Learn by collaborating with working artists from the Austin theater community, and gain professional experience that can count toward your application for membership in Actor’s Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

Learning outside of the classroom

Mary Moody Northen Theater (MMNT) stands at the center of the theater training program and operates on a professional model. At MMNT, students work and perform alongside professionals in the field, and benefit from workshops and mentorship from those guest artists. MMNT produces at least one musical each season, and all musical theater minors are involved either onstage or behind the scenes.

Join the troupe

The Transit Theatre Troupe is a student-led organization that provides multiple opportunities for involvement in theater production in addition to the university's main stage and class-related productions.

Musical theater students in their performance of Godspell.

Reap the Rewards of Austin

Take advantage of life in Austin, the Live Music Capital of the World, where students can see bands perform and catch local and touring productions every week. Current students and recent graduates often make connections with local theater companies including Austin Playhouse, Austin Shakespeare, Summer Stock Austin, Magnolia Musical Theater, Zilker Summer Musicals, TexArts, and Zach Theater.

Explore Details About a Minor in Musical Theater

Required Courses (10 hours)

Basic Musicianship
Survey of Musical Theater
Topics: Musical Theater Showcase
Musical Theater Performance
Applied Voice
Applied Piano

Required Electives (8 hours)

Select eight (8) hours total from the following groups; at least eight (8) hours of minor coursework must be upper division.

Music Electives - Select at least six (6) hours from the following:

Piano Class I (2 hrs)
Piano Class II (2 hrs)
Piano Class III (2 hrs)
Applied Voice (1 hr)
St. Edward’s University Chorale (1 hr)
St. Edward’s Mariachi Alas de Oro (1 hr)
Omni Singers (1 hr)
Madrigal Chamber Choir (1 hr)
Applied Voice (2 hrs)
Applied Piano (2 hrs)
Song Interpretation (1 hr)
Omni Vocal Jazz (1 hr)

Dance Electives - Select at least two (2) hours from the following:

Dance courses based on level appropriate to student. These hours should be in two different dance disciplines.

Ballet I (1 hr)
Ballet II (1 hr)
Tap I (1 hr)
Tap II (1 hr)
Musical Theater Dance (1 hr)

Remaining hours may be selected from any MUSI or THAR course to complete the total 18 hours for the minor.

TOTAL 18

At St. Edward’s, our faculty are outstanding scholars, thought leaders, teachers and mentors who bring energy and enthusiasm to our vibrant learning community. They take pride in getting to know you, helping you achieve your goals and celebrating your successes.

View a list of our faculty members and their contact information on the Department of Performing Arts webpage.

Undergraduate

Theater Arts

Program Snapshot

Program Type

Bachelor of Arts

School

School of Arts and Humanities

Department

Performing Arts

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Expand Your Creative Abilities with a BA in Theater Arts

Learn every aspect of the craft—singing, directing, design, administration—and graduate prepared to work in any part of a theater organization.

Learn to write and direct your own play, or design a costume from drawing to finished product. Gain a core foundation of theatre history, music and dance. Then let your skills shine in the four productions you’ll work on each year.

Why earn your Theater Arts degree at St. Edward's?

Theater Arts majors are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the arts supported by Austin’s vibrant culture. You’ll be connected to the pulse of a cosmopolitan city, an epicenter to creativity and a handful of world-class events. You’ll get to study at our award-winning theater program, hosted in the intimate professional Mary Moody Northen Theatre, which consistently receives awards from Austin critics.

Become a member of Actors' Equity

Through our degree specializations, you’ll have the option to focus on design and technology, specialize in theater management, or be a part of the next generation of storytellers. No matter what you choose, you’ll learn from working alongside professional artists and you’ll have the chance to earn your membership in Actors' Equity Association, the American labor union of professional actors and stage managers.

Test your fit

As you are making your college decision, get a better feel of out theater program through Scholarship Audition Weekend. Prospective theater students who have applied for university admission and have been accepted to St. Edward’s are invited to join us in February for a weekend of theater program activities! You'll have opportunities to sit in on classes, tour the campus, dine with current students, audition for a theater scholarship, see a show, meet the cast and crew and take workshops with university faculty.

Learn from guest artists

Guest artists from the world of professional theater, film and television work with faculty and students in production. Students will also have the opportunity to engage in hands-on work in acting, writing, design and directing.

Study in the epicenter of creative expression

While studying at St. Edward's, you will be connected to the pulse of a cosmopolitan city. Our students regularly participate in both internships and other professional positions in Austin’s many professional theater companies. Your immersion in such a colorful art scene will enrich your educational experience and connect you to people who share your passion.

Students performing in Godspell at the Mary Moody Northen Theatre at St. Edward's.

Reap the Rewards of Austin

Austin is home to 80 theatre companies and to a community of people who appreciate the beauty of human expression. By studying Theater Arts on the hilltop, you'll learn from local artists and gain access to attend (and even contribute to) performances in and around the city!

What do our graduates do?

Theater Arts majors go on to a variety of careers and graduate school from St. Edward's. Here's a sample:

Production manager for the Broadway production house of Juniper Street in New York City
Assistant production manager for Hudson Scenic Shop, a commercial scenery construction shop
Head of wardrobe for Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA tour
Development associate for Theatre for a New Audience, in New York City
MFA in Design from Yale University
Rigger for Disney World
Apple

Explore Details About a BA in Theater Arts

Degree Plan

Major Requirements:
The Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts requires 28 hours of Theater Core major courses and 25 hours of Emerging Forms Specialization courses.

General Education Requirements:
The Theater Arts degree requires 39 hours of general education courses plus major courses and electives.

