The American Musical and Dramatic Academy bills itself as "America's Premier College of Performing Arts." AMDA offers programs in both musical theatre and dance theatre, as well as a general performing arts program. The performing arts degree allows students to explore multiple artistic genres: acting, singing, dancing, improvisation and stage movement. Performing arts students can also elect to spend one semester at the campus in New York City. The musical theatre program teaches students how to work in areas such as musicianship, acting and dance technique in ballet, tap and jazz. The dance theatre program immerses students in ballet, tap, jazz and modern dance, as well as acting, performance skills, choreography and wellness. AMDA is, thus, a college more for dancers than for musicians wishing to develop their skills in an instrument or technique.
The University of California in Los Angeles is a full university rather than a college of music or dance. However, the university has undergraduate and graduate music departments offering degrees in many areas of music. The university's undergraduate music department grants B.A.s in music performance, composition and education. The graduate music department offers M.A.s in music composition and music for visual media, as well as performance, conducting and composition. UCLA's music students can play in a multitude of performing ensembles as well.
The Colburn School's Conservatory of Music offers college studies in music. The school prides itself on rigorous training in classical instruments and music performance. The Colburn School also prides itself on covering full tuition, room and board for its students, thanks to large grants from its namesake. The Conservatory of Music offers prospective students a B.A. in Music, as well as a Performance Diploma, an Artist Diploma and a Professional Studies Certificate. Students interested in one of the Conservatory of Music's degrees may schedule visits and tours of the campus. All prospective students must pass auditions in order to gain admission.
California State University's Los Angeles College of Arts and Letters offers an impressive number of degrees in music. Students may opt for degrees in such areas as Afro-Latin music, choral conducting, jazz studies, composition, commercial music and keyboarding performance. All of these options are areas of specialization within one B.A. in music. The M.A. in music offers students specializations in composition, writing, arranging and performance, both in commercial music and otherwise. The university also offers a B.A. and an M.A. in theatre arts and dance.