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
- Students will articulate a cultural and historical perspective appropriate to their emphasis.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to interact and problem solve with colleagues as group participants and leaders.
- Students will demonstrate acting, technical, and design skills, based on the career goals of the individual student.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of professional opportunities for employment.
Examples of Outcome Assessments
Concluding curricular experiences for the theatre student will include:
- Participation in professionally oriented theatrical productions.
- Development of materials geared to individual students’ professional career goals or post-graduation plans.
- 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
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | 60 | |
| Core IMPACTS (See VSU Core Curriculum) | 42 | |
| Core Field of Study | ||
| THEA 1000 | Voice and Diction | 3 |
| THEA 1100 | Theatre Appreciation | 3 |
| THEA 1120 | Introduction to Theatrical Design | 3 |
| THEA 2750 | Basic Technical Theatre and Stage Lighting | 3 |
| THEA 1800 | Acting I | 3 |
| THEA 2900 | Play Analysis for Production | 3 |
| A minimum grade of “C” is required for all Area F courses in the Communication Arts Department. | ||
| Senior College Curriculum | 60 | |
| THEA 2730 | Introduction to Theatrical Makeup, Wig, and Costume Technology | 2 |
| THEA 3740 | Theatre Management | 3 |
| THEA 3750 | Costume History | 3 |
| THEA 3710 | Theatre Performance | 1 |
| or THEA 3711 | Laboratory Theatre Performance | |
| THEA 3720 | Theatre Production | 1 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Lighting Design | ||
or THEA 3765 | Sound Design | |
| Sound Design | ||
| Costume Design | ||
| Scene Design | ||
| THEA 3880 | Theatre History I | 3 |
| THEA 3890 | Theatre History II | 3 |
| THEA 4790 | Theatre Portfolio and Resume Presentation | 2 |
| DANC 1600 | Fundamentals of Ballet | 2 |
| or DANC 2800 | Jazz Dance I | |
| Guided electives within the major | 6 | |
| Select one of the following Tracks: | 31 | |
Performance | ||
Production | ||
Musical Theatre | ||
Theatre Management | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Performance Track
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| THEA 1710 | Introduction to Performance | 1 |
| THEA 2020 | Musical Theatre Vocal Techniques | 1 |
| THEA 2110 | Stage Dialects | 3 |
| THEA 2800 | Acting II | 3 |
| THEA 2810 | Basic Stage Movement | 2 |
| THEA 2830 | Fundamentals of Stage Combat | 2 |
| THEA 2840 | Stage Management | 3 |
| THEA 3200 | Audition Techniques | 1 |
| THEA 3710 | Theatre Performance | 2 |
| or THEA 3711 | Laboratory Theatre Performance | |
| THEA 3800 | Acting III | 3 |
| THEA 3850 | Acting for the Camera | 2 |
| or DANC 1900 | Tap Dance I | |
| THEA 4800 | Acting IV | 3 |
| THEA 3950 | Fundamentals of Play Directing | 3 |
| DANC 1600 | Fundamentals of Ballet | 2 |
| or DANC 2800 | Jazz Dance I | |
| Total Hours | 31 | |
Production Track
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ART 1030 | Three Dimensional Design | 3 |
| THEA 2840 | Stage Management | 3 |
| THEA 3300 | Costume Construction | 2 |
| THEA 3725 | Stage Management Practicum | 1 |
| 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 3790 | Computer-aided Drafting for the Theatre | 2 |
| or THEA 3795 | Draping and Drafting for Costumes | |
| THEA 3755 | Period Décor for Theatre | 3 |
| THEA 3950 | Fundamentals of Play Directing | 3 |
| THEA 4770 | Scene Painting | 3 |
| Total Hours | 31 | |
Musical Theatre Track
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MUSC 1000 | Fundamentals of Music | 2 |
| DANC 1900 | Tap Dance I | 2 |
| DANC 1600 | Fundamentals of Ballet | 2 |
| or DANC 2800 | Jazz Dance I | |
| DANC 1610 | Ballet I | 2 |
| DANC 3800 | Jazz Dance II | 3 |
| DANC 2910 | Social Dance | 1 |
| THEA 2800 | Acting II | 3 |
| THEA 2810 | Basic Stage Movement | 2 |
| 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 3200 | Audition Techniques | 1 |
| THEA 3710 | Theatre Performance | 2 |
| or THEA 3711 | Laboratory Theatre Performance | |
| THEA 3950 | Fundamentals of Play Directing | 3 |
| THEA 4810 | Musical Theatre Technique | 2 |
| Total Hours | 31 | |
Elective Studies in Theatre Management
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| THEA 1710 | Introduction to Performance | 1 |
| THEA 2810 | Basic Stage Movement | 2 |
| THEA 2840 | Stage Management | 3 |
| ACED 3000 | Office Calculations and Recordkeeping | 3 |
| MKTG 3050 | Introduction to Marketing | 3 |
| COMM 2300 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| or COMM 2500 | Communication, Culture, and Community | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Computer Technology for the Workplace | ||
| Introduction to Microcomputers and Applications | ||
| THEA 3730 | Theatre Management Practicum | 1 |
| Select one of the following: | 1 | |
| Theatre Performance | ||
| Laboratory Theatre Performance | ||
| Theatre Production | ||
| Stage Management Practicum | ||
| THEA 3745 | Front of House Management | 2 |
| THEA 3950 | Fundamentals of Play Directing | 3 |
| THEA 4740 | Theatre, Labor Relations, and the Law | 3 |
| THEA 4745 | Fundraising in the Arts | 3 |
| Total Hours | 31 | |
