UCLA Theatre

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

I read that UCLA’s theatre program which offers a BA is basically ran like a BFA. I thought the BA was supposed to be less demanding than a BFA. Does UCLA’s program gives you time to seek professional opportunities outside of school?

2

Not all BAs (or BFAs for that matter) are created equal. Northwestern offers a BA- and it is one of the most respected theater schools in the country. I cannot answer your question on UCLAs program (though I have read good things about it on this forum) but I would say don’t get hung up on the label of any program

3

@KayMoore15 , unlike most BFA programs, the first year as a theatre major at UCLA is spent in foundation coursework which brings all of the theatre majors (actors, mt’s, design, directing etc.) together as a cohort. You would not take any acting specific coursework until beginning sophomore year. And in answer to your question about time to seek professional opportunities outside of school the answer is, no. Highly discouraged and nearly impossible.

I would direct your attention to this page on their website which spells out pretty clearly what the program is and what it isn’t: http://www.tft.ucla.edu/programs/theater-department/undergraduate-degrees/undergraduate-theater-program-ba/acting/ For the student that this structure resonates, it’s a great program.

Note a few important points that if you ever attend an info session at UCLA Drama, Rich Rose (if he is still hosting the sessions) will probably hammer home very bluntly:

  • The UCLA Theater program is not a training conservatory. For those persons who want an immersive professional training program we recommend one of the acclaimed BFA conservatory training programs found across the country. - The UCLA Theater program is for the student who sees him/herself as a scholar/artist — one who is eager to learn and wants a great university education from one of the world’s major research institutions. Roughly half of the student’s classes are in subjects other than theater.
  • Students admitted to the major in the acting sequence are not guaranteed a place in the acting classes each quarter. All sequence classes require instructor consent to enroll. The faculty may elect to not continue a student in the sequence at any time.
  • Students in the UCLA Theater department cannot change their major to UCLA’s Film/Television/Digital Media department at any time in their four years here. Nor can they change from their sequence into the acting or musical theater sequences.