The theatre arts major prepares graduates to compete in the job market with a curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, team problem-solving, creative expression in various media, public speaking, and refined writing skills. 

When you declare the theatre arts major, you will be assigned a faculty advisor based on interest areas you include in the online form. You are encouraged to meet with a theatre arts faculty advisor in a specialty area related to your interests. The College of Arts and Sciences Advising is also a great resource. Both theatre arts faculty and CAS  advisors can help you with course selection, schedule planning, and degree completion. Make an appointment to see your advisor regularly to confirm your progress and plans.

Students have final responsibility for satisfying their degree requirements for graduation. Those who believe that they have justification for an exception may petition the faculty by setting up a meeting with their theatre arts faculty advisor to review the petition. Any petition requests should be made three weeks prior to the end of each term.

Theatre Arts Major Requirements

All required courses for the major guide students through a balanced program of hands-on and scholarly coursework with holistic exposure to theatre’s varied practice areas. The major is structured by course groups: Group I are core courses (both introductory and advanced), Group II are production credits, Group III are advanced courses that vary in topic and enhance practical skills or deepen critical perspectives.

To complete a major in theatre arts, students must fulfill the following requirements:

• A minimum of 67 theatre arts credits, including 20 lower-division (below 300-level) and 47 upper-division (300-level or above).
• All courses must be completed with a C grade or higher.

In plotting your course work, consider the following points:

• Most courses are not offered every term and some are not offered every year. Check the course schedule carefully to make sure your plans are feasible.
• Lower-division courses may not be taken for upper-division credit by adding another assignment.
• If you sign up for a production crew after the registration deadline, you may register for credit for that crew the following term only.
• Regularly taught courses may not be taken in another term, or at another time, under TA 405: Reading. Please plan to take these courses when they are offered.
• Transfer students may petition the department for special consideration with regard to waiving degree requirements. Consult your advisor to initiate this process.

For more information about the theatre arts major, please consult our Undergraduate Student Handbook.

Double Majoring in Theatre Arts

Many of our students double major in theatre arts and another major of interest, and with diligent planning they are often able to complete both majors in four years. Most common are double majors in psychology and theatre, cinema studies and theatre, philosophy and theatre, and English and theatre.

Students who want to double major in theatre and either dance or music may find there are scheduling conflicts, particularly for any performance commitments. It’s doable, but most complete their degree in five years rather than four.

Theatre Arts Grading Standards

What follows is meant to help students understand departmental standards regarding the value of each letter grade. Faculty in the theatre arts department will have different procedures, scales, and references for how they grade, and different courses require different modes of evaluation, but the following reflects departmentally agreed meaning for each letter.

A = Complete success in idea, exploration, expression, extraordinary work reflective of genuine investment, discovery, and critical thinking—mastery.

B = Success in meeting most expectations of the assignment, good work reflective of sincere effort and basic comprehension—competence.

C = Some success in meeting minimum requirements only, poor organization, weak technical or group focus, half-rehearsed, lack of critical thinking—incoherence.

D = Significant lack of completion, ineptitude, disrespectful attitude towards others, failure to engage some minimum requirements, serious lapse of attention—indigence.

F = Major failure to meet deadlines and basic commitments, extraordinary lack of discipline or focus, clear evidence of plagiarism, cheating, bullying—negligence.

NOTE: In the Department of Theatre Arts, a grade of A+ is rare. 100% with perfect attendance or total points or straight As across a term do not guarantee an A+ – instead, this grade is entirely a matter of subjective instructor evaluation above and beyond the excellence described for an A grade.