CSULB structures its theatre degree like a funnel toward seriousness: everyone enters as a general Theatre Arts major, and after roughly fifteen units of prerequisites, two acting courses, intermediate acting, voice and speech, and movement, students face an adjudicated audition to enter the Performance: Acting option. Those who make it commit to conservatory-like expectations: a B minimum in theatre coursework, mandatory auditions for every mainstage season, and acceptance of any role cast.
The department's producing arm, the California Repertory Company, stages an ambitious season (recent slates ran from Carrie: The Musical to Stupid F##ing Bird), giving performance students a genuine company experience inside a public university. The acting curriculum organizes itself around text, emotion, and behavior, head, heart, and will, taught by faculty with Broadway, film, and television credits.
Resident tuition and fees were published at $4,376 a semester for 2026-27, CSU pricing for a program whose gated structure delivers much of what private conservatories sell. A joint MFA/MBA in theatre management serves the field's future producers. For South Bay and Long Beach actors, this is the region's flagship degree program.
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
No audition for initial university/major admission (handled by Enrollment Services). An adjudicated audition is required later to advance from General major into the Performance: Acting option. Schedule: Semester calendar; mainstage auditions each semester; new-student auditions on Convocation Day (Friday before fall classes). Duration: 4-year BA; Performance option entered after roughly 15 units of lower-division prerequisites.
Published pricing
| Program | Published price | Source, as of |
|---|---|---|
| CA-resident undergraduate tuition + mandatory fees, 2025-26, full-time (7+ units) | $4,171.00 per semester | source 路 2026-07-16 |
| CA-resident undergraduate tuition + mandatory fees, 2026-27, full-time (7+ units) | $4,376.00 per semester | source 路 2026-07-16 |
| Nonresident tuition surcharge | $444.00 per unit (2025-26); $471.00 per unit (2026-27), added to resident totals | 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.
Instructors
- Randall Belyea, Department Coordinator. General information contact; rentals for Studio and Player's theatres
Location
Questions actors ask
Where is California State University, Long Beach, Department of Theatre Arts located?
What acting technique does California State University, Long Beach, Department of Theatre Arts teach?
Is California State University, Long Beach, Department of Theatre Arts suitable for beginners?
How much do classes at California State University, Long Beach, Department of Theatre Arts cost?
Does California State University, Long Beach, Department of Theatre Arts teach children or teenagers?
Is admission to California State University, Long Beach, Department of Theatre Arts by audition?
Who teaches at California State University, Long Beach, Department of Theatre Arts?
When was this information last verified?
Sources and verification
- Theatre Arts | CSULB, accessed 2026-07-16
- Undergraduate Performance | CSULB, accessed 2026-07-16
- B.A. Theatre Arts, Performance: Acting Option | CSULB, accessed 2026-07-16
- Contact Theatre Arts | CSULB, accessed 2026-07-16
- Tuition and Fees | CSULB Student Records, 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.
Nearby schools
Cerritos College Theatre, Film and Television Department
Cerritos College's theatre and film department in Norwalk: an acting-emphasis AA gated by a jury, graduated performance credit up to lead roles, four productions a season, at $46 per unit.
South BayEl Camino College Theatre Department
El Camino College's South Bay theatre program: AA and transfer degrees, five to six productions a year including a musical with live orchestra, and master classes with visiting artists, at $46 per unit.
Lakewood Village area, Liberal Arts CampusLong Beach City College Theatre Arts (Performing Arts Department)
LBCC's theatre program with a dedicated Acting Academy AA track, media certificates in commercials, film acting, and voice-over, and a brand-new $75 million performing arts center, at $46 per unit.
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Culver CityThe Actors Circle
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