Program Overview

BFA in Screen Acting Program Overview

The BFA in Screen Acting program at Chapman University is offered in collaboration with the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. This program is specifically designed for students whose goal is to act primarily in television and film. The curriculum helps students build a solid foundation of acting experience through high-quality performance opportunities, both on-stage and in front of the camera.

Program Details

• The program is for undergraduates only, providing many opportunities for students, even as first-year students.
• The coursework is advanced in acting technique and related skills, giving students a basic understanding of how media works behind the camera as well as in front of it.
• Classes include screenwriting, film technology, history of film, and other applied film and television courses.
• Students can personalize their degree through choices of electives.
• Graduates exit the program with a completed actor reel and are ready to advance to graduate study or begin working professionally in the entertainment industry.

Learning Outcomes

BFA in Screen Acting graduates will be able to demonstrate:

• An understanding of story structure, story analysis, and character analysis.
• An understanding of the development of filmmaking, theater, and acting aesthetically and historically.
• Adequate technical proficiency to understand their collaborators and manage their own careers.

BFA Actor Showcase

The Screen Acting and Theatre Performance coursework includes a senior-year business of acting course in which students learn to prepare a professional resume, website, and actor reel, with a capstone BFA Actor Showcase at the end of the academic year. At this event, students perform for industry professionals such as casting directors, managers, agents, artistic directors, freelance directors, and producers.

Expert Faculty

The faculty consists of theatre professionals with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. They are also masters at the craft of teaching, providing personalized guidance and career planning due to a low faculty-to-student ratio.

Screen Acting Performance Opportunities

• First-year students can audition for and perform in productions at Dodge College and the Department of Theatre, including lead roles in undergraduate and graduate student film and television productions.
• Students can participate in four to five main-season theatre productions a year, usually including a musical, supported by professional directors and production designers.
• There are opportunities for student-led theatrical productions across campus and in local theatres and productions across Southern California.

Professional-Grade Spaces

Students have the opportunity to perform in front of large and intimate audiences in on-campus venues and teaching spaces, including:

• Marion Knott Studios: a 76,000-square-foot working production studio featuring sound stages, state-of-the-art classrooms, and computer labs with industry-standard tools.
• Musco Center for the Arts: an 88,000 s.f., state-of-the-art venue.
• Waltmar Theatre: a 244-seat performance and classroom space.
• O.L. Halsell Foundation Studio Theatre: a flexible, black box theatre used for both classes and performances.

Student Clubs and Organizations

Chapman has hundreds of student clubs and organizations, including those related to performance and production, such as:

• C.A.S.T. (Coalition of Artistic Students of Theatre)
• Chapman on Broadway
• C.S.O.P. (Chapman Student Organized Productions)
• Chapman Student Playwrights
• Guerrilla Shakespeare
• Improv Inc
• The Player's Society
• U.S.I.T.T. (United States Institute for Theatre Technology)

Career Paths

Most Screen Acting graduates pursue acting careers in film and television or theatrical productions. The skills developed in the program can also lead to careers such as:

• Film director
• Producer
• Editor
• Screenwriter
• Casting director
• Theatre director
• Literary agent and manager
• Lawyer
• Business leader

Admission

Admission to Chapman's Screen Acting program is very competitive. Details on applying to the Screen Acting program can be found on the university's catalog page.

Related Programs

• BFA in Theatre Performance
• B.A. in Theatre