecture/Architecture (International) (RIBA Part 1)
Portfolio Guidelines
Please prepare a portfolio (15 - 25 images) of your work. It is useful to include photographs from your sketchbooks that show a range of skills and idea development.
If you want to include moving image or animation. Please upload your moving image work to a website (for example Vimeo). Then include the link as part of your portfolio.
Make sure your portfolio has your name at the front and save the Portfolio as a PDF file with a Maximum file size of 20 MB
What happens after you have submitted your portfolio?
Once we’ve seen your portfolio, we will let you know our decision as soon as possible. Successful applicants will be invited to attend our on-campus Applicant Visit Days and/or course specific events, providing the opportunity to ask further questions and gain more insight into studying with us.
Portfolio review for Art and Design
As part of your application, we would like to see a brief portfolio to include pieces of your work which you feel best demonstrate your range of skills and interests.
The below information includes details for the following subject areas within Art and Design:
Fine Art BA(Hons), Fine Art and Illustration BA(Hons), Graphic Design BA(Hons), Graphic Design and Animation BA(Hons), Illustration BA(Hons), Interior Design BA(Hons) and Photography BA(Hons).
Portfolio Guidelines
Please prepare a portfolio (15 - 25 images) of your work. it is useful to include photographs from your sketchbooks that show a range of skills and idea development.
If you want to include moving image or animation. Please upload your moving image work to a website (for example Vimeo). Then include the link as part of your portfolio.
Make sure your portfolio has your name at the front and save the Portfolio as a PDF file with a Maximum file size of 20 MB.
What happens after you have submitted your portfolio?
Once we’ve seen your portfolio, we will let you know our decision as soon as possible. Successful applicants will be invited to attend our on-campus Applicant Visit Days and/or course specific events, providing the opportunity to ask further questions and gain more insight into studying with us.
Portfolio review for Fashion and Costume
As part of your application, we would like to see a brief portfolio to include pieces of your work which you feel best demonstrate your range of skills and interests.
The below information includes details for the following subject areas within Fashion and Costume:
Costume with Textiles BA(Hons) and Fashion Design BA(Hons)
Applications for Fashion Marketing BA(Hons) do not require a portfolio. You will be invited to an interview, and we encourage you to bring a piece of coursework from any discipline to discuss or examples of any images, news stories or perhaps a fashion campaign you have found interesting.
Portfolio Guidelines
Please prepare a portfolio (15 - 25 images) of your work. it is useful to include photographs from your sketchbooks that show a range of skills and idea development.
If you want to include moving image or animation. Please upload your moving image work to a website (for example Vimeo). Then include the link as part of your portfolio.
Make sure your portfolio has your name at the front and save the Portfolio as a PDF file with a Maximum file size of 20 MB.
What happens after you have submitted your portfolio?
Once we’ve seen your portfolio, we will let you know our decision as soon as possible. Successful applicants will be invited to attend our on-campus Applicant Visit Days and/or course specific events, providing the opportunity to ask further questions and gain more insight into studying with us.
Fashion Marketing BA(Hons)
How are interviews taking place?
Once you have applied via UCAS, you will be sent an email from our Admissions Team detailing your interview date and time, platform eg Microsoft Teams (for online interviews).
The interview will take place with a relevant tutor and is an opportunity to discuss the course and ask any questions you might have.
What happens after your interview?
After your interview, we will let you know our decision as soon as possible. Please note that this process may take some time due to high volumes of applications, so we appreciate your patience.
Successful applicants will also be invited to attend our on-campus Applicant Visit Days, providing the opportunity to ask further questions and gain more insight into studying with us.
Music
The below information includes details for the following courses:
BMus Music Performance, BMus Music and BMus Popular Music
Audition / advice lesson guidance
If you are a BMus Music Performance applicant, then we need to hear you perform before we can make you an offer for this course. If you are a BMus Music or BMus Popular Music applicant, you don’t need to audition gain entry to the course, but we strongly recommend you take the opportunity to visit us for an optional advice lesson.
For auditions and advice lessons, you need to bring your instrument and music / backing tracks to play two contrasting pieces. Please note that piano accompaniment will not be provided. If you are a popular music performer you can use a backing track, but if you plan to play from your phone, please make sure you can connect to a 3.5mm jack cable. If you would like us to play the audio file for you please share this in advance of the day by sending it to mmtadmissions@hud.ac.uk. If you opt for an online audition, then make sure you test your set-up for audio quality in advance.
What will happen on the day?
When you arrive on campus, you will be welcomed and given information about our courses by one of our specialist tutors. You’ll have a chance to meet staff and some of our current students, who will then take you on a tour of our facilities.
Music Performance, Music and Popular Music applicants will then either have a one-to-one audition, advice lesson, or a short informal interview and chat about your musical interests and experience. On some selected events, we also offer performance workshops as well as the audition / advice lesson.
Additional information
This is a great opportunity to meet staff and students and to see our facilities, as well as to ask any questions about the courses and environment here at Huddersfield. Although we think that visiting in person is the best way to experience what we offer, we understand that it might not always be possible for everyone and will do our best to offer some online events as well as offering bespoke options. Please contact us using mmtadmissions@hud.ac.uk if you want to discuss this further.
