Hi! I am currently on the search to find schools to apply to. I am interested in pursuing a theatre BA at a midsized school (around 5,000-15,000) in the MidWest. I have already been accepted to Loyola Chicago but am looking for some more options with strong theatre programs…any suggestions appreciated! 
My D liked Denison in OH - but it is slightly smaller than you are looking for (around 3000). They offered my D fantastic merit too.
Butler in Indianapolis is more the right size (it’s 5000ish) but I don’t know much about their theater.
University of Illinois Chicago, Northern Illinois, all the other BAs seem to be < 5000.
Carthage College is about 2800 and Marquette is around 11,500.
And there’s Columbia College Chicago, but recent news there would concern me. I think the program is good, but when the teachers aren’t happy…( ain’t nobody happy?)
@mn8465 I hear Weselyn has a great BA program. a few from my S classmates (who are very talented) attend here and love it and this is their freshman year. Great campus as well https://www.iwu.edu
@DoinResearch – Curious as to what concerns you regarding Columbia College Chicago. It’s on my son’s short list of safety schools. What have you heard??? Thanks!
@Orion1325 I would have to agree. I have a younger cousin that attends. My son was also accepted literally 4 days after applying and uploading a monologue. Since my cousin has been there, yes she’s been in a few shows as an extra but in Chicago, there are plenty of those to go around. There are a few that actually do very well outside of the temporary what’s happenings around Chicago. I would admit that the campus is cool downtown and the Dorms are AMAZING and you’re surrounded by so many things to do but as a school itself, I know a few that are in the MEH category. I have also linked a Yelp where real students are sharing their recent experience. For the price, I think we will attend another school but perhaps each student is looking for a different outcome 
https://www.yelp.com/biz/columbia-college-chicago-chicago-2
Son liked Columbia, but I think the price tag is out of reach unless we do community college, and then transfer, but the strike makes me uneasy
Thank you to all who replied! I have toured Columbia and met with a few faculty members and everyone was very kind and creative and I did like the program; however, I am also looking to do a degree in education so it wasn’t the right fit for me, but for those interested, I do think it is a quality program.
@type1mom thank you for your suggestions! do you know anything about Marquette’s theater, I am interested in applying to the school, but am trying to scope out the theater program.
@mn8465 I may be the wrong person to ask. (The head of the department was a groomsman in my wedding, so I adore him.) MU offers a BA in Theatre Arts with concentrations in performance, directing or design. My D was accepted but really wants to pursue a BFA. There are quite a few options for acting, voice and movement classes in the curriculum even though only 40 or so credits are required for the major. I know that at some schools we researched, D thought she would run out of classes to take. That’s not the case at MU. Steve sells his program well and there are definitely a great deal of performance opportunities. After hearing his spiel, I really thought mine would consider a BA. The students and staff are very down to earth and welcoming. You should definitely check it out!
@type1mom thanks so much! I will definitely be keeping Marquette on my radar
@mn8465 - my S has some very talented friends in the theatre programs at Marquette and Notre Dame. You can definitely get the double major in education.
Check out Beloit and Otterbein.
You should definitely check out Marquette and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Both have terrific BA programs.
Late to this discussion, but for future readers – when we toured Butler in January our tour guide was double majoring in theatre and education. I believe she also had a minor, although I don’t recall what it was in.
We saw several things we liked about the program.