Acting Classes in Miami, Florida with Degree Program Summaries
Higher Education Articles February 27, 2013Within twenty-five miles of Miami, Florida there are five schools that have degree programs and acting classes. In this article, students will get an overview of the three schools’ admission information, requirements, and programs and being able to select the school that meets their needs.
Miami Acting Schools Comparison
Aspiring actors in the Miami area can enroll in an associate and bachelor degree acting program. Florida International University is less than twenty minutes away from downtown Miami, and has a bachelor program in performance and theatre. An associate program in theatre is offered at Miami Dade College, which is located in downtown Miami. Various bachelor degree programs in theatre and acting are offered at the University of Miami that is located fifteen minutes from downtown.
| University of Miami | Miami Dade College | Florida International University | |
| Degree Programs in Acting | Bachelor of Fine Arts – Musical Theatre Bachelor of Fine Arts – Acting Bachelor of Arts – Theatre Arts |
Associate in Arts – Theatre | Bachelor of Fine Arts – Performance |
| Related Programs | Bachelor of Fine Arts – Theatre Management | Associate in Arts – Dance | Bachelor of Fine Arts – Design Bachelor of Arts – Communication Arts with a performance and art studies track |
| Type of School | Not-for-profit (Private), four-year | Public, four-year (primarily associate’s) | Public, four-year |
| Student Enrollments | 16,068 | 63,736 | 44,616 |
| Campus Setting | Large Suburb | Large City | Large Suburb |
| Tuition and Fees | $39,654 | $11,309 (out-of-state), $3,164 (in-state) | $18,077 (out-of-state), $5,678 (in-state) |
| Financial Aid Percentage | 81% | 81% | 91% |
| Acceptance Rate | 38% | Open Admissions | 51% |
| Retention Rate | 100% (part-time), 91% (full-time) | 68.40% | 63%(part-time), 82% (full-time) |
| Graduation Rate | 78% | 25% (13% transfer-out rate) | 43% (6% transfer-out rate) |
| Relevant Facilities | Black Box Theatre Hecht Rehearsal and Studio Complex Jerry Herman Ring Theatre |
Wolfson Campus Auditorium | Miami Beach Urban Studios Wertheim Performing Arts Center |
| Noteworthy | Faculty members are working theatre professionals 10:1 student-faculty ratio in the acting program |
Jazz at Wolfson Presents series | New Playwrights Festival Alternative Theatre Festival |
| Distance From Downtown | 7.9 miles (16 minutes) | 0.7 miles (4 minutes) | 13.9 miles (21 minutes) |
Florida International University Degree Programs
In order to supplement classroom instruction; students will be required to participate in productions, if they are majoring in theatre. Faculty in the theatre department, within the School of Architecture and the Arts (CARTA), is comprised of eleven members.
Bachelor of Arts – Theatre
Students who want to teach in secondary schools should enroll into this program, including those who wish to complete a double major and students that aspire to have a broad background in liberal arts. Completion of foundation classes will enable students to be eligible to enroll in the Bachelor of Arts program, which requires students to participate in three levels of acting classes along with courses such as directing, stagecraft, costume techniques, lighting/scenic design, script analysis, dramatic literature, theatre history, theatre speech/voice, and theatre movement. In addition, students will complete a design course, theatre electives, senior thesis, and technical theatre labs.
Bachelor of Fine Arts – Performance
Students who plan to attend graduate school or intend to work as theatre professionals should consider this program. This program has similar foundation courses that were required in the Bachelor of Arts program, after which individuals will take level four through eight acting classes, advanced theatre movement/voice and special topics in theatre performance. To complete this degree, students are also required to take classes in senior project, elective courses, and playwriting.
Miami Dade College Degree Programs
The Department of Arts and Philosophy offers the theatre degree program. Although degree programs and acting classes are available at several campus locations, the primary campus, which is known as the Wolfson campus, is located the closest to downtown Miami, Florida.
Associate in Arts – Theatre
Coursework in this two-year program involves two levels of acting, musical theatre, studio/stage performance, improvisation for theatre, voice for the stage, opera workshop, beginning jazz, main stage production, and theatre appreciation. Additionally, general education courses need to be completed by students, if they want to earn the required fifty-nine to sixty-one credits. Students have the opportunity to participate in performances as writers, directors, and actors.
University of Miami Degree Programs
There are nearly twenty faculty and staff members in the Department of Theatre Arts that work towards preparing students to complete top-tier graduation programs and helping them accomplish their objective of working in television, theatre and film.
Bachelor of Arts – Theatre Arts
The degree program in liberal arts provides students with the opportunity to sample different kinds of classes and allows them to select a second major. Auditions are not required for admittance, professionals who work full-time instruct students. Core classes include theatre history, lighting, prop construction, scenery, costumes, and acting.
Bachelor of Fine Arts – Acting
To get accepted into this program, students will audition and interview. Prospective actors who want to enroll into this competitive program must take classes such as singing, movement, dance, acting, and voice/speech. Along with taking classes provided by full-time faculty, individuals will be able to receive instruction from guest artists and directors.
Bachelor of Fine Arts – Musical Theatre
To gain acceptance, applicants must interview and audition. Required classes include voice/speech, acting, singing, movement, and dancing. This is an extremely competitive program that will prepare students for non-musical theatre along with musical stage careers.
Other School Options
Barry University Department of Fine Arts is located about 8.8 miles from downtown Miami, Florida; offers undergraduate degrees in theatre with workshop-style acting classes. Nova Southeastern University is located about twenty-five miles from Miami, in Fort Lauderdale; the school offers an undergraduate degree with a theatre major through the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences.
