While only BFA Acting majors are required to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), all School of Theatre students are encouraged to study abroad for one semester. BFA Theatre Arts, Design, Production, and Management majors may study abroad through the London Internship Program (LIP) or at any of the programs sponsored by BU’s Office of International Programs.
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA)
The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art is one of the leading drama schools in the English-speaking world. Several drama training schools in the greater London area, some dating back to 1861, joined together to become LAMDA. The Academy's teaching faculty is comprised of both experienced permanent staff and a number of outside specialists and professionals who focus on classical training.
Junior Acting majors are required to take advantage of the School’s study abroad program at LAMDA during the spring semester. Theatre Arts majors who wish to attend LAMDA must first audition with the Acting faculty to ensure that their performance training will support the course load offered at LAMDA. The LAMDA program is organized through the Office of International Programs and the BU London Centre. LAMDA studio courses focus on Shakespearean and Jacobean tragedy, as well as Restoration comedy.
London Internship Program (LIP)
Junior and Senior Theatre Arts, Design, Production, and Management majors may take advantage of the School’s special London Internship Program (LIP) in either the fall or spring semester. LIP is organized through the Office of International Programs and the BU London Centre. Students enrolled in LIP will study the various aspects of the theatre industry through a unique combination of coursework and hands-on experience in a full-time field placement internship.
The professional portion of the LIP allows students to study the theatre industry in one of the most vibrant theatre communities of the classic and modern world. Students are placed in various fields of production, development, administration, casting, or marketing. Placement can be done beforehand through a student’s own research or on site in London through the guidance of the BU London staff. Previous internship placements have included the Globe Theatre, the Royal Court, and the Battersea Arts Centre. The academic portion of the LIP includes two phases of study: a first phase of five weeks, followed by a second phase of eight weeks.
For more information about Boston University's many other study abroad opportunities, visit the Office of International Programs website.