The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre, Musical Theatre Track is designed to provide intensive training preparing students for professional careers as actor/singer/dancers. Admission to this program is available by audition/interview only. This degree may be completed in eight semesters if students average 16 hours per semester. Retention in the program is contingent upon an annual progress review presented by each student.

Important Notes

  •  View the Undergraduate Catalog for information including course descriptions and prerequisites, major and minor requirements, academic policies, etc.
  •  Check the Undergraduate Catalog for course prerequisites; classes taken out of sequence will not count toward graduation.
  •  A grade of “C” or better is required in all required major and minor courses. Courses taken as “CR/NC” will not count towards the major or minor.
  •  Courses taken for the major and minor may be applied toward satisfying General Education requirements, but credit hours cannot be double counted.
  •  Course numbers of 3700 and higher are considered upper-division courses.
  •  You must complete coursework totaling a minimum of 120 s.h. to graduate (at least 60 s.h. must be completed at the 2600 level or higher and 39 s.h. must be at the 3700 level or higher).
  •  The following courses do NOT count as hours toward graduation:
    COURSE TITLE S.H.
    ENGL 1509Academic English for Non-native Speakers3
    ENGL 1512English Conversation for Non-native Speakers1
    ENGL 1541Introduction to College Writing3
    RSS 1510AAdvanced College Success Skills3
    RSS 1510BBasic College Success Skills3
    RSS 1510CSTEM Advanced College Success Skills4
  • The residency rule states that the last 30 s.h. of your degree and at least 16 s.h. in your major and 21 s.h. in upper-division courses must be completed at YSU.
  •  Eligibility to continue receiving federal financial aid is affected by your “satisfactory academic progress.” Carefully review details on the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship website.
  •  Meet with your advisor on a regular basis to ensure you are meeting requirements for graduation.

Graduation Process

  •  One Year Before Expected Graduation
    •  Request a Graduation Evaluation
    •  When your evaluation is complete, make an appointment with the chairperson of your department.
  •  Semester You Plan To Graduate
    •  Apply for graduation during the first three weeks of the semester you plan to graduate (you must have a graduation evaluation completed in advance).

Grade of "C" or better is required for all major and minor courses. Courses cannot be taken "CR/NC".

