Urban Performing Arts Colleges in Los Angeles

University of California at Los Angeles

• One of the city's biggest schools is also one of its brightest performing arts institutions. The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) has several schools dedicated to the arts, one of which is The Herb Alpert School of Music. Founded in 1997 through a $30 million endowment from famed musician Herb Alpert, The Herb Alpert School of Music offers an undergraduate degree in classical performance for both voice and instrumentation. The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television offers several bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in acting. It also offers a non-degree summer acting and performance institute and a pre-college arts camp for students 14 to 20 years old. Dancers can look to the school's Department of World Arts and Cultures, which offers an undergraduate degree in dance and a graduate degree in choreography.

  UCLA
  Main Campus
  Los Angeles, CA 90095
  310-825-4321
  ucla.edu

University of Southern California

• The University of Southern California (USC)---UCLA's arch rival---is not to be outdone. The other big name school in Los Angeles also boasts renowned performing arts programs. USC nurtures live performance in its School of Theater and Thornton School of Music. Thornton graduates include famous composers James Horner and James Newton Howard. The Thornton School of Music offers several undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate programs in a wide variety of musical performance in both voice and instrumentation. USC's School of Theatre offers a bachelor's degree in acting, as well as several minors, such as a minor in performing arts, dance and musical theatre.

  University of Southern California
  University Park Campus
  Los Angeles, CA 90089
  213-740-2311
  usc.edu

American Academy of Dramatic Arts-West

• The American Academy of Dramatic Arts - West is a small private two-year college of less than 250 students, which considers itself an actors' conservatory. It boasts many celebrity alumni including Grace Kelly, Kim Cattrall, Paul Rudd, Adrien Brody, Danny DeVito and many more. The highest degree offered is an associate's degree and the program can run between two and four years.

  American Academy of Dramatic Arts - West
  1336 N. La Brea Ave.
  Los Angeles, CA 90028
  800-222-2867
  aada.org