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.
Theatre Studies - B.A.
Contact Us
College of the Arts
School of Theatre and Dance - Theatre Division
www.kent.edu/theatredance
- Program Coordinator:
Tony Hardin | ahardi14@kent.edu | 330-672-7386 - Speak with an Advisor
- Chat with an Admissions Counselor: Kent Campus | Regional Campuses
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Studies - B.A.
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Studies allows students to pair a traditional liberal arts education with a major emphasis in theatre. With a comprehensive curriculum examining all aspects of theatre, students receive a thorough grounding in theatre history, theory and process. The mission of the Theatre Studies program is to give students an opportunity for study in all aspects of theatre and its relationship to other liberal arts studies.
Program Information for Theatre Studies - B.A.
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Program Description
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
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Admissions
for Theatre Studies - B.A.
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 .
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 .
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.
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Learning Outcomes
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.
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Coursework
On This Page
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Course List 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 DAN 47163DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) 2 THEA 41026PLAYWRITING (WIC) 1, 2 THEA 41140AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY (WIC) 2 THEA 41620HISTORY OF PERIOD STYLES FOR THEATRE DESIGNERS (WIC) 2 Theatre Electives, choose from the following: 6 DAN 47163DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) 2 THEA 41010THEATRE AND SOCIAL CHANGE THEA 41026PLAYWRITING (WIC) 1, 2 THEA 41113THEATRE IN A MULTICULTURAL AMERICA (DIVD) THEA 41115LGBTQ THEATRE (DIVD) THEA 41130THEATRE AND DRAMA IN AMERICA THEA 41140AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY (WIC) 2 THEA 41191VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR: THEATRE HISTORY, LITERATURE AND THEORY 1 THEA 41620HISTORY OF PERIOD STYLES FOR THEATRE DESIGNERS (WIC) 2 Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA) UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1 6 3 9 6 6-7 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.
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A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
Performance Concentration Requirements
Course List 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 THEA 21016MAKEUP FOR STAGE AND SCREEN THEA 21700MOVEMENT I THEA 21800VOICE I THEA 22192PRACTICUM I: PERFORMANCE (ELR) 1 THEA 31401DIRECTING THEA 31701MOVEMENT II THEA 31801VOICE II THEA 41095SPECIAL TOPICS IN THEATRE 2 THEA 41301ACTING FOR THE CAMERA I THEA 41302ACTING FOR THE CAMERA II THEA 41305PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS: PERFORMANCE THEA 41308MUSICAL THEATRE AUDITION THEA 41529ADVANCED WIG AND MAKEUP TECHNIQUES-STAGE AND SCREEN THEA 41702MOVEMENT AND DANCE FOR ACTORS THEA 42192PRACTICUM II: PERFORMANCE (ELR) Minimum Total Credit Hours: 21 - 1
Course is repeatable for credit.
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THEA 41095 should be taken in variable performance seminars.
Production Concentration Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA) Concentration Electives, choose from the following: 21 THEA 21016MAKEUP FOR STAGE AND SCREEN THEA 21521THEATRICAL DRAFTING THEA 21522LIGHTING DESIGN THEA 21523COSTUME TECHNOLOGY THEA 21524COSTUME DESIGN THEA 21526BASIC COSTUME CONSTRUCTION THEA 21528SOUND AND PROJECTION DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY THEA 21621SCENE PAINTING THEA 21622SCENE DESIGN THEA 21736STAGE MANAGEMENT THEA 22092PRACTICUM: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) 1 THEA 22192PRACTICUM I: PERFORMANCE (ELR) 1 THEA 22292PRACTICUM I:THEATRE MANAGEMENT (ELR) 1 THEA 31526FLAT PATTERNING FOR THEATRE THEA 41026PLAYWRITING (WIC) 1, 2 THEA 41027ADVANCED PLAYWRITING 1 THEA 41095SPECIAL TOPICS IN THEATRE 1, 3 THEA 41130THEATRE AND DRAMA IN AMERICA THEA 41140AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY (WIC) 2 THEA 41191VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR: THEATRE HISTORY, LITERATURE AND THEORY 1 THEA 41306PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY THEA 41531THEATRICAL RIGGING THEA 41540DRAPING FOR THE THEATRE I THEA 41560THEATRE FABRICATION TECHNOLOGY THEA 41736PRODUCTION AND STAGE MANAGEMENT THEA 42092PRACTICUM II: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) 1 THEA 42192PRACTICUM II: PERFORMANCE (ELR) 1 THEA 42292PRACTICUM 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.
