Bachelor in Musical Theatre (Bachelor's)

Tuition is 100% of first-year students receive financial aid..

This Bachelor of Fine Arts program trains students in acting, dancing, and singing within a Christian faith-based context. The curriculum emphasizes professional performance skills through coursework and hands-on experiences. Students engage in multiple on-campus productions and have opportunities to audition for touring companies and summer stock theatre. The program is part of the Council of Christian Colleges & Universities and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre.

Focus areas include Acting, Dance (tap, ballet, modern, jazz), Choreography, Voice and ear training, Music theory, Theatre history.

The program requires a total of 120 credits, distributed across acting, dance, voice, music theory, theatre history, and performance courses. Students complete a minimum of three on-campus productions and participate in internships or study abroad opportunities.

Graduates enter careers as actors, singers, and theatre performers in professional companies, touring productions, and regional theatres.

Applicants must audition or interview with the Department of Theatre and Dance faculty. Admission is competitive and based on performance ability and artistic potential. Required materials include an audition tape or in-person audition and a completed application.

The programme totals about 120 credit hours. On-campus, full-time, four-year program. For international students, tuition is above the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 78% of applicants.

Messiah University’s identity is rooted in Christian community and the conviction that faith should shape academic and student life. Its motto, “Christ Preeminent,” guides the university’s approach to education, with values that include sharpening intellect, deepening Christian faith and inspiring action. The institution has grown into a private university of the liberal and applied arts and sciences, serving 3,454 undergraduate and graduate students.

Academic options span more than 80 undergraduate and graduate programs, with over 150 undergraduate and pre-professional degree options and more than 20 graduate degree and certificate programs. Areas of study are organized across interests and career fields. The Doctor of Physical Therapy program connects classroom learning, clinical expertise, scholarship and professional development. Faculty research and continuing education also extend into international clinical communities, including advanced manual therapy teaching in Rome.

The university’s 375-acre campus is in Mechanicsburg, in central Pennsylvania, and provides an active residential setting shaped by Christian community. Average class size is 20, with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. International students should expect faith to be integrated into academic programs and daily experience, alongside opportunities for service, athletics and campus involvement. Students come from 33 states and 23 countries, adding an international dimension to campus life.