Theatre Arts – BFA in Musical Theatre

Description: The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre at WCSU is a nationally-recognized program offered within the Department of Theatre Arts.  Within a liberal arts setting, this program provides students with knowledge of, and training in all aspects of musical theatre in order to compete for employment opportunities in the entertainment industry where musical theatre talent is utilized.  For two consecutive years, WCSU Musical Theatre productions of Parade and The Drowsy Chaperone won the national title of "Outstanding Musical" from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (2016, 2017).  In the following year (2018), WCSU's production of Evita received 10 national awards.

While at WCSU, our students have the opportunity to regularly work with directors, choreographers, and professors from the Broadway community, including winners of Tony Awards, Drama Desk Awards, and Emmy Awards.  The BFA degree in Musical Theatre at WCSU provides a specialized and focused approach in training young talent, and molding them into young professionals.  A complete list of courses within the BFA curriculum can be found below, along with a sample 4-year plan of study.

During our student's final year of undergraduate studies, they get to participate in our Senior Showcase in NYC.  This showcase provides an opportunity for students to audition in front of top NYC Casting Directors and Agents just before they enter the professional arena.

Entry Requirements: The BFA in Musical Theatre requires a prescreen audition in order to be invited to campus for an in-person audition. For more information about how to submit a prescreen, how to audition, and what to prepare, please visit the BFA in Musical Theatre Auditions webpage here.

Degree Requirements: All degrees at WCSU require 120 semester hours (SH). This includes major requirements, general education requirements, cognates (where applicable), and free electives. This structure provides room for minors, internships, and study abroad.

Student Standing: Students must maintain an overall GPA of 2.0. Theatre courses with grades lower than “C” will not be accepted as meeting the requirements for the major.

General Education: All students must complete the General Education curriculum. General Education Requirements include both competency and breadth requirements. In some cases, major courses will satisfy competencies. These are indicated in the parentheses after the course title. For a complete description of the General Education program, click here.

Cognates: In some programs there are courses outside of the major that are required as pre-requisites or enhancements to the major course work. These courses may satisfy competencies and they will count toward the general education breadth requirement. If cognate courses are required, they are included in the list of courses required in the major.

Electives: All degrees require 120 semester hours.  Elective credits are opportunities for minors, internships, study abroad, and just following general interests. We encourage all students to speak with their advisors about great opportunities for their elective courses.

REQUIRED COURSES IN BFA MUSICAL THEATRE - 80 SH

SAMPLE 4-YEAR PLAN OF STUDY - BFA Musical Theatre

For more information about how to audition/what to prepare, please visit the BFA - Musical Theatre Auditions webpage here.