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APPLYING TO THE PROGRAM
This major is a limited enrollment program designed to prepare students to become professional artists and/or to pursue post-graduate degrees in the field. It is a highly competitive major; admission is by audition. Additionally, admitted students are required to meet progressively higher proficiency expectations each semester. If students do not meet proficiency expectations, they will be placed on program probation. Students placed on probation 3 times may be dismissed from the degree program.
DECLARE YOUR MAJOR
Log into your MyMAP and fill out the “Change Major Request.” If you are an incoming student or have under 30 earned BYU credit hours (excluding language exam credits), this will declare your major as Pre-Acting Major. If your credit hours are 30 to 59.5 hours, you will need to meet with an academic advisor before the major can be declared. If you have over 60 earned BYU credit hours (excluding language exam credits), then you cannot declare a Pre-Acting Major.
Meet with a CFAC Advisement academic advisor once per year.
Meet with faculty advisor each semester.
Complete 1 course and successfully pass a preliminary audition
TMA 128 – Acting 1: BFA or Pre-BFA, or if there is no room in TMA 128, take TMA 123 – Acting Fundamentals
Preliminary auditions are held at the end of each Fall and Winter semester.
Complete 2 courses and successfully pass an acceptance audition
TMA 228 – Acting 2
TMA 122 - Voice Production and Phonetics 1
Acceptance auditions are held at the end of each Fall and Winter semester.
The following are strongly recommended prior to application for acceptance
TMA 102 - Introduction to Film
TMA 125 – Yoga & Alexander Technique
TMA 115 – Intro to Performance Studies
TMA 160 – Theatre Production 1
TMA 222 – Voice Production and Phonetics 2
DANCE 140 – Contemporary Modern Dance, Beginning
or DANCE 240R – Contemporary Modern Dance, Technique and Theory 1
AUDITION DETAILS
You will need to successfully pass 2 auditions to be accepted to the Acting (BFA) Program. Being enrolled in TMA 128 or 123, and TMA 228 will help you prepare for the auditions. Preliminary and final acceptance auditions for current BYU students are held at the end of every Fall and Winter semester. Each audition consists of two contrasting monologues (three minutes combined length) from established scripts to show your range of acting ability. Your performance must include strong commitment to these acting qualities:
Immediacy--use your imagination to be fully involved with your character’s objectives and obstacles, and the play’s circumstances
Vulnerability--your genuine emotions respond to your character’s needs, the conflict caused by the obstacles, and the relationships in the monologue
Your performance will be rated by three faculty adjudicators on a scale from 1-5 in five different areas: clarity of interpretation, vulnerability/immediacy, body, voice, and professional attitude. The scores are averaged and you must have an overall score of 4 or above to be accepted to the Acting program.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR NEW STUDENTS
In your first semester take these classes and perform a preliminary audition:
TMA 102 - Introduction to Film
TMA 115 – Intro to Performance Studies
TMA 160 – Theatre Production 1
TMA 128 – Acting 1: BFA or Pre-BFA
Preliminary auditions are held at the end of each Fall and Winter semester
In your second semester take these classes and perform an acceptance audition:
TMA 228 – Acting 2
TMA 122 - Voice Production and Phonetics 1
TMA 125 – Yoga & Alexander Technique
Acceptance auditions are held at the end of each Fall and Winter semester
QUESTIONS
For information on talent award submission for incoming freshmen or transfer students, the proficiency audition process, or the acting program generally, please contact the Acting Program Area Head, at 801-422-6645.