Theatre, Bachelor of Arts (798)
Program Coordinator
Alan R. White, alan.white@wku.edu, (270) 745-5845
Our AB in Theatre is a traditional Liberal Arts degree, designed to provide a solid foundation in all aspects of theatre while leaving some flexibility to pursue your own particular goals. You will need to combine it with a minor, or even a second major. Our AB in Theatre does not require an audition, and is most appropriate for students who want the freedom to explore during their undergraduate years. The curriculum includes study in theatre history and theory, performance, design and production, and a number of performance or production lab credits earned through involvement in shows. Ten hours of theatre electives allow you to further pursue whatever most interests you. Theatre AB students will often combine their degree with a major or minor in Film, Broadcasting, Creative Writing, Dance, Music, or Arts Administration. But really, you can combine your B.A. in Theatre with almost any other major or minor at WKU.
Program Requirements (45 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
A minor or second major is required. At least 22.5 credits applied to this major must be upper-division (300 level or above).
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PERF 175 | University Experience: Performing Arts | 2 |
| History & Theory (12 credit hours) | ||
| THEA 252 | Fundamentals of Theatre | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| World Theatre History I (3 credit hours) | ||
| World Theatre History II (3 credit hours) | ||
| U.S. Theatre History (3 credit hours) | ||
| Select one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| Topics in Drama (3 credit hours) | ||
| Musical Theatre History (3 credit hours) | ||
| Performance | ||
| Select 7 credits from the following (at least 2 of which must be at the 300-level or above): | 7 | |
| Acting I (3 credit hours) | ||
| Voice and Movement for the Stage (1 credit hour) | ||
| Acting II (3 credit hours) | ||
| Acting III (3 credit hours) | ||
| Acting for the Camera (3 credit hours) | ||
| Voice and Diction for the Theatre (1 credit hour) | ||
| Directing I (3 credit hours) | ||
| Solo Performance (3 credit hours) | ||
| Dance Improvisation (2 credit hours) | ||
Any single dance technique course (2 credit hours) | ||
| Design and Production | ||
| THEA 219 | Design I (3 credit hours) | 3 |
| PERF 120 | Rehearsal and Production (1 credit hour) | 1 |
| PERF 220 | Production Lab I (0.5 to 1 credit hour: take once as a 1 credit class, or twice as a 0.5 credit class) | 1 |
| PERF 320 | Production Lab II (0.5 to 1 credit hour: take once as a 1 credit class, or twice as a 0.5 credit class) | 1 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Stagecraft (3 credit hours) | ||
| Costume Technology (3 credit hours) | ||
| Stage Electrics (3 credit hours) | ||
| Stage Management (3 credit hours) | ||
| Take a total of at least two credit hours from the following: | 2 | |
| Production Lab III (0.5 to 1 credit hour) | ||
| Production Lab IV (0.5 to 1 credit hour) | ||
| Performance Lab I (0.5 to 1 credit hour) | ||
| Performance Lab II (0.5 to 1 credit hour) | ||
| Production Lab VI (0.5 to 1 credit hour) | ||
| Dramaturgy Lab (0.5, 1, or 2 credit hours) | ||
| Restricted Electives | 10 | |
| Select 10 hours from any relevant THEA, PERF, or DANC course with advisor's approval | ||
| Total Hours | 45 | |
Finish in Four Plan
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PERF 175 | 2 | PERF 220 | 1 |
| PERF 120 | 1 | Performance Class (PERF 105, THEA 101, 300, 301, 303, 371, DANC 235 or any single dance technique class) | 1-3 |
| THEA 252 | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 |
| Performance Class (PERF 105, THEA 101, 300, 301, 303, 371, DANC 235 or any single dance technique class) | 1-3 | Colonnade: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 |
| MATH 109 | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| 13-15 | 14-16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PERF 320 | 1 | PERF 321 or PERF 340 | 1 |
| THEA 363, THEA 364, or THEA 365 | 3 | THEA 363, THEA 364, or THEA 365 | 3 |
| THEA 222, THEA 241, or THEA 250 | 3 | THEA 219 | 3 |
| ENG 200 | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences | 3 |
| Colonnade: Arts & Humanities | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PERF 420, PERF 340, or PERF 341 | 1 | THEA 222, THEA 241, or THEA 250 | 3 |
| Performance Class (PERF 105, THEA 101, 300, 301, 303, 371, DANC 235 or any single dance technique class) | 1-3 | THEA 375 or THEA 430 | 3 |
| ENG 300 | 3 | THEA/PERF/DANC Elective | 3 |
| Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) | 3 | Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural) | 3 |
| Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences w/lab | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | ||
| 14-16 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| THEA/PERF/DANC Elective | 1-3 | THEA/PERF/DANC Elective | 1-3 |
| Colonnade: Connections (Systems) | 3 | THEA/PERF/DANC Elective | 1-3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 13-15 | 11-15 | ||
| Total Hours 112-124 | |||
- BA Theatre students are expected to participate fully in the Jury/Portfolio Review (JPR) process and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0. Failure to do so may result in the student being placed on departmental probation. The full policy can be found in the BA in Theatre or Dance Handbook.
- Production Lab and Performance Lab courses (PERF 220, 221, 320, 321, 340, 341, 420, 421, 440, 441) may be offered as 1 credit or 0.5 credit. BA in Theatre students must take one credit of PERF 220 (taken once as a 1 credit class, or twice as a .5 credit class) and one credit of 320 (taken once as a 1 credit class, or twice as a .5 credit class). They must also take an additional two credits worth of Production or Performance Lab credits from the following menu: PERF 321, 340, 341 and 430.
- At least 50% (22.5 credit hours) of the degree must be in upper-division courses, numbered 300 +.