愛荷華大學(xué)

Learning Outcomes

All theatre students have special interests they want to pursue—acting, writing, design, and more. To make this possible, the department offers beginning and advanced courses in every theatrical area.

No matter which theatre arts area chosen, the overall experience as a theatre student will give each major the ability to:

apply knowledge of theatre’s role in society throughout history to creative and/or scholarly work,
explore and apply understanding of a dramatic script to creative and/or scholarly work,
collaborate with others to produce a play,
talk about and assess a student's work and the work of others,
articulate an emerging artistic vision that starts to inform a student's work and thinking about the arts, and
write well about theatre.

Overview

The undergraduate program in theatre arts is based on the philosophy that the best way to develop future artists is to expose them to rigorous professional practice within the framework of a liberal arts and sciences education.

Department of Theatre Arts students take workshop courses in acting, directing, design, technical theatre, stage management, and playwriting and complement them with classes in dramatic literature, history, and criticism. Students also are encouraged to explore a range of courses throughout the University. Around 25 public productions are staged each year, providing additional opportunities to learn the theatre craft and to develop a personal artistic vision.

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in theatre arts requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including 36 s.h. of work for the major. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers recently listed the top skills employers look for in college graduates. They include communication skills, strong work ethic, teamwork skills, initiative, interpersonal skills, problem solving skills, analytical skills, and flexibility/adaptability. Theatre is an excellent way to learn these skills. As a theatre major, students learn to think critically, read carefully, write well, and present themselves in front of others skills vital for many careers.

Theatre graduates find work as actors, directors, designers, critics, stage managers, writers, producers, and agents. Some work in film and television, some decide to teach, and some combine scholarship with production or performance with teaching. Others go into business or law.

After graduating, many students move to a metropolitan area to find work. In theatre, there are no guarantees. Success takes talent, patience, hard work, and a bit of luck, yet most graduates who want to work in this exciting profession find a way to do so.