Admission to the BFA Program:
The BFA in Theatre has limited enrollment. All theatre students must first be accepted as a BA or BS Theatre major. Admission to the theatre BFA program is by audition or portfolio presentation in the area of interest. Students must consult the BFA program advisor in their area of interest for specific restrictions and guidelines prior to applying for admission to the theatre BFA program. Students not accepted into a BFA sequence may reapply once. Students may only pursue one BFA concentration at a time. For more information about audition/interview guidelines and dates, please contact the Theatre office.
1.
Fulfill baccalaureate degree requirements.
2.
Theatre Practice Requirement
Students must have completed or be in the process of completing 10 credits of TA 255 - Theatre Practice (or transfer equivalent) prior to acceptance into the BFA program. To graduate, BFA students must have completed at least 10 credits of TA 255 and 10 credits of TA 455 .
Full time Theatre majors must enroll in either TA 255 (prior to Junior standing) or TA 455 (Junior standing or above) every term unless excused by their advisor. Students are excused from Theatre Practice while enrolled in TA 403 - Thesis , or while engaged in a departmentally approved internship.
3.
Continuation as a major in any of the degree programs is contingent upon a yearly evaluation. The criteria used to determine whether students shall be retained or dropped from the major include:
a.
satisfactory fulfillment of the Theatre Practice requirement;
b.
a minimum cumulative 3.00 GPA overall and 3.00 in the major; and
c.
successful completion of the following courses by the end of the sophomore year:
Additional requirements of the BFA major include:
Adjunct or paraprofessional requirements and theatre major requirements must be evaluated by the advisor and approved by the chair.
Select one design class from the following:
Completion of all of the following:
*Theatre Practice
* Students must have completed or be in the process of completing 10 credits of TA 255 - Theatre Practice (or transfer equivalent) prior to acceptance into the BFA program. To graduate, BFA students must have completed at least 10 credits of TA 255 and 10 credits of TA 455 .
Full time Theatre majors must enroll in either TA 255 (prior to Junior standing) or TA 455 (Junior standing or above) every term unless excused by their advisor. Students are excused from Theatre Practice while enrolled in TA 403 - Thesis , or while engaged in a departmentally approved internship.
BFA Summary
BFA students may concentrate in one of four areas of concentration: Performance, Design, Technology, and Management/Direction. Admission to the Performance BFA is by audition only. All other areas require a portfolio review by four or more faculty members. The Design track includes studies in scenic, costume, lighting, and sound design. Technology encompasses stagecraft, technical direction, costume construction, scenic painting, lighting and sound engineering. Management and Direction provides coursework in Stage Management, Directing, dramaturgy, and arts administration. Students must take five courses (some of which may come from core courses) in their area of concentration. The SOU Theater Handbook lists courses that will meet the requirements of each concentration.
BFA students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA for all work in theatre and a 3.0 GPA for all University work. They must also meet the graduation requirements of the University.
Coursework leading to the BFA in theatre is strictly monitored. Once admitted to the BFA program, students are required to plan a program of coursework that follows program guidelines. This coursework is planned in consultation with the program advisor and is subject to faculty approval. Published guidelines, as well as requirements for developing an area of concentration and for the successful proposal and completion of a BFA thesis are available in the theatre office.
Retention in the BFA program is dependent on academic performance and continued development of talent and acquisition of skills as evaluated by faculty assessment. Although it is possible to complete all requirements within four years, a successful course of study may take longer, since graduation depends as much on demonstrated proficiency as on credits.
