Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Theatre and Drama Degree

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama

Offered By: College of Arts and Media

What Is a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama?

Your love of drama and theatre may lead you to pursue a meaningful career in the performing arts. Aspiring stage performers, directors and theatre technicians are welcome to apply to the drama and theatre degree program at Grand Canyon University. The Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama introduces students to the fundamentals of the entertainment industry, from stage management and design to directing and acting. Drama and theatre students acquire an in-depth background in dramatic literature and theatre production, learning crucial skills that are applicable in real-world settings.

The BA in Theatre and Drama degree is offered through the College of Arts and Media. Within GCU’s welcoming, faith-based learning community, theatre degree students thrive on an invigorating curriculum that covers the art of stagecraft, including set and prop construction. Fully qualified instructors who are experts in their fields guide students in the exploration and interpretation of acting and in dramatic literature from early Greece to contemporary times.

All applicants to the theatre and drama bachelor's degree program are required to undergo an audition prior to acceptance.

What You Will Learn With a BA Degree in Theatre and Drama

The study of drama and theatre empowers students to become accomplished communicators, capable of connecting with a diverse range of audiences in order to share their passion for performance art. The drama and theatre coursework challenges students’ analytical and critical thinking skills, while hands-on exercises encourage students to fine-tune their acting and production skills. In courses such as Voice and Movement for the Stage, Fundamentals of Theatrical Design and Playwriting, theatre degree students will acquire the following core competencies:

  • Create an original play using the theoretical aspects of dramatic literature, acting and scenography
  • Understand the essential elements of scenography, including scenic, lighting, costume and makeup design
  • Know how to use voice production and movement to express a character’s intentions in order to produce a compelling and engaging performance
  • Apply the theories and techniques of interpreting and directing plays through laboratory projects directing one-acts or scenes from full-length plays
  • Design and construct a costume of the student’s own design for a stage production

In addition, the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama program collaborates with the music program throughout the year to produce several major theatrical productions. Auditions for the Ethington Theatre Series, the student-run Second Series and the Cantalopes Improvisation Club are open to the entire student body. Theatre and drama degree students are strongly encouraged to participate to gain hands-on experience and build a personal portfolio of accomplishments.

Careers With a Theatre Degree

Drama and theatre is an exciting career field for graduates with a passion for the stage. Students will graduate from this theatre and drama BA degree program prepared to embrace the challenges of stage production in all its aspects. Some graduates of the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama program may choose to pursue an acting career on the stage or in the TV and film industry. Other career possibilities that may be related to a drama and theatre degree may include the following:1

  • Director
  • Stage manager
  • Producer
  • Creative director
  • Lighting technician
  • Casting manager
  • Costume designer
  • Hairstylist/makeup artist

In addition, theatre degree students at GCU will acquire foundational knowledge that is applicable to a wide range of industries and career paths. Critical thinking, strong communication skills and collaborative teamwork are skills that are transferrable across industries. Some drama and theatre students may choose to continue their studies by pursuing a master’s degree in a related field.

BA in Theatre and Drama Degree FAQs

Choosing between a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree will usually depend on your career goals. Students in a BA in Theatre and Drama degree program will be exposed to more liberal arts courses and opportunities to study various disciplines inside and outside the performing arts field. A BFA is a more intensive degree program that requires students to focus about two-thirds of their credits on their specific area of study. This is a good option for those who have a certain career they want to pursue (e.g. musical theatre). However, earning a BA can provide a more well-rounded education that can give students more diverse career options after college.

Earning a bachelor’s in drama and theatre degree will usually take about four years to complete as a full-time student. BA programs guide students in all aspects of theatre and beyond, from acting and stage production to business and psychology. Students will be challenged mentally, physically and emotionally in order to enhance their artistic and creative abilities on and off the stage. However, drama and theatre students are often rewarded with a better understanding of themselves and the world around them.

