Academics

School of Acting

Professional training. Industry connections. Real opportunities.

A day in the life of an actor at the Academy is not theory. It’s learning by doing. You’ll build the skills to work on set or on stage in a program led by an Academy-Award–winning producer. You’ll train on professional soundstages under the direction of seasoned industry pros. You’ll gain command of the core elements of great performance: full access to your imagination, acting from pure impulse, and command of body and voice. With constant opportunities to collaborate with writers, directors, and producers on original work, you’ll form creative relationships that last. You’ll graduate with a reel that showcases your skill and demonstrates you are ready to work at a professional level.

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Fast Facts

    More To Know

    Along with our core curriculum of Meisner, voice and speech, movement, scene study, and on-camera work; you will also learn about yourself and your range as a performer through personalized Alexander Technique sessions. We encourage you to build your own journey. You can choose between elective classes in makeup, costume design, stunts and fights, improv, voice acting, comedy and sketch, and more. You can also branch out as an artist by taking classes in directing, writing, producing, editing, and production design.

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    Undergraduate
    AA
    BFA
    Graduate
    MA
    MFA
    Other
    Upskill Classes
    Pre-College

    Student Experience

    Training days mean full immersion in acting technique, supporting skills, and the energy of rehearsal. You’ll audition until it feels instinctive. You’ll also have the chance to write, produce, and/or direct your own work alongside our film students, with free access to professional cameras and soundstages. If theater is your passion, we encourage you to pursue roles in the many regional and local companies across the Bay Area, where Academy actors have stepped into leads and walked away with awards.

    Careers

    At the Academy, your acting degree prepares you for more than performance—it opens doors across the entertainment industry. From acting in film, television, or voiceover to working behind the camera in casting, production, or creative development, you’ll graduate with the versatility and confidence to thrive in a constantly evolving field.

    • Actor
    • Casting Director
    • Director
    • Screenwriter
    • Producer
    • On-air Host
    • Social Media Influencer

    Graduate Program

      Students acting on a movie set setup like a restaurant or cafe

      Take Control

      Take control of your career. Most working actors make their living on camera and our conservatory-inspired MFA is built to get you there. Every element is designed to prepare you for the realities of professional film, television, and voice acting.

      Train

      You’ll train on our soundstages under the guidance of seasoned industry directors. You’ll audition for projects bound for festivals around the globe. Over the course of three years, you’ll build a reel that plays like you’ve been working in the industry for years.

      Showcase

      Your work will be seen and critiqued by top casting directors, writers, directors, and producers during our annual NXTUP Film Festival. Our digital showcase highlights your full range of talent and puts it in front of managers, agents, and producers worldwide.

      Student actors making a movie inside an apartment set

      URTA Scholarship

      MFA Acting scholarships available through URTA.

      Apply for URTA Scholarship

      Student Work

      See More Student Work

      Study with Industry Professionals

      View Faculty

      Facility Highlights

        2 students work on project in the Soundstage

        Soundstages

        You dream it, we build it. We have eight soundstages, fully equipped with lighting grids. Standing sets include: a bar, restaurant, coffee shop, loft apartment, and homes with bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.

        A performer in theatrical costume holds a bow and arrow, appearing focused. The stage has steps on the left and other performers rest in the background, suggesting a drama scene.

        Main Stage Theater

        Our Main Stage Theater, home to our One Acts Festival, seats an audience of 200 in the heart of San Francisco’s theater district, adjacent to Union Square.

        2 people standing in an empty Black Box Theater

        Black Box Theatre

        Our black box theater, located in the main Schools of Entertainment building South of Market, is used for teaching and incubating one-person shows.

        Student working on cameras in the Camera Room

        Camera Room

        Our camera facilities offer free equipment to students to use on campus or on location. We stock lighting equipment, digital and film cameras, and grip and electric equipment.

        Student with open arms in a room full of costumes and various clothing

        Wardrobe Room

        Our wardrobe room contains hundreds of articles of clothing—everything from contemporary to period fashions. We have an extensive collection of shoes, hats, streetwear, and evening wear. Open to all student filmmakers, the wardrobe room gives you the ability to dress the cast of your film in the style of your dreams.

