About This Program

If you dream of performing on Broadway or in national tours, Kent State's Musical Theatre B.F.A. program can help make that a reality. This intensive program provides rigorous training in acting, singing, and dancing, as well as opportunities to perform in front of live audiences. With a curriculum designed to prepare you for a career in musical theatre, the Musical Theatre B.F.A. program is the perfect choice for aspiring performers.Read more...

Contact Information

• Program Coordinator:Terri Kent|tkent@kent.edu| 330-672-0107
• Speak with an Advisor
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*

Accreditation

National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST)

^{* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics'Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.}

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

Admission to this major is selective. Applicants must pass an audition in each of the three performance areas—dance, singing and acting—to be admitted. Students who pass the audition will be admitted directly into the major in the first semester of their first year at Kent State. In exceptional cases, students may be admitted to the program in the second semester of their first year.

International Students:All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency unless they meet specific exceptions. For more information, visit theadmissions website for international students.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
MUS 17111	PIANO CLASS I	1
MUS 17112	PIANO CLASS II	1
MUS 36311	APPLIED MUSIC-VOICE (taken four times)	8
11100年西娅	MAKING THEATRE: CULTURE AND PRACTICE	2
THEA 11722	FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION I: SCENERY, STAGECRAFT AND SOUND	2
THEA 11723	FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY I: SCENERY	1
orTHEA 11724	FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY II: PROPS AND SCENIC ART
THEA 11732	FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION II: COSTUMES, LIGHTING AND PROJECTIONS	2
THEA 11733	FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY III: COSTUMES	1
orTHEA 11734	生产基础实验室四:照明, SOUND AND PROJECTIONS
THEA 20202	MUSIC THEORY FOR MUSICAL THEATRE I	3
THEA 20203	MUSIC THEORY FOR MUSICAL THEATRE II	3
THEA 21111	SCRIPT ANALYSIS	3
THEA 21303	ACTING PROCESS	3
THEA 21306	MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE I (taken twice)	6
THEA 22092	PRACTICUM: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR)	3
THEA 31110	HISTORY OF THEATRE AND DRAMA I	3
THEA 31111	HISTORY OF THEATRE AND DRAMA II	3
THEA 31303	CHARACTER AND SCENE STUDY I	3
THEA 31304	CHARACTER AND SCENE STUDY II	3
THEA 41307	MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE II (taken twice)	6
THEA 42192	PRACTICUM II: PERFORMANCE (ELR)	3
Theatre History or Playwriting Elective, choose from the following:		3
DAN 47163	DANCE HISTORY II (WIC)1
THEA 41026	PLAYWRITING (WIC)1
THEA 41140	AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY (WIC)1
THEA 41620	HISTORY OF PERIOD STYLES FOR THEATRE DESIGNERS (WIC)1
Dance Electives, choose from the following:2		8
丹17010	BALLET 1
DAN 17011	BALLET 2
DAN 17080	MUSCIAL THEATRE RUDIMENTS OF JAZZ AND TAP
DAN 27070	JAZZ STYLES I
DAN 27080	MUSICAL THEATRE JAZZ AND TAP I
DAN 27170	JAZZ STYLES II
DAN 37080	MUSICAL THEATRE JAZZ AND TAP II
DAN 37081	MUSICAL THEATRE JAZZ AND TAP III
DAN 47070	JAZZ STYLES III
DAN 47080	MUSICAL THEATRE DANCE STYLES I
DAN 47081	MUSICAL THEATRE DANCE STYLES II
DAN 47095	SPECIAL TOPICS IN DANCE
DAN 47170	JAZZ STYLES IV
THEA 41702	MOVEMENT AND DANCE FOR ACTORS
Guided Electives, choose from the following: (minimum 8 upper-division credit hours)		12
MUS 36311	APPLIED MUSIC-VOICE
MUS 45131	KENT STATE OPERA THEATRE WORKSHOP
MUS 47311	VOICE CLASS FOR THE INSTRUMENTALIST
THEA 21016	MAKEUP FOR STAGE AND SCREEN
THEA 21700	MOVEMENT I
THEA 21800	VOICE I
THEA 31701	MOVEMENT II
THEA 31801	VOICE II
THEA 41095	SPECIAL TOPICS IN THEATRE
THEA 41301	ACTING FOR THE CAMERA I
THEA 41302	ACTING FOR THE CAMERA II
THEA 41305	PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS: PERFORMANCE
THEA 41308	MUSICAL THEATRE AUDITION
THEA 41499	MUSICAL THEATRE SHOWCASE (ELR)
THEA 41702	MOVEMENT AND DANCE FOR ACTORS
THEA 41802	ENSEMBLE SINGING FOR MUSICAL THEATRE
THEA 42192	PRACTICUM II: PERFORMANCE (ELR)
Any Dance (DAN) course
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
UC 10001	FLASHES 101	1
Kent Core Composition		6
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning		3
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each)		9
Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines)		6
Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory)		6-7
Kent Core Additional		6
Minimum Total Credit Hours:		120

