Theatre Major
Bachelor of Fine ArtsCreate original theatrical works in a program designed to help you build broad expertise in the skills necessary to collaboratively develop and mount theatrical productions. At Texas A&M, you can do it all — you don’t have to specialize in acting or design. We offer a program that allows you to combine courses in performance, production and arts administration, with built-in flexibility that allows you to satisfy your curiosity and diversify your skills.
Degree Overview
The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre at Texas A&M prepares you for careers onstage, backstage and offstage through collective creation and collaborative production, rooted in an ethic of care. The program is centered in a practice-based approach to the many facets of theatre-making, including performance, design and production.
Through this program you will become a flexible and innovative creator who can communicate across cultures and media, and who thrives in a highly varied and ever-changing job market. You will be prepared to embark on careers in a variety of settings, both in theatre and beyond.
Areas of Emphasis
- Performance: Includes acting, voice, movement and directing.
- Design and Production: Includes scenic, costume, lighting, sound design and technology.
- Arts Administration and Community Engagement: Includes producing and archiving theatrical productions, and working with communities and specialized populations.
Pillars of the Theatre Major
Creating With Care
The B.F.A. in Theatre at Texas A&M centers its approach on creating art grounded in principles of consent, care and sensitive representation. Our foundational course, Creating With Care, draws on the burgeoning field of intimacy coordination, directing and choreography to ensure that our students embark on their careers as theatre artists with a commitment to making their workplaces safe and equitable. Foregrounding the place of consent and care in the theatre-making process will prepare our students for an industry that is constantly transforming, and to be transformative agents within their future careers.
Innovation
The B.F.A. in Theatre emphasizes the development of new and original works through methods of collective creation. Students learn to discover, organize, interpret and adapt primary sources to develop original work. Onto this foundation, student teams build new works ready for public performance, guided by skilled artists.
Flexibility
The B.F.A. in Theatre takes a holistic approach to develop well-rounded professionals who have strong performance and production skills, but remain flexible, able to adapt to different aesthetic working environments. Students will develop skills as devisers for the stage, who can work across multiple production roles even as they focus on particular sets of skills. For example, actors will gain business skills and be able to identify a variety of markets for their craft. They will also understand the other theatre professions that they will be interacting with, such as stage management, design and administration.
Program Admission Requirements
An Artist Statement is required for admission to the Theatre major. There are different requirements for Freshmen and Transfer applicants.
View Artist Statement DetailsCurriculum
The B.F.A. in Theatre will train students in the range of skills necessary to stage new and original theatrical works and to be creative and independent agents. The program will prepare students to manage the planning, design, preparation and production of theatrical works. This degree will include instruction in performance and directing; design and production; arts administration and entrepreneurship; and civic dramaturgy and community engagement. Theatre-makers at Texas A&M will develop global, cultural and social competencies to work with diverse populations and communities, leveraging their artistic skills to address the challenges facing our society. Our students will hone their empathy, active listening skills and critical inquiry abilities through collaborative performance-making.
The four-year theatre undergraduate degree requires a minimum of 120 credit hours.
Degree Plan | 2024–2025 Catalog
Fall Semester – 15 credit hours
Introduction to Devised Theatre | PERF 103 | 3 credit hours
Creating with Care | PVFA 111 | 3 credit hours
Any Creative Arts University Core Course | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
Any Life and Physical Sciences University Core Course | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
General Elective | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
Spring Semester – 15 credit hours
Acting I | THEA 110 | 3 credit hours
Introduction to Stagecraft | THEA 112 | 3 credit hours
Introduction to Theatrical Design | THEA 245 | 3 credit hours
Composition and Rhetoric | ENGL 104 | 3 credit hours
Any Mathematics University Core Course | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
Fall Semester – 15 credit hours
Decentering the Text | THEA 220 | 3 credit hours
Performance Elective | 3 credit hours
Select from THEA 210; MUSC 235; DCED 240; DCED 242; DCED 306; PVFA 310; THEA 310; THEA 320; PERF 333; MUSC 335; MUSC 345; THEA 379; ENGL 385; THEA 390; DCED 400; DCED 402; PERF/FILM 402; PERF 407; THEA 410; PVFA 483
Design and Production Elective | 3 credit hours
Select from MUSC 203; THEA 250; THEA 255; THEA 307; THEA 345; THEA 355; THEA 360; THEA 392; THEA 435; PERF 446
Any Communication University Core Course | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
Any American History University Core Course | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
Spring Semester – 15 credit hours
Dramaturgy | THEA 300 | 3 credit hours
Performance History | 3 credit hours
Select from PERF 310; PERF 311; PERF 312
Design and Production Elective | 3 credit hours
Select from MUSC 203; THEA 250; THEA 255; THEA 307; THEA 345; THEA 355; THEA 360; THEA 392; THEA 435; PERF 446
Any Mathematics University Core Course | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
General Elective | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
Fall Semester – 15 credit hours
Creating Performance | PERF 303 | 3 credit hours
Performance Studies Seminar | 3 credit hours
Select from PERF 450; PERF 451; PERF 452; PERF 453; PERF 454; PERF/WGST 455; PERF 456; PERF 457; PERF 460; PERF 461
Any Life and Physical Sciences University Core Course | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
Design and Production Elective | 3 credit hours
Select from MUSC 203; THEA 250; THEA 255; THEA 307; THEA 345; THEA 355; THEA 360; THEA 392; THEA 435; PERF 446
General Elective | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
Spring Semester – 15 credit hours
Devised Theatre Studio | THEA 304 | 3 credit hours
Performance Elective | 3 credit hours
Select from THEA 210; MUSC 235; DCED 240; DCED 242; DCED 306; PVFA 310; THEA 310; THEA 320; PERF 333; MUSC 335; MUSC 345; THEA 379; ENGL 385; THEA 390; DCED 400; DCED 402; PERF/FILM 402; PERF 407; THEA 410; PVFA 483
Arts Administration and Community Engagement Elective | 3 credit hours
Select from DCED 216; INST 222; PERF 223; PVFA 240; DCED 304; PERF 308; PERF 338; THEA 342; THEA 370; THEA 401; DCED 411; THEA 482
Any Language, Philosophy and Culture University Core Course | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
American National Government | POLS 206 | 3 credit hours
Survey of American national government, politics, and constitutional development.
