25 Major Reasons Actors Should Get A Theatre Degree

By: Eddie Ramos | Feburary 16, 2022 10:30 AM

When it comes to getting a degree or not, every person is different. For those actors considering getting a degree in theatre, here are 25 major reasons to go for it.

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Before you start knocking a theatre degree as “useless” remember that getting a degree educates you and prepares you both socially and intellectually for your career and adult life. The advantages include greater opportunities for higher-paying and higher-skilled jobs after you graduate.

BA vs BFA

It is good to note that the two most popular undergraduate theatre degrees are BA (Bachelors Of Arts) and BFA (Bachelors Of Fine Arts). The major distinction is that the material covered for the BA may be more general, whereas the BFA is more intensely focused on acting and drama.

25 Major Reasons To Get Your Theatre Degree

1. Network

It goes without saying that one of the most important reasons to get a theatre degree is because of the network you will build. Most acting programs have extensive alumni groups that stay connected with the university to help future students. Not only do these former students serve as shining examples, they often provide invaluable advice and job opportunities. (My first theatrical manager graduated from the same university and we met at an alumni networking event!)

Read More: How To Get A Talent Manager

2. Fully Immerse Yourself Into Acting

If acting is what you are passionate about then no amount of single acting class will compare to an intensive drama program. Often called a “conservatory” program, this is the way to ensure that you learn deeply and fully what it means to become an actor and a master of your craft.

3. Learn Proper Acting Technique

Graduating with a theatre degree makes sure you leave school knowing the proper techniques for stage, TV, and film. Acting school is a way to sharpen and hone your skills as an actor. “The work I received in that college, particularly the technical training in terms of voice and movement, was invaluable. I find myself drawing on that in every single job I do, whether that’s stage work or screen work.” - Laura Donnelly, “The Ferryman”

4. Builds Confidence and Competence

Earning a theatre degree boosts confidence and provides a sense of achievement. Whether you’re on set or a meeting with a director, your theatre degree acts as your gold backing. The work it took to attain that degree sets you up for the rigors of real acting work. “You’ll be a qualified actor with the skills to back it up.” - New York Film Academy

5. Hones Your Communication Skills

One of the hallmark skills you gain with a degree in theatre is strong communication and public speaking skills. Learn how to deliver clear and lucid ideas to your professors and fellow students. You will also get comfortable with speaking to large crowds and learn the art of storytelling.

6. Learn Proper Vocal Technique

The voice is grossly overlooked in most acting classes. Which is sad because it’s one of the most utilized tools an actor has. Theatre programs offer classes in singing, dialects, Fitzmaurice technique, Linklater technique, etc.

7. Study Other Acting Techniques

The vast majority of acting classes will offer some introduction to the well-known Stanislavski Method or Meisner Technique, but a well-developed theatre program will broaden your horizon to foreign methods from other countries and disciplines. This will make you a more well-rounded actor and you will be able to draw upon these throughout your career.

8. Apply What You Learn In A Safe Setting

As an 18 year old, a drama program allows you to explore your creativity and imagination under the guidance of professors and the university. A proper theatre program will have classes in place that will help nurture the right work ethic needed for a career in acting. Additionally, most theatre degrees require students to audition for the program and keep up certain standards of education, which ensures a level of quality and will keep the flow of students in and out of class to a minimum.

9. Study With Multiple Teachers

A theatre degree exposes a student to multiple professors at a time instead of just one, as a local acting class might. The benefits include exposure to a multitude of instructors with various backgrounds. Therefore students are able to find the teacher that “works” for them. Many theatre professors are either current working actors or recently retired with more than enough professional experience. The theatre program setting also offers students opportunities to meet and work with Guest-Speakers and Alumni as well.

10. Willingness To Collaborate With Others

Although a career in acting can feel like a lonely pursuit, it can actually be a very collaborative process. Your work in a theatre program teaches you how to work with teachers and other students. Students who are like-minded and have gone through the same rigorous training. There is something to be said about working with other highly motivated individuals who are serious about their art. These fellow students become your cheerleaders and support system for years to come and the camaraderie you build together will last a lifetime.

11. Learn About Movement And The Body

The body is the actor’s instrument, therefore they need to know how to communicate with it. Theatre degrees will include movement classes as part of the core curriculum. Students might be taught dance, mask work, improv, clown work, Feldenkrais technique and stage combat.

12. Provides You With A Chance To Write Or Direct

One of the worthwhile gifts a degree in theatre will give you is the opportunity to write and direct. Often times, programs have these prerequisites rolled into the curriculum and developing either of these skills opens more doors for actors later in their careers. “...He got the way everyone collaborates. And he got the openness to all things, that willingness to explore and try on different hats.” - On John Krasinski’s experience at Brown University, he grauduated with a focus in playwriting.

13. Discover New Material and Watch Others Act

Most programs are intensely focused on teaching young actors to appreciate the classics as a way to understand the origins of theatre. Students will learn Shakespeare, Chekov, Greek Plays, Early Western theatre but also contemporary pieces as well. Not only will students have to read such plays, but they will certainly be required to perform these more than once and also get access to see these plays be performed at the local theatre as well.

14. Learn About Other Forms Of Stagecraft

Students in both a BA and BFA track will be introduced to other forms of stagecraft such a stage management, costume and set design, stage lighting and lighting design, and various special topics in theatre and production.

