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Theatre and Media Arts

FAQ

Acting

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The auditions for the BFA Acting program, also called proficiencies, take place near the middle of Fall and Winter semesters.  To apply for the program, enroll in a preliminary acting class during your first semester, through which an audition or proficiency for the program will be held.  You can find more information about proficiencies on our website. Before you are admitted to the program, you can declare your major as “Pre-Acting” by logging in to your BYU MyMAP or meeting with an academic advisor.

  • Auditions for the BFA Acting program, also called proficiencies, take place near the middle of Fall and Winter semesters.  To apply for the program, enroll in a preliminary acting class, through which an audition or proficiency for the program will be held. After your initial proficiency, callbacks for the BFA Acting program will be held by invitation only. You can find more information about proficiencies on our website.

  • Admission numbers vary by year; there is no fixed cap on the number of students admitted. However, admission is selective and based on demonstrated readiness for the program’s intensity and professional expectations.

  • Yes, you may reapply for the acting program. You are allowed to audition for the program two times. In special circumstances, some students may be invited to a third audition. If you have earned over 60 BYU credit hours (excluding language exam credits), then you cannot declare a Pre-Acting or Acting Major.

  • The program is 78.5 - 82.5 credit hours. It is designed to be completed in 4 years. To view acting classes, visit the acting program page in the BYU catalog.

  • Students should consult with their faculty advisor before accepting off-campus roles or a role in a university performing group to make sure they can still complete requirements for graduation in a timely manner. TMA 428, Acting Practicum, is designed to bridge the gap between BYU studies and industry experience/connections, so if a student feels that a performance opportunity they are involved with could fulfill that requirement, they should meet with their faculty advisor as soon as possible to obtain credit approval.

  • Core courses give grounding in fundamental skills and analysis of narrative texts, as well as experience in the practical skills of acting, directing, collaboration, research and visualization. Additional core courses deepen knowledge of dramatic literature and theatre history, including theory and performance techniques. Styles and theories studied might include classical and contemporary texts, acting for film, stage combat, improv, etc. Pedagogies including Uta Hagen, Stanislavski, Meisner, Rodenburg, Fitzmaurice, Linklater, Laban, Grotowski, Michael Chekhov may also be explored.

  • BYU does not offer an acting minor. However, there is a minor available in Theatre Arts Studies.

  • The BFA Acting program prepares students to enter the theatrical and film acting profession. Throughout the program, students will meet with faculty advisors at least once yearly to receive personalized mentoring and feedback. Students are expected to prepare a personal portfolio including headshots, resume, and personal website before graduation.

    The TMA department also sponsors Study Abroad programs, hosts master classes with industry professionals, and requires an off-campus practicum experience designed to build the student’s professional network. During their senior year, selected students will also have the opportunity to participate in a professional New York showcase to present performance materials for industry producers and directors.

  • Class sizes vary according to the course. Courses in a lecture style taken by many TMA students or students from any major, such as history and theory courses have larger enrollment numbers.

    Courses specific to acting majors have smaller sizes to facilitate opportunities for hands-on experiential learning and personalized feedback. Course size is generally 16 students per class in BFA Acting Courses.

  • Along with core courses that all BFA Acting majors are required to take, the BFA Acting program requirements also include 16 credit hours of electives. You may choose to take additional courses related to your specific areas of interest.

  • The BFA Acting program was developed for students who are committed to acting as a career. It is focused to prepare individuals to compete professionally and/or for admission to advanced acting conservator programs or graduate work.

    The BA Theatre Arts Studies program is designed for students developing a degree of specialization in an area of theatre arts studies (i.e. directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, critical studies) or theatre design and tech (i.e. costume, hair/makeup, set and prop design, lighting, sound, stage management). Electives give the student maximum flexibility to customize their training.

  • Yes, please refer to our department website for scholarship deadlines and application information. For information about university scholarships, click here.

  • Yes, please refer to our department website for scholarship deadlines and application information. For information about university scholarships, click here.

  • No, auditions for BYU mainstage productions are open to students of all majors.

  • No. Casting is left up to the discretion of directors and the needs of each production. Your responsibility as a BFA Acting major is to prepare for and perform your best in auditions, and then leave casting decisions up to the director.

  • If the project is considered a TMA 410 Acting Capstone, students who need to fulfill that requirement for graduation are considered strongly for roles in that production, but they are not “prioritized” over other actors.

  • Audition information can be found on the TMA website. For TMA’s theatre season, auditions are typically held in the following timetable: Fall Shows – March, Winter Shows – October, Spring Show (if any) - February.

  • Students of any major are eligible to audition for BYU mainstage theatre productions and student-directed productions associated with TMA 436 (Advanced Directing Practicum). There are also opportunities to participate in student-directed productions in theatre and film. Check out this page for current opportunities.