Portfolio review for Journalism, Media, English and History
The below information includes details for the following courses:
English BA(Hons), English Literature and History BA(Hons), English Literature BA(Hons), English Literature with Creative Writing BA(Hons), Film Studies and English Literature BA(Hons), History BA(Hons), Media and Film Studies BA(Hons), Multimedia Journalism BA(Hons), Sports Journalism BA(Hons)
How are interviews taking place?
Once you have applied via UCAS, you will be sent an email from our team to make arrangements for the date and time of your interview. Interviews will be held via Teams, or over the telephone, depending on your preference.
Your interview will take place with a member of academic staff who teaches on the course you have applied for. It is an opportunity to discuss the course and your interests, for us to get to know one another, and for you ask any questions you might have.
What happens after your interview?
After your interview, we will let you know our decision as soon as possible. Please note that this process may take some time due to high volumes of applications, so we appreciate your patience.
Successful applicants will also be invited to attend our on-campus Applicant Visit Days, providing the opportunity to ask further questions and gain more insight into studying with us.
Drama and Musical Theatre
What are we looking for?
We want passionate, enthusiastic students who can work well in groups and are interested in developing their practical skills along with the ability and desire to engage in critical and reflective thinking.
What will happen on the day?
The day will include a 90 minute workshop where we will warm-up and then work collaboratively to create a piece of performance. Afterwards, there will be some light refreshment and a tour of the Drama facilities, followed by a discussion
of the courses in an open forum
Dress code:
Comfortable clothing to wear or change into plus light footwear, for the workshop (barefoot is fine for this).
Recommendations for Your Audition
For Musical Theatre we will require you to prepare a formal musical audition piece. This should be 16 bars from a published musical. Please bring a recording of the music track that you can sing to. We will provide a Bluetooth speaker for you to use, so the music can be played from your phone or other device. In addition to the singing, we are very interested in your ability to work effectively with others, your responses to ideas and creative problems and your level of concentration and focus and your critical engagement with all aspects of Drama, Theatre and Performance. These are the qualities we will be looking for during the workshop. Therefore, you will also be making some creative work with applicants for the Acting and Performance course.
For Acting and Performance courses we do not require you to prepare a formal audition piece. We are more immediately interested in your ability to work effectively with others, your response to ideas and creative problems and your level of concentration and focus and your critical engagement with all aspects of
Pharmacy
You'll invited to participate in either an online or face-to-face interview. This is a 15 minute interview with an academic member of staff where professionalism and NHS values are assessed through some scenarios. An article from the Pharmacy Journal is also discussed (you'll be sent the article in advance of the interview) as well as aspects of your personal statement to assess your understanding, listening and communication skills.
Teaching
Primary and Early Years Education with QTS BA(Hons)
How are interviews taking place this year?
Interviews are taking place in person on campus. You’ll be sent further information and a map in your invitation email.
What will happen on the day?
Your interview invitation will include information on what will take place on the day. The interview will include a 1-1 interview with one of our tutors. We’ll ask you to bring an object that could be used to help children learn. We’ll ask you to give an explanation and demonstration of your chosen object. We’ll also ask you to bring a children’s story book. You’ll be asked to explain your choice of book and read a short section of the book. You will complete an online literacy and numeracy task to assess your written communication and mathematics skills. The literacy task is a short piece of writing on a topic given to you at the interview. The numeracy task is a multiple-choice mathematics test. Both tasks are completed on the day of the interview.
What are we looking for?
We’re looking for you to demonstrate good personal skills and knowledge appropriate to the course. We’ll refer to your personal statement and expect you to show your passion for teaching. We will send you further specific details if you are invited for interview – our aim isn’t to surprise you or put you on the spot. We want to get to know you and consider whether you’re right for the course. It’s also a great opportunity for you to think about whether the course is right for you.
What happens after the interview?
Your UCAS Track will be updated with the outcome of your interview as soon as we’ve made a decision. If you are offered a place and accept this, we will send further information about things that need to be completed before you start your course, such as your Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which is a requirement for working with children.
If you have any questions about interviews, please contact sepd@hud.ac.uk.
Certificate of Education - Lifelong Learning
Interviews are taking place in person on campus. You’ll be sent further information and a map in your invitation email.
What will happen on the day?
The interview will begin with a presentation by a course tutor. You will then give a short presentation to the interviewer. You will then have an interview with the course tutor and you will be asked to complete a short writing task. We will send you further specific details about preparing for the tasks if you are invited for interview.
What are we looking for?
Good personal skills and knowledge appropriate to the course. We would like you to demonstrate awareness of the lifelong learning sector.
Health Professional and Social Work Courses
Interviews are an essential requirement for our health professional and social work courses and the format of these varies depending on the course you would like to study.
If you are invited to interview you will be sent an email from our Admissions Team detailing your interview date and time, platform eg Microsoft Teams (for online interviews), the format (Individual or group), photo ID you are required to show and tasks you may be required to complete prior to interview.
What are we looking for?
We want enthusiastic students who have a passion to work in their chosen health or social work profession, as well as knowledge and understanding of what the profession involves and the skills and attributes required.
Dress code
Be smartly dressed.
Interviews for Science Extended Degree leading to a BSc(Hons) Degree
How to find us
Find out how to get to the University so you can attend your interview, audition, or portfolio review.
