The Theatre School’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Theatre Arts is our most flexible program and allows students to study and get experience in a variety of theatrical disciplines. The program is tailored toward students interested in pursuing careers in areas as diverse as directing, arts writing, educational outreach, literary management, arts administration or law.
While students major in Theatre Arts, they can choose from four concentrations of study:
Directed Studies – Includes coursework in a variety of theatrical areas as designed by the student and his or her advisor.
Directing – Includes expanded coursework in directing and assistant directing opportunities in our public production season as well as directing assignments in the annual Wrights of Spring Festival and other independent projects.
Interdisciplinary Performance - Includes topics such as Performance of Literature, Chamber Theatre, autobiographical performance, ethnographic performance, solo performance, documentary performance, and multimedia performance.
Theatre for Young Audiences - Includes the study of dramatic literature for young audiences, educational outreach, artists as teachers, and educational practice. This concentration prepares students for working in education departments of theatres and in social institutions/programs.
Students learn from a distinguished and award-winning faculty of professional directors, arts administrators, playwrights and arts writers both in the classroom and through individual guidance and advising. Students receive formal and informal feedback from faculty through continual evaluation of their work both in the classroom and in response to their production work.
First Year. The first year curriculum is taken in collaboration with other theatre studies students and is an immersion into the culture of theatrical production and literature. Students’ coursework includes script analysis, theatre history and acting to facilitate critical thinking and a physical understanding of the theatrical process. Students also participate in three production assignments in various areas of production.
Second Year. Students continue their core theatre studies coursework including workshop courses in performance, design and technical areas as well as dramatic theory. In collaboration with their advisor, students also identify their concentration and begin coursework in their concentration area. Students take elective coursework in both theatrical areas as well as other areas of study to support their own educational goals. Production assignments are arranged in consultation with the student’s advisor and are in support of the concentration.
Third Year. Students continue their literary and communication studies with coursework in dramatic criticism and cultural and media studies. Further coursework is defined by the student’s concentration and elective studies. Production assignments are arranged in consultation with the student’s advisor and are in support of the concentration.
Fourth Year. The fourth year is a transition year, both further developing students abilities and preparing students to enter the profession. Students coursework includes continued elective studies as well as a capstone course designed to prepare students for entering the profession in their chosen field. Students receive experience and exposure to their profession though a professional internship of their choosing.
Graduate Showcase. At the end of each year, The Theatre School hosts an event to showcase the work of our graduating students. Under the guidance of the faculty, graduating students prepare a showcase exhibit of their portfolio – which is presented in Chicago for artistic directors and other members of the theatre, film and television industries. The Graduate Showcase includes alumni networking events to introduce and connect our graduates to our large alumni network.
Liberal Studies. In addition to the theatre arts training curriculum, students complete 52 quarterly credit hours (13 courses) in liberal studies. Courses are taken in theatre history, English composition and rhetoric, quantitative reasoning, philosophy, religion, lab or quantitative sciences, world history, multiculturalism and electives. These liberal studies courses are scheduled during the first three years of the program.
Evaluation. Every student receives quarterly evaluation and feedback from the faculty each year. Students’ evaluations are based on discipline, collaboration, professional potential and progress in the program. Based on this evaluation, students are continued from year to year at the invitation of the faculty. There are no pre-determined limits on the number of students returning to theatre studies programs. An invitation to return to the third year of a theatre studies program is for the duration of the respective program provided that all academic requirements are met, and that professional discipline is acceptable.