¹

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

²

Enrollment in many of the dance courses are by audition only.

Progression Requirements

• In order to continue and graduate with the B.F.A. degree, students are expected develop skills equal to entry-level positions in the profession or as expected for admission into a M.F.A. degree program.
• Students on academic probation may not participate in School of Theatre and Dance productions.
• Students may be immediately dismissed from the program for failure to maintain a 2.500 major GPA. Students should strive to maintain a 3.000 overall GPA.
• Students are required to participate in biannual B.F.A. evaluations/interviews/meetings, and must must pass annual evaluation reviews to remain in the program.
• Students are required to participate in annual school screening auditions and, if qualifying, must participate in at least one unified audition.
• Students are required to audition for all main-stage theatre productions and accept roles as cast.
• Students may be subject to probation or dismissal for failing to audition for main-stage productions, for not accepting a role that is offered or for failure to demonstrate continuous skill development and growth in all areas of the program as defined by the Musical Theatre Student Handbook. At the time a student is placed on probation, he or she will be provided written information regarding specific areas for improvement.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements Summary

Minimum Major GPA	Minimum Overall GPA
2.500	2.000

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid

	Semester One		Credits
	MUS 36311	APPLIED MUSIC-VOICE	2
	11100年西娅	MAKING THEATRE: CULTURE AND PRACTICE	2
!	THEA 21306	MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE I	3
	UC 10001	FLASHES 101	1
	Fundamentals of Production		2
	Fundamentals of Production Laboratory		1
	Dance Elective		1
	Kent Core Requirement		3
		Credit Hours	15
	Semester Two
!	THEA 20202	MUSIC THEORY FOR MUSICAL THEATRE I	3
!	THEA 21303	ACTING PROCESS	3
	Fundamentals of Production		2
	Fundamentals of Production Laboratory		1
	Dance Elective		1
	Kent Core Requirement		3
	Kent Core Requirement		3
		Credit Hours	16
	Semester Three
	MUS 36311	APPLIED MUSIC-VOICE	2
!	THEA 20203	MUSIC THEORY FOR MUSICAL THEATRE II	3
!	THEA 21111	SCRIPT ANALYSIS	3
!	THEA 21306	MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE I	3
	Kent Core Requirement		3
	Kent Core Requirement		3
		Credit Hours	17
	Semester Four
	Progression Requirement: minimum 2.50 major GPA
!	MUS 17111	PIANO CLASS I	1
!	THEA 31303	CHARACTER AND SCENE STUDY I	3
	Dance Elective		2
	Guided Elective		3
	Kent Core Requirement		3
	Kent Core Requirement		3
		Credit Hours	15
	Semester Five
!	MUS 17112	PIANO CLASS II	1
!	THEA 31110	HISTORY OF THEATRE AND DRAMA I	3
!	THEA 31304	CHARACTER AND SCENE STUDY II	3
!	THEA 41307	MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE II	3
	Dance Elective		2
	Kent Core Requirement		3
		Credit Hours	15
	Semester Six
	Progression Requirement: minimum 2.50 major GPA
	MUS 36311	APPLIED MUSIC-VOICE	2
!	THEA 22092	PRACTICUM: DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ELR)	3
!	THEA 31111	HISTORY OF THEATRE AND DRAMA II	3
	Kent Core Requirement		3
	Kent Core Requirement		3
		Credit Hours	14
	Semester Seven
!	THEA 41307	MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE II	3
!	THEA 42192	PRACTICUM II: PERFORMANCE (ELR)	3
	Dance Elective		1
	Guided Electives		6
	Kent Core Requirement		3
		Credit Hours	16
	Semester Eight
	MUS 36311	APPLIED MUSIC-VOICE	2
	Dance Elective		1
	Guided Elective		3
	Theatre History or Playwriting Elective		3
	Kent Core Requirement		3
		Credit Hours	12
		Minimum Total Credit Hours:	120

