<p>There have been discussions about BMs and BFAs on this forum before. You could use the search function and see what comes up. </p>
<p>I don’t know that the differences between these two types of degree programs (BM or BFA) in musical theater, however, have any concrete differences in the professional market for those who graduate with a MT degree. I believe the differences lie in the training and the emphasis. If you look up any of the BM programs (such as Steinhardt, Baldwin-Wallace, OCU, etc) and put their curriculum side by side with a BFA in MT program (such as Tisch/CAP21, UMich, CCM, Syracuse, etc.), you should notice some differences in the emphasis of the training and the balance of it. A BM degree tends to have more emphasis on the music training that anyone who gets a BM degree in music would have and also in vocal performance with a little less in the areas of dance and acting, whereas a BFA degree program usually tends to have somewhat of an equal balance (generally speaking, but varies from school to school) between voice, dance, and acting. A BFA degree is more of a THEATER degree and a BM degree is a MUSIC degree and therein lies the difference. </p>
<p>Does your D want to train more in voice than in theater or equally in voice, dance, and acting? Also, sometimes a candidate wants to go to a school that emphasizes their own strengths and other students may seek a program that will give them training to increase their weaker areas. Also, some believe that acting is very critical to a musical theater performer and that being a great singer is not enough (but this is open to debate). </p>
<p>I don’t think the differences between BM and BFA have anything to do with being able to teach. Conceivably, one may teach classes with either a BM or a BFA. And if you mean high school, then one would need teacher certification. If you mean to teach college, one would need a MM or an MFA.</p>
<p>Speaking of personal experience only, while my D is very very very into music and musical theater (and is also a musician, songwriter, and composer), she feels that the acting training is essential to being a performer on stage. </p>
<p>So, I suggest your D compares the curriculum between a BFA and a BM degree as there are differences in emphasis. Both turn out MT performers, however.</p>