BA in Theatre Performance
Susquehanna University
Key Information
Campus location
Selinsgrove, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 54,440 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* tuition 2022-23
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Perform stories that define human nature
Take center stage at Susquehanna and beyond in our theatre performance major.
You’ll grow artistically as an actor. From the critical analysis of dramatic literature to authentic and powerful acting on stage, you’ll develop your craft beyond what you thought possible.
Explore characters that force you out of your comfort zone and learn something about yourself in the process. You’ll focus on the tools you need to improve your acting. Our intensive acting classes are supported by coursework in theatre history and dramatic theory, enhancing your performances. Adding one of our interdisciplinary minors, like arts administration and women’s studies, helps you gain a better understanding of important topics in today’s world.
In ways more broad-based than fine arts degrees, you’ll gain a better understanding of human communication and culture.
Opportunities abound
The department follows a professional model, preparing you for the environment you’ll step into after graduation. Shows are produced by developing the strength of the ensemble, which helps you build collaboration skills with your fellow theater practitioners.
Our students often begin performing on the main stage in their first semester.
- There are four main stage productions each year, including a student-directed show and a major musical, and six-second stage productions
- You’ll collaborate with the Department of Music on their annual opera program
- We offer a second stage season-experimental, edgy, and fueled by students’ artistic desires
Our faculty will help you find the right internships in theaters across the country. You will develop your professional experience resume and build your network so you can pursue an advanced degree or employment opportunities in acting or related theater fields.
Gallery
Curriculum
Requirements for Major
When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s), and the Academic Planning Tool.
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre
Susquehanna offers a major in theatre with three emphases: performance, production and design, and theatre studies. Majors complete university Central Curriculum requirements plus 52 semester hours of courses in one of the three theatre emphases. These include introductory courses and specific emphasis requirements. A grade of C- or better is required for any course to apply to the major or minor. Courses may count toward only one emphasis or minor. The department also expects theatre majors and minors to participate each semester in department theatre productions and activities supervised by department faculty.
Theatre Major Emphases
Students fulfill the university Central Curriculum requirements, participate fully in department productions and successfully complete the following courses:
24 Department Requirements
- 4 THEA-151 Acting Fundamentals
- 4 THEA-252 World Theatre 1
- 4 THEA-253 World Theatre 2
- 4 THEA-258 From Page to Stage
- 4 THEA-340 Stage Management and Theatre Operations
- 4 THEA-453 Dramatic Theory and Criticism
Students also choose one of the following options:
- Option One: Performance Emphasis
- Option Two: Production and Design Emphasis
- Option Three: Theatre Studies Emphasis
28 Option One: Performance Emphasis
- 4 THEA-251 Acting II: Voice and Movement
- 4 THEA-351 Acting III: Period Styles
- 4 THEA-451 Directing
- 4 Four semester hours chosen from THEA-101 The Fall Musical, THEA-102 Student-directed Production, THEA-103 Acting Workshop, THEA-104 Advanced Acting Workshop, and THEA-105 Experimental Acting Workshop.
- 4 Four semester hours chosen from THEA-142 Stagecraft, THEA-143 Scenic Production, and THEA-144 Costume Technology.
- 8 Choose 8 semester hours from the following:
- 1 THEA-101 The Musical
- 1 THEA-102 Student-directed Production
- 1 THEA-103 Acting Workshop
- 1 THEA-104 Advanced Acting Workshop
- 1 THEA-105 Experimental Acting Workshop
- 4 THEA-152 Theatrical Design Fundamentals
- 4 THEA-240 Theatre and Violence
- 4 THEA-246 Scenic Design
- 4 THEA-254 African-American Theatre History
- 4 THEA-341 Costume Design
- 4 THEA-342 Stage Makeup
- 4 THEA-345 Lighting Design
- 4 THEA-452 Seminar in Theatre
14 Electives
The remaining 14 semester hours may be chosen from the courses below:
- 4 THEA-142 Stagecraft or THEA-143 Scenic Production or THEA-144 Costume Technology
- 4 THEA-246 Scenic Design or THEA-345 Lighting Design
- 4 THEA-342 Stage Makeup or THEA-341 Costume Design
- 4 THEA-251 Acting II: Voice and Movement
- 4 THEA-260 The Choreopoem
- 4 THEA-451 Directing
- 4 THEA-452 Seminar in Theatre (repeatable once with department head approval)
- 1 THEA-502 Dramaturgy (repeatable once)
- 1 THEA-501 Production Lab (repeatable once)
No more than 4 semester hours from the following may be included:
- 1 THEA-101 The Musical
- 1 THEA-102 Student-Directed Production
- 1 THEA-103 Acting Workshop
- 1 THEA-104 Advanced Acting Workshop
- 1 THEA-105 Experimental Acting Workshop
Honor Society
Students who meet the requisite national and local standards are eligible to join Alpha Psi Omega.
