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2023-2024

Theatre, Bachelor of Arts

VCU

Community college:
Uniform Certificate of General Studies (Virginia Community College System)
Virginia Community College System
Associate degree

Uniform Certificate of General Studies

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
  • No guaranteed admission. 
  • Apply for admission during first year at community college. 
  • Review deadlines and additional requirements for transfer applicants here.
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

Virginia Community College System (Uniform Certificate of General Studies)

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
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your course plan.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Compare the B.A. program with the B.F.A. program.
  • Complete your math and english requirements.
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Register to vote.
  • Volunteer for community service projects.
  • Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
  • Review theatre admission requirements for the different programs.
  • Explore the School of the Arts website.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
Experience Year 2

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your course plan.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Compare the B.A. program with the B.F.A. program.
  • Complete your math and english requirements.
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Register to vote.
  • Volunteer for community service projects.
  • Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
  • Review theatre admission requirements for the different programs.
  • Explore the School of the Arts website.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2023-2024

Theatre, Bachelor of Arts

Virginia Community College System (Uniform Certificate of General Studies)

Virginia Community College System courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Students who earn the Uniform Certificate of General Studies 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
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning (or any other approved MTH course) MATH 131 3 General education
Select any approved Humanities or Fine Arts VCU equivalent 3 General education
Select any approved Humanities/Fine Arts or Literature VCU equivalent 3 General education
Select any approved Natural or Physical Science VCU equivalent 4 General education
Select any approved Social/Behavioral Science VCU equivalent 3 General education
Select any approved History HIST 3 General education
World Language I or ASL 101 or general education elective ((students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). VCU equivalent 3 Major (Ancillary)
World Language II or ASL 102 or general education elective ((students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). VCU equivalent 3 Major (Ancillary)
Community college credits transferred to VCU 32
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.
THEA 100 Technical Production 1 Major
THEA 111 Fundamentals of Performance 3 Major
THEA 112 Fundamentals of Theatrical Design 3 Major
THEA 211 Introduction to Drama 3 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 102 Introduction to Technical Theatre 3 Major
THEA 110 Improvisation 3 Major
THEA 201 Voice and Speech for the Actor I 3 Major
THEA 202 Voice and Speech for the Actor II 3 Major
THEA 203 Movement for the Actor I 3 Major
THEA 204 Movement for the Actor II 3 Major
THEA 213 Acting I 3 Major
THEA 214 Acting II 3 Major
THEA 226 Desktop Audio/Video 2 Major
THEA elective courses (300 or 400 level) 6 Major
Electives (select any courses at 300 or 400 level) 8 Elective
Open electives: consider a minor or second major 25 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 88
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120