University Requirements

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

NOTE:University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.

Bachelor's Requirements

Requirement	Credits/Courses
Flashes 101 (UC 10001)	1 credit hour
Course is not required for students with 30+ transfer credits (excluding College Credit Plus) or age 21+ at time of admission.
Diversity Domestic/Global (DIVD/DIVG)	2 courses
Students must successfully complete one domestic and one global course, of which one must be from the Kent Core.
Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR)	varies
Students must successfully complete one course or approved experience.
Kent Core (see table below)	36-37 credit hours
Writing-Intensive Course (WIC)	1 course
Students must earn a minimum C grade in the course.
Upper-Division Requirement	39 credit hours
Students must successfully complete 39 upper-division (numbered 30000 to 49999) credit hours to graduate.
Total Credit Hour Requirement	120 credit hours

Kent Core Requirements

Bachelor's Requirements

Requirement	Credits/Courses
Kent Core Composition (KCMP)	6
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR)	3
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA) (min one course each)	9
Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS) (must be from two disciplines)	6
Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB) (must include one laboratory)	6-7
Kent Core Additional (KADL)	6
Total Credit Hours:	36-37

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Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate proficiencies that are equal to entry-level positions in the profession or as expected for admission into the Master of Fine Arts degree as a singer, actor and/or dancer.
2. Demonstrate and articulate proficiency and understanding in and of music performance and theory, basic dance performance and technique and acting and acting theory/systems.
3. Demonstrate understanding of how acting and storytelling are the foundation of all three interrelated areas of performance (acting, singing and dance).
4. Demonstrate correct and aesthetically pleasing technique in movement and dance.
5. Demonstrate and articulate correct and aesthetically pleasing technique in the execution of vocal performance, sight-singing, musicianship and music theory.
6. Demonstrate and articulate correct and aesthetically pleasing technique in acting and acting theory/systems.
7. Perform in workshops and full productions of musical theatre in a variety of formal and informal settings.
8. Develop substantial and appropriate audition repertoire.
9. Demonstrate proficiency in audition technique.
10. Demonstrate professional behavior in respect for the craft.

Full Description

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre prepares students for life as working artists in the musical theatre field. Practical training and creative experiences are coupled with an interdisciplinary liberal arts curriculum and a foundation in theatre history, analysis and criticism.

Students will be able to study and perform in the school’s theatrical and dance productions. Kent State’s Center for the Performing Arts houses three theatres, performance and rehearsal spaces, costume shop and laboratories for costumes, drafting, lighting and scenery. In addition, the School of Theatre and Dance oversees the outdoor venue Porthouse Theatre.

Students in their senior year may participate in the annual New York City Musical Theatre Showcase, which enables students to perform for prospective casting directors, talent managers and theatrical and commercial agents.