Skills You Will Gain

Upon completing the Theater Arts program, you’ll be ready to:

Enhance your skills in writing, video-game design and digital content creation so you’re telling the story;
Produce costumes and set pieces;
Confidently set up professional lighting and sound;
Build wigs, apply theatrical makeup techniques and construct scenes;
Analyze interpersonal relationships within productions;
Take ethical precautions for running shows.

Under the Theater Arts Program, students can choose one of three specializations.

1. Emerging Forms

Emerging Forms establishes an interdisciplinary approach to theater studies by including courses from the writing, video-game design and digital content creation, offering students a unique opportunity to become the storytellers.

Major Requirements: 28 hours of Theater Core major courses and 25 hours of Emerging Forms Specialization courses.
General Education Requirements: 39 hours of general education courses plus major courses and electives.
Electives: 28 hours of elective options

Upon completion of the freshman year, students will choose whether to continue with the Emerging Forms emphasis or, shift their focus to Theater Design/Technology or Theater Management, or audition for the BFA in Acting. View and download the full degree plan for Theater Arts with Emerging Forms Specialization (PDF).

2. Theater Design & Technology

Theater Design & Technology students will master skills to produce costumes and set pieces, as well as lighting at a professional caliber.

Major Requirements: 28 hours of Theater Core major courses and 37 hours of Theater Design/Technology Specialization courses.
General Education Requirements: 39 hours of general education courses plus major courses and electives.
Electives: 16 hours of elective options

View and download the full degree plan for Theater Arts with Design/Technology Specialization (PDF).

3. Theater & Stage Management

The Theater & Stage Management specialization will bestow students with the leadership and communication skills necessary to be successful in this field. Students will also earn the necessary professional production credits to join the Actor’s Equity Association upon graduation.

Major Requirements: 28 hours of Theater Core major courses and 24 hours of Theater Management Specialization courses.
General Education Requirements: 22 hours of general education courses plus major courses and electives.
Electives: 29 hours of electives

View and download the full degree plan for Theater Arts with Management Specialization (PDF).

View a list of our faculty members and their contact information on the Department of Performing Arts webpage.

UNDERGRADUATE

Acting

Program Snapshot

Program Type

Bachelor of Fine Arts

School

School of Arts and Humanities

Department

Performing Arts

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Master Stage and Screen with a BFA in Acting

Dive into your craft with chances to learn about period styles, play analysis, theater history, and dialects and movement.

Why earn your Acting degree at St. Edward’s?

Auditioning for shows at the Mary Moody Northen Theatre allows you to earn points toward membership in Actor’s Equity; giving you the chance to work in the field with local creatives.

Join Austin’s Theater Scene

Take advantage of the variety of arts supported by the vibrant culture of Austin. While studying at St. Edward’s, you’ll be connected to the pulse of a cosmopolitan city and to a community that appreciates the beauty of human expression.

Hands-on Experience

Students are encouraged to participate in the four Mary Moody Northen Theatre mainstage productions throughout the academic year. There are also opportunities to perform with the student organizations, Transit Theatre Troupe and Box of Chocolates Improv Troupe.

Visiting Artists & Professionals

Reap the Rewards of Austin

Students in the Theater Arts major are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the variety of arts supported by the vibrant culture of Austin. While studying at St. Edward's, you will be connected to the pulse of a cosmopolitan city. Austin is home to a community of people who appreciate the beauty of human expression. Engaging with the local culture will feed your soul. It's also an epicenter to creativity and attracts world class events. Your immersion in such a colorful art scene will enrich your educational experience and connect you to people who share your passion.

What will you learn?

You’ll audition for the program in the spring of your freshman year, after you’ve had a semester to take theater arts classes and meet the faculty. Then, dive into your craft with chances to study period styles and practice working on camera. Gain valuable experience through the Professional Development Series, which includes workshops on voiceovers, commercial copy and other media.

A few examples of courses students take in the major:

Performance 1A – An introduction to the process of making meaning through performance, including a historical review of teaching acting methods. Develop conceptual vocabulary and a movement vocabulary for use in rehearsal and performance. Introduction to character design and script breakdown.
Acting for the Camera – Development and application of the necessary performance techniques required for film and television acting. Students receive practical experience in front of the camera and are introduced to the unique vocabulary of the medium.
Exploration of Movement – Physical exploration of theatrical movement styles as they relate to performance. Students will focus on physical awareness, engagement, breath and approaches to character development.

What skills will you gain?

Upon completing the Acting program, you’ll be ready to…

Perform for the stage and the screen
Analyze plays and understand the impressions of theater history
Create a professional quality film reel
Confidently audition and introduce yourself to casting agents

What do our graduates do?

Acting majors go on to a variety of careers and graduate schools from St. Edward’s. Here’s a sample:

Theater producer in New York City and London, including winner of two Tony Awards, one Olivier Award and one Outer Critics Award
Writer, producer and director of a feature film premiering the Austin Film Festival
Actor on the Walking Dead and The Fear of the Walking Dead
Manager of the theater and dance programs in a public-school district
Development coordinator at ACT Theatre in Seattle
MFA candidate in Acting at UCLA

Andrew Mueller stands in the Mary Moody Northern Theatre with a set piece for a play behind him.

Scholarship Audition Weekend

Prospective theater students who have applied for university admission and been accepted to St. Edward’s are invited to join us for a weekend in February of theater program activities. You will sit in on classes, tour the campus, dine with current students, meet program alumni, audition for a theater scholarship, see a show, meet the cast and crew and take workshops with university faculty. Scholarship Audition Weekend is a perfect way to test your 'fit' with the theater program as you are making that all-important college decision.

Learn more about Scholarship Audition Weekend.