Can I take theater modules without being a theatre major/minor?

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>Are the college's theater modules open to students who are not in theater or arts majors? Would there be an audition for the module?</p>

<p>I'm entering college next fall, and plan to take a Computer Science major. At the same time, I would love to take theater modules alongside my engineering ones. I've been doing theater since 9, consistently involved both in and outside of school - so I really want to continue this involvement in college.</p>

<p>The schools I am applying to:
Harvard
Stanford
UC Berkeley
UC Los Angeles
Northwestern University
Harvey Mudd College
Pomona College
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Purdue</p>

2

<p>In most cases, yes. the main exception is schools that offer a BFA (the two on your list are UCLA and UI), and even in those cases, some theater classes might be open to non-majors. Even if you can’t take the classes, most colleges have a ton of student-run theater clubs and groups, so you might be able to participate that way. </p>

<p>Actually UI has a minor in theater, so I assume that non BFA kids can take their courses. </p>

3

<p>I know that Northwestern allows anyone to audition for the 60+ student productions on campus every year. I’m not sure of their official policy wrt various Theatre Certificates (it would be worth a call to the Department once you’re accepted) but I do know in general that NU is committed to a “one school” philosophy, so there is a LOT curriculum flexibility, and students who are motivated seem able to do pretty much anything.</p>

4

<p>UCLA is actually a BA degree too, not a BFA. There is also a theatre minor at UCLA so I think you’d be all set there too provided you could find time in your schedule to take those courses.</p>

5

<p>Northwestern also offers an ‘Acting for Non-Majors’ class and has theatre modules open to non-majors (<a href=“https://society.northwestern.edu/module_communities”>https://society.northwestern.edu/module_communities&lt;/a&gt;). In addition to being able to audition for shows as a non-major/minor, a new student group was recently started specifically for non-majors called “Beg to Differ: Theatre for Non-Majors.”</p>

6

<p>To all:
Thank you for the replies! I wasn’t aware about the BFA and BA distinction, thanks for pointing it out.
I will try to make time for these modules in college :slight_smile: thanks!</p>

7

<p>Harvard does not offer a Theater major (“concentration” in Harvard’s terms), although they are considering offering one in the near future. Here is a link to an informative recent article in Harvard Magazine about theater opportunities at Harvard (“An Undergraduate Life in the Theater” in harvard magazine dot com). <a href=“http://harvardmagazine.com/2015/01/an-undergraduate-life-in-the-theater#.VJ2JpfAj52k.email”>http://harvardmagazine.com/2015/01/an-undergraduate-life-in-the-theater#.VJ2JpfAj52k.email&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

8

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>From their catalog, Northwestern University offers a dual degree between School of Communications and School of Engineering - so a CS-Theater dual degree is possible, as long as the Theater class has space in its 100-student cap.</p>

<p>HMC allows a CS major with an off-campus minor/double major in Theater (subject to approval, I guess).</p>