Backstage with Tracee
Hello Muse Community! In my various admissions positions over the years, I had the immense pleasure of meeting 1000s of prospective performing arts students, and there was a standout question that came up often--what is the difference between a BA and a BFA? In this blog post, let’s break this down and highlight why this is important as you navigate the performing arts admissions process.
Acronyms defined:
BA: Bachelor of Arts
BFA: Bachelor of Fine Arts
Pursuing a BA in a performing arts program means that you will receive a more generalized education in the area you are studying, combined with your liberal arts/general studies coursework (think of a continuation of the major subjects from high school). There may be some opportunities for a concentration and/or area of specialization (i.e. a theatre degree with an opportunity to focus on theatre technology). Attending a BA program offers students the opportunity to study what they love without committing to an intensive training in one specific area. Also, BA programs often do not require an audition or interview to be admitted. Ultimately, a BA means you can study multiple components of theatre, music, etc., ending with well-rounded expertise. It also allows you the possibility of applying to a variety of jobs in the performing arts industry and beyond.
Choosing to pursue a BFA means selecting one specific area of the performing arts to focus on and study throughout the four years. You often find BFAs housed within a conservatory or conservatory training model, and they are usually accompanied by production requirements. There may be general studies requirements to obtain your degree, but it is likely there are less credits required in this area. Within a BFA program, you will often take major specific courses in your first year and complete production assignments all four years. It is also highly likely you are going to have to audition or interview for the program to be considered for admission. As for jobs, you will be highly qualified to enter into a job directly connected to your area of study. For example, a BFA in Stage Management makes you competitive for stage or production management positions.
Still a little confused, no problem. Think about it this way…if you are someone who loves theatre, and have always enjoyed bouncing between stage management, costuming, acting, and directing, and you want to continue to do this in college, you should look at BA programs. If you are someone who has loved acting for all time and all you want to do is study acting, audition, and perform, then a BFA Acting program is a good fit for you. Same principle applies for someone who spends time drawing, designing, and creating costumes—you might want to look at applying to a BFA Costume program. I also want you to know that for both a BA and BFA, you will have many transferable skills and the ability to get jobs outside of your area of study/expertise. Performing arts degrees open doors to many possibilities.
One more important tip while navigating this process. I recommend all students who are interested in pursuing performing arts in college build a list with both BA and BFA options. In a previous post about building a college list, I break down a bit more about why this is important. I want you to maximize your options and opportunities, and let’s be honest, for some students they don’t know if they want to pursue a BA or BFA until the other side of the application and audition/interview process. It’s good to consider and experience a variety of programs so that you can compare pros and cons of what is best for you.
Friends, navigating the performing arts admissions process can be complex. I am here to guide and mentor students along the way and excited to share my knowledge as someone with expertise in this process. Reach out to me any time if you want to learn more about the work we can do together and stay tuned for more backstage tips. Remember to be bold, brave and confident!