Located in Evanston, Ill., Northwestern University offers a B.A. or B.S. in theater. There are some academic requirements in addition to performance, and acting class does not begin until the sophomore year. After that, you may choose as much of a conservatory or balanced education as you like, and it is easy to double major. Northwestern also offers a certificate in music theater on an audition basis. There is no audition to major in theater. Northwestern offers a pre-college program called Cherubs through the National High School Institute.
NYU's Tisch Institute of Performing Arts offers drama training in several studios (Stella Adler, Atlantic, Experimental, Meisner, Playwrights Horizons), including one devoted to music theatre (The New Studio, formerly Cap21). Students must audition for acceptance and they may give their studio preference at their audition. NYU has academic requirements and students are allowed to double major. They have a pre-college summer program for high school students.
CMU is a traditional conservatory program, offering a B.F.A. in acting through the College of Fine Arts. They have a music theatre program, which also leads to a B.F.A. There is an audition requirement for both acting and music theatre. CMU also has a pre-college summer program for high school students.
Muhlenberg College, located in Allentown, Penn., is a small liberal arts college with a strong theater program. Students can major in theater in the Department of Theatre and Dance. Students interested in music theatre can major in theater and minor in both theater and dance, double major in theater and music or double major in theater and dance.
Emerson is located in the heart of Boston and offers a B.F.A. in both Acting and Musical Theatre through their Performing Arts Department. While this is a B.F.A. program there are some requirements in production and academics. There is an audition requirement.