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 IMPACTS (See VSU Core Curriculum)42
Core Field of Study
THEA 1000Voice and Diction3
THEA 1100Theatre Appreciation3
THEA 1120Introduction to Theatrical Design3
THEA 2750Basic Technical Theatre and Stage Lighting3
THEA 1800Acting I3
THEA 2900Play Analysis for Production3
A minimum grade of “C” is required for all Area F courses in the Communication Arts Department.
Senior College Curriculum60
THEA 2730Introduction to Theatrical Makeup, Wig, and Costume Technology2
THEA 3740Theatre Management3
THEA 3750Costume History3
THEA 3710Theatre Performance1
or THEA 3711 Laboratory Theatre Performance
THEA 3720Theatre Production1
Select one of the following:3
Lighting Design
Sound Design
Sound Design
Costume Design
Scene Design
THEA 3880Theatre History I3
THEA 3890Theatre History II3
THEA 4790Theatre Portfolio and Resume Presentation2
DANC 1600Fundamentals of Ballet2
or DANC 2800 Jazz Dance I
Guided electives within the major6
Select one of the following Tracks:31
Performance
Production
Musical Theatre
Theatre Management
Total Hours120

Performance Track

THEA 1710Introduction to Performance1
THEA 2020Musical Theatre Vocal Techniques1
THEA 2110Stage Dialects3
THEA 2800Acting II3
THEA 2810Basic Stage Movement2
THEA 2830Fundamentals of Stage Combat2
THEA 2840Stage Management3
THEA 3200Audition Techniques1
THEA 3710Theatre Performance2
or THEA 3711 Laboratory Theatre Performance
THEA 3800Acting III3
THEA 3850Acting for the Camera2
or DANC 1900 Tap Dance I
THEA 4800Acting IV3
THEA 3950Fundamentals of Play Directing3
DANC 1600Fundamentals of Ballet2
or DANC 2800 Jazz Dance I
Total Hours31

Production Track

ART 1030Three Dimensional Design3
THEA 2840Stage Management3
THEA 3300Costume Construction2
THEA 3725Stage Management Practicum1
Select 5 hours from the following:5
Theatre Production
Stage Management Practicum
Select two of the following:6
Lighting Design
Sound Design
Costume Design
Scene Design
THEA 3790Computer-aided Drafting for the Theatre2
or THEA 3795 Draping and Drafting for Costumes
THEA 3755Period Décor for Theatre3
THEA 3950Fundamentals of Play Directing3
THEA 4770Scene Painting3
Total Hours31

Musical Theatre Track

MUSC 1000Fundamentals of Music2
DANC 1900Tap Dance I2
DANC 1600Fundamentals of Ballet2
or DANC 2800 Jazz Dance I
DANC 1610Ballet I2
DANC 3800Jazz Dance II3
DANC 2910Social Dance1
THEA 2800Acting II3
THEA 2810Basic Stage Movement2
Theatre Voice: Take 4 hours of the following:4
Theatre Voice
Advanced Theatre Voice
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 3200Audition Techniques1
THEA 3710Theatre Performance2
or THEA 3711 Laboratory Theatre Performance
THEA 3950Fundamentals of Play Directing3
THEA 4810Musical Theatre Technique2
Total Hours31

Elective Studies in Theatre Management 

THEA 1710Introduction to Performance1
THEA 2810Basic Stage Movement2
THEA 2840Stage Management3
ACED 3000Office Calculations and Recordkeeping3
MKTG 3050Introduction to Marketing3
COMM 2300Interpersonal Communication3
or COMM 2500 Communication, Culture, and Community
Select one of the following:3
Computer Technology for the Workplace
Introduction to Microcomputers and Applications
THEA 3730Theatre Management Practicum1
Select one of the following:1
Theatre Performance
Laboratory Theatre Performance
Theatre Production
Stage Management Practicum
THEA 3745Front of House Management2
THEA 3950Fundamentals of Play Directing3
THEA 4740Theatre, Labor Relations, and the Law3
THEA 4745Fundraising in the Arts3
Total Hours31