A theatre arts major is adaptable to many performance-related careers or to fields beyond the stage. Our alumni have used their degrees to pursue professional theatre as well as other career pathways like education, event planning or technical services, film and television, law, marketing, and more.
The major includes a required course in the third year to help students begin charting post-graduation and career opportunities. Our faculty also mentor, advise, and coach students as they prepare to audition and interview professionally or to pursue graduate training programs.
In addition to advising within the Department of Theatre Arts, students have access to campus resources to help them prepare for careers, find internship opportunities, and apply for jobs.
Alumni Careers
Our graduates have used their theatre arts training to find success in careers across a number of different fields. Below is a sampling of positions our alumni have held.
- Arts administrator
- Actor
- Entertainment costuming host
- Artistic director
- Production manager
- Theatre director
- Director of global communications
- Senior design associate
“What I loved about my Theatre Arts education at the UO is not only that it was a very good acting school, but I learned about the history of theatre and the art of theatre. I learned about lighting design, sound design, costume design, and script analysis. I learned acting and leadership. I learned acting Shakespeare, but I also learned about how to collaborate with people I didn’t always like.”
—Jana Schmieding '05, actor, 'Rutherford Falls'
“After college and working in professional theatre for quite some time, I eventually found my way into various careers. Working in HIV/AIDS vaccine and behavioral research and later opening my own cheesecake bakery in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, I always carried my theatre work with me in every endeavor. It helps me remain open to so many possible aspects of life and humanity, and I find it easy to relate to everyone I meet, in every situation. My work in theatre grounded me and gave me the confidence to be truly present in life. ”
—Paul B. Verano ’92
“Having run a restaurant for the past 15 years, I often find similarities between the theater and restaurant worlds. We must give a performance every night. We must be flexible, adaptable and improvisational. My degree and the training that came with it, helped me hone these skills and gave me the confidence to lead a team of people to perform their best on a regular basis.”
—Lisa Lewis Kalnai, general manager, Morton's Steakhouse
Why Study Theatre Arts?
Read about examples of career paths and actual alumni jobs.