This is an archived copy of the 2022-2023 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.valdosta.edu.

The B.F.A. with a major in Theatre prepares students for a broad range of opportunities, including performance,production, design, teaching, arts administration, and many non-arts based careers such as sales, training and development, production, and management. The Theatre program at VSU offers numerous productions throughout the year, providing students with significant performance experience. Theatre graduates learn a host of skills, including collaboration, working to deadlines, self-discipline, patience, perseverance, analytical skills, and critical thinking.

Valdosta State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre.

Audition Requirements

All students who intend to pursue the B.F.A. with a major in Theatre in the Performance or Musical Theatre tracks must audition for the purpose of admission to the program. Auditions are regularly hosted on campus, across the region, and at national professional conferences.

All students admitted to either the Musical Theatre or the Performance track are required to audition for theatre area productions every semester that they are enrolled in the program. Exceptions for extenuating circumstances must be requested in writing at least two weeks prior to the scheduled auditions. Failure to meet these conditions will require a petition and audition for readmission to the appropriate track.

Grade Point Average Requirement for the BFA with a Major in Theatre 

Students entering the University directly from high school must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or better on all course work undertaken in order to continue as Theatre majors. If in any given semester a student's overall GPA falls below 2.0, the student will have one semester (fall or spring) to bring it back up to or above 2.0. If the overall GPA remains below 2.0 for two consecutive semesters, the student will be requested to change majors. Any student who fails to respond to that request will automatically be transferred to an undeclared major status.

Students who enter the University as transfer students who wish to continue a major in Theatre must have a GPA of at least 2.0 on all course work undertaken. Upon acceptance as a major, a student must maintain an overall 2.0 GPA as described above.

Students changing majors from another program within the University must also have at least a 2.0 overall GPA to transfer to the Theatre major, and they will be subject to the same maintenance requirements already described.

Selected Educational Outcomes

  1. Students will articulate a cultural and historical perspective appropriate to their emphasis.
  2. Students will demonstrate the ability to interact and problem solve with colleagues as group participants and leaders.
  3. Students will demonstrate acting, technical, and design skills, based on the career goals of the individual student.
  4. Students will demonstrate knowledge of professional opportunities for employment.

Examples of Outcome Assessments

Concluding curricular experiences for the theatre student will include:

  1. Participation in professionally oriented theatrical productions.
  2. Development of materials geared to individual students’ professional career goals or post-graduation plans.
  3. A capstone portfolio or audition presentation exhibiting advanced technical, design, or performances skills and assessing personal strengths and weaknesses.

Requirements for the B.F.A. degree with a Major in Theatre

Core Curriculum60
Core Curriculum Areas A-E (See VSU Core Curriculum)42
Core Curriculum Area F
THEA 1000Voice and Diction3
THEA 1100Theatre Appreciation3
THEA 1120Introduction to Theatrical Design3
DANC 1500Introduction to Dance3
THEA 2750
THEA 2800
Basic Technical Theatre and Stage Lighting
and Fundamentals of Acting
6
A minimum grade of “C” is required for all Area F courses in the Communication Arts Department.
Senior College Curriculum60
THEA 2730Theatrical and Film Makeup2
THEA 3700Play Analysis for Production3
THEA 3740Theatre Management3
THEA 3750Costume History3
THEA 3710
THEA 3720
Theatre Performance
and Theatre Production
2
THEA 3950Fundamentals of Play Directing3
Select one of the following:3
Lighting Design
Costume Design
Scene Design
THEA 3880Theatre History I3
or THEA 3890 Theatre History II
THEA 4790Portfolio and Resume Presentation2
DANC 1600Ballet I2
or DANC 2800 Jazz Dance I
Guided electives10
Select one of the following Tracks:24
Performance
Production
Musical Theatre
Theatre Management
Total Hours120

Performance Track

THEA 1710
THEA 3200
Improvisation
and Audition Techniques
2
DANC 1600Ballet I2
or DANC 2800 Jazz Dance I
THEA 2110Stage Dialects3
THEA 2810Basic Stage Movement2
THEA 3800Scene Study3
THEA 4800Period Styles of Acting3
THEA 2830
THEA 3710
Fundamentals of Stage Combat
and Theatre Performance
4
THEA 3880Theatre History I3
or THEA 3890 Theatre History II
THEA 3010Oral Interpretation2

Production Track

THEA 2840
THEA 3300
Stage Management
and Costume Construction
4
THEA 3725Stage Management Practicum1
THEA 3720Theatre Production5
or THEA 3725 Stage Management Practicum
Select one of the following:3
Lighting Design
Costume Design
Scene Design
THEA 3790Computer-aided Drafting for the Theatre2
THEA 3880Theatre History I3
or THEA 3890 Theatre History II
THEA 4760
THEA 4770
Principles of Technical Theatre
and Scene Painting
6

Musical Theatre Track

MUSC 1000
DANC 1900
Fundamentals of Music
and Tap Dance I
4
DANC 1600Ballet I2
or DANC 2800 Jazz Dance I
DANC 3800Jazz Dance II3
THEA 2810Basic Stage Movement2
THEA 3020Theatre Voice4
or THEA 4020 Advanced Theatre Voice
DANC 2910Social Dance1
or DANC 3930 Ballroom Dance
THEA 3200Audition Techniques1
THEA 3021
THEA 3031
Sight Singing and Aural Training for Musical Theatre I
and Sight Singing and Aural Training for Musical Theatre II
2
THEA 3710Theatre Performance2
THEA 4810Musical Theatre Technique3

Elective Studies in Theatre Management 

THEA 1710Improvisation1
THEA 2810Basic Stage Movement2
THEA 2840Stage Management2
ACED 3000Office Calculations and Recordkeeping3
MKTG 3050Introduction to Marketing3
Select one of the following:3
Computer Technology for the Workplace
Introduction to Microcomputers and Applications
THEA 3730Theatre Management Practicum1
THEA 3880Theatre History I3
or THEA 3890 Theatre History II
Select one of the following:1
Theatre Performance
Theatre Production
Stage Management Practicum
THEA 3745
THEA 4740
Front of House Management
and Theatre, Labor Relations, and the Law
5