15. Critical Thinking and Research Skills

Most people would think of actors as people with exceptional creativity skills when it comes to acting, design, and directing. However, actors also posses tremendous critical thinking and problem solving. Often times, actors are presented with a problem like branding or writing and can think on their feet very quickly. This along with the ability to do in depth research via the internet, library, museums, and other mediums makes actors one the best types of people to hire.

16. Career Flexibility And Agility

Any working actor will tell you have to learn quickly. When it comes to memorization and technical aspects of acting, theatre students must have the “ability to absorb a vast quantity of material quickly and accurately.” In the theatre department, students are forced to pay attention to detail carefully. Listening and being able to grasp complex matters in a condensed amount of time are also key traits future employers look for.

17. You Are Equipped With Desirable Soft Skills

The other highly valued skills actors with a theatre degree possess are emotional awareness, understanding of sales and human psychology, branding and marketing, a healthy image, respect for authority and a team, taking initiative, punctuality, perseverance, and dedication.

18. Casting Directors and Agents Take Notice

As in many professions these days, the rules of entry are changing and certain professions don’t require college degrees. That has been a point of debate in the acting industry for years, however casting directors and agents do notice your theatre degree. In the beginning of your career, when an agent or CD is swamped with other “green” actors it allows them to rest easy and possibly helps them choose to work with you over others without a degree. Would you want to work with someone who’s had intensive training or someone who has no experience at all? Your degree “on your resume can be a huge trump card which lets casting agents know you’ve studied the craft at the highest level.” - New York Film Academy

19. You Can Teach Or Direct Later In Life

More than just a nice certificate on your wall, a theatre degree verifies you have a certain level of proficiency in acting or on a movie set. This makes any transition into coaching, teaching, or directing much easier and can help your students or colleagues feel confident with you at the helm.

20. You Learn About The History of The World And Other Cultures

Not only will you collaborate with actors from different walks of life, but you will dive deeper into characters with varying backgrounds than your own. In a world that should be more connected, people today are more divided than ever before. Actors bridge the gap for society and a degree in theatre emphasizes cultural appreciation and tolerance. As part of your training, actors are asked to research historical events and imagine what it would be like to walk in the shoes of people from a different time.

21. Push Past Your Comfort Zone

At such a formative stage in your life, it is crucial to have a degree that encourages you to push past your fears and comfort levels. Under the guidance of trained professors, actors are led to find new depths of themselves and their natural talents. Although, it may not always be easy, gaining a theatre degree shows the world and yourself that you have the self-discipline to commit to something greater than yourself.

22. Receive Audition Practice

90% of an actors time is spent auditioning so it’s helpful to strengthen this muscle early on. As mentioned before, many theatre degrees require students to audition to get into the school and throughout their time there as well. Not only will you gain valuable insight preparing auditions and going through the entire audition experience, many degrees will offer audition technique as well.

23. Opportunities To Travel

Many theatre degrees offer students a chance to study abroad over multiple semesters. This is often a life-changing event in a young actors life and can be the catalyst for many students success. I studied abroad in London my junior year of college, and got the chance to travel throughout Europe. Not only did we see plays and musicals and other shows on a weekly basis, but as part of the program we put a performance of “As You Like It” at Shakespeare Globe Theater. This was an experience I still look back on fondly twelve years later. Other study abroad moments I experienced were studying in New York City and week-intensive program in Los Angeles.

24. Feel What It Would Be Like To Act In Real Life

In the very beginning of your training for your theatre degree, young actors are put through meticulous levels of work. Many aspects of this type of work are goal-orientated and students are measured on their ability to get things done. As a professional actor for more than 20 years, I am expected by my fellow cast and crew to show up and get the days work done so we can do it all over again the next day. Theatre involves long hours and actors are taught to work under that kind of pressure all the while maintaining an enthusiastic attitude.

25. Get Credits Before You Graduate And Supplement Your Life After College

Earning a theatre degree now puts you in the drivers seat of career advancement. Your degree can potentially open up doors that otherwise may have been closed to had you not been exposed to your schools network or curriculum. Another key factor of having a BA or BFA is that during hiatus between jobs you can apply for other high level jobs where your skills are desired.

Of the 11.6 million jobs created since 2010, over 8.4 million jobs—95 percent—have gone to bachelor’s degree holders. Meanwhile, jobs for high school graduates have only grown by 80,000. It makes sense, then, that bachelor’s degree holders have a significantly lower rate of unemployment than high school graduates.

Your theatre degree can also help you land credits while you’re still in school. Often times, local productions will cast students to be part of their shows and will offer students salaries, equity credits, and room and board during the summer months. The exposure to other university students can offer jobs as film actors and standardized patients.

Theatre Degree Or Not

I laid out the 25 major reasons why going for a degree in theatre makes sense for an actor and hopefully shed light on the other not so obvious reasons why. As I previously mentioned, going to college for anything is a very personal decision and should be weighed heavily.

It goes without saying that an acting degree itself does not guarantee a successful acting career and can be very expensive to obtain. Acting is an extremely difficult career and takes both skill and luck. However, I believe a theatre degree can help actors in this field and in others.

What are your thoughts on getting a theatre degree? Comment below!

*Eddie Ramos, the author of this post graduated with a BFA in Acting and a Minor in Political Science from Syracuse University in 2013.