The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), located in the thriving artistic community of Winston-Salem (aka the “City of Arts and Innovation”), North Carolina, is currently one of the top drama schools in the world.
The school boasts conservatory-level training with a comprehensive curriculum taught by dedicated faculty, which has been a recipe for success, helping many alumni become highly successful in the acting world. The school was even ranked third in the global list of drama institutions, according to The Hollywood Reporter, in 2023!
Discover more about the school and find out if it’s a match for your dreams.
Why Choose UNCSA?
UNCSA was established in 1963 and opened its doors in 1965. It was America’s first public arts conservatory and has been living up to its own sky-high standards since. The school offers many programs related to acting, drama, and film disciplines. So, what exactly makes the school an attractive choice for those who want to pursue a career in acting?
A Global Reputation
UNCSA is consistently recognized on a global scale as an excellent institution for acting and acting-adjacent education. The conservatory-style program means that students receive a well-rounded and abundant education with lots of practical experience from the best resident instructors and guest talents, leading to competent, skilled, and formidable graduates.
Innovative and Industry-Focused Curriculum
Students are prepared for careers in theater, film, and television through a curriculum that blends classical and modern acting techniques. From foundational voice and movement classes to advanced on-camera training and entrepreneurship, UNCSA ensures its graduates are versatile, innovative, and employable. Guest talents often share their contemporary, real-world experience with students so they can understand the reality of the acting world as it exists presently.
Some of the courses designed to give students the best education include:
- Stage combat and accents/dialects classes
- Audition preparation and on-camera techniques.
- A year-long capstone project emphasizing independent artistic work
- “Business of Acting” classes to educate students about the paperwork side of an acting career
Collaborative Opportunities
UNCSA facilitates collaboration across disciplines. Drama students frequently participate in student-directed films, gaining hands-on experience that enhances their skills and builds a professional-quality reel. Students in the various schools all gain real-life experience from creating works of performance art together.
Multitudes of Opportunities to Attend
UNCSA has programs for students in high school, undergrad degrees, and post-graduate education. If you have an affinity for acting, music, or dance, it’s possible to attend high school courses for credit toward a degree in the visual arts. They also offer many adult education classes and community classes for all ages.
UNCSA's Academics and Program Structure
The academic experience at an institution is a driving factor when making the decision to attend a program. All of the classes at UNCSA are meant to provide valuable information and experience to the students attending. Here’s what you can expect from the curriculum at UNC School of the Arts.
Multiple Programs for Interdisciplinary Studies and Collaboration
While this article focuses on the drama school portion of UNCSA, the university also offers other closely related programs.
The five undergrad programs offered at UNCSA are:
- Dance
- Design and Production
- Drama
- Filmmaking
- Music
This means that you can take cross-disciplinary classes in any elective slots you might have, and you can collaborate with people from all different aspects of performing and visual arts during your school years.
The ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ program also allows seniors to take the reins on a creative project, effectively choosing a piece and figuring out how to build it up from the ground on their own using the skills they’ve learned throughout their education at UNCSA.
Lastly, since the degree is a Liberal Arts degree, students will have a well-rounded education due to the additional classes they are required to take, such as behavioral science, math, literature, history, philosophy, anthropology, and more!
Comprehensive Training for Drama Students
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Drama is designed to challenge and develop students holistically. Students on this track can expect to take a specific set of core classes, plus required Liberal Arts classes, plus electives. At the end of it all, they will have a strong educational background in both drama and other subjects, making them a competent adult ready to take on their next challenge.
Drama Curriculum
- Years 1-2 focus on foundational skills like mask, stage combat, verse, singing, dance, improvisation, and accents and dialects. Other skills include voice modulation, physical expression, and character development. Students will also learn technical aspects of drama by working as a stage crew for a student production.
- Year 3 emphasizes script analysis, advanced physical techniques, and acting for the camera. Students participate in a full rehearsal schedule along with classes. Students will hone their advanced techniques, such as advanced physical comedy, accents, audition techniques, embodying a character, and personalizing songs for your voice.
- Year 4 is dedicated to industry preparation. Students will participate in a variety of plays and performances, resume prep, and audition workshops, as well as learn skills like TV and film camera techniques. Students get professional development and exposure via the ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ program and school-facilitated showcases in New York and Los Angeles.
Best Courses for Drama Students
UNCSA offers many courses for drama students, all of which are designed to provide a full-bodied education in acting. Therefore, every class offered at UNCSA is valuable and highly rated! But, there are some classes that students especially look forward to and/or that offer an interesting syllabus.