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THEA 41095 should be taken in variable production seminars.
Theatre Management Concentration Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA) Concentration Electives, choose from the following: 21 DAN 47156DANCE PRODUCTION THEA 20202MUSIC THEORY FOR MUSICAL THEATRE I THEA 20203MUSIC THEORY FOR MUSICAL THEATRE II THEA 21521THEATRICAL DRAFTING THEA 21522LIGHTING DESIGN THEA 21523COSTUME TECHNOLOGY THEA 21528SOUND AND PROJECTION DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY THEA 21736STAGE MANAGEMENT THEA 22092PRACTICUM: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) 1 THEA 22292PRACTICUM I:THEATRE MANAGEMENT (ELR) 1 THEA 31401DIRECTING THEA 41095SPECIAL TOPICS IN THEATRE 2 THEA 41096INDEPENDENT STUDY IN THEATRE THEA 41191VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR: THEATRE HISTORY, LITERATURE AND THEORY 1 THEA 41306PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY THEA 41420THEATRICAL DRAFTING II THEA 41440SHOP MANAGEMENT THEA 41523SOUND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY I THEA 41525PROPS AND CRAFTS THEA 41527SOUND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY II THEA 41528THEATRE SOUND REINFORCEMENT THEA 41726THEATRE MANAGEMENT THEA 41734COSTUME PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT THEA 41736PRODUCTION AND STAGE MANAGEMENT THEA 42092PRACTICUM II: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) 1 THEA 42292PRACTICUM II: THEATRE MANAGEMENT (ELR) 1 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 21 - 1
Course is repeatable for credit.
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THEA 41095 should be taken in variable management seminars.
Theatre and Society Concentration Requirements
Course List 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 DAN 47063DANCE HISTORY I DAN 47163DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) 1 THEA 22092PRACTICUM: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) THEA 22192PRACTICUM I: PERFORMANCE (ELR) 2 THEA 22292PRACTICUM I:THEATRE MANAGEMENT (ELR) THEA 31401DIRECTING THEA 41026PLAYWRITING (WIC) 1, 2 THEA 41027ADVANCED PLAYWRITING 2 THEA 41095SPECIAL TOPICS IN THEATRE 2 THEA 41113THEATRE IN A MULTICULTURAL AMERICA (DIVD) THEA 41115LGBTQ THEATRE (DIVD) THEA 41140AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY (WIC) 1 THEA 41191VARIABLE CONTENT SEMINAR: THEATRE HISTORY, LITERATURE AND THEORY THEA 41401ADVANCED DIRECTING THEA 41620HISTORY OF PERIOD STYLES FOR THEATRE DESIGNERS (WIC) 1 THEA 42092PRACTICUM II: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR) THEA 42192PRACTICUM II: PERFORMANCE (ELR) 2 THEA 42292PRACTICUM II: THEATRE MANAGEMENT (ELR) Minimum Total Credit Hours: 21 - 1
A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
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Course is repeatable for credit.
Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirements Summary 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.
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Roadmap
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.
Plan of Study Grid 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 42092PRACTICUM: 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 42092PRACTICUM: 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 RequirementConcentration Elective 3 Theatre Elective 3 General Electives 6 Credit Hours 15 Semester Eight THEA 41999 CAPSTONE PROJECT (ELR) 3 or Kent Core RequirementConcentration Electives 6 Writing-Intensive Elective 3 General Elective 2 Credit Hours 14 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120 -
Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- In person
- Location:
- Kent Campus
- Trumbull Campus (Theatre and Society concentration only)
- Delivery:
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Accreditation
for Theatre Studies - B.A.
The B.A. degree in Theatre Studies is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Theatre Studies - B.A.
The Theatre Studies 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 who complete the Theatre Studies program pursue careers in theatre, including performance, management, production, and administration or may go on to graduate study in performance, design, management, or scholarship. Theatre Studies prepares students to apply their knowledge and learned skills to career choices in the 21st century and in the process enrich their own lives in their chosen communities.
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Actors
3.1%
about as fast as the average
70,100
number of jobs
$N/A
potential earnings
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Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
5.6%
faster than the average
116,300
number of jobs
$69,690
potential earnings
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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
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Producers and directors
10.0%
much faster than the average
159,500
number of jobs
$76,400
potential earnings
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Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' . 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.