Program Overview

---

Department of Theatre and Performance Studies

The Department of Theatre and Performance Studies (TPS) at Kennesaw State University offers a Bachelor of Arts with four concentrations: Acting, Musical Theatre, Design and Technology, and Performance Studies. TPS is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre.

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Performance Studies

The Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Performance Studies degree is designed to cultivate scholar-artists with an array of transferable skills who will pursue graduate studies, careers in professional theatre, and/or employment in related fields after graduation.

Concentrations

The department offers four concentrations:

• Acting
• Musical Theatre
• Design and Technology
• Performance Studies

Curriculum

Theatre and Performance Studies majors take 15 credits of lower-division foundational courses in theatre, performance studies, acting, and stagecraft. At the 3000- and 4000-level, students take a core of classes including:

• Acting
• Visual imagination
• Performing literature
• Play analysis
• Performing culture or performance art
• Theatre and performance history and theory Additionally, students select a three-course concentration choosing from emphases in acting, performance, design/technology, or musical theatre.

Applied/Professional Sequence

An applied/professional sequence of six credits, which is individually designed in cooperation with the student's advisor, may include combinations of:

• Internships
• Performance credits
• Co-ops
• Directed studies
• International study
• Practicum courses
• Service-learning components

Senior Seminar

The theatre and performance studies degree culminates in a senior seminar that focuses on planning for graduate studies or careers in theatre and related fields.

Concentration Details

Acting Concentration

In the acting concentration, students explore a range of performance techniques and styles by applying them to classical and contemporary texts, as well as creation of original work. Acting students will train to grow as performers, and as artists, thinkers, makers, viewers, and citizens of the whole theatrical arena.

Design and Technology Concentration

The Design and Technology concentration embraces the study and creative practice of design and technology from an analytical and reflective perspective. Whether it is Design, Stage Management, or Theatre Technology, the department is committed to helping students thrive and achieve their professional goals.

Musical Theatre Concentration

The musical theatre concentration provides students with fundamental training in each of the areas of musical theatre: acting, voice, dance, music theory, and musical theatre history and literature. Beyond that foundation, students can choose from an array of offerings that support their training for a career in musical theatre.

Performance Studies Concentration

The B.A. in Theatre and Performance Studies degree features several required courses in Performance Studies as well as courses that integrate the scholarship of Theatre Studies and Performance Studies. The program offers a Concentration in Performance Studies, which includes courses such as Performance Composition, Dramaturgy, and Directing.