Students who are successful in drama and theatre possess self-discipline, confidence and an aptitude for teamwork. In addition, theatre and drama students will learn and develop skills in research, interpretation, negotiation, problem-solving and decision making.

1 Indeed, 26 Jobs for Theatre Majors to Pursue, in December 2021

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TOTAL CREDITS & COURSE LENGTH:
Total Credits: 120
Campus: 15 weeks
[More Info]
TRANSFER CREDITS:
Up to 90 credits, only 84 can be lower division
TUITION RATE:
Campus: $8,250 per semester [More Info]

Course List

General Education Requirements:
34-40 credits
Major:
68 credits
Open Elective Credits:
12-18 credits
Degree Requirements:
120 credits

General Education Requirements

General Education coursework prepares Grand Canyon University graduates to think critically, communicate clearly, live responsibly in a diverse world, and thoughtfully integrate their faith and ethical convictions into all dimensions of life. These competencies, essential to an effective and satisfying life, are outlined in the General Education Learner Outcomes. General Education courses embody the breadth of human understanding and creativity contained in the liberal arts and sciences tradition. Students take an array of foundational knowledge courses that promote expanded knowledge, insight, and the outcomes identified in the University’s General Education Competencies. The knowledge and skills students acquire through these courses serve as a foundation for successful careers and lifelong journeys of growing understanding and wisdom.

Requirements

Upon completion of the Grand Canyon University's University Foundation experience, students will be able to demonstrate competency in the areas of academic skills and self-leadership. They will be able to articulate the range of resources available to assist them, explore career options related to their area of study, and have knowledge of Grand Canyon's community. Students will be able to demonstrate foundational academic success skills, explore GCU resources (CLA, Library, Career Center, ADA office, etc), articulate strategies of self-leadership and management and recognize opportunities to engage in the GCU community.

Course Options

  • UNV-103, University Success: 4
  • UNV-303, University Success: 4

Requirements

Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to construct rhetorically effective communications appropriate to diverse audiences, purposes, and occasions (English composition, communication, critical reading, foreign language, sign language, etc.). Students are required to take 3 credits of English grammar or composition.

Course Options

  • ENG-105, English Composition I: 4
  • UNV-104, 21st Century Skills: Communication and Information Literacy: 4
  • ENG-106, English Composition II: 4
  • COM-263, Elements of Intercultural Communication: 4

Requirements

Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to express aspects of Christian heritage and worldview. Students are required to take CWV-101/CWV-301.

Course Options

  • CWV-101, Christian Worldview: 4
  • CWV-301, Christian Worldview: 4

Requirements

Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to use various analytic and problem-solving skills to examine, evaluate, and/or challenge ideas and arguments. Students are required to take 3 credits of college mathematics or higher.

Course Options

  • MAT-144, College Mathematics: 4

Requirements

Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to demonstrate awareness and appreciation of and empathy for differences in arts and culture, values, experiences, historical perspectives, and other aspects of life (psychology, sociology, government, Christian studies, Bible, geography, anthropology, economics, political science, child and family studies, law, ethics, cross-cultural studies, history, art, music, dance, theater, applied arts, literature, health, etc.). If the predefined course is a part of the major, students need to take an additional course.

Course Options

  • PSY-102, General Psychology: 4
  • INT-244, World Religions: 4
  • SOC-100, Everyday Sociology: 4

Core Courses

Course Description

This course identifies principles of pantomime and dramatic action designed to establish the proper relationship of the voice to the body and its functions in the interpretation of character. It is designed to help develop physical presence and facility in the actor, vocalist, teacher, athlete, and other persons involved in public performance.

Course Description

This course is the study of set and prop construction. Practical application of construction techniques is gained through theatre productions.

Course Description

In this course students select and participate in one of the following areas of theatre production and management including: technical theatre, front of house, performance, and stage/production management. Students are required to choose at least three different disciplines within their four years of study. The course requires 40 lab hours that can be used toward fulfilling scholarship requirements.

