choosing a major in college?

Question

I want to get into Acting when I move too LA so I was wondering if a degree in Communications would be a good option? what other degrees would be good? and why?

I see.... I was under the impression that you learned a lot about speech in communcations but I guess I was wrong. what would be some good majors to go for that have and emphasis on speech?

Answer 1

Major in what you're interested in. If you want to go into acting, Theatre is an obvious choice, but I agree with the poster who said to double major in something else as well, so that you have some skills to work with. English, Psychology, Business, there are many majors that can help develop analytical and research skills that can be useful to an actor. Applied skills like video editing can be useful in a place like LA for getting a job in the industry and making contacts.

Basically, just do what you like!! There are no guaranteed outcomes, so majoring in something with the plan that it will lead to something else that may help you get into something else is not the smartest way to go. There are many succesful actors who do major in theatre, and many who didn't. Also remember, no matter what you major in, you can always take elective classes to supplement your studies.

Here are some actors who went to college BEFORE they became famous:

David Duchovny - English Lit
Ashton Kutcher - Electrical Engineering
Brad Pitt - Journalism
Steve Martin - Philosophy, switched to Theatre
Jennifrer Garner - Chemistry, switched to Theatre
Chevy Chase - started pre-med, switched to English
Renee Zellweger - English
Matt Damon - English
Kevin Costner - Business

Here are some actors who took a break to go to college:

Jodie Foster - English
Natalie Portman - Psychology
Claire Danes - Psychology

** To answer your question about speech, why don't you just take a speech class? You don't need to form an entire major around learning to become a good speaker in order to be able to do it. Many theatre programs offer speech as part of the standard drama curriculum and it may be open to non-majors as well, check with a counselor at your school.

Answer 2

If you want to be an actor no college degree is probably best. Colleges do not prepare people to become actors. With the rare exception like Julliard and Yale. Colleges are interested in enrollment, not education. It's a numbers game to perpetuate the bureauocracy. What does Soeech Communications as you call it have to do with acting? Professional directors, agents and casting directors couldn't care less if you went to college. People can talk all they want about what a fine school such and such is for acting. The truth is that you don't learn to act in classes, you learn to act in plays. Your time and money would be better spent building a resume and taking selected professional classes and even getting into SAG before going to LA. Questions? read my profile and write me at my aol address

Answer 3

Communications??? Are you kidding? Yes, by all means, take up communications if you want to sit around all day discussing theory and not knowing basic practices like speech, movement, how to handle text and language, auditioning, dance, combat. Actors need to be educated as artists, not as academics. Go to CalArts, NCSA, Julliard, U of Delaware, SUNY Purchase. Go learn art. Science won't help you.

On the other hand, many great actors have had no training at all. But Communications! eeeesssshhh!

(One person's opinion and therefore not to be taken as comprehensive truth)

Answer 4

i'm a senior in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue. Having finished 3 years on the college point and by no skill changing a substantial, i think that I chosen the surprising course. In my experience of working in industry (engineering interest) for 3 summers in a row, i could say that your college training does no longer instruction manual your profession course. lots of the failings you will learn in college will instruction manual you into being a nicely found out grownup. the authentic objective of the college experience is to no longer practice you for a activity. A technical college does that. The college teaches you elementary how you will be a self taught man or woman, who can think of on his/her very own without being spoon fed. After your commencement from college, an corporation will see which you have exceeded the college try. maximum interest training is actual executed on the interest, you may no longer think of that once you end college, you will have the skill to do any interest you prefer, you may in spite of the shown fact that understand which you will learn do to any interest you prefer to pursue.

Answer 5

Aside from Acting classes, I'd get a second major in something like video editing. That way you will

A) Have a 'real' skill to pay the bills with.
B) Be able to shoot & edit your own videos.

Best of Luck Superstar.

Answer 6

No

Communications centers around TV News and Radio operations.

If you want to get into acting you need to be a Theater major.

Answer 7

My daughter is going to major in theater. UNC-Wilmington has a great theater program. Also Wilmington has become one of the top spots for movies, filming & TV shows.