BA in Theatre
Degree Program Description
The study of Theatre focuses upon the produced play, past, present, and future. The BA in Theatre offers students an appreciation of theatre as a fine art, sharpens the talents of those who seek careers in theatre and provides students with methods of stimulating and using their imagination and intensifying their communication skills. Students must choose from one of three emphasis areas: Design/Technical, Performance, and Writing for Performance. The curriculum includes: examining the heritage of theatre through dramatic literature and theatre history, exercises in theatrical skills, artistic training in design and performance, and theory and criticism of theatre. The Rhynsburger Theatre, the Corner Playhouse, and outreach programs serve as laboratories for ongoing examination of theatre in society, responsive to social issues. Working with faculty and staff of professionally trained actors, directors, and designers, students focus on performance, writing for performance, and theatre design and technology. MU undergraduate theatre students have taken their work to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, winning awards in acting, playwriting, design, and dramaturgy. After graduation, many of our students find work in film, television, and the professional theatre as actors, directors, designers, stage managers, artists, and technicians, or go on to graduate school to further their theatre education.
Major Program Requirements
The major in Theatre consists of core courses. 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. All courses used to satisfy requirements for the major must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
Emphasis Areas
Theatre students must also complete an emphasis area in Performance, Design/Technical or Writing for Performance.
| Major core requirements | 18 | |
| THEATR 1320 | Beginning Scenic Construction | 3 |
| or THEATR 1340 | Beginning Costume Construction | |
| THEATR 1720 | African-American Theatre History | 3 |
| or THEATR 2710 | Introduction to Theatre History | |
| THEATR 2300 | Production Workshop I | 1 |
| THEATR 2800W | Principles of Script Analysis - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| THEATR 3300 | Production Workshop II | 1 |
| THEATR 4990 | Capstone in Theatre | 1 |
| Choose two courses from the following: | ||
| THEATR 2200 | Introduction to Performance Studies | 3 |
| THEATR 2330 | Stage Management | 3 |
| THEATR 2510 | Introduction to Theatre Design | 3 |
| THEATR 2920 | Beginning Playwriting | 3 |
| Performance | ||
| THEATR 3420 | Acting I | 3 |
| THEATR 3430 | Acting II | 3 |
| THEATR 4220 | Acting III | 3 |
| Choose one of the following (cannot repeat from required courses): | ||
| THEATR 2200 | Introduction to Performance Studies | 3 |
| THEATR 2220 | Immersive Theatre | 3 |
| THEATR 3200 | Performance of Literature | 3 |
| THEATR 3440 | Acting for the Camera | 3 |
| THEATR 3450 | Acting for Animation and Motion Capture | 3 |
| THEATR 3460 | Voiceover | 3 |
| THEATR 3600 | Theatrical Directing | 3 |
| THEATR 4240 | Theory and Practice of Theatre of the Oppressed | 3 |
| THEATR 4280 | Digital Media and Performance | 3 |
| THEATR 4460 | Musical Theatre Performance | 3 |
| THEATR 4600 | Advanced Directing | 3 |
| THEATR 4720 | American Musicals | 3 |
| *See list of Topics/Research OR Performance Courses (with Departmental Approval) (3 credits) | ||
| Design/Technical | ||
| THEATR 2360 | Stagecraft | 3 |
| or THEATR 3310 | Costume Crafts | |
| Choose nine credits from the following (cannot repeat from required courses): | ||
| THEATR 1360 | Stage Makeup | 1 |
| THEATR 2330 | Stage Management | 3 |
| THEATR 2510 | Introduction to Theatre Design | 3 |
| THEATR 3320 | Theatrical Patternmaking | 3 |
| THEATR 3330 | Advanced Costume Construction | 3 |
| THEATR 3340 | Scene Painting | 2 |
| THEATR 3540 | Advanced Stage Makeup | 2 |
| THEATR 3550 | Sound Design | 3 |
| THEATR 3560 | Scene Design | 3 |
| THEATR 4530 | Stage Lighting Design | 3 |
| THEATR 4570 | Theatrical Costume Design | 3 |
| *See list of Topics/Research OR Production Courses (with Departmental Approval) (3 credits) | ||
| Writing for Performance | ||
| THEATR 2920 | Beginning Playwriting (Select the course not taken as core requirement) | 3 |
| or THEATR 2200 | Introduction to Performance Studies | |
| THEATR 3200 | Performance of Literature | 3 |
| THEATR 3920 | Intermediate Playwriting | 3 |
| Choose one of the following (cannot repeat from required courses): | ||
| THEATR 2200 | Introduction to Performance Studies | 3 |
| THEATR 3700W | World Dramatic Literature - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| or THEATR 3700 | World Dramatic Literature | |
| THEATR 3930 | Screenwriting for Television and Film | 3 |
| THEATR 4240 | Theory and Practice of Theatre of the Oppressed | 3 |
| THEATR 4650 | Introduction to Dramaturgy | 3 |
| THEATR 4920W | Advanced Playwriting: Problems - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| or THEATR 4920 | Advanced Playwriting: Problems | |
| THEATR 4930 | Adaptation of Literature for the Stage | 3 |
| THEATR 4935 | Adaptation of Literature for Film | 3 |
| THEATR 4938W | Advanced Screenwriting: Styles - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| or THEATR 4938 | Advanced Screenwriting: Styles | |
| *See list of Topics/Research (with Departmental Approval) (3 credits) | ||
| Topics/Research Courses (can be used for emphasis area courses upon Departmental Approval) | ||
| THEATR 1005 | Topics in Theatre - Humanities/Fine Arts | 1-99 |
| THEATR 2005 | Topics in Theatre - Humanities | 1-3 |
| THEATR 3005 | Topics in Theatre - Humanities | 1-99 |
| THEATR 3005H | Topics in Theatre - Honors - Humanities | 1-99 |
| THEATR 4005 | Topics in Theatre - Humanities | 1-99 |
| THEATR 4700 | Studies in Theatre History | 3 |
| THEATR 4800 | Studies in Dramatic Theory | 3 |
| THEATR 4820 | Studies in Dramatic Literature | 3 |
| or THEATR 4820W | Studies in Dramatic Literature - Writing Intensive | |
| THEATR 4830 | Studies in Dramatic Criticism | 3 |
| THEATR 4960 | Directed Readings in Theatre | 1-3 |
| Performance/Production (can be used for emphasis area courses upon Departmental Approval) | ||
| THEATR 1250 | World Theatre Workshop | 2 |
| THEATR 2410 | Performance Workshop | 1 |
| THEATR 3100 | Summer Repertory Theatre | 1-99 |
| THEATR 4940 | Theatre Entrepreneurship Practicum | 2 |
Semester Plan
Refer to the semester plan for the Performance, Design/Technical, and/or Writing for Performance. Otherwise contact the academic departments for assistance with academic planning.
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.
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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.
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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.
- If you would like information about MU majors and degree programs, visit:
- the Degrees, Majors (Degree Programs), Emphasis Areas, Minors and Certificates page in the catalog,
- the MU Majors website.
For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.