The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Theatre Practices supports engaged theatre practice that meets the social and cultural challenges of our twenty-first century society.
Our innovative curriculum invites students to begin by building core theatre skills, then gradually applying them to a range of projects, settings, and populations. This culminates in in-depth application of these skills through internships, community placements and a Capstone. The BA in Theatre Practice supports a professional track for students seeking a Wisconsin Theatre Teaching license in K-12 Theatre Education. It also offers students the option to earn a Cultures and Communities (C&C) certificate.
The BA in Theatre Practices engages students in focusing their study on educational and social justice theatre, devising and performing new work, storytelling, dramaturgy, directing, playwriting, and arts and social entrepreneurship. For more information visit the Theatre Practices, BA Program page.
Requirements
Laptop Requirement
Preparing for a future defined by digital technology is an important step in developing artists. Our digitally integrated curriculum helps you achieve a professional level with leading art-related software and practices.
Laptop ownership is strongly recommended for all undergraduates. However, it’s required for the programs below. For more information please visit the Peck School of the Arts admission page.
- Art & Design (BA and BFA Programs)
- Dance (BA and BFA Programs)
- Film, Video, Animation & New Genres (BA and BFA Programs)
- Music (Composition & Technology Program)
- Theatre (BFA Production and BA Theatre Education Programs)
Credit Overview
The minimum degree requirement is 120 credits. BA Theatre Practices Degree requirements are distributed as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| University Core Curriculum | 39 | |
| Theatre Department Core | 30 | |
| BA Track Requirements and Electives | 51 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Practices Curriculum
The BA degree in Theatre Practices requires a minimum of 120 credits - 39 credits in the University Core Curriculum, 48 credits in the Theatre department, and 33 credits of the student's choosing inside and/or outside of the department. Students who need background preparation courses in math, English, foreign language, and chemistry may need additional credits. BA Theatre majors are required to fulfill the department’s core, maintain a 2.75 GPA in the major, and earn a C grade or better in all Theatre Core courses.
BA Theatre students execute a capstone course project as a culminating demonstration of their learning. All capstones are evaluated through a presentation of research and/or portfolio process. Students also have an option to earn a Cultures and Communities (C&C) certificate.
University Core
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements 1 | ||
| Competencies 1 | ||
| Oral and Written Communication – Part A and Part B 2,3 | ||
| Quantitative Literacy (QL) – Part A and Part B 2,3 | ||
| Foreign Language 2,3 | ||
| Distribution Requirements 1 | ||
| Humanities 4 | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences (Must include one lab) 5 | 6 | |
| Social Sciences 6 | 6 | |
| Cultural Diversity 2,7 | ||
| Electives | ||
| Credits in Peck School of the Arts 8,9 | 9 | |
| University Credits (outside of Theatre) 10 | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
- 1
Learn more about the General Education Requirements.
- 2
Credits may be utilized in required curriculum areas.
- 3
Theatre students must complete the General Education Requirements (GER) in Oral and Written Communication competency (OWC), Quantitative Literacy competency (QL), and Foreign Language proficiency prior to enrolling in 310-level or above theatre courses.
- 4
If earning the C&C certificate, 3 credits must be an Area 2 C&C approved course.
- 5
If earning the C&C certificate, 3 credits must be an Area 5 C&C approved course.
- 6
If earning the C&C certificate, 3 credits must be an Area 3 or Area 5 C&C approved course.
- 7
If earning the C&C certificate, take THEATRE 150 to fulfill this requirement. If earning the A&SE certificate, take any 150 course in PSOA, outside of Theatre.
- 8
9 credits are required in 3 of the 4 other departments in PSOA, outside of the student's discipline: Art and Design, Dance, Music, Theatre, or Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres.
- 9
If earning the C&C or A&SE certificate, only 9 total credits are required. For the C&C certificate, 3 credits must be an Area 4 C&C approved course.
- 10
If earning the A&SE certificate, take ED POL 111 or ED POL 112.
Theatre Department Core
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| THEATRE 260 | Storytelling: | 3 |
| THEATRE 230 | Acting 2: Text and Performance | 3 |
| THEATRE 213 | Play Analysis | 3 |
| THEATRE 214 | Stagecraft (with lab) | 4 |
| THEATRE 225 | Costume Construction (with lab) | 2 |
| THEATRE 236 | Theatre Production and Design | 3 |
| THEATRE 275 | Performing Arts Management | 3 |
| THEATRE 305 | The Theatrical Experience: | 3 |
| THEATRE 321 | The Theatre: Beginnings Through Realism | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Theatre: Modern and Contemporary Period | ||
| Theatre in the Americas: Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Theatre | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
BA Theatre Practices Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| THEATRE 204 | Theatre and Social Change | 3 |
| THEATRE 359 | Playwriting | 3 |
| THEATRE 380 | Stage Management | 3 |
| THEATRE 410 | Stage Directing | 3 |
| THEATRE 448 | How to be a Teaching Artist | 3 |
| THEATRE 465 | Theatre Capstone: BA Theatre Practices | 3 |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Electives
Electives are chosen from any department on campus in consideration of a student’s interests and in consultation with a student's PSOA and departmental advisors. A minimum of 33 credits is required to graduate.
