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2023-2024

Theatre, Bachelor of Arts

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Fine Arts: Theatre (Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway))
Brightpoint Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Fine Arts: Theatre

Program description

The department offers two degree options: a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts. The B.A. is designed for students who want a program with a strong emphasis in theatre combined with a strong liberal arts component and a minor (or other course of directed study). The B.F.A. is designed to educate and train students as theatre professionals in performance, musical theatre performance, costume design/technical production, lighting design/technical, production, scenic design/technical production, or stage management. 


All first-year and transfer students with an interest in the B.F.A. track are initially classified as Theatre Foundation students in one of six concentrations. After completing core theatre courses in an area of emphasis, students go through an assessment process. Upon completing a successful assessment, students will be admitted into the BFA program, typically after the second year of study.

Career opportunities

Theatre VCU prepares students for careers in professional and academic theatre. With 25 faculty and staff and a combined graduate and undergraduate student population averaging 280, Theatre VCU is one of the largest theatre training programs in the southeastern United States. Hundreds of alumni scattered across the United States and Canada now successfully practice what they began as students at VCU. Alumni are acting and working in impressive positions on Broadway, in major films and television, and at top regional theatres.


The faculty of Theatre VCU are first and foremost educators who provide first-rate mentoring and instruction. They also serve as role models, practicing their craft as artists locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. They work on the stage, TV and in films, author books in their disciplines, and hold elected offices in some of the nation’s most prestigious organizations. Collectively, the faculty and staff pride themselves on their ability to help bridge the gap between life as a student and life as a professional beyond VCU.


VCUarts celebrates the accomplishments of theatre alumni online and welcomes your viewership.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Actor
  • Art Director
  • Costume Designer
  • Director
  • Flight Director
  • Producer
  • Stage Manager
  • Vocal Coach
  • Voice Over Artist
  • Wardrobe Supervisor
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Professional Designer
  • Scene/Costume Shop Manager
  • Theatre Administrator
  • High School/College Teacher
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Successful outcome on audition with VCU theatre faculty

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Theatre with concentration in Costume Design/Technical Production, Lighting Design/Technical Production, Performance, Performance/Musical Theatre, Scene Design/Technical Production, Stage Management/Technical Production

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2023-2024

Theatre, Bachelor of Arts

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Fine Arts: Theatre)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend Tyler Orientation.
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Consider applying to the Brightpoint Pathways Program.
  • Register for SDV course.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Browse careers related to Theatre through the career coach.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and explore Career Pathways at VCU.
  • Understand how you will fund your education. Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Use the career coach to take a career assessment.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
Experience Year 2
  • Review VCU Arts application information and schedule an audition date for prospective theatre transfer students.
  • Take service-learning classes or volunteer to address a current issue through ConnectVA or HandsOnRVA.
  • Attend an event sponsored by the Theatre department.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Attend Tyler Orientation.
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Consider applying to the Brightpoint Pathways Program.
  • Register for SDV course.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to Theatre through the career coach.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and explore Career Pathways at VCU.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Understand how you will fund your education. Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Use the career coach to take a career assessment.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Review VCU Arts application information and schedule an audition date for prospective theatre transfer students.
  • Take service-learning classes or volunteer to address a current issue through ConnectVA or HandsOnRVA.
  • Attend an event sponsored by the Theatre department.
  • Research housing for next year.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2023-2024

Theatre, Bachelor of Arts

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Fine Arts: Theatre)

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Students who earn this associate degree before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements.
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning (or MTH 161 or MTH 263) MATH 131 3 General education
CST 131 Acting I THEA 111 3 Major
CST 145 Stagecraft THEA 112 3 Major
CST 210 Theatre Aesthetics THEA 211 3 Major
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
CST 132 Acting II THEA 213 3 Major
CST 149 Introduction to Makeup for the Theatre THEA 227 3 Major
CST 136 Theatre/Musical Theatre Workshop THEA 291 3 Major
Social science Select 1: HIS 111, HIS 112, HIS 121, HIS 122, PSY 200, SOC 200 VCU equivalent 3 General education
CST 111 Voice and Diction I THEA 201 3 Major
CST 147 Costume Construction THEA 102 3 Major
CST 160 Improvisation THEA 110 3 Major
CST 237 Movement I THEA 203 3 Major
Laboratory Science Laboratory science (select 1): BIO 101, CHM 101, ENV 121, PHY 100 VCU equivalent 4 General education
CST 112 Voice and Diction II THEA 202 3 Major
CST 211 Acting III THEA 214 3 Major
CST 238 Movement II THEA 204 3 Major
ENG 200-level ENG literature course (select 1) ENGL 3 General education
Transfer elective Transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Brightpoint credits transferred to VCU 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU.
Foreign language through the 102 level. (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) 0 to 6 General education
THEA 100 Technical Production 1 Major
THEA 351 Rehearsal and Performance I 3 Major
THEA 307 History of the Theatre 3 Major
THEA 308 History of the Theatre 3 Major
THEA 385 Diverse Voices 3 Major
THEA 495 Senior Project Portfolio Review 1 Major
THEA 226 Desktop Audio/Video 2 Major
THEA Upper-level Theatre electives (300-400 level) 6 Major
Upper-level electives (200- or 400-level): consider a minor or second major Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 38 Elective
REAL The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. 0 Major
Credits completed at VCU 58
Bachelor's degree total 120