Theatre, BA
Explore your creativity and build the skills you'll carry into a future career. Challenge yourself to grow as an artist in the performing arts and shape the creative path that fits you best.
Quick facts
Locations
Courses
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
Theatre degree description
The Bachelor of Arts program in theatre provides you with a hands-on theatre education within a broad range of academic opportunities. You develop your own creative skills through collaboration, and have the opportunity to pursue a variety of theatre and performance areas.
The program offers specialty coursework in:
- acting and directing
- community engagement
- design and production
- dramatic literature and dramaturgy
- educational certification and teaching artistry
- intimacy coordination
- new work development and playwriting
- theatre history
- theatre for youth
- voice and movement
Why study theatre at ASU?
ASU's theatre program leads the way in consent-based, equitable and wellness-oriented working practices, with production processes built to empower every student.
From your very first semester, you'll collaborate on productions as an actor, technician, crew member, stage manager, designer or dramaturg; and you'll even help choose the season of plays.
You'll also gain communication, problem-solving, leadership and creative skills that can anchor you in nearly any field, including law, business and medicine; and you¿ll graduate with a firm grasp of theatre history, production, acting and design.
Courses
Explore a sample list of courses you may take in this program.
| Sample courses |
|---|
| THE 320 History of the Theatre I |
| THE 321 History of the Theatre II |
| THF 126 Professional Development: Communication and Collaboration |
| THF 160 Introduction to Storytelling |
| THF 215 Design and Composition for Theatre and Film |
| THF 220 Principles of Dramatic Analysis |
Course checksheet and curriculum archive
The curriculum checksheet displays this program's required courses and other requirements you must complete for graduation.
Current ASU students, see how your courses can apply to another major and find out how to change your major (opens in new window).
Already completed some college courses? Build on your success.
If you earned college credit outside ASU, our transfer tools map out your progress towards a degree and help you plan next steps.
See how your credits may apply (opens in new window)What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Execute the stages of long-range creative projects.
- Explain how theatre shapes the cultural and political landscapes of societies.
- Apply key creative and artistic processes relevant to their area of focus in theatre (design processes, historical research for production, development of performer skills with an eye toward production, etc.).
Execute the stages of long-range creative projects. Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
First year (opens in new window) | Transfer (opens in new window) | International (opens in new window) | Readmission (opens in new window)
Transfer admission requirements:
Direct transfer of courses from other accredited institutions to the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is subject to the existence of parallel and equal courses in the college's curriculum and to departmental or school evaluation of studio courses with respect to performance standards. Every candidate for the bachelor's degree must earn a minimum of 30 hours in resident credit at ASU. Transfer students enrolled in the college must complete a minimum of 15 hours of resident credit in the major as approved by the faculty.
A current ASU student has no additional requirements for changing majors.
Students should visit the Change of Major form (opens in new window) for information about how to change a major to this program.
Explore expanded study opportunities
This program allows you to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. As a high-achieving student, accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for you to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of your master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Approval to pursue the accelerated master's is typically granted during the junior year of your bachelor's degree program. If you are interested, you can learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
When you pursue concurrent degrees (also known as a “double major”), you earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. Working with your academic advisor, you can create your own concurrent degree combination. Some combinations are not possible due to high levels of overlap in curriculum.
Students studying theatre can find inspiration and deepen their understanding of theater through a study abroad program. Study abroad provides an opportunity for students to explore their creative side through an intercultural lens. Not only do the programs encourage students to build communication skills, but they also challenge them, as artists, to think differently.
With over 300 options available, Global Education programs give students a breadth of knowledge in arts and culture distinctly different from their own. Whether in a foreign country, in the U.S. or online, students are challenged to adapt and persevere, and to look inside themselves in a way they haven't done before, growing their self-confidence along the way.
Vital qualities in the field of theater, such as leadership, teamwork and communication, can be developed and honed abroad. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses while staying on track for graduation, and they may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimate
Build the career and future you want
Our graduates are prepared for a variety of career paths, including:
| Career | Growth | Median Salary | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actor | 0.0% | Not available | Learn more |
| Art Professor | 2.2% | $78,620 | Learn more |
| Entertainer | 4.7% | Not available | Learn more |
| Executive Producer | 4.0% | $90,360 | Learn more |
| General Manager (GM) | 5.0% | $105,770 | Learn more |
| News Anchor | -7.6% | $47,340 | Learn more |
| Public Relations Manager (PR Manager) | 5.7% | $146,910 | Learn more |
| TV Program Director | 4.0% | $90,360 | Learn more |
| Technical Director | 4.0% | $90,360 | Learn more |
Example job titles and salaries listed are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.
Data obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).
More about careers
Careers this theatre degree prepares you for
The bachelor's degree program in theatre provides an excellent foundation for work in the arts and entertainment and prepares graduates for further training at graduate schools or conservatories.
The program's broad range of academic opportunities prepares graduates for a variety of occupations in the entertainment industry. Opportunities may include work with:
- arts entrepreneurship
- concert venues
- corporate events
- literary agencies
- schools and training programs
- theatre and arts festivals
- theme parks
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Music, Dance and Theatre
|
MUSIC E167
MDTAdmissions@asu.edu
480-965-5069
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
