Florida State University

Florida State University’s School of Theatre, part of the College of Fine Arts, combines rigorous liberal arts education with professional-level studio training. The program challenges students to develop creativity, discipline, and scholarly insight as they explore all facets of theatre-making under the mentorship of experienced faculty and visiting industry professionals.Annually, FSU stages five major productions and numerous festival and lab performances, ensuring robust experiential learning.

Undergraduates may choose one of three distinct degree tracks. The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Theatre offers a flexible, interdisciplinary approach: students study acting, design, directing, playwriting, performance theory, stage management, and more, while maintaining freedom to double-major or minor outside theatre. For those focused on performance, the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Acting provides conservatory-level training—including voice, movement, text, and rehearsal labs. The B.F.A. in Music Theatre, offered jointly with FSU’s College of Music, prepares students as triple-threat performers through intensive coursework in acting, dance, and vocal performance.

Training takes place in professional-quality venues on FSU’s Tallahassee campus—such as proscenium, black-box, and studio theatres—supported by fully equipped rehearsal spaces, design shops, and production labs. Students also benefit from a semester studying theatre abroad in London, and opportunities to participate in regional and national theatre festivals, including Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival events.

Graduate students have access to several advanced programs, including an M.A./M.S. in Theatre & Performance Research, M.F.A. degrees in Acting, Directing, Costume Design, Technical Production, and Theatre Management, and even a Ph.D. program in Theatre & Performance. Additionally, FSU partners with the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota to offer the prestigious Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, a highly selective graduate-level MFA acting program providing hands-on experience alongside professional repertory performances.