Theatre Studies (B.A.)
Why Theatre Studies at NIU?
Our theatre studies major features a broad-based curriculum designed to help you achieve excellence in: directing, performance, puppetry and/or playwriting. The purpose of the emphasis is to train theatre artists to pursue the following opportunities:
- Professional theatre
- Academic theatre
- The training of theatre artists
- Advanced study in theatre
Careers with a Theatre Studies Degree
When you graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre studies, you will have a solid foundation for your life's work as an artist of the theatre. Learn more about the careers that our theatre arts graduates have pursued.
Theatre Studies Faculty
Meet our school of theater and dance faculty who specialize in:
- Performance
- Dance
- Design and technology
- History, literature and criticism
Hands-on Learning Opportunities
International Programs
We have an exclusive collaboration with the legendary Moscow Art Theatre (MXAT) in Moscow, Russia. As a BFA student, the fall semester of your junior year will be spent at MXAT in Moscow studying acting, movement, singing, dance, theatre history, script analysis and Mikhail Chekhov technique.
You'll be immersed in the history, literature and theatre of Russia. In addition to classroom work at MXAT, you'll tour museums and theatres, attend performances and meet with prominent Russian theatre artists in order to better understand the Russian theatre and its influence on contemporary acting and literature.
Theatre Camps
Weeklong summer sessions (Theatre Arts Camp Junior for grades six through nine and Theatre Arts Camp Senior for grades 10 through 12) are available if you're interested in learning more about producing live theatre. These sessions are sponsored by the College of Visual and Performing Arts and taught by faculty, alumni, guest artists, and graduate and undergraduate students.
You'll enjoy a week packed with theatre activities that include production rehearsals, daily workshops, acting classes, theatre games and improvisation exercises. The evenings are reserved for a variety of recreational and theatre-related activities.
We also encourage qualified undergraduate and graduate students to participate in internships.