  • TMA classes level 128 or higher generally require Acting or MDT Major status, or instructor’s consent, which is generally obtained through a proficiency. Courses have limited enrollment, and placement is not guaranteed. If you have questions about requirements for a specific course, check the Course Catalog, meet with your advisor, or email bfa_specialist@byu.edu.  

  • Each year, students in the Acting (BFA) Program are expected to meet higher acting proficiency standards. (Sophomore: 4.0; Junior: 4.2; Senior: 4.3) The scores from these auditions determine eligibility for future acting courses.  

    Students who don’t meet the expected level are placed on program probation, and being placed on probation three times may result in dismissal from the program. Students on probation will meet with faculty advisors to review adjudicators’ feedback from recent proficiencies, discuss progression of current courses, and develop a clear action plan moving forward. If students do not raise their proficiency score after three consecutive semesters, they will meet with faculty to consider if they will continue in the program.  

  • If you are NOT a BFA Acting major and only want to take acting classes in the Winter semester, you only need to complete a proficiency during the Fall semester. You may also defer proficiency scores to another semester. For example, if I wanted to take an acting class in Winter 2026, I could complete a proficiency during Winter 2025 and ask to have the scores deferred to Winter 2026, rather than having to complete a proficiency in Fall 2025. If you have questions regarding this, please contact the BFA Specialist at bfa_specialist@byu.edu. If you are a BFA Acting major, you are required to complete acting proficiencies every semester.

  • If you are a BFA Acting major, you should complete an acting proficiency every semester until you graduate, as it is a curricular tool to help you know about your progression. It also gives you additional practice and experience in an audition setting, which is an industry skill you will continue to work on throughout your career.  

  • Email bfa_specialist@byu.edu or your faculty advisor to set up an appointment!

  • After proficiencies, you will receive an email containing your scores, adjudicator feedback, and all classes you have qualified for. If  you didn't see a certain class, that means those classes have been filled at this time.  You will also be notified via email if you are invited to attend callbacks for the BFA Acting program. Typically, they are held shortly after proficiencies. Decisions regarding program admittance are made shortly after callbacks. You will be notified via email. If you have additional questions, please contact the BFA specialist or BFA Program Director.

  • Depending on enrollment numbers for the course, you may be able to switch sections. After proficiencies, students received add codes for sections they requested on their registration form. If both sections are currently full, we advise you to use your add code to join your section now. During the first week of classes there will likely be some shifting around, and you might be able to change then. You'd be able to switch sections if someone in the other section drops it or wants to switch to your current section.

  • The Acting Capstone (or capstone project) is participation in an acting project on the BYU main-stage season. It is a culminating educational experience designed to support each student’s artistic growth as an Actor/Collaborator and Artist/Disciple. Casting for capstone projects is guided by pedagogical goals for individual students’ needs rather than by role size, prestige, or prior casting history. After acting majors have completed TMA 324 Acting Classics, they are eligible to be cast in a capstone project. Acting Capstone casting does not distinguish between leading or supporting roles. All roles are valued as essential components of the production and as vehicles for learning. 

  • No, TMA 324 is a prerequisite for TMA 410.

  • TMA 428 is an acting practicum experience focused on acting performance in theatre or media arts. The acting practicum experience is intended to be accomplished off-campus and ideally begins to build the student’s professional network. This is an opportunity to apply skills learned in departmental courses in an off-campus professional setting. Begin early to research opportunities that might suit this description and your career goals and interest. You may consider speaking with alumni, peers, and faculty for more ideas. Each TMA 428 experience must be approved by the BFA committee. Students are required to register for course credit during the same academic term in which the practicum experience is completed. Credit cannot be awarded retroactively for experiences completed in a prior term without registration.

  • TMA has a new 260 policy which now requires students to see their faculty advisor before signing up for TMA 260. Please schedule a meeting with your faculty advisor as soon as possible to discuss possible options.

  • All auditions and opportunities can be shared with students via our website. You can submit your audition information here: https://tma.byu.edu/tma-student-opportunities.  Once approved, it will be available for all students to view on our website.

  • If you need to find out which professor is teaching a certain course, look up the course on your MyMAP page. To find contact information for a TMA professor, check out our TMA Faculty and Staff Directory.

  • We strongly encourage students to meet with an academic counselor or their assigned faculty advisor.  As far as choosing courses, you can refer to the course catalog as a reference.

  • Click here to find your acting faculty advisor.

  • Information regarding TA positions is sent out each semester by the BFA Acting Specialist to all TMA majors. Any TMA major who has already taken a course seeking a TA is eligible for consideration. If you have further questions, contact the BFA Specialist or an Acting faculty member.

  • With further questions, please reach out to the BFA Specialist at bfa_specialist@byu.edu or call the TMA office at (801) 422-6645. If you are a current student, you can also reach out to your faculty advisor.