<p>I'm a junior, and looking at colleges now, I know what I want to study in college. It's always been writing and acting. And I've read that one should only complete a BFA in college if you know you don't want to study anything else. And honestly, I'm not exactly gifted at math or science-- this is all I can picture myself doing.</p>
<p>The problem is, as far as I know, a BFA means you're fairly restricted to just your one department. So what I'd like to know is if anyone can recommend some schools were a playwrighting/screenwriting and acting double major would be possible. Do they exist? I know Chapman, Emerson, and NYU all have strong programs but they don't offer international financial aid, which eliminates them because I'm Canadian.</p>
<p>Boston University offers a BFA in Theatre Arts where you can get lots of excellent acting training but also study playwriting, etc. </p>
<p>My son is a freshman there now. He has a classmate from Canada…though I’m not sure about the financial aid question. You could ask the university.</p>
<p>I was looking at Boston University, actually. I’m just concerned that if I do theatre arts, I’ll get training in all of the different areas of theatre, but it won’t be as intensive as I’d like. </p>
<p>But then again, I really don’t know much about this. Do you think my concern is valid?</p>
<p>At BU, choosing the Theatre Arts track means an opportunity to design your own program. </p>
<p>You start out in the performance core freshman year (if you are accepted based on your audition), and then at the end of freshman year you choose Acting or Theatre Arts. Theatre Arts isn’t just one thing…one curriculum…it’s anything you want it to be.</p>
<p>So far as I know, BU is excellent for playwriting. However, I think at BU, as at most schools, playwriting is primarily a graduate program. </p>
<p>I really don’t know what to tell you about screenwriting. Search this forum under both playwriting and screenwriting and see what you come up with.</p>
<p>And do call the BU School of Theatre and talk to them: 617-353-3390. One thing about BU is that they are extremely nice, accessible folks.</p>
<p>Not sure if this would be an option to pique your interst, and I believe that financial aid for international students is tight (it is tight for all students because it is a state school)… but James Madison University in VA offers a BA Theatre Concentration where students can follow a course of study that allows for actor training and playwriting/ screenwriting training and experience. There are beginning and advanced undergraduate playwriting classes in the School of Theatre & Dance, and I believe if a student choose to double major with the School of Media Arts and Design (SMAD) screenwriting would certainly be an option. There are also students who choose to major in SMAD, but take all of the acting, directing, playwriting courses available in the School of Theatre & Dance (often obtaining a minor).</p>
<p>Student plays are often produced in the experimental theatre… over the past 18 months 2 original student written musicals and 3 original student written plays have been produced. Students also have had plays accepted to the Kennedy Center ACTF short play competition, attended invitation only playwriting competitions and workshops, and have had their work produced at professional companies.</p>
<p>Not sure if it would meet all of your needs… not a BFA… not a lot of financial aid… but it may be worth exploring. I teach at JMU in the Musical Theatre Concentration. PM me if you have specific questions.</p>
<p>The Theatre Studies program at Southern Methodist University is another program that will allow you to act and write. Until Sophomore year the acting and theatre studies majors take all the same courses and then junior year, TS majors drop movement and voice but keep acting and pick up a second and even a third emphasis if they’d like (between critical studies, playwrighting, directing, and design). There isn’t a graduate playwrighting program that you have to compete with, and every spring SMU fully mounts New Vision, New Voice which is three new plays written by SMU Theatre Studies majors. I don’t know how they are with international financial aid, but there are lots of scholarship opportunities if you are strong academically, and talent scholarships are also available. A double major/minor in English is possible within the Theatre Studies Major, although it’s a lot of work. The program is a BFA and an audition/interview is required for admittance. Just somewhere to think about :)</p>