What is the difference between a BFA and a BA?
Generally speaking, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program is comprised of structured, intensive, and focused conservatory training. Students must audition or interview for admission and typically receive continual evaluation and review by the faculty. Students, however, still need to fulfill liberal studies requirements for the completion of their degree, however the number of liberal studies requirements are typically smaller in a BFA program. All programs at The Theatre School are BFA degrees. A Bachelor of Arts (BA) program is for students who are committed to studying theatre and the performing arts, but may want to build a broader range of theatre skills or are interested in pursuing different academic studies in addition to theatre. The Theatre School does not offer a BA program. Our BFA in Theatre Arts is the most similar program to a BA that we offer.
Simply put a BA (Bachelor of Arts) is a liberal arts degree, which is intended to introduce the student to a wide variety of subjects. The philosophy here is that the student will become well rounded by having a taste of many areas. What is missing is intensive study in a single area (major). Students in BA programs have approximately 36 credit hours in their major. The BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) degree is a pre-professional degree of intensive study for those students who have already decided upon their career path. It is not for those who are interested in a subject area as an extra-curricular activity or for those who think they might want a career in that field. The philosophy here is that students need a more in-depth study in a single area in order to fully prepare and give them a competitive edge for today s job market. What is missing is the introduction to a wide variety of subject areas. Students in our BFA program have approximately 80 credits in theatre.
