Bachelor of Arts in Theatre

About

As a theatre major, you’ll get experience in three major areas: acting, teaching, and the technical side of things, which includes lighting, costume and design. You’ll learn about movement and voice, practice your skills and perform for live audiences.

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What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Theatre Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Theatre majors are expected to complete a senior thesis and participate in the public performance program offered by the Theatre Program.

Note: two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

Required Courses
THTR 110MOVEMENT AND VOICE3
THTR/HUMN 202THEATRE IN THE HUMANITIES (satisfies a general university requirement for Humanities, Fine Arts)5
THTR 210ACTING I4
THTR 226STAGE MAKE-UP1
THTR/HUMN 303SURVEY OF THEATRE HISTORY5
THTR 310ACTING II4
THTR 330STAGE COSTUME3
THTR 331 THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY I5
THTR 332THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY II5
THTR 338CONCEPTS OF THEATRICAL DESIGN3
THTR 380THEATRE EXPERIENCE (must be repeated four times)4
THTR 412ACTING: THE PROFESSION4
or THTR 430 THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY III
THTR 421DIRECTING I4
THTR 422DIRECTING II4
Electives–choose from the following8
Note: students can use selective THTR 496 courses as electives with permission of the program director.
NARRATIVE SCRIPT ANALYSIS
FUND OF MUSIC/DANCE THEATRE
SPECIAL SKILLS FOR ACTORS (may be repeated for credit when topic varies)
ACTING WORKSHOP: VARIABLE TOPICS (may be repeated for credit when topic varies)
SPECIAL STUDIES
ACTING III
ACTING: THE PROFESSION
THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY III
SCENE DESIGN
TOPICS IN THEATRE
STAGE DOOR TO THE FUTURE
FIELD EXPERIENCE IN THEATRE
WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR
DIRECTED STUDY
Required Senior Thesis
THTR 491SENIOR THESIS PROJECT5
Total Credits67

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement.  Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015MATH 1075
THTR 1103THTR 2104THTR 3104
THTR 202 (Humanities & Arts BACR 1)5THTR 3801THTR 3801
THTR 3801Social Science BACR 115Social Science BACR 215
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective1  
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
THTR 3315THTR 2261THTR 3035
THTR 3383THTR 3325THTR 3303
THTR 3801Diversity - graduation requirement15Humanities & Arts BACR 215
Natural Science BACR 115Natural Science BACR 215Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective2
 14 16 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
Global Studies - graduation requirement15THTR 412 or 4304Theater Elective25
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective1 
 15 15 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
THTR 4214THTR 4224THTR 491 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)5
Theater Elective25Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective1Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective1 
 15 15 15
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Theater Electives - choose 8 credits from the approved list. Students can use selective THTR 496 courses as electives with permission of the program director.

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB


General Education Requirements (GER)

  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences


University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List


Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
Requirements in Degree Works are based on these two catalog years:

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BA in Theatre from EWU should be able to:

  • analyze a play’s dramatic action;
  • apply fundamental principles of theatrical design;
  • demonstrate collaborative skills in the creation of theatrical work;
  • demonstrate professional acting techniques for the stage;
  • demonstrate professional directing techniques for the stage.

Sample Courses

THTR 226. STAGE MAKE-UP. 1 Credit.

Lecture and laboratory where the student may learn basic and advanced techniques and principles of straight and character make-up.

Catalog Listing

THTR 338. CONCEPTS OF THEATRICAL DESIGN. 3 Credits.

A beginning course in the styles, history, and examples of theatrical scenic design.

Catalog Listing

FILM 221. NARRATIVE SCRIPT ANALYSIS. 5 Credits.

Notes: offered fall quarter.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
The study of narrative structures in the filmic arts. Topics include story structure, character, plot, theme, story world, symbol, scenes, and dialogue. Three hours of lecture, five hours of screening per week.

Catalog Listing

THTR 494. STAGE DOOR TO THE FUTURE. 1-5 Credits.

Opportunity to work with professional theatre company on two or more productions each summer.

Catalog Listing