Theatre (B.F.A.)

The Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Major in Theatre is an intensive pre-professional curriculum designed to provide a strong foundation followed by rigorous professional training augmented with practical experience provided by the extensive production schedule. The B.F.A. program is divided into two areas: performance and design and technical theatre including stage management.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for the program are satisfied by the general requirements for undergraduate admission to the University, a minimum of forty-five credits, as well as through auditions and/or interviews after the completion of prerequisite courses and usually at the end of the Fall of the sophomore year.

Candidates must complete a minimum of 120 credits in course work, including satisfaction of the University General Education requirements, College degree requirements, and seventy-seven credits in theatre courses including the major requirements listed below. The minimum grade for each course required in the major, which must be taken in the Department of Theatre, must be no less than a C-minus in order for the course credit to count toward completion of the degree. B.F.A students must comply with the following department policies – any student who does not meet these standards will be placed on Departmental probation and may be denied continuation in the program: the seventy-seven credits in specified Theatre courses must be completed with grades of C minus or better and 3.0 cumulative g.p.a must be maintained. Students must be current in their plan of work and all Basic Competency courses must be completed prior to enrolling in the Capstone course.Departmental information published in this Bulletin is intended for use in conjunction with advising, but in all cases, regardless of advice given, students are responsible for meeting and satisfying requirements as set forth in this Bulletin.

All course work must be completed in accordance with the academic procedures of the University and the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts governing undergraduate scholarship  and  degrees, as well as with the requirements of the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance.  

General Education Course Progress: Majors must complete the Basic Composition (BC) requirement by the time forty-five credits have been earned, the Oral Communication (OC) and Intermediate Composition (IC) requirement by the time sixty credits have been earned. Failure to meet these limits on matriculation will result in the student being placed on departmental probation: the student will be ineligible to be cast in or participate as a member of the artistic/production staff of department productions. Transfer students will be reviewed upon entry into the major for compliance with these standards and advised as needed.

Major Fundamental Requirements: All students pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree in theatre must complete the following courses:

In order to enter the Departmental honors program students must have achieved academic excellence in previous work, such as a high school g.p.a. of 3.5 or a college or university g.p.a. of 3.3. Students must meet all regular major requirements including: the three of the following honors-option courses within their major taught by full-time faculty members (internships cannot satisfy this requirement),  at least one 4000-level seminar offered through the Liberal Arts Honors Program, a senior honors thesis under the direction of a faculty advisor in their major area (THR 4998) and maintain a minimum g.p.a. of 3.3 cumulative and in the major.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Departmental Honors in Theatre (fifteen credits)

Student must maintain an overall 3.3 g.p.a.

For additional information, students should consult the Irvin D. Reid Honors College.

B.F.A. - Performance

Major Requirements: Students pursuing the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (B.F.A.) in performance must complete a minimum of fifty-five credits, distributed as follows:

Degree totals

Major Requirements: 55 credits
Major Fundamental Requirements: 22 credits
University Electives: 5 credits
University Requirements: 38 credits

Total Credits in Degree: 120 credits

B.F.A. - Design and Technical Theatre

Major Requirements: Students pursuing the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (B.F.A.) in design and technical theatre must complete a minimum of fifty-five credits, distributed as follows

Suggested Electives

Degree totals

Major Requirements: 55 credits
Major Fundamental Requirements: 22 credit
University Electives: 5 credits
University Requirements: 38 credits

Total credits in Degree: 120 credits