Theatre Arts - Secondary Theatre Education, B.A.

Purpose Statement

Our purpose is to encourage, promote, and sustain both a nurturing and challenging educational environment. Utilizing a liberal arts and science approach, theatre arts at SUU engages all students in a set of diverse experiences intended to cultivate their aesthetic, creative, and scholarly potential. The central tenet of our purpose is to provide exceptional teaching with personalized mentorship that challenges, enables, and grows the learner to be a dynamic individual.

Intended Outcomes/Objectives for Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Science Degree in Theatre Arts

A successful student will:

• Develop visual and aural perceptions for theatre performance.
• Understand basic production processes (i.e. performing, acting, stage direction, design, and the necessary technical operations related to production).
• Become familiar with the historical and cultural dimensions of theatre.
• Make informed assessments of quality in works of theatre and other related art forms.
• Explore post-baccalaureate opportunities with faculty guidance starting a minimum of one year before graduation.
• Have the opportunity to attend professional conferences and festivals and work with artists in residence and/or guest artists.
• Function in a variety of artistic roles through the presentation of public performances.

Intended Outcomes/Objectives Specific to Theatre Education

Beyond the outcomes for all BA/BS degrees in theatre, a successful theatre education student will:

• Be prepared to become educators who utilize the discipline of theatre as a catalyst in understanding the complex nature of the human condition, artistic exploration and appreciation, and the interrelationship of individual expression and student growth.
• Possess strong competence in and understanding of the relationship between theatre performance, production, literature, theatre history, theory, criticism, and technical skills through which a theatrical concept is realized.
• Through theatre, use educational theories and strategies, teaching students the integral process of artistic creation from conception to realization.
• Demonstrate advanced skills in collaboratively directing productions and an ability to create a variety of types of performances.
• Have a working knowledge of the state of Utah Arts Core Curriculum, as well as state and national theatre education standards combined with skills in creating a scope and sequence, instruction, and assessment in classroom instruction.

Other Information

• Students will complete a Capstone connected to a realized project. The Capstone consists of a written paper and an oral presentation to faculty of the concept, process, and realization of the project, together with an assessment of the student’s entire learning experience and its impact on the work as a whole. Students who show areas of deficiency may pass with qualifications. In these cases an individualized learning strategy will be developed to be completed before graduation.
• Student assessment takes place annually through audition or porfolio review for all theatre majors to assess progress and determine each student’s level of skill and competency.
• Exit interviews will be held for all graduating seniors.
• Every student is required to abide by the policies and procedures set up in the Departmental Student Handbook: https://www.suu.edu/pva/ta/pdf/student-handbook.pdf.
• Every student is required to pass all classes in their major with a grade of “C” (2.0) or higher.

Advanced Placement

Students who meet specific levels of competency may be given advanced placement. All students seeking advanced placement must audition, interview, and/or present a portfolio for consideration. Additional testing may be required.