Acting Certificate Program

Take your performance, improvisation and auditioning skills to the next level.

Plan Your Studies

Courses

10 Required

2 Elective

Methods

In Person

F-1 Visa Eligible

Yes

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This program is perfect for...

Aspiring actors pursuing careers in film, television, commercials or digital media

Working actors interested in honing their craft, learning new skills and expanding their network

Directors aiming to understand what makes an authentic performance

What you can learn.

Perform naturally in front of the camera, individually and as part of an ensemble

Study improvisation, voice and movement techniques developed by established acting instructors

Develop on-camera techniques in scene study using scripts from TV series, sitcoms and films

Discuss career strategies for generating audition opportunities and learn skills for increasing your ability to book jobs

Study acting for the big and small screen.

The UCLA Extension Acting Certificate program is designed for those pursuing careers in film, television, commercials and digital media. In addition to taking foundational courses, students will hone their performance, auditioning and improvisation skills under the guidance of acting professionals. The program allows ample opportunities for performing in front of the camera and learning practical business skills necessary for succeeding in the industry.

Duration: 1 year (Full-Time pace) to 3 years
Format: In-Person
Unit Requirement: 48
GPA Requirement: minimum 3.0 for certificate completion

This certificate is approved for international students to study full time in the U.S. on an F-1 visa.

International students must meet English language proficiency requirements for admission into the program.

While most certificate programs begin each quarter, some have limited intakes for students studying on F-1 visa. Find this program on the Browse Certificate Programs page to confirm entry quarters before applying.

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Get Started

Step 1: Enroll in a Course

Courses in this program are open enrollment and paid for individually. You may take courses without committing to the program.

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Step 2: Become a Candidate

Establish candidacy in the program to receive tailored information, lock in course requirements, and access exclusive student benefits. Registration fees vary by program and are listed under Cost and Fees.

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Important Note for International Students: Candidacy fees are included in your program fees and do not need to be paid separately.

View Dates & Program Fees for International Students

Cost and Fees

All courses in this program are paid for individually, unless otherwise noted. An application form is required to establish candidacy in this program. From the 'Apply Now' button, complete the online application and pay the application fee if applicable.

Application and Candidacy Fee

$200

Estimated Textbooks and Materials

$550

Estimated Program Tuition

$10020

International Student Fees

Payment Options

Eligible for VA Benefit
Federal Financial Aid is not available

Required Courses

Customize your experience

Pre-Production and Production for Film and Television

This survey course presents an overview of the real-world aspects of producing as practiced in the various sectors of filmed entertainment from script development through pre-production and production.

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Post-Production for Film and Television

Emphasizing how new technologies continue to impact post-production, this course examines the post-production process for film and television. May include guest speakers.

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Acting Techniques: The Fundamentals

Understand the basic fundamentals of acting including the physical and mental preparation that enable you to successfully perform exercises and group work.

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Voice and Movement for the Screen Actor

This holistic approach to movement, voice, and speech aims at liberating and enhancing the performer's natural capacity for moving, sounding, and speaking as applied to performance on camera.

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Acting for the Camera I

Learn the technical and emotional adjustments required for working in front of the camera in a relaxed and truthful way and developing intimacy with the camera.

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Acting for the Camera II

Enhance your screen acting skills with the second course on acting for the camera. Dive deeper into the nuances of on-camera techniques by practicing performances from TV scripts and learning about blocking and continuity.

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Improvisation Techniques for the Actor: A Course in Spontaneity

Gain experiential understanding of improvisational acting and develop a strong improvisational perspective essential to scripted work through theater games and improvising scenes.

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The Working Actor: Get the Audition, Book the Job

This interactive course provides you with career strategies that help generate audition opportunities and skills that can increase your ability to book the job.

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Delivering Memorable Auditions for Film and Television: A Workshop for Actors in Cold Reading and Interview Techniques

In this workshop you will learn how to effectively audition and interview for roles. You will learn how to perform for cameras, make instinctive and better choices, confront audition fears, and create trust in the audition.

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Workshop Requirement

Select 1 workshop course from the list below.

Acting Workshop: The Meisner Technique

Explore basic concepts of the Meisner approach to acting with a focus on creating and living in imaginary circumstances.

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Inside Stanislavski: Applications for the Screen Actor

Learn the historic Stanislavski acting method combining the physical and emotional spheres to build an authentic character and true inner life, as well as how this method becomes the basis of many other acting techniques.

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Elective Courses

Customize your experience

Complete 2 electives (8 units) from courses numbered X 400-499 in Film & TV, or from the list of suggested electives below.

Suggested Electives

The Actor's Tool Box: Creating Emotional Truth

Gain acting tools and techniques to help you create true-to-life characters with emotional depth in this workshop, by learning how to draw emotional material from tools that are both external and internal to the actor.

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Playing the American: An Acting and Accent-Reduction Workshop

Non-native speakers of American English hone their craft and learn to perform credibly in mainstream America to achieve a seamless accent shift without calling attention to itself or get in the way of the acting.

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Pursuing a Career in Voice Overs

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the tools needed to excel in TV and radio commercials, animation, narration for documentaries, and other areas of voice-over work.

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Performing in TV Commercials: Practices and Opportunities in the Field

For those considering the lucrative field of TV commercials, or those simply seeking to improve communication skills, this course teaches auditioning, recording exercises, and other ways to improve form.

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Making Your Mark in Music: Stage Performance Secrets

Develop your artistic identity, stage presence, and signature sound. Single yourself out as a performer, artist, and songwriter by developing a unique presence in today's entertainment industry.

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Making Your First Short Film

Understand the steps for creating your first successful short film, whether you are an aspiring director, writer, or producer. Learn the process, from pre-production all the way to post, followed by film screenings and more.

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Directing Workshop I: Composition and Movement

As the first hands-on course in the directing series, you complete four short films using your own video camera. Instruction focuses on the basic building blocks of narrative filmmaking

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Directing Actors for the Screen

Learn to recognize and apply the directorial skills for a successful artistic collaboration with performers. You will select one dramatic and one comic scene then cast, rehearse, and present the scenes in class.

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Crafting Great Lyrics: A Songwriting Workshop

Of interest to beginners as well as more experienced songwriters, this course offers a supportive and inspirational writing workshop environment focusing on three interrelated aspects of songwriting: form, theme, and content.

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Professional Songwriting for the Commercial Market: A Weekly Workout

In this workshop, songwriters seek to hone their craft through support and critique as each class is divided in two parts: the first section devoted to critiquing student compositions and the second to lectures and discourse.

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Building an Online Audience

Learn how to create a public face and promotional platform for your creative content using relevant video platforms, social media, and available website creation tools. The goal is to create an individual presentation plan.

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An internship in film and television can provide you with practical experience in a variety of job functions. Certificate students must complete a minimum of 12 units of program curriculum (3 courses) before completing the application for approval to enroll in an internship.

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