Bachelor of Fine Arts – Acting for Stage, Screen, and New Media

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Acting for Stage, Screen, and New Media is designed for students wishing to prepare for a professional career in acting. The BFA in Acting provides highly focused course work devoted to professional and practical skill development. Admission to the program is by audition and interview, which occurs during the spring semester of each academic year. 

View Audition Requirements

Program Highlights

  • The School of Choice: Select the courses you need to be the unique artist you want to be. Here’s a selection of what we offer:
    • Three levels of Film Acting
    • Musical Theatre Performance
    • Classical Acting
    • Voiceovers
    • Stage Combat
    • Dialects
    • Auditioning and Professional Orientation
  • Professional Connections: Network and study with Broadway professionals, guests from the Stratford Festival, and industry talent from around the world.
  • Professional Performance Opportunities
    • Williamston Theatre: Earn your Equity Membership Candidacy through our professional theatre partner.
    • Summer Circle Theatre: We have been producing professional summer theatre for 59 years, creating paid summer opportunities for students.
  • Unique Performance Opportunities
    • MainStage Productions: We produce diverse works including classics, new plays and musicals, theatre for young audiences, immersive theatre, and outreach theatre. Unlike many peer programs, we create a guaranteed performance opportunity for first-semester freshmen in the annual Freshman Showcase. 
    • Second Stage: Perform or direct in our robust student season of plays and Improv Comedy. Design or perform in our wildly successful student event: Haunted Aud.
    • Fourth Wall Theatre Company: A theatre program for children with special needs.
    • Young Playwrights Festival: Get paid to direct or perform in this yearly summer event.
  • Cutting Edge Facilities
    • We work in six theatre of varying sizes and configurations, including the Wharton Center, a Broadway Touring House on campus.
    • Practice your skills in our film studio and audio booth.
  • The Enterprising Actor: In addition to careers in performance, our graduates have had entrepreneurial success, applying their skills in innovative ways.
  • Education Abroad and Study Away: We offer programs in London, New York, and LA.

Degree Requirements

University Requirements

The University requirements for bachelor’s degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre. The University’s Tier II writing requirement for the Theatre major is met by completing THR 492.

College Requirements

  • At least 30 credits in courses at the 300 level and above.
  • A student enrolled in the BFA in Theatre may earn a maximum of 70 credits in THR and DAN courses.

Graduates of MSU’s BFA in Acting have gone on to become actors on stage, screen, voiceovers, and new media. They have earned MFAs and other advanced training. Some have become directors, talent agents, managers, models, producers, professors, teachers, comedians, musicians, writers, content creators, choreographers, dance/movement therapists, arts administrators, and entrepreneurs. We have Spartans in cities across the country using what they learned in exciting and innovative ways.

Recent graduates of the BFA in Acting at MSU have worked at theatres such as:
Barrington Stage Company, Goodspeed Opera House, The Hangar Theatre, Atlanta Shakespeare Company, The Players Theatre, The Playhouse on the Square, Aurora Theatre, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Disney World, Drury Lane, The Greenhouse Theatre Ensemble, Synchronicity Performing Group, The Theatrical Outfit, Chicago’s Immersion Theatre, The Polar Express, Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, Sense-Ability Ensemble, Ottawa Children’s Theatre, The Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Williamston Theatre, The Great Canadian Theatre Company, Island Shakespeare Festival, and First Folio Theatre. 
 
On screen, recent graduates of the BFA in Acting have been seen on: 
NCIS, Veronica Mars, Westworld, Chicago Med, 9-1-1, Law & Order: True Crime, The Morning Show, Questionable, I’m Dying Up Here, Black-ish, Hung, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Rush Hour. 
 

Department Requirements

Complete 60 credits from the following courses:

Theatre Core (27 Credits):

A minimum grade-point of 2.00 in each course is required

*The completion of Theatre 492 satisfies the department’s capstone course requirement.

One of the following courses (3 credits):

A minimum grade-point of 2.00 in each course is required

Acting Concentration (30 Credits):

A minimum grade-point of 2.00 in each course is required

  • All of the following courses (10 credits):
  • At least 20 credits from the following courses (20 credits):
    • THR 204 Topics in Acting/Directing I
    • THR 205 Media Acting I
    • THR 206 Musical Theatre I
    • THR 304 Topics in Acting/Directing II
    • THR 305 Media Acting II
    • THR 306 Musical Theatre II
    • THR 401 Acting IV
    • THR 402 Voice Studio II
    • THR 404 Topics in Acting/Directing III
    • THR 405 Media Acting III
    • THR 406 Musical Theatre III
    • THR 407 Movement Studio II
    • THR 409 Auditioning
    • THR 413 Stage Make-Up
    • THR 441 Advanced Play Directing
    • THR 491 Practicum: Acting
    • THR 493 Internship in Theatre