BA Theatre: Example of Required Courses in 4-Year Plan
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| THEATRE 214 or THEATRE 225 | Stagecraft or Costume Construction | 2-4 |
| THEATRE 260 | Storytelling: | 3 |
| THEATRE 305 | The Theatrical Experience: | 3 |
| GER | 6 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| THEATRE 213 | Play Analysis | 3 |
| THEATRE 214 or THEATRE 225 | Stagecraft or Costume Construction | 2-4 |
| THEATRE 230 | Acting 2: Text and Performance | 3 |
| GER | 6 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| THEATRE 236 | Theatre Production and Design | 3 |
| THEATRE 275 | Performing Arts Management | 3 |
| Electives | 3 | |
| GER/PSOA | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| THEATRE 204 | Theatre and Social Change | 3 |
| THEATRE 321 | The Theatre: Beginnings Through Realism | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| GER/PSOA | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| THEATRE 324 or THEATRE 322 | Theatre in the Americas: Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Theatre or The Theatre: Modern and Contemporary Period | 3 |
| THEATRE 380 | Stage Management | 3 |
| THEATRE 410 | Stage Directing | 3 |
| GER/PSOA | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| GER/PSOA | 6 | |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| THEATRE 359 | Playwriting | 3 |
| THEATRE 448 | How to be a Teaching Artist | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| GER/PSOA | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| THEATRE 465 or THEATRE 472 | Theatre Capstone: BA Theatre Practices (subtitle) or Performance Capstone in Musical Theatre | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| GER/PSOA | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Application Process
To be considered for the Theatre BA or BFA program, applicants must first be accepted to UW-Milwaukee, apply to the Peck School of the Arts and complete a successful audition and/or interview. Please visit the Peck School admissions page for more information.
Advance to Major/Retention
To be accepted and continue in good standing within any Theatre degree program, students must meet or exceed all general university requirements, have and maintain a 2.5 GPA overall (with the exception of Theatre Education majors). BA degree majors must also maintain a 2.75 GPA within the major. Theatre Education majors must maintain a 3.0 in the major. All BFA degree majors must maintain a 3.0 in the major. Additionally, all Theatre majors in all programs must pass all Theatre Core courses with a C grade or better. Students will be put on probation inside the major, and may be denied continuation in their program, if they receive a D grade or lower in any Theatre Core courses, which are:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| THEATRE 110 | Fundamentals of the Actor's Process | 3 |
| THEATRE 204 | Theatre and Social Change | 3 |
| THEATRE 213 | Play Analysis | 3 |
| THEATRE 214 | Stagecraft | 4 |
| THEATRE 225 | Costume Construction | 2 |
| THEATRE 230 | Acting 2: Text and Performance | 3 |
| THEATRE 236 | Theatre Production and Design | 3 |
| THEATRE 260 | Storytelling: | 3 |
| THEATRE 275 | Performing Arts Management | 3 |
| THEATRE 305 | The Theatrical Experience: | 3 |
| THEATRE 321 | The Theatre: Beginnings Through Realism | 3 |
| THEATRE 322 | The Theatre: Modern and Contemporary Period | 3 |
As per Wisconsin State statutes, all Theatre Education students must also pass the Praxis II Theatre Content test, or a portfolio equivalent as determined by the program, before being allowed to engage in their student teaching fieldwork.
Continuation
Students who are in danger of being dropped from the program, or put on probation, will receive a written warning. Any Theatre student who is dropped or suspended from his/her program (due to failing/low grades and/or academic misconduct) has the right to an appeal. Any student wishing to appeal must inform the Chair and his/her Area Head of their interest and in writing. Students must then meet with the Chair and the Area Head to discuss their appeal. The appeal may then be forwarded to the Theatre Department Appeals Committee and the Theatre Department Chair. Appeals committee findings will be given to the student in writing and in a timely manner.
Theatre Practices BA Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the Theatre Practices BA program will be able to:
- Connect to the environment and cultural perspectives using a breadth of knowledge and skills and work within the discipline of theatre to create socially relevant artwork.
- Apply standard techniques to identify, examine, critique, and reflect on a wide variety of theatre texts and related media on a national and global scale.
- Generate high quality quantitative critical analysis and inquiry related to theatre through practiced technological skills, reasoning, listening, speaking, reading, performing, and writing.
- Express themselves in significant and meaningful ways within the discipline of theatre, and create opportunities to explore feelings, ideas, and perspectives as a reflective practitioner.
- Engage empathetically by exploring their own and others' worldview to create respectful, ethical, and accessible environments to create diverse works of theatre.
- Interpret, critique, and reflect on theatre works and production from a variety of critical perspectives and aesthetic viewpoints.
- Investigate, reflect on, and respond to social and political issues and conditions presented and explored in various productions, performances, works and processes.
- Create and/or participate in a work of theatre in a variety of contexts including conceptual pre-planning and design, production, direction, rehearsal, and performance.
- Build, design, construct, make and develop theatre craft.
Advising
Location: Theatre 120
Hours: M–Th 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Fri. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (closed on university holidays)
Contact: 414-229-4763 | Contact Form
Academic advising is an important aspect of long-term academic success. At the Peck School of the Arts, we offer professional advising in the undergraduate disciplines of art, dance, film, music and theatre.
Our advisors provide students with individualized appointments to assist them in areas such as: degree requirements, major options, course selection, campus resources, college success strategies, graduation assessment, academic policies and procedures, and more.
For more information please visit the Peck School of the Arts advising and student services page.
Honors in the Major
Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a GPA of 3.500 or greater in the major and the academic department's recommendation.
High Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or greater and the academic department's recommendation.
Departmental Honors are granted to students recommended by their academic department for Honors excellence in performance not reflected in the GPA.
Dean's Honors are granted to students with major achievements in one or more of the arts.
College of the Arts and Architecture Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.