        Students working on computers in the Editing Bay

        Editing Bays

        We have over 21 Mac editing bays and three private video editing suites available for student use, all equipped with Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve, and the full Adobe Suite (including Premiere Pro and After Effects). We also have two private audio editing suites running Pro Tools and the Adobe Suite.

        Prop Room

        Prop Room

        Spaceship. Luxury loft. Detective’s office. Whatever you’re shooting, we’ve got the gear—sofas, sconces, rugs, artwork, hand props, relics. Whatever you need, it’s already here.

        Scene Construction Shop

        Scene Construction Shop

        Flats. Doors. Windows. Pre-built and ready to shape. Our construction shop’s stocked—saws, sanders, tools, lumber. If we can sketch it, we can build it for you. Right here, right now.

        Reel Development

        This three-year immersion in on-camera acting sharpens your ability to bring characters and conflict to life. You’ll star in scenes hand-picked for you by our in-house casting director. On set, you’ll collaborate with professional production designers, cinematographers, directors, and editors to capture your best performances in a professional working environment.

        Production Hub

        Put your craft to work for a cause. Lend your talent to projects that give voice to not-for-profits and public agencies. These PSAs stream worldwide and have taken home awards on national and international festival stages.

        Students & Alumni

        Always Creating. Always Moving Forward.

        At the Academy, creativity doesn’t pause at graduation. It accelerates. From day one, students bring bold ideas and leave with portfolios that speak louder than résumés. And when they graduate, they launch into creative careers.

        This is where passion meets purpose—on campus, in studios, and on global stages.

        Our alumni are out there now winning awards, leading teams, and shaping culture.

        Read More Success Stories
        Elijah Roberts School of Acting Academy of Art University

        Elijah Roberts

        “I really love the Academy. The professors truly care, and I don’t think I’d be where I am without their guidance. This is a collaborative community where you learn that acting is not just about you. It is about the story and the team behind it. You never know who is watching here, and opportunities can come from anywhere.”

        BFA Acting, Starred in Night Swim

        Cheur Huang BFA Acting Student Academy of Art University

        Cheur Huang

        “The faculty at the Academy is incredibly supportive and truly cares about our success. Their encouragement motivates me to work hard and make them proud. The community here feels like family. I have been able to collaborate with so many talented people who have become close friends. The most valuable part of my growth has been working on real sets because it prepares you for professional environments and gives you practical experience as an actor.”

        BFA Acting student

        Samantha Girard

        Samantha Girard

        “I feel like I was a good actress on the stage. I knew I wanted to be in film, but I had no experience. When I came here, I got to be on a soundstage. I got to deal with microphones, I got to deal with the prep work that goes into getting ready for the camera. I didn’t even understand the complexity of that and now I do.”

        BFA Acting 2023

        Joel Ochoa

        Joel Ochoa

        “The benefits of an Academy education are amazing: the skills you learn , the connections you make, the incredible physical facilities you get to use, and of course, the professors. No other university prepares you for professional life after graduation the way the Academy does.”

        School of Acting

        Related Programs

        Motion Pictures & Television

        Direct. Produce. Shoot. Edit. Production Design. Write. Crew up and follow your passion for creating entertainment. Master post-production software, acquire VR experience, delve into drone and VFX cinematography, explore documentary filmmaking, commercials and music videos…the choice is yours.

        Person presenting in front of an audience, pointing at a wall covered with sketches and storyboard images.

        Writing for Film, Television & Digital Media

        If your goal is to create a body of work that could launch your professional writing career, our screenwriting degree program will give you the competitive edge you need. Tap into your imagination. Come up with great ideas. Find your unique voice. Take your writing skills to a new level.

        Model wearing a voluminous red dress with ruffled details and white boots walks on a curved runway. Audience seated in the background, and overhead lights illuminate the scene.

        Fashion

        The costume design emphasis combines a rigorous sewing program with industry-specific design courses, preparing students to work in theater and film. Students are given the opportunity to gain practical experience through collaboration with the School of Motion Pictures & Television and the School of Acting.

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