Theater Arts

Area of Focus

Arts & Media

Degrees Offered

B.A.
Undergraduate Minors
M.A.

Academic Division

Arts

Department

Performance, Play & Design

Program overview

The Theater Arts Major and Minor combine drama, dance, theater design/technology, history and critical studies to offer students an intensive, unified undergraduate experience. The lower-division curriculum requires a range of practical work in various sub-disciplines and a rigorous exposure to the history of theater from ancient to modern drama. At the upper-division level, students take classes in a range of history/theory/critical studies topics and are given the opportunity to focus on an area of interest through limited-enrollment studio classes and through direct interaction with faculty.

The Dance Minor provides a broad and deep approach to dance that encompasses history, culture, and performance among other dimensions of the varied art form. Students are offered a wide variety of interdisciplinary classes from which to choose and explore.

Learning Experience

Study and Research Opportunities

B.A. in Theater; undergraduate minor in Theater or Dance: See website for more info.
M.A. program in Theater: See website for more info.

First-Year Requirements

High school students who plan to pursue our major or either of our minors need no special preparation other than the courses required for UC admission. As early as their first quarter on campus, incoming students are invited to meet with the Theater Arts Advisor to create an academic study plan (admitted students make advising appointments through Navigate Slug Success; and anyone may email theater-ugradadv@ucsc.edu with questions or to make an appointment if they do not have access to Navigate Slug Success).

Find more information on first-year requirements

Transfer Requirements

This is a non-screening major. Transfer students who plan to pursue our major or either of our minors need no special preparation other than the courses required for UC admission. Students may petition to have equivalent courses taken at other schools count toward the major or minor requirements. During their first quarter on campus, transfer students are encouraged to declare the major after completing an academic study plan with the Theater Arts Advisor (admitted students may make advising appointments through Navigate Slug Success; and anyone may email theater-ugradadv@ucsc.edu with questions or to make an appointment if they do not have access to Navigate Slug Success).