I want to go to a college where I can major and get a BA or BFA in acting. While researching colleges, the main thing I’m seeing is that a lot of the degrees and majors focus primarily on theatre or dramatic arts theatre studies. My main goal as an actor is film and television, and although I love theatre, I mainly want a program that focuses mainly on the craft of acting as a whole, not just theatrical works and history, dance, or strictly theatrical aspects (such as lighting, sound, costumes, or stage management, among other things). The only college I have found in Minnesota (where I plan to go to college) that seems to be different is the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. The U of M has a BFA in Acting, although the description states that it “uses faculty from both theatre and dance as well as the Guthrie Theater’s professional artistic staff.” My main concern and question is that I don’t know of any undergraduate colleges that offer majors in the craft of acting, not just the theatre and stage aspect of it all.
Chapman University in CA has a BFA in Screen Acting- might want to check that out.
Please correct me if I’m misunderstanding you, but when you say that you want training in the craft of acting (as opposed to works and aspects), it sounds like what you’re looking for is a BFA, rather than a BA (in most programs). I’m not ruling out all BA programs–I’m sure that there are BA programs that work more deeply on the work as well, but the curriculum-based differences between a BFA and BA (especially visible if you compare the two types of degrees within one college) are how many credits you’re getting in your major (generally many more for the BFA than the BA) and the depth of acting you’re covering. In some programs which offer both, newer students may all take the same intro classes, whether they’re BA or BFA. Then, the BFAs move on to take the higher-level, more intensive classes that the BAs do not. For example, everyone may take Acting (or Movement or Voice or whatever) 1, but the BFAs are continuing on to Acting 4. The BFA Actors are taking some tech classes, because it’s important for everyone to understand what goes into a production and how it works, but the BAs may be taking a wider variety of tech/stage management classes as they progress than the BFAs are taking.
Also, I’m not sure if you’re specifically interested in Minnesota because you live there and the tuition would be more affordable, but I’m pretty sure that there’s some kind of agreement among neighboring states that gives in-state tuition to kids from neighboring states even if it’s not your home state. That might help you expand your search?
Saint Mary’s univ in Minnesota has an acting degree - but do not know how focused on tv or film it is.
Guthrie (Minnesota BFA) is largely theatre training vs film. But I may be misunderstanding what you wish to focus on.
Pace university has a specific BFA acting for film and television. Also has a BFA acting program (two different programs and one focuses more
On tv and film).
Most BFA programs do incorporate acting for film into the curriculum. As @lovetoact said above it sounds like you may be wanting a BFA acting program that does intense study into various acting, voice, movement skills. (Not a general theater studies track)
If so, there are a lot of programs that fit this bill all over the country. Some include:
UNCSA grads often work in tv or film
Cal arts - same
Chapman has a film focused BFA acting option
Pace has a film focused BFA acting option
Some in Midwest:
DePaul
Columbia college Chicago
Roosevelt CCPA
Guthrie/Minnesota
University of Rockford
SEMO
Webster
There are so many - if you let us know if you only want Midwest or what region, etc, I bet you will get lots of posts with good options.