COURSE TITLE S.H.
FIRST YEAR REQUIREMENT -STUDENT SUCCESS
YSU 1500Success Seminar1-2
or SS 1500 Strong Start Success Seminar
or HONR 1500 Intro to Honors
General Education Requirements
ENGL 1550Writing 13-4
or ENGL 1549 Writing 1 with Support
ENGL 1551Writing 23
CMST 1545Communication Foundations3
Mathematics Requirement3
Art and Humanities (2 courses) Included in majors0
Natural Sciences (2 courses, 1 with lab)7
Social Science (2 courses)6
Social and Personal Awareness (1 course)3
KSS 1500Physical Activity Core Concepts1
KSS 1550Pilates1
KSS 1552Yoga1
Major Requirements
THTR 1512The American Musical *Art and Humanities Requirement3
THTR 1559Production Design for Stage and Screen3
THTR 1560Introduction to Theatre *Art and Humanities Requirement3
THTR 1561Stagecraft3
Theatre Participation 1 (THTR 2600) must be taken 3 times for a total of 3 s.h.3
THTR 1585Acting 1: Fundamentals3
THTR 2601Singing Styles1
THTR 2640Theatre History3
THTR 2667Acting 2: Character Creation & Scene Work3
THTR 2672Bodyvoice for Actors3
Theatre Participation 2 (THTR 3700) Must be taken 4 times for a total of 4 s.h.4
THTR 3701Professional Preparation3
THTR 3761Stage Makeup3
THTR 3762Directing 13
THTR 3768Script Analysis for Stage and Screen3
THTR 3774Musical Theatre Studio3
THTR 4898Senior Project3
MTVC 1501Voice Musical Theatre 12
MTVC 1502Voice Musical Theatre 22
MTVC 2601Adv Voice Musical Theatre 12
MTVC 2602Adv Voice Musical Theatre 22
MTVC 3701Voice2
MTVC 3702Voice2
MTVC 4801Voice2
MUAC 1521Keyboard Musicianship for Non-Music Majors 11
MUAC 1522Keyboard Musicianship for Non Music Majors 21
DNCE 1570Jazz Dance 11
DNCE 1571Tap Dance 11
DNCE 1572Ballet 11
DNCE 2667Musical Comedy1
DNCE 2670Jazz Dance 22
DNCE 2671Tap Dance 22
DNCE 2673Ballet 22
DNCE 3770Jazz Dance 32
DNCE 3771Tap Dance 32
DNCE 3781Ballet 32
Upper Division Theatre Electives 3700 and above - select two:6
THTR 3707, THTR 3763, THTR 3764, THTR 3765, THTR 3766, THTR 3769, THTR 3771, THTR 3772, THTR 4870, THTR 4880, THTR 4893, THTR 4899
Total Semester Hours120-122
Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallS.H.
DNCE 1572 Ballet 1 1
DNCE 1571 Tap Dance 1 1
MTVC 1501 Voice Musical Theatre 1 2
MUAC 1521 Keyboard Musicianship for Non-Music Majors 1 1
THTR 1585 Acting 1: Fundamentals 3
THTR 1560 Introduction to Theatre 3
THTR 2600 Theatre Participation 1
ENGL 1550
Writing 1
or Writing 1 with Support
3-4
YSU 1500
Success Seminar
or Strong Start Success Seminar
or Intro to Honors
1-2
 Semester Hours16-18
Spring
DNCE 2673 Ballet 2 2
DNCE 1570 Jazz Dance 1 1
MTVC 1502 Voice Musical Theatre 2 2
MUAC 1522 Keyboard Musicianship for Non Music Majors 2 1
THTR 1561 Stagecraft 3
THTR 2600 Theatre Participation 1
ENGL 1551 Writing 2 3
 Semester Hours13
Year 2
Fall
DNCE 2671 Tap Dance 2 2
DNCE 3781 Ballet 3 2
MTVC 2601 Adv Voice Musical Theatre 1 2
THTR 1559 Production Design for Stage and Screen 3
THTR 2601 Singing Styles 1
THTR 2600 Theatre Participation 1
THTR 3768 Script Analysis for Stage and Screen 3
 Semester Hours14
Spring
DNCE 2670 Jazz Dance 2 2
MTVC 2602 Adv Voice Musical Theatre 2 2
THTR 2667 Acting 2: Character Creation & Scene Work 3
THTR 2672 Bodyvoice for Actors 3
THTR 3700 Theatre Participation 2 1
THTR 3761 Stage Makeup 3
CMST 1545 Communication Foundations 3
 Semester Hours17
Year 3
Fall
DNCE 3771 Tap Dance 3 2
MTVC 3701 Voice 2
THTR 1512 The American Musical 3
THTR 3700 Theatre Participation 2 1
THTR 3762 Directing 1 3
Mathematics Requirement 3
Social & Personal Awareness GER 3
 Semester Hours17
Spring
DNCE 3770 Jazz Dance 3 2
MTVC 3702 Voice 2
THTR 2640 Theatre History 3
THTR 3700 Theatre Participation 2 1
THTR 3774 Musical Theatre Studio 3
Upper Division Theatre Elective 3
 Semester Hours14
Year 4
Fall
MTVC 4801 Voice 2
THTR 3700 Theatre Participation 2 1
THTR 3701 Professional Preparation 3
Upper Division Theatre Elective 3
Natural Science + Lab GER 4
Social Science GER 3
 Semester Hours16
Spring
DNCE 2667 Musical Comedy 1
THTR 4898 Senior Project 3
KSS 1500 Physical Activity Core Concepts 1
KSS 1550 Pilates 1
KSS 1552 Yoga 1
Social Science GER 3
Natural Science GER 3
 Semester Hours13
 Total Semester Hours120-122

Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate the ability to act, i.e., to project one's self believably in work and action into imaginary circumstances in roles in a wide variety of styles and formats
  2. Demonstrate a flexible, strong, and controlled voice with trained breath support; appropriate vocal range and freedom from vocal and postural tension in rehearsal and performance; the student will also demonstrate the ability to project the voice effectively in theater spaces of varying sizes.
  3. Demonstrate musicianship by learning accurate rhythm, pitch, phrasing, tempi, and appropriate vocal style that is consistent with performance practice in their vocal repertoire.
  4. Demonstrate physical competence in dance and movement with a focus on ballet, tap, and jazz technique
  5. Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of basic production elements, including stage make-up
  6. Demonstrate knowledge of musical theatre repertory, the history of its development and the relationship of this history to styles of performance
  7. Demonstrate effective audition techniques