Minor in Theatre
When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s), and the Academic Planning Tool.
Minor in Theatre
Students are expected to participate in departmental theatre productions and complete 20 semester hours:
4 Choose 4 semester hours from:
- THEA-151 Acting Fundamentals
- THEA-142 Stagecraft
- THEA-252 World Theatre 1
- THEA-253 World Theatre 2
16 Choose 16 additional semester hours from:
- THEA-151 Acting Fundamentals
- THEA-142 Stagecraft
- THEA-252 World Theatre 1
- THEA-253 World Theatre 2
- THEA-240 Theatre and Violence
- THEA-143 Scenic Production
- THEA-144 Costume Technology
- THEA-160 Theatrical Design Fundamentals
- THEA-246 Scenic Design
- THEA-251 Acting II: Voice & Movement
- THEA-258 From Page to Stage
- THEA-340 Stage Management & Theatre Ops
- THEA-341 Costume Design
- THEA-342 Stage Makeup
- THEA-345 Lighting Design
- THEA-101 The Musical
- THEA-102 Student-Directed Production
- THEA-103 Acting Workshop
- THEA-104 Advanced Acting Workshop
Course Options
Theatre Courses
- THEA 100 Introduction to Theatre, Credits: 4
- THEA 101 The Musical, Credits: 1
- THEA 102 Student-Directed Production, Credits: 1
- THEA 103 Acting Workshop, Credits: 1
- THEA 104 Advanced Acting Workshop, Credits: 1
- THEA 105 Experimental Acting Workshop, Credits: 1
- THEA 142 Stagecraft, Credits: 4
- THEA 143 Scenic Production, Credits: 4
- THEA 144 Costume Production, Credits: 4
- THEA 151 Acting Fundamentals, Credits: 4
- THEA 160 Theatrical Design Fundamentals, Credits: 4
- THEA 200 Dramatic Literature, Credits: 4
- THEA 240 Theatre and Violence, Credits: 4
- THEA 246 Scenic Design, Credits: 4
- THEA 251 Acting II: Voice and Movement, Credits: 4
- THEA 252 World Theatre 1, Credits: 4
- THEA 253 World Theatre 2, Credits: 4
- THEA 254 African American Theatre History, Credits: 4
- THEA 258 From Page to Stage, Credits: 4
- THEA 260 The Choreopoem, Credits: 4
- THEA 340 Stage Management & Theatre Operations, Credits: 4
- THEA 341 Costume Design, Credits: 4
- THEA 342 Stage Make-Up, Credits: 4
- THEA 345 Lighting Design, Credits: 4
- THEA 351 Acting III: Period Styles, Credits: 4
- THEA 451 Directing, Credits: 4
- THEA 452 Seminar in Theatre, Credits: 4
- THEA 453 Dramatic Theory and Criticism, Credits: 4
- THEA 501 Production Lab, Credits: 1
- THEA 502 Dramaturgy, Credits: 1–4
- THEA 503 Honors Study, Credits: 4
- THEA 504 Internship Credits: 1–8
Dance Courses
- DANC 101 Conditioning, Credits: 2
- DANC 140 Jazz/Tap, Credits: 2
- DANC 150 Modern Dance, Credits: 2
- DANC 155 Contemporary Ballroom Dance, Credits: 2
- DANC 250 Historical Partner Dance, Credits: 2
- DANC 301 Advanced Topics in Dance, Credits: 2
- DANC 502 Individual Investigation, Credits: 1–4
Program Outcome
Learning Goals
- Students will develop proficiency in the methods of creating artistic and scholarly work and acquire abilities to integrate the study and practice of theatre.
- Students will learn how to create and contribute to the discipline of theatre by recognizing and employing relevant and worthy theatre, non-theatre and interdisciplinary sources to inform their creative and scholarly activities.
- Students will articulate artistic and scholarly vocabularies drawn from written, visual and physical texts that will support their continued practice and study of theatre.
- Students will learn how to reflect upon and assess their work in critical and constructive ways by applying concepts, theories, and methods within academic and professional contexts.
English Language Requirements
Certify your English proficiency with the Duolingo English Test! The DET is a convenient, fast, and affordable online English test accepted by over 4,000 universities (like this one) around the world.