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B.A. in Theatre Arts

Through inclusive and rigorous creative inquiry, the B.A. in Theatre Arts trains students in performance, creativity, reflection, collaboration, mentorship, community engagement, and social justice. The major combines a core in social justice theatre, acting, ancestral performance practices, arts pedagogy, and arts entrepreneurship with repeated ensemble performance in inclusive interdisciplinary performance, dance, and taiko, and 9 units of electives chosen with an advisor across art, communication, dance, English, music, and theatre. In THEA 493 Theatre Capstone, students direct, choreograph, perform, write, intern, or design.

Graduates have gone on to advanced study at universities and conservatories, to teaching, and to careers in theatre and dance performance.

Program learning outcomes

Students graduating with a B.A. in Theatre Arts from CSU East Bay will be able to:

  1. Perform for audiences, on stage or in other arenas and careers.
  2. Create performance that presents human issues in inclusive, exciting, original ways.
  3. Reflect on historical and contemporary works of theatre and dance from diverse cultures.
  4. Engage individuals and build community through meaningful theatre and dance experiences.

Roadmaps

The roadmaps show a recommended path through the program, semester by semester. Build your own education plan with your advisor.

  • 4-year roadmap, first-year entry: online or PDF
  • 2-year roadmap, transfer entry with an AA-T: online or PDF

Units

The B.A. requires 120 units:

  • Major requirements: 36 units
  • General education: 46 units in the 4-year roadmap, 9 of which are met in the major by THEA 101, THEA 254, and DANC 334
  • Free electives: the remaining units, which vary with each student's path through general education

Transfer students with an AA-T complete 60 units in residence.

Major requirements (36 units)

Lower-division core (6 units)

  • THEA 101 Doing The Right Thing: Social Justice Theatre (3 units; GE-3A, Social Justice)
  • THEA 254 Acting and Diversity (3 units; GE-3B, Diversity)

Upper-division core (13 units)

  • DANC 334 Healing Our World through Ancestral Performance Practices (3 units; GE-UD-3, Sustainability)
  • DANC 341 Dance for Children (3 units; GE-UD-3)
  • MUS 303 Entrepreneurship in the Arts (3 units; GE-UD-3), offered in spring only
  • THEA 341 Dramatic Activities for Children (3 units; GE-UD-3)
  • THEA 493 Theatre Capstone (1 unit), taken in the senior year

Ensembles (8 units)

Each ensemble is 1 unit and is repeated: DANC 360 three times, DANC 370 three times, and MUS 363B twice.

  • DANC 360 Inclusive Interdisciplinary Ensemble Performance (1 unit, taken three times)
  • DANC 370 Dance Ensemble Performance (1 unit, taken three times)
  • MUS 363B Taiko Drumming Ensemble (1 unit, taken twice)

Major electives (9 units)

Students complete 9 units of coursework with the prefix ART, COMM, DANC, ENGL, MUS, or THEA, chosen with the major advisor. Courses that meet GE Area 1 or the University Writing Requirement don't count toward electives. Courses used for the core don't count toward electives, except units of DANC 360, DANC 370, and MUS 363B beyond those the core requires.

Other requirements

Every student also completes the university's baccalaureate requirements, described in the Undergrad Baccalaureate & Program Requirements chapter of the catalog.

Career opportunities

Actor • Box Office Manager • Business Agent • Choreographer • College Student Services Manager • Comedian • Corporate Officer • Costume Designer • Costume/Wardrobe Technician • Dancer • Director • Drama or Dance Teacher/Professor • Dramaturg • House Manager • Lighting Technician • Make-Up Artist/Specialist • Non-profit Manager • Playwright • Producer • Recreation Supervisor • Sales/Marketing Specialist • Set Decorator • Set Designer • Sound Technician • Stage Manager • Theatre Critic • Theatre Technician • Theatre Manager