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Degrees and Certificates
Theatre
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Create Something New for the World
Bachelor of Arts in Communication with an Emphasis in Theatre
Throughout our society, theatre graduates turn their interests into accomplishments in many ways. You’ll find them using their passion to lead nonprofit organizations, design sets for Netflix comedies, teach high school, produce short films, collaborate in corporate marketing departments, minister to church members, and much more.
In a recent survey of corporate recruiters, communication-related skills remain among the top skills employers look for. Perhaps more than any other discipline, a theatre education sharpens your skills to communicate creatively and make complex ideas understandable to a variety of people. Majoring in theatre can help develop your emotional intelligence, work ethic, time management skills, and ability to flourish on a team—all of which are applicable to any job or life challenge.
The AUM Theatre program accomplishes these goals while preparing students like you for exciting careers as performers, directors, designers, technicians, stage managers, and more. The art, craft, and practical work skills needed for a theatre career are taught in small classes, practicums, on-campus productions, and through participation in regional/national theatre conferences such as the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Southeastern Theatre Conference, United States Institute of Theatre Technology, and the Alabama Conference of Theatre.
Scholarship opportunities are available to help you pay for your theatre degree.
In this program, you’ll learn through faculty coaching and mentoring. You’ll develop acting, directing, and technical skills in labs and mainstage productions. You’ll stretch yourself in many new ways as you’re introduced to 2500 years of theatre history and literature, along with modern communication methods that you can use in any career field.
Students interested in other BA degree programs offered by AUM’s Department of Communication and Theatre can choose from Communication Studies, Journalism or Public Relations.
Get Your Degree
The Know How
What you will know with a Theatre degree from AUM
We Encourage You To Think
Know that your passion and expertise changes our view of the world. You reveal what the uninquisitive eye cannot see, thereby illuminating the human experience in new ways.
We Prepare You To Be The Leader
Know how to be a good ensemble member and use those skills to motivate, collaborate, and lead others to create something new for the world.
We Give You A Positive Framework For Serving
Know how to serve the public interest by delivering not only the truth, but the context behind it.
We Set The Bar For Ethics
Now more than ever, ethical communication is important, even if its not viral-worthy.
Points of Pride
Soaring Warhawks
Customize Your Concentration
We Have the Answers
Rewarding Occupations and Job Growth
Check out our Career Discovery Board on this page to begin exploring your options. Here are other career possibilities for theatre graduates. Contact us by phone or email so we can get you the answers you need.
The Communication and Theatre faculty have numerous contacts and relationships in the media and business worlds, and you’ll benefit from this network when seeking internships.
Some students are interested in technical theatre while others want to focus on acting or directing. Theatre students take the same core departmental classes but you can personalize your degree with electives, a practicum and experience in our lab and mainstage productions.
With a communication degree, you will be ready to undertake a variety of career choices. AUM’s Career Development Center helps you jumpstart your job search and use your network to expand your career options.
Degree Options
Is a Theatre Degree right for me?
With this bachelor’s degree as your educational foundation, you have many career possibilities.
| Career/Job Title | Entry-level Education | Job Growth 2020-2030 | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actor | Bachelor’s Degree | 32% (Much faster than average) | Not available |
| Producer and Director | Bachelor’s degree | 24% (Much faster than average) | $76,400 |
| Makeup Artist, Theatrical and Performance | Bachelor’s degree | 11% (Faster than average) | $62,810 |
| Broadcast, Sound, and Video Technician | Bachelor’s degree | 21% (Much faster than average) | $50,000 |
Note: Salaries vary depending on several factors including your level of experience, education, training, demographics, and industry. Here is a sampling of the future job growth and salaries according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Learn More
In-Class
Quick Facts
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
At AUM’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, you will have powerful learning experiences, working side by side with professors who have real-world experience.
Our academic departments include Communication and Theatre, Criminal Justice, Economics, English and Philosophy, Fine Arts, History and World Cultures, Political Science and Public Administration, Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, and Army ROTC. To help you pay for college, you might qualify for one of our scholarships.
Official Name of the Theatre Degree
Bachelor of Arts in Communication with an Emphasis in Theatre
Modality
This degree requires students to meet on campus. Students in these courses enroll in a program to connect in a campus setting and to collaborate using a variety of technological and educational tools. Professors play an inspirational role in building relationships among teams and individuals in this setting. The criteria for many programs can only be met with In-Class coursework. Be sure to check with your advisor to understand the best route to take.
Theatre
Required Courses
To complete this degree concentration, you will need to complete courses in the university core, communication, and electives. Contact the Department of Communication and Theatre for a current listing of courses required to complete this program.
The course listings below are only a few of the classes thisdegree requires. For a full review of this program in detail, please see our official online catalog AND consult with an academic advisor.
| Course Number | Course Name | What you will know? |
|---|---|---|
| THEA 2103 | Stagecraft | You'll focus on construction methods, scene painting, rigging and handling of scenery and backstage organization. |
| THEA 2113 | Stage Lighting | You'll learn theatre lighting, including designing, hanging, focusing, maintaining and repairing stage lighting instruments. |
| THEA 3413 | Fundamentals of Acting | Through lecture and scene study, youll learn basic acting theory and technique. |
| THEA 3463 | Stage Management | Theory and techniques of stage management with emphasis on the practical approach toward theatrical production. |
| THEA 3613 | Scene Design | A fundamental design course geared toward enhancing basic principles of scenic design and developing a practical knowledge of all drawings pertaining to theatrical design. |
