Colleges for Acting Careers

California Institute of the Arts

• The California Institute of the Arts, or CalArts, appeared in the "U.S News & World Report" top 10 college rankings for five different programs in 2008. CalArts has schools of theater, critical studies, art, music, film and dance. The school features faculty members who are professional performing artists in every theater genre, and CalArts offers numerous performance experiences, such as at the annual New Works Festival or at the school's downtown theater RedCat.

  California Institute of the Arts
  24700 McBean Parkway
  Valencia, CA 91355
  661-255-1050
  calarts.edu

Texas State University College of Fine Arts and Communication

• The College of Fine Arts and Communication at Texas State University is recognized particularly for its diversity. Its department of theater co-sponsors the Black and Latino Playwrights Conference, and according to the university, it is one of the country's top producers of degrees for the fine and performing arts among Hispanic students. The department features two theaters that host at least four or five major productions. Students also have the opportunity to act in outside productions by organizations such as the American College Theater Festival, the Texas Educational Theatre Association and the American Theatre Association.

  Department of Theatre and Dance
  Texas State University-San Marcos
  601 University Drive
  San Marcos, Texas 78666
  512-245-2147
  txstate.edu

Tisch School of the Arts at NYU

• The Tisch School of the Arts at New York University is recognized as a leading center of performing and cinematic arts and has produced famous actor and director graduates such as Alec Baldwin, Spike Lee and Oliver Stone. The school's Institute of Performing Arts features six departments offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in acting, musical theater writing, design for stage and film, drama, dance and performance studies. The graduate acting program is very competitive--only 18 applicants are accepted each year for the three-year program. By the second year, students are performing four or more productions with a focus in the major aspects of acting. The third-year training gives students the opportunity to produce six or seven project presentations they have selected, casted and chosen directors for. They are then performed in front of professional producers, directors and agents.

  Tisch School of the Arts
  721 Broadway
  New York, NY 10003
  212-998-1960
  nyu.edu