About This Program
The Theatre Studies program offers a well-rounded theatre education, including a broad range of topics, from theatre history to dramatic literature. Access experienced faculty, real-world opportunities and state-of-the-art facilities. Enroll now and take the first step toward a fulfilling career in theatre. Read more...
Contact Information
- Paul Hurley | [email protected]
- Speak with an Advisor
- Chat with an Admissions Counselor: Kent Campus | Regional Campuses
Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- In person
- Location:
- Kent Campus
- Trumbull Campus (Theatre and Society concentration only)
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*
Actors
- 3.1% about as fast as the average
- 70,100 number of jobs
- $N/A potential earnings
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
- 5.6% faster than the average
- 116,300 number of jobs
- $69,690 potential earnings
Miscellaneous entertainers and performers, sports and related workers
- 4.2% about as fast as the average
- 33,300 number of jobs
- $N/A potential earnings
Producers and directors
- 10.0% much faster than the average
- 159,500 number of jobs
- $76,400 potential earnings
Accreditation
The B.A. degree in Theatre Studies is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
Admission Requirements
The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.
First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.
First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.
Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.
Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.
Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program's Coursework tab.
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA) | ||
THEA 11100 | MAKING THEATRE: CULTURE AND PRACTICE | 2 |
THEA 11303 | THE ART OF ACTING | 3 |
THEA 11722 | FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION I: SCENERY, STAGECRAFT AND SOUND | 2 |
THEA 11723 | FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY I: SCENERY | 1 |
THEA 11724 | FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY II: PROPS AND SCENIC ART | 1 |
THEA 11732 | FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION II: COSTUMES, LIGHTING AND PROJECTIONS | 2 |
THEA 11733 | FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY III: COSTUMES | 1 |
THEA 11734 | FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY IV: LIGHTING, SOUND AND PROJECTIONS | 1 |
THEA 21111 | SCRIPT ANALYSIS | 3 |
THEA 22092 | PRACTICUM: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) 1 | 6 |
or THEA 42092 | PRACTICUM II: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) | |
THEA 31110 | HISTORY OF THEATRE AND DRAMA I | 3 |
THEA 31111 | HISTORY OF THEATRE AND DRAMA II | 3 |
THEA 41999 | CAPSTONE PROJECT (ELR) | 3 |
Concentration Elective (not from students' declared concentration) | 3 | |
Writing-Intensive Elective, choose from the following: | 3 | |
DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) 2 | ||
PLAYWRITING (WIC) 1, 2 | ||
AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY (WIC) 2 | ||
HISTORY OF PERIOD STYLES FOR THEATRE DESIGNERS (WIC) 2 | ||
Theatre Electives, choose from the following: | 6 | |
DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) 2 | ||
THEATRE AND SOCIAL CHANGE | ||
PLAYWRITING (WIC) 1, 2 | ||
THEATRE IN A MULTICULTURAL AMERICA (DIVD) | ||
LGBTQ THEATRE (DIVD) | ||
THEATRE AND DRAMA IN AMERICA | ||
AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY (WIC) 2 | ||
VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR: THEATRE HISTORY, LITERATURE AND THEORY 1 | ||
HISTORY OF PERIOD STYLES FOR THEATRE DESIGNERS (WIC) 2 | ||
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA) | ||
UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1 |
Kent Core Composition | 6 | |
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning | 3 | |
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) | 9 | |
Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) | 6 | |
Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory) | 6-7 | |
Kent Core Additional | 6 | |
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) | 19 | |
Concentrations | ||
Choose from the following: | 21 | |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120 |
- 1
Course is repeatable for credit.
- 2
A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
Performance Concentration Requirements
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA) | ||
THEA 21303 | ACTING PROCESS | 3 |
THEA 31303 | CHARACTER AND SCENE STUDY I | 3 |
THEA 31304 | CHARACTER AND SCENE STUDY II | 3 |
Concentration Electives, choose from the following: | 12 | |
MAKEUP FOR STAGE AND SCREEN | ||
MOVEMENT I | ||
VOICE I | ||
PRACTICUM I: PERFORMANCE (ELR) 1 | ||
DIRECTING | ||
MOVEMENT II | ||
VOICE II | ||
SPECIAL TOPICS IN THEATRE 2 | ||
ACTING FOR THE CAMERA I | ||
ACTING FOR THE CAMERA II | ||
PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS: PERFORMANCE | ||
MUSICAL THEATRE AUDITION | ||
ADVANCED WIG AND MAKEUP TECHNIQUES-STAGE AND SCREEN | ||
MOVEMENT AND DANCE FOR ACTORS | ||
PRACTICUM II: PERFORMANCE (ELR) | ||
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 21 |
- 1
Course is repeatable for credit.
