Overview
The three-year actor training program is notable for its high technical and artistic standards, its increasingly broad scope for free, independent study and its encouragement of creativity that is grounded in the realities of the changing world around us. The curriculum is designed to give students the tools to develop their practical, technical and theoretical knowledge and define their artistic personality.
Who should apply?
The actor training program is a highly selective undergraduate curriculum, committed to equal opportunity and a diverse pool of talent.
The admissions committee is especially interested in the following qualities in an applicant: talent and intensity of vocation; quality of artistic and human commitment, the ability to evolve, particularly in a group setting; imagination and creativity; physical and vocal capabilities.
Structure
The first year of the program is devoted to acquiring and reinforcing basic principles of acting. Students are taught the disciplines that are integral to the art of acting: reading, diction, interpretation of texts, interpretation for film, practice in warm-up methods, dance, singing, mask acting, clown performance, theoretical instruction, etc. Students will gradually combine these elements to build their persona as a person and as an emerging actor.
The second year continues in the same vein as the previous year, providing a more in-depth grounding in basic principles while giving students the opportunity to experiment with various acting approaches and techniques. The weekly courses in dancing and singing and the theoretical courses are supplemented by master classes lasting one to three weeks, devoted to artistic research, aesthetics or a specific discipline. During the second semester, weekly courses are combined with a full 18 hours per week of interpretation classes, which culminate in the public performances given during the Journées de Juin. Optional courses are offered for both first- and second-year students (film techniques, singing).
The third year features short internships and is primarily focused on theatrical creation, during workshops led by guest artists or teachers at the school. These workshops are conducted over a period of time under the same conditions as a professional production. The workshops lead to public performances and may take place off campus and in many cases outside Paris, in partnership with a regional theater or festival. By becoming immersed in the activity of a creative or broadcasting organization, students come in contact with the various facets of a theater’s organization (technical and administrative matters, public relations).
Bachelor's year 1
- Weekly courses: Dance, Voice, Mask Acting, Clown Performance, Stage Combat, Acting in English, History of Theatrical Forms, Interpretation (second semester), etc.
- Short internships
- PSL Week
- Optional activities
- Film techniques, exploration and
Bachelor's year 2
- Weekly courses
- Master classes
- Interpretation course
- PSL Week
- Optional courses
- International exchanges
Bachelor's year 3
- Creativity workshops, led by guest artists, teachers at the school or students
- Internship in entertainment law
- Internship in dubbing
- Internship in acting for radio
Degree delivered
Students who complete the three years of study receive the Diplôme National Supérieur Professionnel de Comédien (DNSPC).
The DNSPC may be combined with a Bachelor’s degree conferred by Université PSL (CPES - Multidisciplinary Undergraduate degree)
Costs
Funding
Admissions
Prequisites
High school diploma and a year of intensive preparatory training in a recognized course of study.
Admission process
Based on competitive entrance exam or validation of prior experience