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The short answer is no – you do not need an acting degree to be an actor. You will probably need to do some kind of course though to get your acting knowledge up to standard – but this doesn’t have to be a degree course.
What’s useful about doing an acting degree is that you’re doing a course and learning how to become a better actor. However when it comes to studying acting, the actual qualification itself doesn’t make someone a better actor and it will not help you get acting work. Being a student also helps you mature and grow as a person. It is typically seen as a rite of passage to go and study – and even move away from home in the process.
Degree courses include academic written exams, essays, and dissertations whereas non-degree courses are purely practical with no written exams etc. The typical balance for degree courses is divided 50/50 between theory and practical work. Degree courses will also have much higher costs than practical courses making them less cost-effective.
Another issue with doing an acting degree is that you will probably have to study it for three years. That plus the time lost preparing and taking written exams can mean that they are less time-effective than vocational training courses which are usually one or two years but still provide a sufficient amount of practical training, experience, and knowledge for succeeding as an actor.
Yes but you’ll want some kind of training to bring you up to speed on everything you need to know to be a professional working actor. Many people try to bypass the training and dive straight into auditioning despite not knowing about the common pitfalls and mistakes. This could include issues with voice projection or characterisation for instance.
Directors and audition panels etc will typically be able to tell the difference between the auditionees who are trained and those who are not. You’ll want to make sure you’re in the trained category for a better chance of audition success. Most of the well-known actors you’ve heard of will have received some kind of training.
You do not need any formal qualifications to be successful actor – this includes an acting degree. Actors are hired for their ability and suitability for the role – not for their certifications. Training will help you reach the required standard of ability faster.
Qualifications don’t always include certifications. Some of the things required to be a good actor include:
For a purely practical drama training without any unnecessary written exams, look no further than The Bridge Theatre Training Company. We provide practical acting training to help hone your acting skills and kickstart your acting career. Most of our graduates find agency representation before or not long after graduating.
We don’t believe written exams make someone a better actor and we strive to keep our courses as practical and useful as possible. Our graduates do receive a professional acting diploma but it’s important to remember that, when studying acting, the qualification itself is not what matters – it’s what you learn on your course that counts.
