Music Theater Degree Comparison

The Music Theatre Program is a cooperative program offered by the College of Music and the School of Theatre with assistance from the School of Dance.  There are two degree options available to University students who wish to study music theatre: The Bachelor of Music (B.M.) in the College of Music and the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in the School of Theatre.  Most classes are the same in both tracks, including voice lessons, workshops, acting classes, dance, and music theatre history.  Bachelor of Music students and Bachelor of Fine Arts students take these classes together and are held to the same rigorous standards.  The difference between the B.M. and the B.F.A. lies mainly in the emphasis of the rest of the curriculum.  In the College of Music (B.M. degree), more emphasis is placed on the skills of musical performance, music theory, and music history.  In the School of Theatre (B.F.A. degree), more emphasis is placed on the technical skills of set construction, lighting, costumes, directing, and on theatre history.  Most Bachelor of Music (B.M.) students enter the program with a background in music including prior voice lessons or choral experience.

Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts applicants audition for the same admissions committee and should apply for just one track, not both. 

If you have questions about which degree is better for you, please contact Alisa Hauser, Program Director, Music Theatre, at ahauser@fsu.edu.