Why We Love It
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Growing DemandJob Outlook
* Salary & growth data is based on the recent Bureau of Labor and Statistics data published at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes272011.htm for 27-2011 Actors 11/2021. Based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
With a bachelor of arts in acting, you’ll learn the skills needed to succeed as a professional actor for television shows, live-action productions, plays, movies, commercials, and musicals.
Students in acting programs learn how to improvise, sing, and audition while refining their skills at bringing imagined characters to life. They also commonly participate in college-led productions or engage in internships.
What is a Degree in Acting?
A bachelor of arts in acting prepares students for careers in the entertainment industry as actors and actresses in a variety of mediums. During school, students perfect their craft by taking classes in acting, improvisation, and singing.
They also take coursework that promotes their ability to find work after college, studying how to craft and deliver monologues, how to audition, and how to choose as an agent for representation. Many programs also provide education in directing, producing, and stage setup for film.
The majority of coursework, however, is focused on teaching students how to create believable characters through both verbal and non-verbal communication. This enables graduates to find acting roles in a variety of mediums.
Students with bachelor’s degrees in acting move on to star in movies, take roles as characters in sitcoms and soap operas, host games and reality shows, assume roles in plays and musicals, or appear in commercials. Some also work in live-action productions for in-person audiences.
Recommended Schools
What Courses Would I Take For a Major in Acting?
- Introduction to Acting
- Text Studies for Production
- Acting Theory and Practice
- Directing
- Costume Creation
- Theatrical Design
- Film Production
- Character Development
What Jobs Can You Get with a Degree in Acting?
While talented actors and actresses are always in demand—acting is at the center of most modern forms of entertainment—the most prestigious roles have heavy competition.
Students can expect to find work in movies, TV shows, theaters, and traveling groups, but the largest demand may be for actors and actresses to appear in commercials for businesses. Flexible graduates who are prepared to work in a variety of mediums should be able to find work in the field after completing their bachelor’s degrees.
How Long does it take?
A bachelors in Acting will have a typical length of 4 years in a full time schedule. That said, there are many ways to speed up the timeframe by either taking more units via online coursework, community college, or taking free classes at OnlineDegree.com that could transfer to universities in the US.
Recommended Schools
Best Jobs for Acting Degrees
With a degree in acting, you can find work in a variety of mediums. Graduates move on to appear in major motion pictures, sitcoms and soap operas, commercials, plays, and musicals. Some also find work for companies like Disney where they play the role of well-known characters in theme parks or appear in live-action productions.
Others go into hosting and guiding the audience in reality shows or game shows.
How to save time and money
Our mission is to help you to avoid paying full price for college. We want your Acting degree to be affordable and accessible. Here’s how you could save:
Create Your Free SmartPlan
There are many ways to make college affordable and accessible.
That’s why we created a helpful tool called SmartPlan.
It’s free, and helps you find potential ways to save and tons of information about each school you’re considering
Think of it as your “college blueprint”, to help you instantly craft a path to your degree:
- Which Colleges Match Your Needs
- Ways You Could Save Time & Money
- Free Courses You Could Take for Credit
- Valuable Data and Insights on Each College
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See what’s possible for you and generate a free plan within just a few minutes
Create My SmartPlanGet a Certificate in Acting First
When auditioning for acting roles, talent is often more important than educational credentials. While a bachelor’s degree program provides students with a thorough education in character development and auditioning skills, students can jump-start their careers by earning a certificate in acting.
In a one-year certificate program, students can begin auditioning for small roles that help them earn an income and experience while pursuing their bachelor’s degree later, and certificate program credits often transfer.
