College Program
Curriculum
Led by faculty who are professional actors, directors, playwrights and designers, the theater curriculum are a progressive process of continuous exploration toward the ownership of a personal technique and comprehensive methodology of work. The faculty guide the student through the discovery and exploration of self, the learning of diverse techniques used in the craft, intensive rehearsal process, and ultimately the application of this knowledge into dramatic forms and styles in productions. To this end, college freshmen perform in a Discovery Play Project at the beginning of the year. Sophomores perform in a full-length play in the studio theater. Juniors perform a full-length classical play in the studio. Seniors, as part of their BFA degree requirement, present their One-Person Show, a performing thesis, which requires the students to create, direct and act in their own thirty-minute monologue.
New York City Showcase
A trip to New York City marks the culmination of the BFA theater program, presenting seniors with an unrivalled artistic experience that has the potential to jump-start their careers as professional artists. A performance showcase offers the first step for Acting and Music Theater majors to meet, interact and network with agents and casting directors in New York. This is an opportunity for students to experience, for the first time, professional auditions when agents send them to callbacks for Broadway and Off-Broadway castings. Historically, the majority of NWSA students who embark in this New York City adventure receive positive feedback from industry agents who specifically attend the showcase in search of their next artistic discovery. Many students can end up meeting with more than just one or a couple of agents, sometimes fast tracking their artistic careers into high gear.
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree: Theater
Acting
Freshman Year - Fall
Freshman Year - Fall
TPP 1100 |
Acting I |
3 |
TPP 1120 |
Improvisation |
3 |
TPP 1160 |
Voice and Movement I |
3 |
TPA 1200 |
Stagecraft |
3 |
THE 2000 |
Theater Appreciation |
3 |
|
|
15 |
Freshman Year - Spring
Freshman Year - Spring
TPP 1110 |
Acting I-II |
3 |
TPP 1150 |
Scene Study I |
3 |
TPP 1161 |
Voice and Movement I-II |
3 |
|
|
9 |
Sophomore Year - Fall
Sophomore Year - Fall
TPP 2111 |
Acting II |
3 |
TPP 2151 |
Advanced Scene Study |
3 |
TPA 2233 |
Makeup/ Costume Production |
1 |
TPP 2162 |
Voice and Movement |
3 |
|
|
10 |
Sophomore Year - Spring
Sophomore Year - Spring
TPP 2112 |
Acting II-II |
3 |
TPP 2152 |
Scene Study III |
3 |
TPP 2163 |
Voice and Movement II-II |
3 |
|
|
9 |
Junior Year - Fall
Junior Year - Fall
TPP 3113 |
Acting III |
3 |
TPP 3164 |
Voice and Movement |
3 |
TPP 4920 |
Actor's Workshop |
3 |
THE 4110 |
Theater History I |
3 |
TPP 4930 |
Production Design |
3 |
TPA 4946 |
Production Practicum |
3 |
|
|
18 |
Junior Year - Spring
Junior Year - Spring
TPP 3112 |
Acting III-II |
3 |
TPP 3165 |
Voice and Movement III-II |
3 |
TPP 4921 |
Actor's Workshop II |
3 |
THE 4111 |
Theater History II |
3 |
TPP 4600 |
Playwriting |
3 |
TPA 4946 |
Production Practicum |
1 |
|
|
16 |
Senior Year - Fall
Senior Year - Fall
TPP 4114 |
Acting IV |
3 |
TPP 4952 |
Repertory Company |
5 |
THE 4916 |
Theater Research |
1 |
THE 4959 |
Senior Project (one person show) |
3 |
TPP 3310 |
Directing |
3 |
|
|
15 |
Senior Year - Spring
Senior Year - Spring
TPP 4117 |
Acting IV-II |
3 |
TPP 4953 |
Repertory Company II |
7 |
TPP 2260 |
Acting for the Cameras |
3 |
|
|
13 |
Students must take 33 additional hours of General Education courses.
- General Education courses may be taken during the major terms or during the summer terms.
- Students must earn a minimum of 12 credits hours in General Education during the academic year.
- Students must complete their AA requirements by the end of the 3rd year.
Lower Division Credit Total: 43
Upper Division Credit Total: 60
Academics: 33
Total Credits: 136
Music Theater
Freshman Year - Fall
Freshman Year - Fall
TPP 1100 |
Acting I |
3 |
MUN 2341 |
Vocal Ensemble |
2 |
MVV 1211 |
Private Voice |
1 |
DAA 1290 |
Ballet for Theater I |
2 |
THE 2000 |
Theater Appreciation |
3 |
MVK 1111 |
Class Piano |
1 |
|
|
12 |
Freshman Year - Spring
Freshman Year - Spring
TPP 1110 |
Acting I-II |
3 |
MUN 2341 |
Vocal Ensemble |
2 |
MVV 1211 |
Private Voice |
1 |
DAA 1290 |
Ballet for Theater I-II |
2 |
TPA 1200 |
Stagecraft |
3 |
MVK 1150 |
Scene Study |
3 |
|
|
14 |
Sophomore Year - Fall
Sophomore Year - Fall
TPP 2111 |
Acting II |
3 |
TPP 1250 |
Music Theatre I |
3 |
MVV 2221 |
Private Voice |
1 |
DAA 2570 |
Modern Dance for Theater I |
2 |
TPP 2151 |
Advanced Scene Study |
3 |
TPA 2233 |
Main Stage Prod/Makeup/Costumes |
1 |
|
|
13 |
Sophomore Year - Spring
Sophomore Year - Spring
TPP 2112 |
Acting II-II |
3 |
TPP 2256 |
Music Theater II |
3 |
MVV 2221 |
Private Voice |
1 |
DAA 2571 |
Modern Dance for Theater I-II |
2 |
|
|
9 |
Junior Year - Fall
Junior Year - Fall
TPP 3113 |
Acting III |
3 |
TPP 3253 |
Music Theater III |
3 |
MVV 3331 |
Major Applied Voice |
2 |
DAA 3548 |
Music Theater Styles I |
3 |
THE 4244 |
Music Theater History |
3 |
|
|
14 |
Junior Year - Spring
Junior Year - Spring
TPP 3142 |
Acting III-II |
3 |
TPP 3254 |
Music Theater IV |
3 |
MVV 3331 |
Major Applied Voice |
2 |
DAA 3192 |
Music Theater Styles II |
3 |
THE 4245 |
Music Theater History II |
3 |
TPA 4946 |
Production Practicum |
1 |
THE 4600 |
Playwriting |
3 |
|
|
18 |
Senior Year - Fall
Senior Year - Fall
TPP 4114 |
Acting IV |
3 |
TPP 4952 |
Repertory Company I |
4 |
MVV 4341 |
Major Applied Voice |
2 |
THE 4959 |
Senior Project (one person show) |
3 |
THE 4916 |
Theater Research |
1 |
DAA 4550 |
Music Theater Styles III |
3 |
|
|
16 |
Senior Year - Spring
Senior Year - Spring
TPP 4117 |
Acting IV-II |
3 |
TPP 4953 |
Repertory Company II |
4 |
MVV 4341 |
Major Applied Voice |
2 |
DAA 4551 |
Music Theater Styles IV |
3 |
|
|
12 |
Students must take 33 additional hours of General Education courses.
- General Education courses may be taken during the major terms or during the summer terms.
- Students must earn a minimum of 12 credits hours in General Education during the academic year.
- Students must complete their AA requirements by the end of the 3rd year.
Lower Division Credit Total: 48
Upper Division Credit Total: 60
Academics: 33
Total Credits: 141