Course to prepare wannabe pop stars for X Factor launched at British college

X Factor wannabes will now be able to hone their audition material with the help of teachers and professors at a higher eduction institute.

Bishop Auckland College, County Durham will teach a 17-week X Factor Preparation course – which it claims is the first of its kind in this country.

ITV1 talent show X Factor auditions singers in the hope of finding the next chart-topper. Success stories include One Direction, Joe McElderry and James Arthur who won the contest in December.

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The course, which costs £95, will take place every Monday and will be scheduled to finish just in time for the start of the ITV1 audition process. Students will receive technical tuition in singing and performing and coaching on how to project themselves confidently.

Mike Jinks, head of art, music and performing arts at Bishop Auckland College, said: "I wanted to run a course which prepared people for X Factor auditions and similar competitions across the country."

"Many applicants have talent but need to work on key things such as their singing technique and confidence. People auditioning also need to know that the ones who succeed on X Factor don't just walk in there blind. It's not about just wandering in, singing a song and you're famous," he said.

"Most applicants have been doing the rounds for years working really hard - it's very rare that you get a Susan Boyle character.

"The course is also about giving people real, transferable skills. The biggest thing they will get out of it is confidence, whether this is for a future singing audition or a job interview."

ITV was not available for comment at press time.

Other unusual higher education and university courses include the David Beckham module taught at Staffordshire as part of a Sport, Media and Culture degree; 'Harry Potter and the Age of Illusion' unit taught as part of Education Studies at Durham; and 'Philosophy and Star Trek' at America's Georgetown University.