USC BA program questions!!

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>Hi :) </p>

<p>Recently I've posted a few different threads on this forum and as a result a few of you might be familiar with my profile. I am US citizen living in Europe (was born and raised there) and I'm now taking gap year after graduating from high school to prepare my US applications (such as do the ACT's etc). </p>

<p>Everyone on this site is so extremely helpful and I was wondering if you could help me out once again and answer a few questions regarding the University of Southern California. For the longest time I wasn't allowed to apply to any schools in CA. My mother was born and raised in San Diego but since then, her whole family has relocated to the East Coast. As a result she's always felt that having her son be in California whilst the rest of the family was either on the East Coast or Europe, would be far too risky (for me and for her as a parent). After spending many summers in California when I was young, it's always been my dream to study there and recently I convinced my parents to let me apply to a few private schools and see what happens. My mother spoke very highly of USC while I was growing up and indadvertedly made me fall in love with the school and now that I'm given the chance, I've decided to go ahead and apply. </p>

<p>So now to get to the actual question, as some of you may know by my previous threads and posts on this forum, I'm also interested in double majoring/minoring in English Literature as well as Theatre. I emailed the USC theatre department and they told me that while it wasn't technically impossible to double major/minor in another subject, BFA students were usually discouraged due to the workload of the program. As a result, I looked into the BA (as well as the BFA) and will definitely apply to both programs. My questions is, for those who are attending USC, have children attending or know a lot about the program, in the BA are there a lot of acting classes available to the students? and are they allowed to audition for main-stage productions? </p>

<p>Also, I read on the site that I can submit a DVD audition, does anyone know when I have to send it in by? </p>

<p>Thank you for all the help and I apologize for the mini-autobiography in the middle there :D</p>

2

<p>For the best information, check the course catalog and requirements for each degree program: </p>

<p><a href=“http://www.usc.edu/dept/publications/cat2011/private/pdf/2011_2012/theatre.pdf[/url]”>http://www.usc.edu/dept/publications/cat2011/private/pdf/2011_2012/theatre.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>You’ll see that the BA degree in Theatre requires a total of 52 units, of which 17 units are classes of your choice from their upper division courses. So you will choose about 8 additional performance courses on top the Theatre major required classes. Some examples:</p>

<p>THTR 316 (2 units) Advanced Movement for Actors
Advanced physical training </p>

<p>THTR 342ab Basic Voice (2 units) a: Examination
of the individual voice centering on resonance, tone, flexibility, and support through dramatic selections for transmitting meaning and emotion of character. </p>

<p>THTR 343 Musical Theatre Audition (3 units) Designed to give students confidence and integrity for auditions in musical theatre. Choosing appropriate material and preparation for the audition and performance.</p>

<p>THTR 354 Acting Shakespeare (2 units)
Basic approach to the acting and analysis of
the highly formalized texts of William Shakespeare.</p>

<p>In addition, you’ll find courses on Stage Combat, Dialects, an Acting studio sequence and more. Note that the catalog will list classes are for BFA only, but often another section with similar material is open to BA students. In addition, the School of Theatre offers some courses to non-Theatre majors.</p>

<p>The BFA requirements (84 units) leave a little room to also complete the university gen ed requirements (normally about 32 units, but some APs can help–and BFAs do not have a foreign language requirement, so this number of units does not include that). Since it takes 128 units to graduate, one might have about 12 units of electives left-- literally no time to complete a second major without summers and perhaps a 5th year? </p>

<p>Hope this helps. Good luck.</p>

3

<p>Thank you very much for all the info you provided! </p>

<p>I’m sorry it took me so long to reply but this whole week has been a bit of a wreck! </p>

<p>I also emailed USC directly and now I definitely plan on applying!</p>

<p>I’ve come to terms with the fact that if I’m lucky enough to get accepted into one of the BFA programs that I’m applying to, then I’ll just have to do a 5th year to complete another major. </p>

<p>Even though USC is a hard school to get in to, I’m thinking I’ll just go ahead and apply & audition and hope for the best! </p>

<p>I really appreciate all the info!</p>