Want to gain a competitive edge in your future career? Internships can help you develop valuable job skills, gain practical work experience, and explore potential career paths—all while learning in a real-world environment. Many theatre arts students seek internships with theatre companies and participate in other opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom.
Interested in applying for an internship? Our faculty mentors can guide you through the application process, prepare you for interviews, and help or coordinate course credit for your internship.
University Theatre
All University Theatre productions hold auditions open to all UO students, regardless of their major or year in school. If you are interested in getting involved with design or theatre technologies, the best route is to take a few introductory courses which require lab hours gaining experience with our design faculty, shops, and production systems. You can also volunteer for production lab hours or get hired as a student worker (must be eligible for work-study) in one of our shops. Our department issues a weekly email letting interested students know of upcoming auditions and production opportunities.
Every other September, we tour one of our University Theatre productions to rural Oregon schools, performing sometimes for kids who might be seeing theatre for the first time! Students involved are paid well, provided transport, housing (motels, usually) and given a daily allowance for meals.
Don’t be shy—we welcome all students who have an interest in participating and we’ll work hard to find a place for you!
Theatre Opportunities in Eugene
The Eugene-Springfield area has an unusual number of theatre opportunities throughout the year, from professional work available with the downtown Oregon Contemporary Theatre, the Oregon Festival of American Music (musicals), the Actors Cabaret of Eugene, and one of the oldest community theatres in the country, the Very Little Theatre. All of these are very welcoming to UO theatre majors and in some cases have led to part-time jobs and other useful connections within the profession at large.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival Spring Break
Every spring break, two faculty lead a group of up to 20 theatre arts majors to see plays at the Tony-award winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon. Students participate in talks and workshops specifically designed for our majors. Thanks to Carol Williams, students pay a small fee for housing (nearby cottages with full kitchens), transport, workshops, and up to five shows.
Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
Every year, usually in mid-February, our department participates in the Northwest region’s Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, where college theatre programs meet to share productions, workshops, auditions, and other opportunities including competitions that can lead to professional internships. Students selected to participate are supported by an experienced faculty coordinator as well as faculty mentoring and partial subsidy.
Get Help Finding Internships
The University of Oregon Career Center provides career and job search assistance, offers strategies for choosing a career, and helps connect students with local and global internship opportunities. Students participating in internships can earn up to 12 upper-division credits in a 10-week term.
IE3 Global Internships
Would you like to earn internship credits toward your major while living and working abroad? The IE3 Global program offers internships at over 100 different organizations in 50 countries, where students can earn credits toward their major or university requirements.
Attend a Career Fair
Career, internship, and job fairs occur throughout the academic year. Stop by to discover opportunities within your area of interest.
Hands-on Learning Scholarships
Students in the College of Arts and Sciences can apply for funding to support them in pursuing experiential learning opportunities. These scholarships provide up to $5,000 in financial support to assist students in completing an unpaid internship, research opportunity, or service-learning experience of at least eight weeks duration.