Course Description

This is an advanced acting course emphasizing scene study and textual analysis, allowing students to concentrate on the method and technique of building a character. Prerequisite: TRE-145.

Course Description

This is an introductory course for vocal production and body manipulation. Students learn techniques for the healthy production, manipulation, and utilization of sound and movement. The student’s voice and body are developed through conditioning exercises. Vocal production and movement are linked to a character's intention and given circumstances in order to facilitate a compelling, understandable performance.

Course Description

This writing intensive course is an in-depth study of the history and development of theatre from early Greece to the English Restoration.

Course Description

In this course students select and participate in one of the following areas of theatre production and management including: technical theatre, front of house, performance, and stage/production management. Students are required to choose at least three different disciplines within their four years of study. The course requires 40 lab hours that can be used toward fulfilling scholarship requirements.

Course Description

This course is an introduction to scenography. Topics include scenic, lighting, costume, and makeup design, with an emphasis on drafting, modeling, and rendering. Students will have the opportunity to assist designers for the University’s Ethington Theatre Series.

Course Description

In this course students use the theoretical aspects of dramatic literature, acting, and scenography to create a play. Prerequisite: ENG-106.

Course Description

This course is a comprehensive study of the major periods and forms of dramatic literature dating from early Greece to the Restoration.

Course Description

In this course students select and participate in one of the following areas of theatre production and management including: technical theatre, front of house, performance, and stage/production management. Students are required to choose at least three different disciplines within their four years of study. The course requires 40 lab hours that can be used toward fulfilling scholarship requirements.

Course Description

This course concerns the art of designing costumes for the theatre. Students construct a costume of their own design.

Course Description

This writing intensive course is an in-depth study of the history and development of theatre from the 18th century through modern times.

Course Description

This course is a study of theories and techniques for interpreting and directing plays through lectures and demonstrations. Students are required to participate in laboratory projects in directing one-acts or scenes from full-length plays. Practicum/field experience hours: 10. Fingerprint clearance required. Prerequisites: TRE-145 and TRE-335 or TRE-339.

Course Description

This course concerns the art of designing lighting and scenery for the theatre. Students will actively participate in designing Grand Canyon University Theatre productions and classroom projects. Prerequisites: TRE-130 and TRE-245.

Course Description

This course is a comprehensive study of the major periods and forms of dramatic literature dating from the Restoration to the present.

Course Description

Students learn to develop design concepts through research and the creative process that reinforce and illuminate a director’s vision to communicate these concepts visually and in written form. Students learn to use technology specific to design that may include CAD and other digital design programs. Students learn graphic design standards based on industry guidelines including hand drawing, drafting, and model making culminating in a complete design presentation. Prerequisites: TRE-130 and TRE-245 or permission of instructor.

Course Description

This course is designed for the preparation of theatre students for professional life and graduate school interviews. Students set professional goals, plan achievable steps to meet those goals, and gather the tools required to complete each step. Students also learn key networking and marketing skills to find, obtain, execute successful interviews, and manage tax and finances. Students study the literature of professional theatrical organizations to plan candidacy and learn professional deportment. Prerequisite: Senior Standing.

Course Description

In this course students select and participate in one of the following areas of theatre production and management including: technical theatre, front of house, performance, and stage/production management. Students are required to choose at least three different disciplines within their four years of study. The course requires 40 lab hours that can be used toward fulfilling scholarship requirements.

Course Description

This course continues the study of theories and techniques for interpreting and directing plays, musicals, and operas through lectures and demonstrations. Students focus on major directing and research projects, story clarity, collaboration, and advanced rehearsal processes. Prerequisite: TRE-439.

Locations

GCU Campus Student


Join Grand Canyon University’s vibrant and growing campus community, with daytime classes designed for traditional students. Immerse yourself in a full undergraduate experience, complete with curriculum designed within the context of our Christian worldview.

* Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.

* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change.

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