Screen Acting, B.F.A.

Joint degree requirements

Acceptance to the B.F.A. in Screen Acting is by audition only for those students who demonstrate potential for excellence in acting and a strong interest in acting for the screen. This is a single interdisciplinary degree offered cooperatively through the Chapman University Department of Theatre and Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.

The B.F.A. in Screen Acting degree is offered to prepare students to work as performers in all recorded media, including film, television and new media in addition to traditional live theatre. Students will be trained in and prepared to meet the current demands of the motion picture and television industries as well as the evolving and expanding opportunities in Internet, portable media and computer-generated digital effects, which require actors to be familiar with green screen and motion capture performance techniques.

In this degree, students will study traditional acting techniques with a strong emphasis on techniques appropriate and specific to working in front of a camera. The curriculum is structured in a traditional sequence from introductory classes in film and acting basics to more advanced out-of-class film production work. Students also study editing, screenwriting, directing for film and film history. Students are provided with professional career training in the senior year, including development of their actor reel. All screen acting students will be required to act in film production students’ films or other projects approved by the faculty, and may audition for the Department of Theatre stage productions. Screen acting students receiving Department of Theatre talent awards are required to audition for department stage productions.

Students are admitted to the B.F.A. in Screen Acting by audition for the Department of Theatre at entrance to Chapman. Following the audition, the applicant’s file is also reviewed by the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. Currently enrolled theatre majors and Dodge film majors may audition in the fall or spring semester of the freshman year and should contact the Department of Theatre assistant for more information.

Students pursuing the B.F.A. in Screen Acting who also choose to complete a second major are advised that doing so may require either additional time to complete both degrees or may incur additional tuition costs due to semesters that may require enrollment in more than 18 credits.

Students pursuing a major in screen acting may only use up to 6 credits of internship coursework to satisfy elective requirements within their major.

Program Learning Outcomes and Educational Effectiveness Evaluation Plans for B.F.A. in Screen Acting.

Students pursuing the B.F.A. in Screen Acting are required to:

• Earn an overall GPA of 2.000 for all required major courses.
• Complete all courses in the major for a letter grade, except for independent internships.
• Pass courses in the major with a “C” (not a “C-“) or higher.
• Students must receive a grade of “B” or higher in TH 111 , TH 112 , TH 218 , and TH 230  before they enroll in TH 379 .
• Complete a minimum of 21 credits from upper-division courses in the major.
• Complete the thesis requirements SCAC 497 , SCAC 498 .