Good MT BA Colleges?

College Majors Musical Theater Major
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What are some colleges with good BA (NOT BFA) theater or MT programs? Just want some places to look at!

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I’ve always admired James Madison’s BA MT program (and wish that it had been in-budget for me when I was auditioning for colleges) - you may want to take a look at @KatMT’s post history as she teaches in the program and has provided a lot of great information about it over the years!

American University is a BA in musical theatre, Alabama also offers a BA in MT alongside their BFA program (which I think is a really interesting option, especially if you are going to be a National Merit Finalist or Semifinalist, it could make Bama very affordable). Seton Hill also has the same sort of BA alongside their BFA program (compare the curricula online for both programs).

All of the above are audition-based programs.

For non-auditioned programs, Muhlenberg has always been a popular BA choice. I have also heard really great things about Drew’s BA program with a minor in MT. A little out of the box suggestion, but depending on how you feel about the Midwest, I would also consider the University of Iowa. I have friends who have attended Iowa for their MFAs (in Acting and Playwriting, respectively) and have LOVED it, and I think having the Iowa Playwrights Workshop on campus is a real benefit to undergraduate actors - I know many of their undergrads have a chance to act in new work from some of the country’s most exciting emerging playwrights while students there. They have a non-auditioned BA in theatre with a MT track and some really interesting certificate programs, like a certificate in Social Justice and the Performing Arts and a certificate in Public Digital Arts.

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Hi @pumpkincheesecake and @CanadianMTgirl!!

I am happy to answer any questions about James Madison.

In addition to the excellent suggestions from @CanadianMTgirl you might also want to look at Plymouth State, Christopher Newport, and Wagner, among others…

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Theater BA

  • UCLA (Acting and MT Emphasis)
  • Northwestern (also has an MT Certificate to supplement)
  • University of Southern California (has more flexibility than their BFA Acting & MT programs)
  • Fordham (they do put on the occasional musical; their production of Indecent last year was good but voice and dance training isn’t a major part of the curriculum. It’s really an acting focused program)
  • Temple University (has an Acting Focus and also a BFA MT)
  • Rowan University (has concentrations in Acting and MT and lots of overlap between the two);
  • Fairleigh Dickinson (has concentrations in Acting and MT);
  • Drew University (has an MT certificate to supplement)
  • University of Minnesota (more flexible to be able to add in dance and voice classes than its Acting BFA - a graduate of the BA Theater Arts program is Cady on the current Mean Girls tour)
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