- Degree Program Description
- Major Program Requirements
- Semester Plan
- Degree Audit
- Major and Career Exploration
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 | |
| THEATR1320 | Beginning Scenic Construction | 3 |
| orTHEATR1340 | Beginning Costume Construction | |
| THEATR1720 | African-American Theatre History | 3 |
| orTHEATR2710 | Introduction to Theatre History | |
| THEATR2300 | Production Workshop I | 1 |
| THEATR2800W | Principles of Script Analysis - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| THEATR3300 | Production Workshop II | 1 |
| THEATR4990 | Capstone in Theatre | 1 |
| Choose two courses from the following: | ||
| THEATR2200 | Introduction to Performance Studies | 3 |
| THEATR2330 | Stage Management | 3 |
| THEATR2510 | Introduction to Theatre Design | 3 |
| THEATR2920 | Beginning Playwriting | 3 |
| Performance | ||
| THEATR3420 | Acting I | 3 |
| THEATR3430 | Acting II | 3 |
| THEATR4220 | Acting III | 3 |
| Choose one of the following (cannot repeat from required courses): | ||
| THEATR2200 | Introduction to Performance Studies | 3 |
| THEATR2220 | Immersive Theatre | 3 |
| THEATR3200 | Performance of Literature | 3 |
| THEATR3440 | Acting for the Camera | 3 |
| THEATR3450 | Acting for Animation and Motion Capture | 3 |
| THEATR3460 | Voiceover | 3 |
| THEATR3600 | Theatrical Directing | 3 |
| THEATR4240 | Theory and Practice of Theatre of the Oppressed | 3 |
| THEATR4280 | Digital Media and Performance | 3 |
| THEATR4460 | Musical Theatre Performance | 3 |
| THEATR4600 | Advanced Directing | 3 |
| THEATR4720 | American Musicals | 3 |
| *See list of Topics/Research OR Performance Courses (with Departmental Approval) (3 credits) | ||
| Design/Technical | ||
| THEATR2360 | Stagecraft | 3 |
| orTHEATR3310 | Costume Crafts | |
| Choose nine credits from the following (cannot repeat from required courses): | ||
| THEATR1360 | Stage Makeup | 1 |
| THEATR2330 | Stage Management | 3 |
| THEATR2510 | Introduction to Theatre Design | 3 |
| THEATR3320 | Theatrical Patternmaking | 3 |
| THEATR3330 | Advanced Costume Construction | 3 |
| THEATR3340 | Scene Painting | 2 |
| THEATR3540 | Advanced Stage Makeup | 2 |
| THEATR3550 | Sound Design | 3 |
| THEATR3560 | Scene Design | 3 |
| THEATR4530 | Stage Lighting Design | 3 |
| THEATR4570 | Theatrical Costume Design | 3 |
| *See list of Topics/Research OR Production Courses (with Departmental Approval) (3 credits) | ||
| Writing for Performance | ||
| THEATR2920 | Beginning Playwriting (Select the course not taken as core requirement) | 3 |
| orTHEATR2200 | Introduction to Performance Studies | |
| THEATR3200 | Performance of Literature | 3 |
| THEATR3920 | Intermediate Playwriting | 3 |
| Choose one of the following (cannot repeat from required courses): | ||
| THEATR2200 | Introduction to Performance Studies | 3 |
| THEATR3700W | World Dramatic Literature - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| orTHEATR3700 | World Dramatic Literature | |
| THEATR3930 | Screenwriting for Television and Film | 3 |
| THEATR4240 | Theory and Practice of Theatre of the Oppressed | 3 |
| THEATR4650 | Introduction to Dramaturgy | 3 |
| THEATR4920W | Advanced Playwriting: Problems - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| orTHEATR4920 | Advanced Playwriting: Problems | |
| THEATR4930 | Adaptation of Literature for the Stage | 3 |
| THEATR4935 | Adaptation of Literature for Film | 3 |
| THEATR4938W | Advanced Screenwriting: Styles - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| orTHEATR4938 | 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) | ||
| THEATR1005 | Topics in Theatre - Humanities/Fine Arts | 1-99 |
| THEATR2005 | Topics in Theatre - Humanities | 1-3 |
| THEATR3005 | Topics in Theatre - Humanities | 1-99 |
| THEATR3005H | Topics in Theatre - Honors - Humanities | 1-99 |
| THEATR4005 | Topics in Theatre - Humanities | 1-99 |
| THEATR4700 | Studies in Theatre History | 3 |
| THEATR4800 | Studies in Dramatic Theory | 3 |
| THEATR4820 | Studies in Dramatic Literature | 3 |
| orTHEATR4820W | Studies in Dramatic Literature - Writing Intensive | |
| THEATR4830 | Studies in Dramatic Criticism | 3 |
| THEATR4960 | Directed Readings in Theatre | 1-3 |
| Performance/Production (can be used for emphasis area courses upon Departmental Approval) | ||
| THEATR1250 | World Theatre Workshop | 2 |
| THEATR2410 | Performance Workshop | 1 |
| THEATR3100 | Summer Repertory Theatre | 1-99 |
| THEATR4940 | Theatre Entrepreneurship Practicum | 2 |
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Semester Plan
Refer to the semester plan for the Performance, Design/Technical, and/or Writing for Performance. Otherwisecontact 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/.
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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 Collegethat you are interested into 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 in the catalog.
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