Step Into the Spotlight With a Bachelor’s Degree in Acting
At Viterbo University, we take your ambition seriously. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with an emphasis in acting is a conservatory-style program for students who are driven, talented, and ready to pursue the demands of a professional acting career. As a Viterbo acting major, you’ll be immersed in intensive training, with opportunities to perform every semester, study abroad in London, and connect with working artists in the industry.
Our intensive, performance-driven BFA in acting provides a deep foundation in the art and business of acting, helping you build a strong voice, develop stage presence, and understand the text behind every role. Our theatre department faculty work one-on-one with you to refine your skills and help you grow into a confident, adaptable performer.
We’re here to help you step confidently onto the stage for the first act of your career. In our acting BFA program, you’ll gain:
- Performance opportunities from day one
- Coaching in voice, movement, and scene study
- Hands-on training in classical acting, voice technique, and audition prep
- Industry exposure through showcases, masterclasses, and professional productions
Acting Major (BFA)
Viterbo’s BFA in acting blends studio training, academic coursework, and onstage experience to strengthen your artistic voice and develop the physical and vocal tools needed to succeed on stage and screen. Dive deep into acting technique, voice, and movement, while also exploring areas like improvisation, text analysis, and the business of theatre. With faculty mentorship and opportunities to perform each year, you’ll grow in confidence, craft, and creative range. Auditions are required for admission. Students begin as candidates and formally enter the upper division after a faculty evaluation in the second year.
Theatre Minors
Viterbo acting students can pair their degree with a minor to expand their skill set and explore related interests. These minors enable students to gain backstage experience, develop leadership skills, or explore new creative outlets. Options include:
- Arts Management: Develop practical knowledge in managing arts organizations, including marketing, budgeting, and event planning.
- Stage Management: Learn how to coordinate rehearsals, run backstage operations, and support directors in bringing a production to life.
- Dance: Strengthen your physical expression with coursework in ballet, jazz, tap, and other styles used in stage performance.
- Technical Theatre and Design: Explore the backstage crafts of lighting, sound, costume, makeup, and scene design through coursework and hands-on production roles.
- Playwriting: Discover your voice as a writer by crafting original scripts and exploring the fundamentals of dramatic structure.
BFA in Acting Highlights
Viterbo University’s BFA in acting program is part of the Conservatory for the Performing Arts, offering a personalized, performance-focused education grounded in classical and contemporary techniques. As an acting major, you’ll train with expert faculty in a supportive environment where creativity and professionalism go hand in hand.
From first-year performances to senior showcases, our acting program is built to support your development every step of the way with:
- Expert faculty and individual support: Work closely with full-time professors who have extensive experience as actors, directors, and coaches. With our 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, you’ll receive one-on-one feedback, coaching, and mentorship throughout your program.
- Professional spaces and real-world experience: Rehearse and perform at some of the region’s top venues, such as the 1,100-seat Main Stage and LaCroix Black Box Theatre at our Fine Arts Center and the Weber Center for the Performing Arts in downtown La Crosse. Showcase your talent in five to six productions annually, including student-run projects, and attend industry-led masterclasses and audition workshops.
- Career-building opportunities on and off campus: From Viterbo’s London Theatre Experience—where students see up to 15 live shows and train with British theatre professionals—to local community theatre partnerships, you’ll gain diverse perspectives and expand your network while still in school.
- Affordability and value: With academic merit awards up to $20,000 and additional talent scholarships available, Viterbo makes a high-quality acting education financially accessible. Plus, La Crosse’s lower cost of living helps you keep expenses down while pursuing your passion.
What Can You Do With an Acting Degree?
A bachelor’s degree in acting opens doors to a wide range of careers in theatre and beyond. Viterbo’s BFA in acting empowers you with the performance skills, stage experience, and professional know-how to audition with confidence, land roles, and build a sustainable career in the arts.
Our acting graduates work on Broadway, in national tours, regional theatre, cruise lines, and theme parks. Others pursue roles in directing, arts management, or teaching—or continue on to graduate school.
Possible Acting Career Paths:
- Acting coach or private instructor
- Arts administrator
- Cruise line or theme park performer
- Graduate student in MFA or MA theatre programs
- Stage actor (Broadway, touring, or regional theatre)
- Theatre director or producer
- Theatre educator
- Voiceover artist
Financial Aid for Acting Majors
We’re committed to making your theatre acting degree affordable through scholarships and financial support. Most students receive a combination of academic and talent-based awards. Available scholarships include:
- Academic merit scholarships up to $20,000
- Talent scholarships up to $4,000
- Marie Leon La Croix Scholarship ($2,000–$4,000)
"The BFA program at Viterbo prepared me for a career as a professional in the performing arts. I honed skills that I use every day in my career. I was challenged and given space to grow in a competitive learning environment."
—Logan Bailey, BFA in Acting, Class of 2023
Examples of Acting Courses
From stage combat to Shakespeare, Viterbo's acting curriculum equips you with the tools and confidence needed to succeed in a competitive industry. Course highlights include:
- Acting Studio: Apply a range of acting techniques in performance-based projects that culminate in a showcase.
- Voice and Speech I & II: Develop expressive, sustainable vocal techniques and learn dialects for the stage.
- Verse Drama: Analyze and perform classical texts like Shakespeare with clarity and emotional depth.
- Acting Through Song: Combine acting and vocal technique in preparation for musical and crossover roles.
- Stage Combat: Learn hand-to-hand and armed combat styles in a safe, dynamic studio setting.
- Audition Techniques and Business of Theatre: Build a professional audition portfolio and prepare for a career on stage and screen.
View Full Course Descriptions
Related Programs at Viterbo University