Fall Semester – 15 credit hours
Arts Administration and Community Engagement Elective | 3 credit hours
Select from DCED 216; INST 222; PERF 223; PVFA 240; DCED 304; PERF 308; PERF 338; THEA 342; THEA 370; THEA 401; DCED 411; THEA 482
Performance Elective | 3 credit hours
Select from THEA 210; MUSC 235; DCED 240; DCED 242; DCED 306; PVFA 310; THEA 310; THEA 320; PERF 333; MUSC 335; MUSC 345; THEA 379; ENGL 385; THEA 390; DCED 400; DCED 402; PERF/FILM 402; PERF 407; THEA 410; PVFA 483
State and Local Government | POLS 207 | 3 credit hours
Survey of state and local government and politics with special reference to the constitution and politics of Texas.
Any American History University Core Course | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
General Elective | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
Spring Semester – 15 credit hours
Capstone | THEA 441 | 3 credit hours
Any Social and Behavioral Sciences University Core Course | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
Any Life and Physical Sciences University Core Course | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
General Elective | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
General Elective | 3 credit hours
Multiple classes could fulfill this requirement.
Customize Your Degree
Students enrolled in the B.F.A. in Theatre have 18 hours of general electives to tailor the degree toward artistic interests and ultimate career goals. Students might choose to use the electives towards a minor, such as:
- Choreography
- Dance Performance
- Film and Media Studies
- Game Design and Development
- Graphic Design
- Music
- Music Technology
- Performance Studies
- Studio Art
- Virtual Production
Career Opportunities
A Theatre degree prepares you to become a skilled professional and entrepreneur who can work across different areas of theatrical production, as well as for multiple career paths in a changing and dynamic world.
Potential Career Paths in Theatre
- Producer
- Director
- Performer/Actor
- Dramaturg
- Stage manager
- Intimacy coordinator
- Stage combat choreographer
- Scenic designer
- Costume designer
- Lighting designer
- Sound designer
- Theatre educator/teacher
- Theatre facilities manager
- Set construction/carpenter
- Prop maker
- Stage makeup designer
- Box office manager
- Voice coach
Careers in Allied Fields
- Film, television and video games
- Applied theatre, including working with seniors, youth, incarcerated populations and communities of faith
- Museums and heritage sites
- Arts administration and advocacy
- Arts education and youth engagement
- Entertainment and tourism industry, such as concerts, escape rooms, immersive entertainments, cruise ships and theme parks
Faculty
Theatre faculty bring to the program their expertise in:
- Acting
- Devising
- Performance design
- Producing theatre
- Playwriting
- Performance art
- Dramaturgy
- Applied theatre
- Archiving performance
- Theatre and media studies
Related Minors
The minor in Devised Theatre provides the essential skills to develop and mount original works of theatre, enabling artists from varied fields to add theatrical practice to their repertoire, and build performance into their art and scholarship.
This minor is designed to meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence integration in artistic practice, equipping students with the skills to incorporate AI into visual arts, dance, theatre, interactive media and music. The program provides a comprehensive education on the use of AI tools, emphasizing critical decision-making, ethical considerations and the social implications of AI.
FAQ About the Theatre Degree
A Theatre degree prepares you to become a skilled professional and entrepreneur who can work across different areas of theatrical production, as well as for multiple career paths in a changing and dynamic world.
There are many resources available to you at Texas A&M that can help you identify and prepare for your future career. The best resource is the TAMU Career Center, which houses mentors experienced with Theatre majors.
To declare a major in Theatre, please contact your academic advisor.
The cost to attend varies depending on a variety of factors, including semester of admission, student type, how many hours you take per semester, and rate type. Use the Texas A&M Tuition Calculator to get the best estimate of your tuition cost per semester.
Additional costs to consider include course materials, housing, meal plans, parking and fees.
Numerous scholarships and financial aid are available through Texas A&M University and the College of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts. Incoming freshmen applicants are considered for university scholarships through the ApplyTexas Application or the Coalition Application. Continuing students can apply for additional scholarships through the University Scholarship Application for Continuing Students. For more information about university scholarships, visit scholarships.tamu.edu.
For more information about the B.F.A. in Theatre, please contact Professor Rayna Dexter at rdexter@tamu.edu.