Theatre with a concentration in Theatre Studies, BA

The BA program in theatre with a concentration in theatre studies provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the context, development, and implementation of live stage productions.

In this concentration, the delicate balance of hands-on training and effective communication skills with broad theoretical knowledge prepares you for a lifetime in theatre and dance that may include a career as an educator in schools and training programs, arts administrator, a private business owner, programming director for performance venues and arts festivals, public relations specialist, recreation worker, literary or talent agent, therapist, among others.

Degree requirements

The following requirements must be satisfied for a Bachelor of Arts with a major in theatre.

Hours required and general/college requirements

A minimum of 120 semester hours, of which 42 must be advanced, and fulfillment of degree requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree as specified in the University Core Curriculum in the Academics section of this catalog and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences requirements (excluding the foreign language requirement).

Major requirements, 45 hours

A minimum of 45 semester hours, including a theatre core of 18 credit hours:

Theatre core, 18 hours

Required courses, 9 hours

3 hours from

3 courses from

THEA 2095 - Stage Production I (one hour)
or
THEA 3095 - Stage Production II (one hour)
or
THEA 4095 - Stage Production III (one hour)
or
THEA 4600 - Rehearsal and Performance for the Stage (one hour)

Concentration in Theatre Studies, 27 hours

Select 3 hours from the following courses, in addition to course chosen for the theatre core:

Areas of interest

You may choose a range of lower and upper-division theatre and dance courses, in consultation with the department theatre advisor.

The category of “Areas of interest” is constructed to accommodate multiple academic interests, whether that interest is dance or theatre history, writing production reviews, choreography, performance, directing, playwriting, design/tech, or teaching.

An exciting aspect of a concentration in theatre studies is the opportunity to design unique study pathways through the blending of any number of existing dance and theatre courses that reflect your particular interests.

For instance:

Study Pathway - Choreography for Musical Theatre: enroll in DANC 1250 , DANC 2250 , DANC 3250 : Choreography I, II, III; courses from modern dance technique, ballet, tap, jazz, to hip
hop, social club dance, musical theatre dance; THEA 4000 : Musical Theatre Acting

Study Pathway - Directing High School Theatre Productions: enroll in THEA 1030 : Lighting and Sound I, THEA 1043 : Costume I, THEA 1046 : Stagecraft I, or THEA 2380 : Theatrical Makeup;
THEA 1050 : Acting Fundamentals, THEA 2051 : Theatre Voice I, THEA 2351 : Theatre Movement I, THEA 3100 : Directing I, THEA 3400 : Theatre for Young Audiences, THEA 4460 : Play and Film
Scriptwriting.

Study Pathway - Movement Practices: enroll in DANC 3630 : Laban Studies, DANC 3050 : Dance Kinesiology, and THEA 2351 and THEA 3351 : Theatre Movement I and II.

Some courses may have several prerequisites or require an audition prior to enrollment.

Other course requirements

Students must follow all course prerequisites.

Through a juried review process, theatre performance faculty will assess the skill level of all students completing THEA 3050 to determine eligibility for enrollment in the following courses: THEA 3140 , THEA 4000 , THEA 4140 , THEA 4310 . Individuals may be required to repeat THEA 3050 .

Minor

Optional (a related field such as music, dance or art is recommended).

Electives

Hours required for electives may vary based on course selection and the University Core Curriculum requirements. Electives may be required to satisfy the advanced hour requirement (42) and/or the minimum total hours required for the degree. For specific information, see an academic advisor in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Other requirements

To remain a theatre major and to graduate with a degree in theatre, students majoring in theatre must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 for all theatre courses.

Students majoring in Theatre must enroll in a theatre performance/production course (THEA 3095 , THEA 4095 , THEA 4600 or equivalent) each term or semester the student performs or designs in public productions sponsored or approved by the department.

Transfer work to be substituted for required theatre courses must be approved by the theatre advisor.

The department does not allow students to obtain a D or below more than twice in a theatre course comprising the major. Once the student receives the second D or below in the same course, the student will be dismissed from the department.

Students who miss the first day of class without consent of the instructor are subject to be administratively dropped from the course so that other students may be added. Students who miss the first day of class because of illness or some other acceptable excuse must notify the instructor on record the day of the absence.

Students must observe prerequisites for each theatre course. If a student has not completed prerequisites for a particular course, the student is subject o administrative drop without notice. Prerequisites are listed with individual course descriptions.

Students majoring or minoring in theatre who have received a grade of C in any of three prerequisites (THEA 1050 : Acting Fundamentals, THEA 2051 : Theatre Voice I, or THEA 2351 : Theatre Movement I), even if students are transferring in that course from another institution, will be required to complete an audition in order to be considered for enrollment in THEA 3050 : Acting: Realism I.