The Theatre School's Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Acting prepares actors to work on both stage and screen. It develops actors who are imaginative, skillful, expressive and vibrantly alive. It is rooted in the Chicago tradition, emphasizing physicality, truth in action, communication, collaboration and spontaneity. The first year introduces the actor to a broad range of techniques and experiences, defines a way of working and provides a set of skills. The next three years focus on developing and refining this way of working - adding skills and technique - while helping each actor discover and apply those which work best for them.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Liberal Studies Requirements | 52 |
| Major Requirements | 162 |
| Total hours required | 214 |
- Read and interpret theatrical text and apply research, imagination, and personalization to create a unique, insightful, and compelling performance.
- Act truthfully from moment-to-moment in a variety of theatrical works, periods, and styles.
- Demonstrate personal practice of improving vocal and physical expressiveness as an actor.
Liberal Studies Requirements
Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.
| First Year Program | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Quarter | ||
| LSP 110 or LSP 111 | DISCOVER CHICAGO or EXPLORE CHICAGO | 4 |
| Focal Point | ||
| Not Required | ||
| Writing | ||
| WRD 103 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 | 4 |
| WRD 104 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 | 4 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| MAT 120 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 | 4 |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Race, Power, and Resistance | ||
| LSP 200 | SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE | 4 |
| Junior Year | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Not Required | ||
| Senior Year | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Not Required | ||
- 1
Students must earn a C- or better in this course.
- 2
Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. Students who complete MAT 120 and both a Computational Reasoning course and a Statistical Reasoning course in the Math and Computing Learning Domain take one less Learning Domain course. Students may not apply the course reduction to any Domain where only one course is required, and cannot be applied to the Scientific Inquiry Learning Domain. The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135, MAT 136, MAT 147, MAT 148, MAT 149, MAT 150, MAT 151, MAT 152 MAT 155, MAT 156, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 162 MAT 170, MAT 171, MAT 172, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill any of the three QR/MCD requirements.
Learning Domains
Arts and Literature (AL)
Historical Inquiry (HI)
- 1 Course Required
Math and Computing (MC)
- Not Required
Philosophical Inquiry (PI)
- 1 Course Required
Religious Dimensions (RD)
- 1 Course Required
Scientific Inquiry (SI)
- 1 Lab Course or 1 SWK Course Required
Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)
- Not Required
Other
- Choose 1 course from the above learning domains as an elective
Notes
Specified required courses within Liberal Studies may have grade minimums (e.g. C- or better). Please consult your advisor or your college and major requirements.
Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major.
In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.
Major Requirements
Course Requirements
| First Year | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Acting I Sequence | ||
| PRF 111 | ACTING I | 3 |
| PRF 112 | ACTING I | 3 |
| PRF 113 | ACTING I | 3 |
| Movement I Sequence | ||
| PRF 121 | MOVEMENT I | 3 |
| PRF 122 | MOVEMENT I | 3 |
| PRF 123 | MOVEMENT I | 3 |
| Voice and Speech I Sequence | ||
| PRF 131 | VOICE AND SPEECH I | 3 |
| PRF 132 | VOICE AND SPEECH I | 3 |
| PRF 133 | VOICE AND SPEECH I | 3 |
| History of Dramatic Literature Sequence (Arts and Literature Requirement) | ||
| THE 204 | HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE | 4 |
| THE 205 | HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE | 4 |
| THE 206 | HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE | 4 |
| Three Quarters of Crew | ||
| TEC 107 | THEATRE CREW (three quarters) | 6 |
| Second Year | ||
| PRF 281 | STAGE COMBAT | 1 |
| PRF 214 | MAKE-UP | 4 |
| PRF 314 | THE ACTOR IN TV & FILM | 1 |
| Acting II Sequence | ||
| PRF 211 | ACTING II | 3 |
| PRF 212 | ACTING II | 3 |
| PRF 213 | ACTING II | 3 |
| Movement II Sequence | ||
| PRF 221 | MOVEMENT II | 3 |
| PRF 222 | MOVEMENT II | 3 |
| PRF 223 | MOVEMENT II | 3 |
| Voice and Speech II Sequence | ||
| PRF 231 | VOICE AND SPEECH II | 3 |
| PRF 232 | VOICE AND SPEECH II | 3 |
| PRF 233 | VOICE AND SPEECH II | 3 |
| Introduction to Performance Sequence | ||
| PRF 261 | INTRODUCTION TO PERFORMANCE | 3 |
| PRF 262 | INTRODUCTION TO PERFORMANCE | 3 |
| PRF 263 | INTRODUCTION TO PERFORMANCE | 3 |
| Third Year | ||
| Acting III Sequence | ||
| PRF 311 | ACTING III | 4 |
| PRF 312 | ACTING III | 4 |
| PRF 313 | ACTING III | 4 |
| Movement III Sequence | ||
| PRF 321 | MOVEMENT III | 4 |
| PRF 322 | MOVEMENT III | 4 |
| PRF 323 | MOVEMENT III | 4 |
| Voice and Speech III Sequence | ||
| PRF 331 | VOICE AND SPEECH III | 4 |
| PRF 332 | VOICE AND SPEECH III | 4 |
| PRF 333 | VOICE AND SPEECH III | 4 |
| Technique Sequence | ||
| PRF 318 | MOVIE ACTING TECHNIQUE | 1 |
| PRF 319 | TECHNIQUE | 1 |
| Rehearsal and Performance I Sequence. Select two out of the three courses, dependent on casting: | 8 | |
| REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE I | ||
| REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE I | ||
| REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE I | ||
| Fourth Year | ||
| PRF 411 | DIGITAL SHOWCASE PREP | 4 |
| PRF 390 | MANAGING AN ACTING CAREER | 4 |
| PRF 416 | GRADUATE SHOWCASE | 4 |
| Audition Sequence | ||
| PRF 414 | ACTING AS A PROFESSION | 2 |
| PRF 415 | BUSINESS OF ACTING | 2 |
| On Camera Coursework | ||
| PRF 420 | ON-CAMERA AUDITION | 3 |
| PRF 327 | ON-CAMERA SKILLS (One 5 week course) | 2 |
| PRF 328 | ACTING FOR THE CAMERA 3: TV & FILM; SKILLS (One 5 week course) | 2 |
| Movement IV Sequence | ||
| PRF 423 | MOVEMENT IV | 4 |
| Voice and Speech IV Sequence | ||
| PRF 431 | VOICE AND SPEECH IV | 3 |
| PRF 432 | VOICE AND SPEECH IV | 3 |
| Rehearsal and Performance II Sequence. Select two out of the three courses, dependent on casting: | 8 | |
| REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE II | ||
| REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE II | ||
| REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE II | ||
Open Electives
Open elective credit may also be required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours.
Work on The Theatre School’s production season extends outside of the university’s academic calendar. Some production assignments may require participation up to two weeks before the beginning of fall quarter, during a portion of the winter break, or during spring break. Specific details pertaining to different programs, specific assignments, and options for students not able to participate outside of the university’s academic calendar are available in the Theatre School Student Handbook and the Theatre School website.