NTI exposes students to a wide range of teachers and acting styles, rather than focusing on any one specific method. Classes include scene study in Shakespeare, Chekhov, Shaw, and contemporary American playwrights; improvisation and ensemble exercises; text/image analysis; audition technique; acting with the camera; and styles. Supporting workshops include mask work and Greek Chorus. Classes during the International Experience build a vital foundation for the work that follows during the semester at the O'Neill.

In addition to the acting classes, students act every week in the Director's Lab, during Playwrights Week, and in special projects. The acting teachers are working professionals, and as such bring an immediacy and vibrancy to their work with the students. They seek to be supportive and demanding, and the sharing of their life experiences in the profession is a crucial aspect of the NTI program.