- HUM 2720: The Monster as Metaphor
Students explore how monsters are used as metaphors in film, theater, and literature with psychological context. - ARM 1000: Introduction to Arts Management
Students learn about the administrative aspects of arts organizations including funding and management. - ARM 2000: Entrepreneurship: How to Form a Non-Profit
Students create a comprehensive business plan for a non-profit idea that speaks to them. - ARM 3100: The Artist as Leader
Students explore how artists fill leadership roles in society on a cultural level and more. - DRA 3383: Devised Performance 3-F
Students create an entire stage set considering factors like lights, sound, costumes, movement, repetition, architecture, and other elements.
University of North Carolina School of the Arts Notable Alumni
UNCSA has produced numerous successful alumni in drama, as well as their other tracks.
Some notable UNCSA graduates in the drama field or arts and entertainment include:
- Jada Pinkett Smith (actress)
- Mary-Louise Parker (Golden Globe, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning actress)
- Hunter Schafer (actress and trans activist)
- Danny McBride (comedian)
- Anthony Mackie (actor)
- Elizabeth Lail (actress)
- Lucas Hedges (Academy Award-nominated actor)
- Debbie Allen (actress, dancer, and choreographer)
- Chris Parnell (actor, comedian)
With the options to attend the high school program, the undergraduate program, and/or the post-graduate program, UNCSA provides ample opportunities for students to learn incredible skills while building valuable relationships with staff and students, leading to a successful career.
UNC School of the Arts Tuition
Admission to UNCSA is highly competitive and based on auditions or portfolio submissions, depending on the program. As a result, the school is incredibly selective with a small student body and excellent teacher-to-student ratio (8:1).
For the Fall 2024 semester, there were only 1,367 students across all 5 majors:
- 253 high school
- 948 undergraduate
- 166 graduate
University of North Carolina School of the Arts Cost
The cost of attending any program has several factors: tuition, room & board, program-specific fees, and general fees. UNCSA breaks down the fee schedule nicely on its website, making it easy to see the costs for each program.
Many students at UNCSA receive financial aid through scholarships and grants, making the program more affordable.
- High School Tuition
For high schoolers residing in North Carolina, the tuition is free. For out-of-state high schoolers, the tuition is $14,478 per year. - Undergraduate Tuition
The tuition for in-state students is $6,497 per year, while for out-of-state students, the tuition is $24,231 per year.
All students can apply for loans and grants to assist with various costs of attendance, including tuition, housing, and more.
How to Get Accepted to UNCSA
Since the program is so selective and highly competitive, you’ll need an edge to get accepted. There are several factors you will need, some of which you can improve and others that require innate dispositions, in order to find a place in UNCSA as a student.
Prepare in Advance
UNCSA is not for students with zero experience in theater. You should get involved with your high school and/or community theater programs and participate as much as possible. The earlier the better! Getting involved in community theater in middle school or even elementary school would be a great boon to your application.
However, not everyone has the ability to join such programs. Perhaps your community doesn’t have any good options, or your schedule never allowed it, or you didn’t know you liked acting until just before it was time to start looking at colleges.
In this event, your best bet would be to do a lot of self-study and practice. Watch videos about the art and science of acting to learn background information. Research simple audition pieces others have chosen for their auditions to colleges and practice them.
You will need to present some prepared audition material when applying to UNCSA, so don’t be caught off-guard; ensure you have a few different pieces prepared!
Is the Conservatory Experience Right for You?
…because we are a standalone arts conservatory, our students are intensely surrounded by multiple disciplines of art for four years—there are no sororities, fraternities, or football games. Our environment is right for a certain kind of student who knows that they want a career in the entertainment industry right out of school…
Quin Gordon, Director of recruitment and Assistant professor
If you want a more standard college experience, you will likely not enjoy being a student at UNCSA. So, if you’re very serious about a rigorous class and rehearsal schedule, being immersed in the arts for the vast majority of your 4 years on campus, and ready to dedicate all your waking moments to your art, then the program is a good fit.
Have a Passion for the Arts
We want a student who really loves this craft, because we can’t teach that.
Quin Gordon
If you have an innate desire to be in the arts, you can be a good candidate for UNCSA. In general, those who can succeed in a performing arts program have strong internal motivation and desire.
Other Requirements
Students applying for undergraduate admission should have a high school diploma from an accredited school and meet the minimum course requirements.
Prospective students need a GPA of at least 2.5; the average GPA for incoming students is 3.5.
Applicants with a GPA less than 2.8 need to provide test scores, and must have at least:
- ACT: 17 (writing portion optional), or
- SAT: 930 composite score in Critical Reading & Math
International students may need to provide test scores like IELTS to show their proficiency in English.
How to Brush Up on Your Skills
To improve your chances of getting accepted, you can find a private tutor ready to help you in any area where you need a boost. Find a tutor for drama and acting or academics to help you boost your experience and knowledge for your college applications! Discover thousands of tutors for any subject on Superprof today.
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