- 2
THEA 41095 should be taken in variable performance seminars.
Production Concentration Requirements
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA) | ||
Concentration Electives, choose from the following: | 21 | |
MAKEUP FOR STAGE AND SCREEN | ||
THEATRICAL DRAFTING | ||
LIGHTING DESIGN | ||
COSTUME TECHNOLOGY | ||
COSTUME DESIGN | ||
BASIC COSTUME CONSTRUCTION | ||
SOUND AND PROJECTION DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY | ||
SCENE PAINTING | ||
SCENE DESIGN | ||
STAGE MANAGEMENT | ||
PRACTICUM: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) 1 | ||
PRACTICUM I: PERFORMANCE (ELR) 1 | ||
PRACTICUM I:THEATRE MANAGEMENT (ELR) 1 | ||
FLAT PATTERNING FOR THEATRE | ||
PLAYWRITING (WIC) 1, 2 | ||
ADVANCED PLAYWRITING 1 | ||
SPECIAL TOPICS IN THEATRE 1, 3 | ||
THEATRE AND DRAMA IN AMERICA | ||
AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY (WIC) 2 | ||
VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR: THEATRE HISTORY, LITERATURE AND THEORY 1 | ||
PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY | ||
THEATRICAL RIGGING | ||
DRAPING FOR THE THEATRE I | ||
THEATRE FABRICATION TECHNOLOGY | ||
PRODUCTION AND STAGE MANAGEMENT | ||
PRACTICUM II: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) 1 | ||
PRACTICUM II: PERFORMANCE (ELR) 1 | ||
PRACTICUM II: THEATRE MANAGEMENT (ELR) 1 | ||
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 21 |
- 1
Course is repeatable for credit.
- 2
A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
- 3
THEA 41095 should be taken in variable production seminars.
Theatre Management Concentration Requirements
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA) | ||
Concentration Electives, choose from the following: | 21 | |
DANCE PRODUCTION | ||
MUSIC THEORY FOR MUSICAL THEATRE I | ||
MUSIC THEORY FOR MUSICAL THEATRE II | ||
THEATRICAL DRAFTING | ||
LIGHTING DESIGN | ||
COSTUME TECHNOLOGY | ||
SOUND AND PROJECTION DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY | ||
STAGE MANAGEMENT | ||
PRACTICUM: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) 1 | ||
PRACTICUM I:THEATRE MANAGEMENT (ELR) 1 | ||
DIRECTING | ||
SPECIAL TOPICS IN THEATRE 2 | ||
INDEPENDENT STUDY IN THEATRE | ||
VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR: THEATRE HISTORY, LITERATURE AND THEORY 1 | ||
PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY | ||
THEATRICAL DRAFTING II | ||
SHOP MANAGEMENT | ||
SOUND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY I | ||
PROPS AND CRAFTS | ||
SOUND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY II | ||
THEATRE SOUND REINFORCEMENT | ||
THEATRE MANAGEMENT | ||
COSTUME PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT | ||
PRODUCTION AND STAGE MANAGEMENT | ||
PRACTICUM II: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) 1 | ||
PRACTICUM II: THEATRE MANAGEMENT (ELR) 1 | ||
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 21 |
- 1
Course is repeatable for credit.
- 2
THEA 41095 should be taken in variable management seminars.
Theatre and Society Concentration Requirements
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA) | ||
THEA 40091 | VARIABLE TOPICS SEMINAR: DEVISING THEATRE | 3 |
THEA 41010 | THEATRE AND SOCIAL CHANGE | 3 |
Concentration Electives, choose from the following: | 15 | |
DANCE HISTORY I | ||
DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) 1 | ||
PRACTICUM: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) | ||
PRACTICUM I: PERFORMANCE (ELR) 2 | ||
PRACTICUM I:THEATRE MANAGEMENT (ELR) | ||
DIRECTING | ||
PLAYWRITING (WIC) 1, 2 | ||
ADVANCED PLAYWRITING 2 | ||
SPECIAL TOPICS IN THEATRE 2 | ||
THEATRE IN A MULTICULTURAL AMERICA (DIVD) | ||
LGBTQ THEATRE (DIVD) | ||
AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY (WIC) 1 | ||
VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR: THEATRE HISTORY, LITERATURE AND THEORY | ||
ADVANCED DIRECTING | ||
HISTORY OF PERIOD STYLES FOR THEATRE DESIGNERS (WIC) 1 | ||
PRACTICUM II: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) | ||
PRACTICUM II: PERFORMANCE (ELR) 2 | ||
PRACTICUM II: THEATRE MANAGEMENT (ELR) | ||
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 21 |
- 1
A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
- 2
Course is repeatable for credit.
