University of South Carolina, Columbia

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>The Department of Theatre and Dance offers undergraduate majors the BA in theatre or dance. For the same reason as I posted previously (Academic Common Market participant in an area my son is interested in double majoring)...my son might be interested in USC-Columbia BA-Theatre program.</p>

<p>Again, we know nothing about their program. Do any CC posters have any insight/experience/info to share?</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

2

<p>Hey – in case no one chimes in on this specific theatre board, have you also posted on the U. of South Carolina board? You might get feedback from a few students familiar with the program. In a couple of years of reading this forum, I haven’t seen South Carolina discussed. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a decent department, just means it hasn’t been on the radar screen of the students on this board.</p>

3

<p>Here are some questions you should ask about this school as well as other large state universities you might consider …</p>

<p>Are acting, voice, speech and movement classes taught by faculty or by graduate students?</p>

<p>Do the faculty members who teach undergraduates have significant real world experience or are they primarily ivory tower academics?</p>

<p>Are the major mainstage roles reserved for MFA students?</p>

<p>Are undergraduate theatre majors who did not attend the state’s residential arts magnet often cast in secondary mainstage roles?</p>

<p>Are productions that take place off the mainstage directed by faculty or others who know what they are doing or are they “student directed” cases of the blind leading the blind?</p>

<p>Are there significant performance opportunities in the local professional and community theatres that undergraduate theatre majors who are not already connected by being from the area can actually participate in? </p>

<p>Are graduates who did not attend the state’s residential arts magnet often accepted into quality MFA programs? If so, how many and where?</p>

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<p>I know someone who spent a year there and the truthful answers to those questions were not the ones I would want to hear as of a few years ago …</p>

4

<p>great questions and solid advice, fishbowl!</p>

5

<p>Thanks for the advice - looks like good questions to ask.</p>