Acting – Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
Craft characters and tell stories that resonate.
Our acting major blends classical technique with contemporary practice, giving students the tools to command the stage – and launch careers as professional actors, stage managers, designers and more.
Paths of Study
Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
- Major
Explore:
What You’ll Study
Through scene study, voice and movement training, audition preparation and extensive performance opportunities, UMW acting majors develop the tools and confidence needed to thrive in a competitive field.
Sample course topics include:
- THEA 240 Stage Makeup
- THEA 411 Acting Styles
- THEA 362 Theatre History and Literature
- THEA 436 Costume Design
For a full list of courses in acting, visit the Academic Catalog.
Why Acting Matters at UMW
Ours is a strong community of theatre practitioners — faculty, staff and students — who create plays and musicals that encourage conversations with our audience.
Through classes, rehearsals, work calls, meetings, practical experiences and strong faculty mentoring, our students graduate from UMW as emerging theatre professionals fully prepared to pursue a career in the professional theatre.
The program’s reputation speaks for itself – UMW has frequently been ranked one of the “Best Schools for Theater” in the country by The Princeton Review.
Program Highlights
Hands-on Learning
UMW offers professional training coupled with a strong foundation in the liberal arts. Through UMW Theatre, academic, classroom and studio work come to life in fully staged productions that build technical skills in the area of specialty, as well as in collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, organization and management.
Professional Facilities
Students work in a facility with a proscenium theatre and a studio theatre supported by cutting edge audio, lighting, communications and rigging systems. Production spaces include a scene shop, costume shop, rehearsal studios, dance studios, wig room, dressing rooms, wardrobe, CAD studio, vocal studios, reading room and offices for faculty, staff, production, arts administration and stage management.
Mainstage Production Experience
UMW Theatre has produced many plays and musicals with impressive production values. Recent shows include Julius Caesar, Matilda, Men on Boats, Nunsense, Pride and Prejudice, The Play That Goes Wrong and The Rocky Horror Show.
Career Outcomes
UMW acting graduates go on to work as professional actors, stage managers, technicians and designers in major venues like the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Broadway, and on hit shows streaming on Hulu, HBO and more.