Studies & Degrees in Musical Theatre
Musical Theatre Study Programs
Musical theatre is the form of theatre in which a story is told through acting, song and dance together. Studying it means training in all three at the same time, so the course is more structured than a general drama degree: students take acting classes, individual singing lessons and several styles of dance every term, and rehearse productions on top of that.
The course catalogue of the University of California, Irvine shows what the training contains. Its Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Music Theatre includes song repertoire building, audition technique, dance technique and repertoire, singing for the stage and the history of the American musical, and students also complete ballet, tap and jazz classes. Performing is part of the course from the start. At Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, students audition every term and perform in main stage productions from the first year.
Qualifications and levels
A degree is not a legal requirement for a stage career. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that a formal education is not always required for actors, but that they typically improve their skills by taking classes in the performing arts. The main forms of training are these:
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). This is the usual professional degree in the United States. The BFA in Musical Theatre at The Pennsylvania State University requires a minimum of 125 credits and is intended for students who wish to pursue a career as a musical theatre professional; graduates should be able to begin professional work or continue training at graduate level. The University of Miami offers a BFA in musical theatre next to its liberal arts BA in theatre arts.
- Concentrations inside a theatre degree. Some universities teach musical theatre as one option within a broader theatre programme. Avila University in Kansas City, for example, lists Musical Theatre among the concentrations of its theatre programme, together with acting, directing and producing, and design, technology and management.
- Two-year and community colleges. Several of the listed schools are community colleges, where students can start with a shorter programme and later transfer to a university.
Admission by audition
Entry to a musical theatre programme usually depends on an audition, not only on school grades. At Penn State, acceptance into the major is based on an evaluative audition. At the University of Miami, the BFA in musical theatre is entered by audition. Some universities select in two steps. At Mars Hill University in North Carolina, a student must audition successfully before taking musical theatre classes as a first-year student, and formal admission to the BFA comes at the end of the second year through a qualifying audition in voice and musical theatre. At UC Irvine, drama students audition for the BFA track after reaching the third level of the music theatre workshop; auditions are held three times a year.
International applicants should check early whether a recorded audition is accepted and which English test the university requires.
Where to study it
SpainExchange lists 18 active schools that teach musical theatre: 17 in the United States and 1 in Australia, the University of Melbourne. Teaching is in English in all of them. The schools in the United States include large public universities such as the University of Michigan, The Pennsylvania State University, Florida State University and the University of California, Irvine, private institutions such as Ithaca College, Suffolk University in Boston and the University of Miami, and community colleges such as Broward College and County College of Morris.
When comparing schools, look at how many productions are staged each year and who may audition for them, how much individual voice tuition is included, and whether the course has links with the professional stage. UC Irvine, for example, includes a New York Satellite Program with courses in acting, dance, singing and performance.
Careers
Graduates work as performers in musicals, in theatre companies, on tours, on cruise ships and in theme parks, and also in television and film. Others move into teaching, choreography or directing. Work is irregular: according to the BLS, assignments for actors are usually short, ranging from one day to a few months, and part-time work is common.
The BLS publishes figures for the three occupations that musical theatre combines, for the United States only. Actors held about 67,500 jobs in 2025 and employment is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,300 openings a year. Dancers held about 13,800 jobs and choreographers about 4,700; their combined employment is projected to grow 2 percent, with about 2,200 openings a year. Employment of musicians and singers is also projected to show little or no change, with about 17,400 openings a year.
Frequently asked questions
What do you learn in a musical theatre degree?
Acting, singing and dance, trained side by side. The BFA at UC Irvine, for example, covers song repertoire, audition technique, dance technique, singing for the stage and the history of the American musical.
Do you need to audition to study musical theatre?
Usually, yes. Penn State bases acceptance into the major on an evaluative audition, and Mars Hill University holds one audition before the first year and a second, qualifying audition at the end of the second year.
Where can you study musical theatre?
Of the 18 active schools in the SpainExchange directory, 17 are in the United States and 1 is in Australia. All of them teach in English.
What are the job prospects for musical theatre graduates?
In the United States, the BLS projects little or no change in employment for actors from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,300 openings a year, and 2 percent growth for dancers and choreographers. Work assignments are usually short.