BA in Theatre and Performance Studies with Emphasis in Performance

Degree Program Description

Students in the BA in Theatre with emphasis in Performance are offered a curriculum that includes a sequence of acting and performance classes, emphasizing scene study in comedy and drama, contemporary and period styles, stage movement, vocal performance, and musical theatre performance. But it’s more than just acting, singing, and dancing – our performance students take introductory and advanced classes in theatre history, script analysis, directing, stage combat, improvisation, American musicals, stage makeup, storytelling, folklore, performance art, performance of literature, and theatre of the oppressed. Students have the opportunity to put into practice what they learn in the classroom by performing in a variety of productions -- from main stage faculty-directed musicals and plays, to student-directed shows, ensembles and workshops. College credit can be earned during the academic year for performing in MU Theatre productions, as well as those of the World Theatre Workshop, the MU Center for Applied Theatre and Drama Research, the Missouri Playwrights Workshop, the Larry Clark Actor’s Workshop, and the Troubling Violence Performance Project, and during the summer as a member of our our professional Summer Repertory Theatre company. MU Theatre alumni are involved in theatre, film, and television in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and across the country. They are actors, singers, dancers, directors, stage managers, musicians, storytellers, and teachers, who share their love of theatre and the performing arts by entertaining and enlightening audiences everywhere.

Major Program Requirements

In addition to University, general education, and College of Arts and Science requirements, students must also meet the following major program requirements. All major requirements in the College of Arts and Science must be completed with grades of C- or higher unless otherwise indicated. 

Performance classes chosen from12
THEATR 3420Acting I3
THEATR 3430Acting II3
THEATR 4220Acting III3
Choose one of the following (cannot repeat from required courses):
THEATR 2200Introduction to Performance Studies3
THEATR 2220Immersive Theatre3
THEATR 3200Performance of Literature3
THEATR 3440Acting for the Camera3
THEATR 3450Acting for Animation and Motion Capture3
THEATR 3460Voiceover 3
THEATR 3600Theatrical Directing3
THEATR 4240Theory and Practice of Theatre of the Oppressed3
THEATR 4280Digital Media and Performance3
THEATR 4460Musical Theatre Performance3
THEATR 4600Advanced Directing3
THEATR 4720American Musicals3
Topics/Research or Performance courses with department approval3

Semester Plan

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
THEATR 1320 or 13403THEATR 14203
ENGLSH 10003Math and Quantitative Reasoning3
Humanities3Missouri State Law Requirement: Social Science from Arts and Science3
Second Language Requirement4Second Language Requirement4
SSC 11502Second major, minor, certificate, or elective3
 15 16
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
THEATR 1720 or 27103THEATR 2800W3
THEATR 23001Humanities, First Writing Intensive3
Biological, Physical, or Mathematical Science4Biological or Physical Science lab5
Second Language Requirement4Second major, minor, or certificate3
Second major, minor, or certificate course3 
 15 14
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
THEATR 34203THEATR 34303
Theatre Elective3THEATR 33001
Humanities3Performance Elective3
Behavioral Science3Social Science3
Second major, minor, certificate, or elective3Second major, minor, or certificate course3
 Second major, minor, or certificate course3
 15 16
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
THEATR 42203THEATR 49901
3000+ Level Writing Intensive Course3Theatre Elective3
Social Science 2000+3Humanities 2000+3
Second major, minor, or certificate3Second major, minor, certificate, or elective3
Second major, minor, or certificate3Second major, minor, certificate, or elective4
 15 14
Total Credits: 120

Degree Audit

The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree. 

MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.

Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.

Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.

For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.

Major and Career Exploration

The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.

  • If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.

  • If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major. 

  • If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.

For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.