Graduation Requirements
Minimum Major GPA | Minimum Overall GPA |
---|---|
2.500 | 2.000 |
- Students on academic probation may not participate in School of Theatre and Dance productions.
- Students may be dropped from the program for failure to maintain a 2.500 GPA.
Roadmap
This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.
Semester One | Credits | ||
---|---|---|---|
THEA 11100 | MAKING THEATRE: CULTURE AND PRACTICE | 2 | |
THEA 11303 | THE ART OF ACTING | 3 | |
UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1 | |
Fundamentals of Production Elective | 2 | ||
Fundamentals of Production Laboratories | 2 | ||
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
Credit Hours | 16 | ||
Semester Two | |||
THEA 22092 or THEA 42092 | PRACTICUM: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) or PRACTICUM II: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) | 3 | |
Fundamentals of Production Elective | 2 | ||
Fundamentals of Production Laboratories | 2 | ||
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
General Elective | 2 | ||
Credit Hours | 15 | ||
Semester Three | |||
THEA 21111 | SCRIPT ANALYSIS | 3 | |
THEA 22092 or THEA 42092 | PRACTICUM: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) or PRACTICUM II: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) | 3 | |
Concentration Elective | 3 | ||
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
General Elective | 3 | ||
Credit Hours | 15 | ||
Semester Four | |||
Concentration Elective/Requirement | 3 | ||
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
General Elective | 3 | ||
Credit Hours | 15 | ||
Semester Five | |||
! | THEA 31110 | HISTORY OF THEATRE AND DRAMA I | 3 |
Concentration Elective/Requirement | 3 | ||
Concentration Elective (not from students' declared concentration) | 3 | ||
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
General Elective | 3 | ||
Credit Hours | 15 | ||
Semester Six | |||
! | THEA 31111 | HISTORY OF THEATRE AND DRAMA II | 3 |
Concentration Elective/Requirement | 3 | ||
Theatre Elective | 3 | ||
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
Kent Core Requirement | 3 | ||
Credit Hours | 15 | ||
Semester Seven | |||
THEA 41999 | CAPSTONE PROJECT (ELR) | 3 | |
or Kent Core Requirement | |||
Concentration Elective | 3 | ||
Theatre Elective | 3 | ||
General Electives | 6 | ||
Credit Hours | 15 | ||
Semester Eight | |||
THEA 41999 | CAPSTONE PROJECT (ELR) | 3 | |
or Kent Core Requirement | |||
Concentration Electives | 6 | ||
Writing-Intensive Elective | 3 | ||
General Elective | 2 | ||
Credit Hours | 14 | ||
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120 |
University Requirements
All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.
NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.
Requirement | Credits/Courses |
---|---|
Flashes 101 (UC 10001) | 1 credit hour |
Course is not required for students with 30+ transfer credits (excluding College Credit Plus) or age 21+ at time of admission. | |
Diversity Domestic/Global (DIVD/DIVG) | 2 courses |
Students must successfully complete one domestic and one global course, of which one must be from the Kent Core. | |
Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR) | varies |
Students must successfully complete one course or approved experience. | |
Kent Core (see table below) | 36-37 credit hours |
Writing-Intensive Course (WIC) | 1 course |
Students must earn a minimum C grade in the course. | |
Upper-Division Requirement | 39 credit hours |
Students must successfully complete 39 upper-division (numbered 30000 to 49999) credit hours to graduate. | |
Total Credit Hour Requirement | 120 credit hours |
Kent Core Requirements
Requirement | Credits/Courses |
---|---|
Kent Core Composition (KCMP) | 6 |
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR) | 3 |
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA) (min one course each) | 9 |
Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS) (must be from two disciplines) | 6 |
Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB) (must include one laboratory) | 6-7 |
Kent Core Additional (KADL) | 6 |
Total Credit Hours: | 36-37 |
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Articulate procedures and approaches to differentiate various theatrical styles and techniques.
- Examine playwriting and production processes and the artistic and cultural forces that shape them.
- Develop and apply intermediate to advanced skills in one or more theatre specializations in creation, performance or scholarship.
- Recognize and evaluate a diverse selection of theatre repertory.
- Describe the basic process involved in mounting a theatre production.
- Synthesize research, performance and/or production.
Full Description
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Studies gives students an opportunity for study in all aspects of theatre and its relationship to other liberal arts studies. This program serves students who seek a wider range of possibilities to fulfill individual creative goals, whether as theatre artists, scholars, educators and/or contributors in related fields. Students receive thorough grounding in theatre history and theory and learn imaginative and critical thinking, the process of making theatre and leadership skills.
The Theatre Studies major comprises the following concentrations:
- Performance
- Production
- Theatre Management
- Theatre and Society