Theatre (BFA) – Acting

College of Arts and Humanities
Department of Theatre
Performing Arts Center (PAC) T210A
407-823-2862
theatre@ucf.edu

Coordinator, Undergraduate Acting: Be Boyd
Belinda.Boyd@ucf.edu

The Bachelor of Fine Arts track in Acting is offered for students who, upon graduation, plan to pursue a specialized performance career in Acting. It provides the student with a thorough foundation in theatre complemented by very structured and intensive career preparation in all areas of acting. Class work is augmented with practical production experiences. Drawing upon the teachings of Stanislavski-based methodologies, as well as other successful practical acting techniques, the professional acting program offers an organic approach to performance training. The program begins with a focus on the fundamentals of acting: development of imagination, selfawareness, improvisation, voice production/diction and movement. During the first two years, the student also receives training in script analysis, singing and dance. The training then moves to an emphasis on characterization, character development and studio training/scene study. This practical study, drawn from the total range of dramatic literature, provides the student with performance experiences ranging from the classical to the contemporary, including verse and musical theatre. The program culminates with a professional internship where students are able to apply their education in a real world work environment. While most students choose to enter the work force following graduation, the BFA is an excellent degree for students interested in pursuing graduate studies in theatre. Work within the BFA program requires energy and dedication; therefore, other part-time study or outside employment is very challenging. BFA standards are high, both for admission and for continuation in the program.

Admission Requirements

• The departmental faculty evaluates students desiring to become BFA majors via auditions and interviews. This should be completed the academic year prior to attending UCF. For complete information visit the audition site online at http://www.theatre.ucf.edu. All BFA students are accepted on a “Provisional” basis their first year. Faculty will evaluate their work and decide whether or not the student may continue the program at the end of the first year.
• The Acting plan of study requires a Fall start for proper course sequencing. Students are not accepted to begin theatre courses in the Spring or Summer semesters.

Degree Requirements

• Students who change degree programs and select this major must adopt the most current catalog. Students must follow the most recent department, internship and school student handbooks which are available at http://www.performingarts.cah.ucf.edu/theatre/resources.
• Students in this major must earn a “C” (2.0) or better or an “S” in each music or theatre course and maintain a 3.0 GPA for all courses required in the major and all courses taken in theatre; must not receive a negative evaluation in a regularly scheduled program review; and must not exhibit chronic unprofessional behavior. Failure to meet these standards will result in probation and/or dismissal from the program. Refer to the SPA Undergraduate Student Handbook-Theatre (http://www.performingarts.cah.ucf.edu/theatre/resources) for details on program standards.
• Departmental Residency Requirement consists of 60 semester hours of courses taken from the UCF Theatre Department.
• All BFA Acting majors are required to audition for all Fall and Spring productions and must accept the roles assigned. Students must be registered for the appropriate Theatre Participation course in the term in which they participate. Students need not take additional hours to satisfy practicum requirements. Once students have completed their production participation requirements, they may register for a “0” credit participation course to meet departmental registration requirements if they choose. Students may use additional participation credits as electives.
• The department will accept one credit of Theatre Participation coursework for students transferring into the program. Any additional transfer participation credits will count towards electives.
• Internships are subject to departmental approval and may not be fulfilled through participating on a UCF theatre production.
• Courses designated Common Program Prerequisites are usually completed in the first 60 hours.
• Courses designated General Education Program are taken throughout all four years.
• Co-op cannot be used in this major.