Cal State LA offers the Eastside's university path into theatre: a BA with declared tracks in performance or design and production, built on a shared core of acting, analysis, movement, technical labs, history, and directing, at CSU public-school prices (resident tuition and fees published just under $4,000 a semester for 2026).
Admission runs through the standard Cal State application with no entrance audition; the auditions that matter come each semester, when the department casts six to eight mainstage theatre and dance productions, including musicals like Fiddler on the Roof in the current season, open to all students regardless of major. Graduation requires hands-on production participation on stage or backstage, so nobody leaves without real credits. The John Lion New Plays Festival stages original student work, and the department competes in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.
Graduate students can pursue an interdisciplinary MFA in television, film, and theatre run jointly with the media department, a practical LA-shaped combination. The University Hills campus sits between Downtown and the San Gabriel Valley, making this the natural degree option for the county's east side.
Techniques taught
- Eclectic / multi-technique: Schools that draw on several lineages and fit the tools to the actor, not the reverse.
Class types
Enrollment and schedule
Admission to the BA is through standard CSU application (Cal State Apply); program pages document no entrance audition. Auditions posted each semester are for productions and are open to all students. Schedule: Semester calendar; production auditions held at the start of fall and spring terms. Duration: 4-year BA (120 units); 29-unit shared theatre core.
Published pricing
| Program | Published price | Source, as of |
|---|---|---|
| CA-resident undergraduate tuition + mandatory campus fees, Fall 2026, full-time (6.1+ units) | $3,966.04 per semester ($3,419.00 tuition + $547.04 campus fees) | source 路 2026-07-16 |
| CA-resident undergraduate, part-time (0-6 units), Fall 2026 | $2,528.04 per semester | source 路 2026-07-16 |
| Nonresident tuition surcharge, Fall 2026 | $471.00 per unit (in addition to basic tuition/fees) | source 路 2026-07-16 |
Prices are the school's own published rates on the dates shown. We never estimate prices. Always confirm before enrolling.
Location
Questions actors ask
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Does California State University, Los Angeles, Department of Theatre and Dance teach children or teenagers?
Is admission to California State University, Los Angeles, Department of Theatre and Dance by audition?
When was this information last verified?
Sources and verification
- Department of Theatre and Dance | Cal State LA, accessed 2026-07-16
- Theatre/Dance Undergraduate Programs | Cal State LA, accessed 2026-07-16
- Academic Programs | Cal State LA, accessed 2026-07-16
- About the Department | Cal State LA, accessed 2026-07-16
- Auditions | Cal State LA, accessed 2026-07-16
- Student Fees | Cal State LA, accessed 2026-07-16
Researched 2026-07-16, last verified 2026-07-16. Facts above come only from these sources. Anything we could not confirm is simply not shown. Report incorrect information or claim this listing if you represent the school.
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